Ford Focus Problems

The Golf is a better, classier car, but the latest Golf does not have the sharp edge of the previous GTI. So I agree the Focus is the smart choice.

I too would be disappointed if the bonnet catch on my car failed, but as your car is seven years old I doubt that you would get a sympathetic hearing. But you might, so even though you have been rejected I would write to Ford Customer Assistance and explain your case for compensation. If you want to take it further you could have a solicitor write the letter for you, or you could consult Consumers Affairs.

The folding hard top roof is a great idea, but it's also quite a complex and difficult thing to make work reliably. Classic Ford fans will be aware that the company had a folding hard top in its '57 model in America, and getting that roof to work the way it was designed is very hard. Obviously they have made considerable progress in the last 50 or so years, but it is still a very complex piece of gear to get it to raise and lower smoothly, and seal properly. Anyone thinking of buying a car with such a roof should look carefully at the operation of the roof before they buy.

More than 80 per cent of cars sold in Australia are now automatics and that share is still rising, fast. When companies are looking to cut cost and complications from their line-ups, it's easy to drop a manual that few people want. Between X-Trail and CR-V I give The Tick to the Honda.

With that budget you'll be buying second-hand in that class, and that makes the Hyundai i30 the best choice with plenty of warranty still to run. We do not recommend the Golf after the factory warranty. A turbodiesel gets better economy but you need to drive 30,000 kilometres a year for the total cost to beat a petrol car.

Unless you really enjoy driving, the Elantra will be better on space and will have more factory warranty coverage.

If it's a 2011 model that's what it is no matter when it was registered. The extended warranty should cover you in the event the transmission gets any worse. Given what you say is happening I would keep a close eye on it and, if you feel there is a problem take it to a dealer and have it checked.

The Focus uses a dual-clutch transmission, which is really a manual transmission with an automated shift mechanism. They have two clutches that both come into play when shifting from one gear to another. Ford has had trouble with some vehicles fitted with the DPS6 transmission built from April 12, 2011 to August 23, 2013. Check the build date on yours to see if it falls within those dates. Even if it doesn't I would be monitoring the transmission operation very carefully, and I wouldn't hesitate to take it back to the dealer if you believe it isn't functioning correctly. What you report is typical of a problem Focus transmission.

Ford's claimed economy for the Focus manual is 7.3 L/100 km, which is a blend of city and country driving. The claimed economy in a city driving situation, which sounds like it could be like yours, is 10 L/100 km, while the claimed figure for country driving is 5.6 L/100 km. I would suggest you take it on a long trip and measure the economy in that situation before doing anything else. If it comes close to the 5.6 L/100 km claimed figure you could assume the car is running ok. If it doesn't come close then you assume something isn't quite right and investigate the problem. I would suggest you also give it a good hard run to blow out the carbon that's probably accumulated in the combustion chamber, and see if that helps.

So you still have to consider the Mazda3, which definitely gets The Tick. Forced to choose, I'd take the Focus because it's a nicer drive and the Civic is really nothing special in 2014.