Ford or Toyota?

darrenoneill33 · 31-12-2007 6:47pm #1

6,000 to spend. Would you go for a Toyota Avensis or Ford Focus (hatchback)?

man utd 07/08 · 31-12-2007 6:48pm

PROB A MICRA:rolleyes:

cantdecide · 31-12-2007 6:57pm

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=457311

Between those two- neither rock my world much at a budget that could gt you a decent car.

Avensis vs mondeo (above) wouldn't be a bad match.

E92 · 31-12-2007 7:11pm

Depends on your preferences and needs, but bear in mind that the Focus is actually quite a reliable car(it has won German TUV awards for this on more than one occasion). Ghia models have plenty of luxuries, LX trim is basic.

For 6k you're looking at the old Avensis, which is as bad as the newer one is very good(it is really just a rebadged Carina E).

ninty9er · 31-12-2007 7:27pm

Xsara

323 F

Vectra

Leao 1.6

Polo 1.6 GTi

darrenoneill33 · 31-12-2007 7:50pm

Thanks for the replies. Most people are telling me stick with a toyota for reliability.

maidhc · 31-12-2007 8:21pm

darrenoneill33 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Most people are telling me stick with a toyota for reliability.

Fords are no worse.

hellboy99 · 31-12-2007 8:35pm

For reliability go for a Toyota but if something did go wrong parts can be quite expensize.
Ford's are not as bad as what some people say, but if you do get a bad car then be prepared for problems, at least they are cheaper for parts.

maidhc · 31-12-2007 8:57pm

hellboy99 wrote: »

For reliability go for a Toyota but if something did go wrong parts can be quite expensize.
Ford's are not as bad as what some people say, but if you do get a bad car then be prepared for problems, at least they are cheaper for parts.

We have had a fair few toyotas (4) and Fords (3) in the past 10 years.

The Fords have been outstanding as regards reliability, the Toyotas miserable, by which I mean Alfa/Renault esque standards. The total cost of ownership of the fords has been a percentage of the toyotas.

There is no such thing as a 100% reliable car, and always budget for things going wrong. I have a focus that has done 85k and a mondeo that has done 200k without ever needing an unscheduled visit to a garage. Having said that I would still buy a ford over a toyota simply on the basis that the Fords are nicer cars to live with.

Masada · 31-12-2007 9:00pm

of the 2 i would go with the toyota. I dont like the Ford engines.
But theres a lot of other cars out there for that kind of money.,

scuby · 31-12-2007 9:19pm

had a 93 corolla xli for 5/6 years, nothing ever went in it. Service every 5k miles and ran like a dream, changed to a 06, 5 door corolla luna in may....nice

some people wil say boring but feck em....begrudgers

hellboy99 · 31-12-2007 10:43pm

maidhc wrote: »

We have had a fair few toyotas (4) and Fords (3) in the past 10 years.

The Fords have been outstanding as regards reliability, the Toyotas miserable, by which I mean Alfa/Renault esque standards. The total cost of ownership of the fords has been a percentage of the toyotas.

There is no such thing as a 100% reliable car, and always budget for things going wrong. I have a focus that has done 85k and a mondeo that has done 200k without ever needing an unscheduled visit to a garage. Having said that I would still buy a ford over a toyota simply on the basis that the Fords are nicer cars to live with.

Like I said you can just be unlucky and get a bad one regardless of make. I have a Toyota myself with over a 100k on the clock and the only time it's seen a garage was for service. I had a Fiesta before that and that was nothing but trouble, especially suspension issues.
I work in a garage and to be totally honest with you it's very rare we see a Toyota in with problems, main cars that are in with problems are Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Opels, Peugeot & VW.

cantdecide · 01-01-2008 2:20pm

scuby wrote: »

had a 93 corolla xli for 5/6 years, nothing ever went in it. Service every 5k miles and ran like a dream, changed to a 06, 5 door corolla luna in may....nice

some people wil say boring but feck em....begrudgers

I'm no begrudger. If you'd spent the same money on a nice car we'd all purr like kittens.

Fact is, my 10 year old A6 with V6 engine, 4WD, all mod cons, costing a quarter what you probably paid and it gets complimented everywhere I go cos it's got breeding.

I've never heard anyone say 'that's a lovely €25k used top end car... but its just not new enough is it''.

JHMEG · 01-01-2008 2:39pm

cantdecide wrote: »

Fact is, my 10 year old A6 with V6 engine, 4WD, all mod cons, costing a quarter what you probably paid and it gets complimented everywhere I go cos it's got breeding.

WTF does "got breeding" mean? 10 year old A6s seem to be East Europeans weapons of choice, complete with tinted windows and big alloys. There also seems to be a new breed of boy racers who like them and Altezzas etc. Is that what you mean?

hellboy99 wrote:

main cars that are in with problems are Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Opels, Peugeot & VW.

I think that's what's called anecdotal evidence.

maidhc · 01-01-2008 2:42pm

cantdecide wrote: »

Fact is, my 10 year old A6 with V6 engine, 4WD, all mod cons, costing a quarter what you probably paid and it gets complimented everywhere I go cos it's got breeding.

Breeding? Its an Audi, decendant of the clan of Volkswagen, decidedly new money in my book.

bazz26 · 01-01-2008 6:26pm

Ford Focus 1.4 is very slugish, make sure you are getting a 1.6 version.

BTW I've owned both makes and each brand has their pros and cons.

