LS/LT Ford Focus Suggestions

[bonscottstar]

Heya, the girlfriend is looking at getting a LT LX Ford Focus in an automatic. Anything I should know of?

Is the paint that much of a problem with the LS?

What things should i look for and what goes wrong with either models?

[BrisVegas]

honestly, i've been really happy with mine in just over 2 year's ownership. They're solid, safe, economical and actually fun to drive. We tossed up between an LX auto or the Zetec manual. In the end, the auto was a bit too sluggish for mine, but it would certainly have made sense in traffic.

[DZFord]

Here are some of my "disappointing" experiences (note, mine is an LS, not an LT):

1. Firstly, and most importantly, I wouldn't recommend the auto tranmission at all...see HERE and HERE My first "tranmission failure" light came on at 7,500km. Do not take delivery of the car if you have this "clunking" problem, full stop.

I purchased the auto because all my driving is done in peak hour traffic. In hindsight I'd prefer to put up with the leg cramps working the clutch on manual!

N.B. Wheels magazine once praised the Focus transmission, saying it was a german engineered masterpiece and really one of the strong points about the car. Now they just talk up the "lovely manual shift."

2. The brakes and rotors do wear out quickly - about 30-35,000km - with stop/start driving.

3. Crappy driveshaft - mine might be on the way out at 35,000km. Ford have "tightened it" and hopefully this will prolong its life. Several other owners here have experienced the same problem (see "LS Fault Register") and apparently Ford now approve the replacement of the whole shaft (under warranty), rather than opening it up and adjusting it.

4. Some cold winter mornings aren't so good - sometimes fails to kick over and even has the odd stall / losses of power (reported by other owners here too).

Despite all of this, I've recently spent a fair bit on the car because I do trust it to last me a further 18-24 months until I save enough money for a car with better build quality.

Don't let this put you off too much - if reliability was your only criteria you'd be a Toyota. The Focus is still a great car in terms of handling, space and an absolute ripper engine!

[bonscottstar]

So the auto boxes focus are almost as bad as the T5 manuals in Mk1 XR6T's?


Was thinking of getting her into a LS zetec, however read that thread a while ago and was very detered by the bad painjobs they seemed to suffer from?

Brakes and rotors were a given, used to working on Holden Astra's, which rotors need to be changed every second set of pads.... should be on the log-book servicing...

Crappy driveshaft, whats the symptoms? Are we talking the shorter or the longer/extended of the two? Or the joint in the middle of the longer shaft? (assuming thats the setup, havn't had a look underneath them yet)

Sounds a bit bad when i'm hoping to get 6+ years out of one of them, but then again i'd probably be dreaming trying to get that out of a new car nowadays

[DZFord]

Originally Posted by bonscottstar

So the auto boxes focus are almost as bad as the T5 manuals in Mk1 XR6T's?

Hahaha the T5 transmission was a disaster!

Originally Posted by bonscottstar

Crappy driveshaft, whats the symptoms?

Apparently its the CV joints in the driveshaft. Clicking / slight rattling noises come fron the engine on take up of drive and sometimes reverse.

By the way, I never had any paintwork issues.

[mohit]

Both our LS and LT Focus get the 1st gear thump when coming to a stop. What i do is press down hard on the brake pedal just as you come to a stop. This gets rid of the thump. Took a bit of practice at first in regards to the timing of the hard brake but can do it now without smashing my face through the windscreen

[Mullett]

Yup, that works well. Because you don't hear the thump. Because your passengers are all yelling about their broken faces.

-RM.

[DZFord]

You also can't do this trick when the girlfriend is trying to put lipstick on in the passanger visor mirror.

[RJO89]

Originally Posted by DZFord

You also can't do this trick when the girlfriend is trying to put lipstick on in the passanger visor mirror.

Sure you can, and it's funny too