Astra v Focus.

GhostDog_2

Wondering if anyone can offer any words of wisdom to help me decide which car might suit best.....:o

Vauxhall Astra 1.9CDTi or Ford Focus 1.8 CDTi (Style or Zetec)

Travel about 25 miles each day to work and back. 2 adults + 1 medium-sized dog. Love the shape of the 3-door Astra and the "sportiness" of it! :cool: (at over 40 I'm clinging on in there! )

I've noted the Focus is quite a bit cheaper but not sure if it offers the reliability of the Astra....? I'm thinking its going to cost me under £10k inc px (worth approx £4.5k)

Any ideas anyone? :beer:

Lemonade_Pockets

Astra looks nicer agreed, but the Focus is the better car all things considered.
There is nothing to choose between them reliability wise!

You should be able to get some spectacular deals on new ones at the moment! I know for a fact neither order books are looking that healthy for March atm.

jeannieblue

Servicing wise, parts for Ford and Vauxhall are very reasonable. I love my Focus - and I won't try and persuade you to buy one. You have to choose the one you like, that is comfortable for you to drive and comes in a colour you like......

The thing that would keep me buying a Ford, is the bl**dy brilliant quick clear windscreens! Frosty morning, start the car, press buttons for front and rear screens, clear side windows, and you are all clear to go!!

But you do have to love the colour and shape too..... I think that either would be an ok buy, tho think the focus may have the edge... but it is your money and your choice!

BenL

I love the shape of the 3 door Astra too, luckily I have one on the drive.

It has been a great car so far for me, 56 reg 1.6 petrol. 40,000 miles without any problems at all (touch wood).

The only issue I have with the car is the rear visibility due to the small screen. I once reversed into a lamppost due to the big 3/4 area and small screen.

Both are great cars though, the Astra CDti comes in 2 versions, 120bhp and 150bhp. The 150 is very nippy indeed, the Focus has 1.6 & 2.0 Diesel turbos shared/designed with Peugeot and are also great. I had a 1.6D hire focus and liked that a lot.

Its a tough choice indeed, when I bought mine Vauxhall were doing better offers and I preferred the styling of the Astra. If Ford were doing better offers than vauxhall I may have gone that way though.

goldspanners

focus every day of the week.
im biased as i also have one,but would consider other makes before the vauxhall.
looking through the ages i think the astra has always looked dated well before the focus and looses money quicker than the focus.
the interior of the focus looks a lot better than the astra,i think the astra looks very cheap and tacky,the focus is a bit more refined.

rsvtoddy

Focus every time - have you seen the depreciation on an Astra:eek: - check out the whatcar website and you can see how much they cost to run and also the depreciation.

Had a Mk 1 Focus and loved it - my next one will be another Focus to replace the horrible Corolla I've now got

Mark_Hewitt

GhostDog wrote: »

Vauxhall Astra 1.9CDTi or Ford Focus 1.8 CDTi (Style or Zetec)

I'd go for the Focus, if it is the new shape type.

Question if you really need a diesel for the milages you are doing? With diesel costing quite a bit more you might make a saving getting petrol with the lower purchase cost.

XDA

I changed my car a few months back, and I considered either the Astra or Focus.

I went for the Focus.

I have a Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Zetec and Im really impressed with it. When it comes to reliability, I personally think the Focus comes out top compared with an Astra. The Focus is also alot cheaper than the Astra.

As jeannieblue said, the Focus has heated front and rear windscreens which are very useful on frosty mornings. Switch them both on and after about 3 minutes, both will be clear of ice.

You thinking of buying a new Astra/Focus?

Mark_Hewitt

XDA wrote: »

As jeannieblue said, the Focus has heated front and rear windscreens which are very useful on frosty mornings. Switch them both on and after about 3 minutes, both will be clear of ice.

Of course all cars have heater rear screens.

I have the heated front screen in my Fiesta and it is fantastic on winter mornings. You still have to clear snow by hand but any ice will melt away. It's not a 30 second fix however, it does take a few minutes to work.

Plus they are not to everyones taste as you can see the wires in the screen during the day.

Enfieldian

The heated screen is available as standard on the Zetec model upwards.

It does not come on the Style.

I would recommend the Zetec anyway as it also has an arm rest/console that the Style does not have and better seats.

I had to rent a car recently and was offered a 1.6 Focus or Astra, went for the Focus as the Astra is looking dated and my last car was a Vectra SRi and I was not impressed......

XDA

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

Of course all cars have heater rear screens.

Thanks for pointing out my.....mistake. :rolleyes:

Dont you mean heated rear screens, not heater?