I had a 2.0 Focus before the Fab. It was a lovely car to drive, but the power was a bit lacking and it was thirsty as hell! Used to get around 26-28mpg! The main thing I miss with the Fab is the delicacy that you got with the Focus. Its a much tauter and more positive car to drive. To be honest, I do miss it a bit down my favourite roads compared to the Fab, and it definitely rode bumps alot better, but that probably due to the greater suspension travel. Hope you enjoy it!

Good to see you bought another cheap car for budget motoring, Tom

EDIT: Dammit - ColG beat me to it.

Just drove the tdci from home today, yeah he is right it's a blue chip. I was getting the focus confused with the fiesta which has the red key. Our focus came from dealer with 2 plipers and a normal key when new :S

The Focus TDCI has been cheap to run until the DMF decided to go wonkey. Bloke at garage mentioned the the excessive end float stuff that was mentioned and scared me is sually a side effect of the DMF failing but people keep driving with it.

Well sounds like the cost of motoring has decreased in your neck of the woods tom

A wise choice Tom and you'll be thankful for the QuickClear windscreen in the coming months

Chris

What's a DMF? Ta

Nice looking car, Tom.

What's a DMF? Ta

Dual Mass Flywheel

Chris

DMF = Dual Mass Flywheel.

If you ask me i'd rather not have it and put up with some more vibration. My father my mother and myself can't think of any car we ever needed a new flywheel on until this thing.

A wise choice Tom and you'll be thankful for the QuickClear windscreen in the coming months

Chris

QuickClear is so good, and not just when it's frosty either. unless it's some retarded patent thing(), i can't see why other cars don't have them :confused:

Heated front windows are a patent of ford, so only cars made by the Ford group can have them untill the patent expires.

I found it brilliant in the winter months.

Although the new Mini is available with a heated windscreen IIRC, so BMW must have either paid for the use of it, or got round the patent issue another way....

Chris

As patents go its a corker

Lets patent using wires to heat a front windscreen - just like everyone has done at the back for years!

I wonder if Jaguars will keep using them in future models when/iff Ford sells the company ?

As patents go its a corker

Lets patent using wires to heat a front windscreen - just like everyone has done at the back for years!

I wonder if Jaguars will keep using them in future models when/iff Ford sells the company ?

except the wire are embedded within the screen, rather than stuck on the surface...probably the sort of little detail that let them get away with the patent in the first place

Heated front screen rules - apparantly. I'm glad the windscreen excess doesn't get inflated!

Thanks for all the positive comments! Should be picking it up on Friday - I can't wait!!!

I've heard a few comments regarding DMF and excessive endfloat of the camshaft. Scary stuff

I can imaginw there great, until the wires stop working or if you need to repair or replace the screen...I wonder how much the screen costs ?

I drove a focus with the heated front screen and they are very off putting. there not invisible, it's like driving with mesh infront of you. nice cars focus's

I can imaginw there great, until the wires stop working or if you need to repair or replace the screen...I wonder how much the screen costs ?

Who cares - my windscreen excess is 50 quid

Chris

brother got a new screen on his octy the other day, i'm sure he said the repair man reckons that the heated screen is either the same price or cheaper cos so many fords have em

I've spoken to many a Ford owner - they seldom give problems. Occasionally one of the lines will go, but they are so close together that it makes no difference.

As said, replacements are no more expensive than the non-heated ones, purely down to the volume of cars with it.

Regarding the endfloat stuff, if yo uhear any noises of the clutch starts being odd, then get a dealer to check it out ASAP.

We reckon £50 spent on a check was much cheaper than a new engine

Quickclear is very good, but you will notice the wires especially when driving in fog or at night.

quick clear is soo damned good, really wish other cars had it.

the heating elements wont be embedded in the glass but rather inbetween the layers of the glass

quick clear is soo damned good, really wish other cars had it.

damn straight! how quick did the car demist at the cinema the other week

the heating elements wont be embedded in the glass but rather inbetween the layers of the glass

so they are embedded within the screen then...:P

oh and you're not too busy to post here then...

Yeah really do love the quick clear feature.... should have the same feature on rear as well as front instead of the slow clearing spaced lines @ rear.

I spent ages driving the focus not giving a 2nd thought about the wires until first time i used it my eyes kept on focusing on it.

Shame ford have the paitent.... a bloody useful... and damn good safety feature (can actually see!) for all cars to have.

my focus didn't have it but i hardly ever drive andrews focus but am totally used to it, it doesn't take long

Yep as said above you have to be looking at the windscreen to be able to see it really - it's completely unobtrusive if you're looking through the screen

Chris

lol i find it defracts the light from oncomming vehicles very badly compared to a 'normal' screen.