Nissan Almera or Ford focus

Idioteque

Hi,

I'm looking to spend in region of 12/13K on a car. Will be doing max 20K mileage a year so looking for something reliable and easy to get parts. Looking for preferably a 1.4ltr but will go 1.6ltr if warrants. Want to stay below 30K and the two main cars I've seen on the different websites in my price bracket are the Almera and Focus(be it Lx/Ghia/Zetec).

any suggestions on which is the better/more reliable car? Have been looking at different reviews but am interested in people who may have driven both.

Thanks

freewing

although I am a fan of the focus my mate had a 2000 almera 1.4i he sold it last year after putting a total of 135,000 on the clock and that car was only ever in the garage for servicing and shedule work.not as big inside as the focus

yop

I would not touch a 1.4 litre Focus, way too weak for the size of car, no go in it at all. If you cannot get the 1.6 I would look else where.

Gluck with it

Henry Ford III

There is no comparison whatsoever.

The Focus is way superior in every way. Dynamics, build quality and materials, and functionality.

Check www.parkers.co.uk for impartial opinions.

I have a 2005 1.6 Zetec 5 door hatch with very low mileage, a good spec. level, and a full Ford warranty for sale privately here
I realise it's more expensive than your budget, but it's almost new, and I'll have taken the hit on depreciation.

PM me if you'd like to have a look at it

WILKEL

I own a 2001 almera 1.5 (50,000miles) and never had any bother with it - i do all my own servicing since the warrenty expired.
My brother has a 2000 focus and has had broken central locking and the coil leads replaced twice and now the main electric board has failed ( nearly €1000 new) and has spent a lot of money even finding this problem as the diagnostics in the ford garage could not tell him why the car would not start.
His car has done 60,000 miles and was always dealer serviced.
This is my own experience of the two cars.
having said that the focus would be a better car for road holding and is more exciting to drive.
Remember Nissan has a 3 year warranty - ford only has two - what does this say about ford ?

Henry Ford III

Focus up to 2004

New Focus 2005

Almera

As I said, no comparison whatsover.

Tiger Jim

No comparison.

Focus looks, drives and handles way better, and will be easier to sell on again. There have been 4 in my house, none gave any trouble...my own is a TDCi 115bhp and is a great car.

colm_mcm

most Almeras didn't have ABS till 2005. also the driving position is very low, and it uses lots of petrol. Even though I'm not a massive Focus fan, I'd have it every time over the Almera

ciscokid

Sorry to be flogging - but just put my 1.4 L focus with air con on the web.
You Can view it here. http://www.carzone.ie/347184 it has airconditioning and can be yours for 12k ish.

Have to sell it cos sprog #2 is on the way. Never had any issues with it.

I agree the 1.6 has more power but you pay more insurance and to a lesser extent more Tax.

BTW Almera's are awful to drive. ALL Jap cars are V reliable though. But Euro ones can be too. J Clarkson reckons his focus (nanny car) is at least as reliable as any Jap car.

colm_mcm

what are you buying instead of the Focus

BrianD3

Not a huge fan of teh Focus myself. I find the seats rock hard and uncomfortable and the car fidgety, unrefined and tiring to drive on a long journey. On the plus side it steers and corners really well. But for driving on an Irish public road is this really a priority in a family car. Also, as already stated the 1.4 engine is dog slow although quite smooth. When I last looked at buying a Focus for myself (2002) IIRC they weren't being fitted with ABS as standard

Not keen on the Almera either. Average enough handling, doesn't standout like the Ford. Seats feel thin and squidy. As mentioned the driving position seems low and the big plastic dash in front of you can feel overwhelming. The 1.5 engine in the Nissan is better than the Ford 1.4 but I think you pay the same motor tax on a 1.5 as on a 1.6. The Almera will probably be better for reliability and longevity than the Ford although the Ford isn't bad for reliability.

Have you considered any other cars eg Toyota Corolla, Renault Megane, Opel Astra, Skoda Octavia.

colm_mcm

BrianD3 wrote:

I think you pay the same motor tax on a 1.5 as on a 1.6.

Have you considered any other cars eg Toyota Corolla, Renault Megane, Opel Astra, Skoda Octavia.

road tax for 1.5 and 1.6 are different, €78 different. I would say a Honda CIvic or Toyota Corolla would be good choices

ciscokid

colm_mcm wrote:

what are you buying instead of the Focus

A Mondeo - solely for extra boot space. Servicing is cheap. Passats look lovely but if something goes wrong then god help you.

Henry Ford III

Good cars Mondeo's. Bargains to be had on used ones.

