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Subject Topic: Ford focus estate 2.0 td
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VangoMan02
12/11/2015 at 6:34pm
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I was really interested in what you were saying about the 1.0 eco boast as my towing weight is similar to yours and wondered what kind of hills you were pulling up in 5th gear and if you had tried a hill start on a steep hill with caravan attached?

I have a 1.6tdci and get 55+ mpg solo and around 32-35 mpg towing my caravan.
Maybe stay in 5th gear pretty much on motorways but I also watch the revs so as not to put the engine under pressure in 5th gear and honestly would need to drop down the gears on some hills and the car will pull up without issue.

I read a few reviews on your car and a couple of reviewers said that they had to drop a few gears when going up a hill solo, yet you say you can stay in 5th going uphill with the caravan?

I am genuinely interested but some reviewers say different to what you say?
If what you say is true and you can tow a caravan weighing 1100kg up a hill with the 1.0 litre engine still in 5th gear, then I think its a great engine despite poor mpg?

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It is a wise man who has something to say.
It is a fool who has to say something.


Persontucka20
12/11/2015 at 7:24pm
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Hi, just to clarify, by that I mean up and down the a1 from newcastle north at around 58mph. I can do the route upto Berwick without shifting from 6th if I get no lorries etc in front so surprised at them reviews. There is a 100hp engine so unless them reviews were based on that?


VangoMan02
12/11/2015 at 9:21pm
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It was the same 125 model as you have yourself and I just narrowed it down to reviews, using google.

I suppose its just getting our heads round such a small engine doing what you say.
The old school thought of using a small engined car to pull a caravan is alien to those of us that have been towing for years, generally using large engined cars and 4x4's..

I need to read up on this Ford 1.0 ltr engine as it must have a few tricks up its sleeve to get 125bhp ?


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It is a fool who has to say something.


Persontucka20
12/11/2015 at 9:23pm
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It has a massive turbocharger that kicks in below 2k rpm which gives a kick.

Great little engine, just a shame the fuel economy isn't as advertised


Personneil and lena
12/11/2015 at 11:01pm
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Quote: Originally posted by twintens on 11/11/2015And here we go with the sarcastic comments my van has never weighed more than the car I tow with I have never broken any legal towing limits/laws and yes on a couple of occasions I've had slam on the anchors but due to me not been over the cars maximum towing limits they have performed as it should (not crashing or snaking all over the place) I'm asking for advice on how the Ford focus tows not the law on towing limits thanks for your response
My reply wasn't meant to be sarcastic however take it what ever way you like .
Your choice of car is borderline weight wise , legal perhaps but far from a suitable match for a caravan
with an MTPLM of 1.5 tons




Post last edited on 12/11/2015 23:07:34

Post last edited on 12/11/2015 23:11:34

Post last edited on 12/11/2015 23:12:58


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PersonSproz
30/11/2015 at 8:55am
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Firstly, for all that have the 1.0 focus make sure the recall for the degas hose is done, my sons wasn't when Arnold Clark sold it him and it blew and wrecked the engine. You can check on the ford etis website.


Personbessie500
30/11/2015 at 11:22am
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hi Twintens the Focus your asking about might weigh more than you think, my mondeo weighs over 150 kgs heavier than the brochure weight,doint forget the higher the spec the heavier the car.
Take it to a weigh bridge and weigh it...... it might suprise you

Bessie


Persontango55
30/11/2015 at 2:27pm
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I used to tow with a Ford Focus estate 2.0 ltr. diesel merely because a Mondeo or Passat was too long and wide to fit into my lock up garage as well. However, my caravan's MTPLM is 1300 kgs. which is much lighter than yours and although I consider the Focus to be sufficient I only had the Zetec model which didn't have certain features such as cruise control and unable to dim the illuminated dashboard clocks at night so decided on another towcar. After doing extensive search for another vehicle I found that the Volvo V50 is also built on a Focus chassis and had all the necessary specs including the 6 speed gearbox to which the 2.0 ltr. is actually a Ford engine with the same engine specifications. However I found that Volvo had installed a 5 cylinder 2.4 diesel in some of the V50 models called the D5 engine which is the same engine fitted to their 4x4 range vehicles. Where the 2.0 ltr. diesel had 136 BHP the 2.4 V50 produced another 44 BHP on top making it a whopping 180 BHP. which is better for standing starts, hill climbing and the power to hold the van back on downhill runs. The only disadvantage with the V50 in comparison to the Focus estate is that the rear luggage compartment is smaller by volume but thought I would mention about the V50 as an alternative to the Focus estate.


Persontucka20
01/12/2015 at 9:11am
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Quote: Originally posted by Sproz on 30/11/2015
Firstly, for all that have the 1.0 focus make sure the recall for the degas hose is done, my sons wasn't when Arnold Clark sold it him and it blew and wrecked the engine. You can check on the ford etis website.



Sproz, thank you for posting this message!

Logged into ETIS and saw that the recall was still outstanding. Coincidentally, also bought our car from Arnold Clark.

I called Ford who advised that Arnold Clark had not informed them of the transfer of ownership when we bought the car so, for the last 9 months we haven't been registered as the owners with Ford!

We are going away at the weekend so I demanded the car was repaired before going away, so it is going in tomorrow for 4 hours to get the hose replaced.

Hats off to you for posting this message. We bought the car in March because we were expecting our first baby and our old Scenic didn't feel safe, but we hadn't realised we had been driving around in an unsafe car all this time.

The work will get done tomorrow and a complaint will be going into Arnold Clark on Thursday I think!

Jordan


Personrichardandjo2010
01/12/2015 at 6:17pm
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I think youre pushing it abit in your original message you said you would prefer a mondeo if I were you I would get the mondeo and don't park it in the garage



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