Surely it’s deliberate - i.e. they could have designed the thing to be easy to work-on, but that would have deprived them of an opportunity to overcharge by claimimg a job took 6-8 hours, when it actually took 2-3?
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An oasis of good sense
Not when the alternative has been not-going-anywhere…
Is the Ford engine one of those with a ‘belt in oil’ timing belt? Ive heard really bad things about them.
Also Peugeot is not a brand I will ever give money to again. Never had a good one.
Electric MG SUVs seem to be pretty cheap. No doubt shite but might be worth a look if you use Elon maths and include not buying petrol in the cost.
Skoda Octavia estate.
I now use a 1.4 Honda Jazz 95% of the time. 54mpg on a mixed run! Like a tardis inside. Great for a run to the tip. Honda reliability. Terrible image, but you can’t have everything.
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I considered buying my MiL Jazz when she gave up driving. Couldn’t get past the fact it was a Jazz.
An estate petrol Civic (1.4 or 1.8) could be a worth a look. On my 3rd petrol Honda now, none of them have gone wrong ever.
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As long as you don’t see a reflection of yourself driving it, its fine! 1.4 is fine on the motorway too.
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Predictably my mum loves her CVT Jazz.
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Drifting off topic like a Skyline with a welded diff…
This is as it should be 
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Like anyone on here was ever going to validate your shout to buy a small engined petrol Ford 
Just fucking buy a reliable 2l diesel that will return 45mpg plus. you’ll be fine in it for 10 years and if you do happen to visit one of the hand full of cities with some kind of scheme, accept it will cost you a tenner to do so. Glasgow, London, Bristol…best avoided anyway.
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I think the answer is always an estate car. Have only ever heard good things about the focus.
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Ignoring the whole thread, but we have a fair few Focus Active X estates at work. Treat them like crap, cold engine to high speed with no warm up etc. they usually last till 160,000 miles before being killed off.
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What engine / gearbox combos Dom?
Manual diesel not entirely sure what size engine but from autotrader that age etc all seem to be 1.5l so probably one of those.
Anecdotally the Astras getting the same mileage and use usually get another engine before they get retired at similar mileage.
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Ta
Just to continue the thread crap with my woes.
Mobile mechanic coming tomorrow to fit new starter motor.
Never again will I post about a car being trouble free and totally reliable!
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To be fair, a new battery is just routine and inevitable, and starters also have finite lives - rebuilt a couple back in the days such a thing was feasible! If it it’s only minor things like this, you’re doing well.
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All done, and not a total rip off, although the mechanic started muttering about cam belts etc
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