Fuel Usage (and some rust)

Spent a couple of days driving around the East coast of UK and the trip computer recorded the MPG as 44.5. This is a 2004 2.0 Ghia and it had just been serviced a week earlier. The "Miles on the tank" at the next fill up were shown as over 500.

I know that the US/UK MPG requires a calculation for comparison - but I reckon the readout was having a laugh at my expense. I have owned more than one focus since 1999 and have never been near this MPG figure.

Has anyone else had the trip computer give back this level of reading? My normal work journey (45 miles a day via local roads, main routes and a bit of traffic) gives me about 35MPG.

Also the car is going to the dealer to have the boot/tailgate re-sprayed as it is rusting under the chrome strip - not bad for a 13month old car (and the dealer assured me it was a pre-facelift problem that has been corrected)

Reply to
David D
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My US market vetec 2.0 2003 ZX3 has no trip computer, however I have calculated mileage above 40 MPG.

No rust on my Focus.

Reply to
John R Cambron

My 1.8TDCi is doing 39-40mpg (Imperial, so around 36 per US gal) and is probably rather slower and noisier than your 2.0 ZX3.

Nor on mine, but I am in south-east Spain...

Reply to
David Millen

In alt.autos.ford.focus John R Cambron :

Musling? Have a 1999 2l, with a little care 29.4mpg (8 l/100km) are possible. But 5.88 l/100km (40mpg) sounds like you wouldn't touch the throttle control much?

Had some on the rear door (chrome strip), seems a cancer on Ghia models. Had it fixed by Ford under the 12 year rust warranty a few years ago, have to take a closer look as it seems to come back again.;(

Reply to
Michael Heiming

My previous Focus (with the chrome strip) had a re-spray in 2002, and then one year later the dealer replaced the whole boot/tailgate as the rust had come back. But also it was all around the edge - I think I recall an earlier post about problems with the sealing compound allowing moisture to penetrate via the seam on the inside.

So it is worth checking all over for any other signs rust.

The dealer told me that the "fix" will be the same as 3 years ago - they just put a plastic membrane/washer under the trim after the re-spray

To me it's crazy that this problem has been evident for 5 years and nothing was done about it.

Reply to
David D

Low figure for the mpg I get around 45 -50 but as our roads are pretty well gridlocked I guess getting above walkikng speed is so rare the the mpg gets no chanve to fall much lower. My old 2.0l petrol was not faster than my TDCi and not any quieter to be honest but that probably has more to do with the extra sound insulation rather than the actual noisyness of the engine. Sitting inside at tickover it's difficult to tell what engine is in the car.

Reply to
Andy Lee

That pretty much describes the way I drive when cruising on the flat roads here in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.

Reply to
John R Cambron

In alt.autos.ford.focus David D :

[ Rust? ]

Yep, there's a problem with the sealing compound, all doors/etc.

Have checked this a few times but no problems there until now, despite the rear door, which looks somehow as if it would rust there below the sealing compound, in addition to the previously mentioned problems at the chrome strip which come back.

A proper fix would need a new rear door, curious if Ford will spent the money now, or just respray it again until the 12 years rust warranty are over?

Yep, sounds crazy, thought this problem would have been fixed long ago and only early models, like mine (1999) would have this problem.

Looking at this and other flaws, you ask yourself how long does Ford produce cars? They should really know better!

Reply to
Michael Heiming

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