1999 Ford Focus Zetec review from UK and Ireland

Wheel Bearing failure at N/S/R (Left Rear) at 130,000 miles.

Failed Central Locking Motor at around 140,000 miles.

Burst Boost hose at around 150,000 miles.

Leaking Injector Pipe at around 160,000 miles.

I love this car!

I always wanted a Focus since their UK launch in 1998. This one came up at a reasonable price when I was thinking of getting rid of my previous 1995 MK6 Escort. It was a diesel, which I need since I usually do over 25,000 miles a year.

This car isn't the fastest on the road. The engine is only 90PS (Around 88-89 bhp), however it's plenty quick enough for me. It has never refused to start, and has never failed in a manner that made it undrivable.

The interior is nice to look at, with Ford's late-90's "new age" era hitting with a bang. The interior is definitely not the boring items you'd find in all of the Focus' rivals at the time! It's a nice place to be with comfortable seats.

The car handles superbly! It's very easy to drive, and lets you know exactly what's going on. The steering is neither heavy nor too light: It's just perfect. The "control blade" suspension makes for fun cornering.

My example is an ex fleet car, which is why it's on such high mileage. However, despite it's high mileage, it still looks good, and drives well with no worrying noises. Many people have been passengers in my car and ask the mileage. I say "165,000" and their reply is "it's good for 65,000 then!". I repeat: "ONE HUNDRED and sixty-five thousand" and then it clicks: And they always say "well, it's even better for 165,000!!"

I could recommend the Focus to anyone. It's a superb all-round car, and my example has been excellent as far as reliability is concerned.

Some dealer prices are a bit extortionate, however, and I've seen Ford doubling the price for a part in the space of a couple of months. This is about the only downside to Ford ownership.