They handle better than any of their rivals too.

mondeoman

Henry Ford III wrote:

Good cars Mondeo's. Bargains to be had on used ones.

They handle better than any of their rivals too.

I agree, great second hand buys especially bigger engine ones 2lt upwards;)


i drove a 2002 1.4 almera,did'nt like it at all,felt cheap inside & not much power i thought,probably cause im used to a 2.lt,not sure

ciscokid

I had one for 2 weeks last year, felt like I was sitting on the road, acres of cheap plastic, noisy, and was terrible over the speed bumps.

My runaround is a 1999 corolla saloon, appalling interior, poor road holding, but its so old fashioned its beginning to grow on me.

Theres no point having a reliable car thats no fun to drive - you have all the time in the world to do that when you have kids !!

cardoor

I have a 01 1.5 Almera (5 years old this week). Just hit 60,000 miles last week. I never had any problems with it. The drivers seat is a bit low alright. All my driving is around town and I think the fuel consumption is good. I get it serviced once a year and I don't have to worry about whats going on under the bonnet except for Windscreen wash in between services. The front end is a bit light on the bendy country roads. There are no bits falling off internally or externally.
Two of my friends had Focus' but didn't hold onto them as long as other cars. One bought a new Primera......he regrets it. At the end of the day there probably isn't much of a difference. I am waiting of until the end of February and I will be off to buy another 05 Almera purely becasue of its reliability.
Test drive both cars. Compare Service Historys. See if you will have to replace anything in the next 5K miles like the clutch. Take everything into consideration. And pick one. Good Luck.

Big Balls

A Focus without an ST badge is bland.

An Almera is even blander.

Go with the former.

Big Balls

Big Balls wrote:

A Focus without an ST badge is bland.

An Almera is even blander.

Go with the former.

What are you talking about. When it was launched it was one of the most uniquely designed hatchbacks around.

The almera to me tooks like an old micra that has been stretched out.

colm_mcm

A Corolla or Civic would be more reliable than either the Focus or Almera

demanufactured

i woudlnt touch a ford

****ing death traps

ds20prefecture

All cars are death traps. Cop on.

The Ford is the enthusiasts choice, the Almera the practical, safe choice of accZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz................

Sorry, I find it difficult to hold the thought of the Almera in my head for any lenght of tiZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz................

Think safety. At least with the Ford you won't fall asleep at the wheel.

Big Balls

ronoc wrote:

What are you talking about. When it was launched it was one of the most uniquely designed hatchbacks around.

The almera to me tooks like an old micra that has been stretched out.

Have you ever heard someone say, jesus I'd love to be able to afford that Focus? Didn't think so.

It's a car, same as any other boring car you see in a car park. I've owned one. Get over it.

colm_mcm

Big Balls wrote:

Have you ever heard someone say, jesus I'd love to be able to afford that Focus? Didn't think so.

It's a car, same as any other boring car you see in a car park. I've owned one. Get over it.

in fairness, he was only responding to someone who called it bland. As family cars go, it's one of the more adventurous

Con_316

colm_mcm wrote:

road tax for 1.5 and 1.6 are different, €78 different. I would say a Honda CIvic or Toyota Corolla would be good choices

Civics are always more expensive for insurance, for the simple reason that a few hundred have been written off over the last 5 or 6 years years, i think it'sd actually about 215
.
They also get stolen a lot, even though all the smaller engined versions apart from the late 80s boxy one are really slow..

Focus is better than almera because it's more practical due to smoother quieter engine, better handling and the hatchback one is very useful . the almera feels like a tin can on wheels anyway

Con_316

demanufactured wrote:

i woudlnt touch a ford

****ing death traps

Ha ha ha ha! nonsense. I'd agree with DS20 on the cop your self on statement.
By the way, I got driven into by a Opel kadett at what it's driver reckoned was 30mph, i was doing 55 ish in a FORD GRANADA, AND, SHOCK HORROR! I didnt get killed, nothing like it. the granada needed a new door and repairs to the front wing but was fine otherwise and it didnt even spin off the road, just got slowed up a bit but kept going until i managed hit the brakes after the shock of the crash.
I've nieghbour who had to get cut out of her passat , which she always said was very safe and always advised me to get instead of "that wrecked old granada", and she only skidded off road into a bit of a bank at 20mph

colm_mcm

Con_316 wrote:

Civics are always more expensive for insurance, for the simple reason that a few hundred have been written off over the last 5 or 6 years years, i think it'sd actually about 215

not really the case with the newer 01 on Civics