Currently on a Focus after 2 previous Avensis so here is my experience:

Focus is definately sportier to drive but the Avensis was more comfortable on long journeys imo. A few rattles from the Avensis dashboard which is a common thing in Toyotas, no rattles from the Focus though, the soundproofing in the Avensis cabin is better than the Focus too. Focus is pretty roomie for its size and the diesel is by far the best model in the range bar the ST. Both makes are pretty much on a par with reliability but Ford parts tend to be that bit cheaper than Toyota.

However the Avensis is in a segment above the Focus so in some respects it is unfair to make direct comparisions. A Mondeo v Avensis or Focus v Corolla is a fairer contest.

darrenoneill33 · 01-01-2008 6:43pm

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=792167

What do ye make of this?

To me the price seems a bit too low for a '02 model. Which would seem to suggest that there may be some underlying problem with it. The mileage is perhaps a bit high but i dunno would this have a huge bearing on the price seeming to be lower than average....

ninty9er · 01-01-2008 7:04pm

darrenoneill33 wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=792167

What do ye make of this?

To me the price seems a bit too low for a '02 model. Which would seem to suggest that there may be some underlying problem with it. The mileage is perhaps a bit high but i dunno would this have a huge bearing on the price seeming to be lower than average....

reckon it's even a little overpriced considering the mileage

darrenoneill33 · 01-01-2008 7:13pm

Do you reckon? thats ok so. I was just comparing it really to others on carzone and thought it seemed lower

ninty9er · 01-01-2008 8:02pm

darrenoneill33 wrote: »

Do you reckon? thats ok so. I was just comparing it really to others on carzone and thought it seemed lower

Lots of the ones on Carzone are up fore ridiculous money. You'd nearly get a Golf. €6k would probably be the right price for a 01 with about 65-70k miles on the clock.

After all it's a buyers market and much like the housing slowdown, a car is only worth as much as a potential buyer is willing to pay. There's a glut of "Foci" out there and you can walk away from any one if you reckon it's too much or not in top nick. Many of them will have been driven by older people ( my grandparetns and a few of their friends are on their second and third) who will have gotten them main dealer serviced and not been to worried about the cost.

maidhc · 01-01-2008 8:14pm

The prices on Carzone are unreal for Foci!

I paid 11k for a car identical to this one 2 years ago (with 20k less on the clock back then!)
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=637679

Makes me feel good about how much I have lost on the car though

bazz26 · 01-01-2008 10:11pm

darrenoneill33 wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=792167

What do ye make of this?

To me the price seems a bit too low for a '02 model. Which would seem to suggest that there may be some underlying problem with it. The mileage is perhaps a bit high but i dunno would this have a huge bearing on the price seeming to be lower than average....

That is too expensive. Here is a lower mileage example and a year newer, for slightly more money:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=832017

Better value imo.

groupb · 01-01-2008 11:09pm

ninty9er wrote: »

Lots of the ones on Carzone are up fore ridiculous money. You'd nearly get a Golf. €6k would probably be the right price for a 01 with about 65-70k miles on the clock.

After all it's a buyers market and much like the housing slowdown, a car is only worth as much as a potential buyer is willing to pay. There's a glut of "Foci" out there and you can walk away from any one if you reckon it's too much or not in top nick. Many of them will have been driven by older people ( my grandparetns and a few of their friends are on their second and third) who will have gotten them main dealer serviced and not been to worried about the cost.

Why would he want a golf? A focus is leagues ahead in every way & a corolla is way more relabile.

ninty9er · 01-01-2008 11:23pm

groupb wrote: »

Why would he want a golf? A focus is leagues ahead in every way & a corolla is way more relabile.

merely a price observation, not a suggestion

maidhc · 01-01-2008 11:28pm

ninty9er wrote: »

merely a price observation, not a suggestion

People who buy secondhand golfs for the prices they do seriosly need their head examined though! The number of female colleagues that I have had to explain to that golfs are not bulletproof cars that do 300k without a problem is unreal though.

hellboy99 · 02-01-2008 3:12am

JHMEG wrote: »

I think that's what's called anecdotal evidence.

All I can say is month after month same makes come in with same issues:

For example, some Ford Focus Issues

Focus 1.4 models, slugish and lack of power in low gears.
Interior lights.
Brake pedal.
Airbag light.
Fuel pump module
Diesel pump
IMRC problems
Speedometer fails
Internal leaks in the engine oil cooler
CPS problems

Thats just a few well know regular issues with just a Ford Focus, I've seen them all time and time again.

darrenoneill33 · 02-01-2008 1:25pm

bazz26 wrote: »

That is too expensive. Here is a lower mileage example and a year newer, for slightly more money:

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=832017

Better value imo.

Yeah looks good enough. The only advantage with the '02 might be that it would be bought from a dealer rather than a private individual. If anything was to go wrong then it might be easier to deal with the dealer

bazz26 · 02-01-2008 4:20pm

darrenoneill33 wrote: »

Yeah looks good enough. The only advantage with the '02 might be that it would be bought from a dealer rather than a private individual. If anything was to go wrong then it might be easier to deal with the dealer

The most warranty you will probably get from a dealer on that car with that mileage will be 3 months my guess, and that will probably only cover the engine and gear box anyway. So in reality it makes more sense to buy from the private seller, as long as a good mechanic checks the car out top to bottom first of course.

Ford or Toyota?

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