1999 Ford Focus CL from UK and Ireland - Comments

The central locking is continually playing up.

Every time you press number four on the radio, it turns itself off.

The idol speed adjusts itself, regularly it will sit at 2000rpm at traffic lights & other times it will struggle to make 600rpm.

The car is very comfortable and the radio easy to use (until it turns off).

The handling I was amazed to find is awful, wet roundabouts are especially bad, but it has no grip at any time.

Performance is almost reasonable for a 1400cc, but cannot be described as fast. However to get it moving it requires a lot of effort which makes fuel economy about high 20s mpg. Ouch!!

The car's saving grace is that it is free as it's my company car & I'm glad to say it's temporary until a more permanent vehicle arrives.

If it has no grip and poor handling, then it's either on cheap/worn tyres or there's something wrong with it.

I have had Ford Focus for the last six months and I am very happy with the performance. It is not as economic as a car of 1.4 engine size should be, but does if driven locally.

Haven't had any problems whatsoever even though I bought it second hand. Drives excellent and handling is very impressive. Real value for money.

Just like any other car it requires to be looked after properly. Keep the car happy and she will love you back.

Re: The car's saving grace is that it is free as it's my company car & I'm glad to say it's temporary until a more permanent vehicle arrives.

I don't know what company you work for, but a company car certainly isn't free! In fact I am shocked you have a 1999 car as a 'company car' - normally this 'perk' is reserved for brand new cars which you get to keep for at *most* 3 years.

Anything over this and you personally still get taxed with a 'benefit in kind' of 1 third of the brand new cars MRRP each year.

You are being seriously shafted in paying shedloads of unnecessary tax on a car that is probably only worth peanuts (1.4 CL - the lowest spec possible Focus), and clearly has never been looked after or serviced by your company.

I would take this up with the taxman and your boss! You are being shafted.

Comments: "only high 20's to the gallon" & "no grip on wet roundabouts"

You clearly have the very base model car in the focus range, and they are a relatively large car for a 1400cc engine. I'm not sure exactly what kind of performance you were expecting from this engine car combo, but it was never going to be great.

The focus is a great car, and you really need to be realistic of what is possible for a given cost... I doubt any other car of the same size would be better with a 1400cc, or handle better with the base model wheels.