Other halfs changing her car soon. Looks like its going to be a choice between a Focus 1.6 Zetec or a Astra 1.6 SXI. Both local Ford and Vauxhall dealers have a number in stock 6-8 months old, 6-10k on the clock for around

focus all day every day and twice on sundays!

I had a 1.8 zetec before my VRs and only got rid cos it was starting to get high miles and i fancied a VRS

Ian

are they the latest shape focus , if so i'd deffo go for that ,get a good colour if theres a choice , cant think of anything obvious that goes wrong with them , except maybe clutches ,SWMBO doesn't ride the clutch does she ? i am biased though as i work on them , but then again i would never have one myself , too common

Vauxhall dealers are the pits when it comes to service ....go for the ford

I had an Astra, a late mk3 2.0 16v sport, and I was quite happy with it until I started to do some work on it myself and found out quite how shocking the engineering was...

For example: 1) the front lower wishbone is held in with 2 bolts. Very good. Except the rearmost of these 2 bolts is the only bolt on that holds that corner of the sub-frame to the car as well...

:eek:

2) Changed the alternator, and in doing so found the live feed (as in permenent, non fused, direct from battery with 1/2" cable) to the starter motor was 10mm away from the engine block and un-insulated...

:eek: :eek:

Wrote it off a few weeks later. Somebody said "Aren't you upset about writing the car off?"

Nope, best thing that ever happened to it...

fungus for me. Its a bit of a lesser of two evils, but you can't really go wrong. Not sure on the boot styling of the new astra after following one in traffic on my way home today. That chromey stuff doesn't seem right.

Go for the Focus just to avoid the silly indicators on the Astra.

The new Focus still looks a bit wrong to my eyes, but I'd happily have another Ford.

Vauxhalls were good in the 80s, and their engines have always been good, but the overall packages have been inferior to Ford since the Mondeo took over from the Sierra.

How about a new Citroen C4 ?

A lot of car for the money, and look funky.....

( I like Citroens:O )

Had an astra as a rental car in spain for 2 weeks. Went really well, and space in the boot was huge. Had room for 2 large suitcases and all the hand luggage with room to spare. Drove 3000kms in it and the seats were really comfortable. It was a much better car than I had expected.

Focus if you want a driver's car, Astra if you want the looks - IMHO. The Citroen C4 looks better than both of 'em, but I'd question the quality....

I used to own the Mk1 Focus 1.6 Zetec, and although the new model has a better engine (they have VCT now I think?), I would still recommend that you look at a 1.8 instead.

Si

P.S. Big up the FFOC !

Which Focus, MK 1 or MK 2?

The MK1 has an offset steering wheel (to the right) which can be annoying on motorways.

The MK2 is, in my opinion, very disappointing. Drove a hired one from London to Manchester last week. The drivers footwell is tiny, it encroaches so far in to the footwell that it is level with being 1/3 of the way across the rev counter, you can barely move your left leg and your knee presses against an angled piece of hard dash plastic from the console, and there is no footrest. The hatch is rubbish, even accounting for the (thankfully) full size spare, the space is dreadful and shallow. This car was also really, really slow but probably had the base petrol engine.

They both handle and steer brilliantly though, and the MK 2 had good brakes.

My local dealer has been advertising new Focus TDI Sport's for a smidge over £11k on the road.

That seems an excellent price to me.

As for the more general choice of Focus V Astra , I prefer the interior of the ford.

The astra's dash and centre console is horrible

Which Focus' date=' MK 1 or MK 2?

The MK1 has an offset steering wheel (to the right) which can be annoying on motorways.[/quote']

I had one for 2.5 years and never noticed, or was annoyed by, an off-set steering wheel!

The astra's dash and centre console is horrible

Just like the Vectra then...

Just like the Vectra then...

I know.

It looks really horrible and plasticy.

I know.

It looks really horrible and plasticy.

This may explain why all the Vectra drivers on the road are in such a hurry to get to where they're going!

Chris

looks depend on which astra you get; the 5-door looks rubbish but the 3-door sporthatch looks nice, as does a panther black 3-door mk2 focus.

as how the car drives is going to be important to you, i'd say the focus would probably edge it there - my dad's on currently his 4th astra and 2nd SXi, having driven both the astra and mine with enthusiasm, bengie prefers mine for sure (he actually admitted that it's nicer to drive than his Octy - just not fast enough) although as this is a new astra you're looking at, i'm sure things have changed (the old man gets his new SRi next month...)

we were looking at prices recently, and you seemed to get more for your money with a focus?

They don't do a 1.8 Focus anymore

My parents are currently looking for a new car (or should I say that they have now been looking for an eternity as they cannot make up there minds!) but have looked at both these and many others but it looks like it's going to be the Focus, but who knows .

Fabia 1.9 TDI PD Elegance

Fabia 1.9 TDI PD Elegance

No where near the size of an Astra or Focus!.

They don't do a 1.8 Focus anymore

There is the 1.8 TDCi unit, which with a bit of chipping magic would be pushing 150bhp and 250lb/ft of torque. If you can stand the smoke ....

Si

No where near the size of an Astra or Focus!.

No one said size was important! Get an estate:thumbup:

No one said size was important! Get an estate:thumbup:

..............or a Ferrari Enzo, no one mentioned budget!

..............or a Ferrari Enzo, no one mentioned budget!

10k see first post:O

10k see first post:O

Don't know whether I can be bothered to answer this or not but my point, although with a bad example, is why consider a bloody Fabia if you are looking at cars the size of an Astra or a Focus?.

Why indeed, a Transit Van would fit the bill just nicely sir!