Focus TDCi diesel - yay or nay

SLITHER99

I've seen a diesel Focus Estate which fits the bill in all ways. Price is right, spec is right, etc.

However, my worry is over the diesel bit... I'm seeing so many of these stories of turbos failing and causing £1000s of damage.

Should I go for it (assuming an RAC inspection goes well), or just steer clear and hold out for a petrol model?

Fender1963

I'm thinking about one of these too so I'll be interested in people's opinions.

My current Focus is a 52 TDCi and has been the most unreliable car I've ever owned, but that first incarnation of the TDCi seems to have a particularly bad reputation judging by what I've read on various forums.

EDIT: I should add that in all other respects I couldn't be more pleased with the Focus. It's great to drive and the Diesel engine gives it long legs that make it so relaxing on the motorway

=booboo=

The Petrol / Diesel debate should really only depend on your mileage.

Cant speak for the focus however I drive a TDCI fiesta and can only praise it, no faults at all. My previous car was the Petrol focus.

SLITHER99

10k a year for me. From a fuel cost perspective, I know full well it's not going to save me, but the diesel Focus' seems to be a bit cheaper than the petrols I'm looking at.

Just wondering if that's a sign in itself?

TBH, the stories I'm reading is pretty much consistent turbo/injector/DMF/DPF failures costing tonnes of cash.

motorguy

The 1.6 TDCi engine fitted from '05 is a notoriously bad engine. Poorly designed oil flows mean the turbo is prone to failure.

EGR valves give trouble.

Air flow meters give trouble.

DPF's give trouble.

Failure of any of these three will put extra stress on the turbo leading too to failure.

Personally i'd avoid it like the plague.

=booboo=

SLITHER99 wrote: »

10k a year for me. From a fuel cost perspective, I know full well it's not going to save me, but the diesel Focus' seems to be a bit cheaper than the petrols I'm looking at.

Less than 20k miles, you should be looking at a petrol. Shorter journeys tend to ruin the DPF

JonathanA

We've had two Focus CMAX 2.0TDCi - one from new, one from 3 months old. Both are 2.0 diesels. The current car has 37k on the clock and is 4 years old. No problems with it at all, certainly no DPF issues. The previous one, which we sold at 5 yrs and 60k miles was equally as good.

Prior to that we had a Focus 1.8TDCi - again no problems and the first Focus we had was a 2000 reg 1.8TDDi that did 18k miles in 3 years, which was troublefree.

There are a lot of doom and gloom merchants out there when it comes to diesel. Personally I prefer them to petrol cars and wouldn't hesitate to have another.

Our main car is a Mondeo TDCI which has done 120k. That had a new EGR valve at 98k & has just had a new DMF and clutch, but apart from that has been faultless, returns between 50 - 55mpg and frankly feels like it will run forever.

rodenal

Too much risk running a modern diesel for that mileage.

With regards to the engines the 1.8 and 2.0 tdci's are a lot better reliability wise in the mk2 focus than the 1.6

forgotmyname

Buy a mondeo instead. Bigger car, Smaller prices.

Running costs are similar though.

ado

My police force uses TDCi Focus estates as response mobiles. They get hammered by a variety of drivers and are in use 24/7, with most doing 20,000 miles or so per year. They seem to be quite reliable with clutch and battery problems cropping up fairly regularly but I've only heard of one or two turbo problems. Due to the nature of their use fuel economy seems to be relatively low and in the mid 30's. My 2l TDCi Mondeo gets 47 mpg by way of comparison.

Ranger8

SLITHER99 wrote: »

I've seen a diesel Focus Estate which fits the bill in all ways. Price is right, spec is right, etc.

However, my worry is over the diesel bit... I'm seeing so many of these stories of turbos failing and causing £1000s of damage.

Should I go for it (assuming an RAC inspection goes well),

Yes, stop worrying so much, all vehicles need repair some time in their lives