Fuel Usage (and some rust)

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David D - 06 Nov 2005 14:46 GMT

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)

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John R Cambron - 06 Nov 2005 16:25 GMT

> 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
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> normal work journey (45 miles a day via local roads, main routes and a bit
> of traffic) gives me about 35MPG.

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

> 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)

No rust on my Focus.

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John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.

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David Millen - 07 Nov 2005 15:37 GMT

>> 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
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>My US market vetec 2.0 2003 ZX3 has no trip computer, however I have
>calculated mileage above 40 MPG.

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.

>> 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)
>
>No rust on my Focus.

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

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All the best
David Millen
Xativa, Valencia
www.fincacasablanca.com
please reply in group
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Andy Lee - 08 Nov 2005 08:57 GMT

>>> 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
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>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.

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.

>>> 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
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Nor on mine, but I am in south-east Spain...

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Michael Heiming - 07 Nov 2005 19:26 GMT

In alt.autos.ford.focus John R Cambron <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*>:

>> 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
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>> normal work journey (45 miles a day via local roads, main routes and a bit
>> of traffic) gives me about 35MPG.

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

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?

> No rust on my Focus.

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.;(

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Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
mail: echo zvpunry@urvzvat.qr | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
#bofh excuse 352: The cables are not the same length.

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David D - 07 Nov 2005 23:14 GMT

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.

> In alt.autos.ford.focus John R Cambron <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*>:
>
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> few years ago, have to take a closer look as it seems to come
> back again.;(

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Michael Heiming - 09 Nov 2005 06:27 GMT

In alt.autos.ford.focus David D <abc@def.ghi>:

> "Michael Heiming" <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> wrote in message
>> In alt.autos.ford.focus John R Cambron <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*>:

[ Rust? ]

>>> No rust on my Focus.
>>
>> 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.;(

> 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.

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?

> 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.

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!

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Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
mail: echo zvpunry@urvzvat.qr | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
#bofh excuse 175: OS swapped to disk

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John R Cambron - 08 Nov 2005 16:06 GMT

> In alt.autos.ford.focus John R Cambron <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*>:
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> possible. But 5.88 l/100km (40mpg) sounds like you wouldn't touch
> the throttle control much?

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

> >> 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
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> few years ago, have to take a closer look as it seems to come
> back again.;(

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John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.

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