Ford Focus Hatchback (1998 - 2004) 1.6 LX 5d (01) Owner Review

The reason for being overly negative about the Focus is that the Mk1 is an old car and is suffering from wear & tear and high mileage and that cars have moved on since this was built. However I was after cheap wheels and it does that job well as the main problems have been drop links and track rod ends which are easily fixed and the fog light connector was corroded again easily fixed. The RHS gearbox output seal was weeping which requires a replacement seal which is not so straightforward. Any other problems have been of my own doing! It has a reliable engine and IB5 gearbox, that still passes emissions and the belt is 100K so not due a 2nd one for 25K or 2024 which ever comes soonest! The handling is good but the ride quality not so good, I suspect the previous owner had the dampers replaced at some point as although they are getting soft they are still adequate. Mind you the last Focus I drove was 98 so it may be they were always soft. As with all Mk1 bodywork corrosion can be an issue, mainly rear arches and sills. I use ACF50 on the arches to prevent any corrosion getting worse. All in all it does the job it was bought for and I would consider replacing it with a later model such as a 1.6 Mk2.