The Ford Focus Servicing and Maintenance
The original Focus was easy to drive, reliable and cheap to run with better fuel economy from a new range of engines and low servicing costs. This and reasonable pricing made it very popular with private and fleet owners alike and put it at the head of the pack in the small family hatch market. Even today the early Ford Focus stands up as modern motor car with very comparable driving experience, fuel economy, reliability and we rarely see a Ford Focus in our workshops requiring a major repair as usually their visit is for regular servicing and MOTs.
About the Ford Focus
The Ford Focus has now been with us since 1998 and in that time has proven to be a firm favourite. It won European Car of the Year in 1999 and has been listed as one of the greatest cars of past decades by several British Car magazines.
As a direct replacement for the Ford Escort which had been in production since 1968 and was waining in it's appeal, the Ford Focus was to lead next generation of small family car. The new car had been redesigned from the ground up and styled to move Ford's small family hatch in to a new era for comfort, aerodynamics and driving experience.
The new independent suspension system designed specifically for the Focus meant that it was the perfect replacement for the Escort as the 'Fast Ford' hot hatch of choice not only on the road but also in many forms of motorsport across the world. Even today the early Focus MkI and Mk II has class leading ride and handling.
Ford Focus Running Costs
Insurance premiums remain pretty reasonable as most Ford Focus models are rated between groups 10 and 15.
A Focus owner won't be unhappy with the servicing and repairs costs either as parts are cheap and most reputable service centres can work on the simple mechanics and service your Focus according to Ford's servicing schedules. One of the downsides (of which there are very few) of the older Focus marks is the road tax which will range from approximately £225 for the earliest models, however this does reduce with the more modern versions.
As a secondhand purchase the Ford Focus is a great choice with all but the basic models offering enough equipment to keep you happy. The 1.6, 1.8 and the TDCi diesel engined cars are the best choice for all round value, economy and performance. Look out for good examples of the LX and Zetec as these can be picked up for several hundred pounds and came with a few desirable extras such as Air Con.
The Ford Focus is a good reliable car that shouldn't cause you too many headaches and most reputable Service Centres such as ourselves will offer free safety checks on your brakes, tyres and fluids as well as other checks like Air Con efficiency which can drop off on older cars and may need to be topped up.
Overall the Ford Focus has always been and remains a good solid choice, especially for those looking for good value motoring on a budget...
