What diesel car... Clio or Focus?

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

Ok, I am thinking of changing my instructor's car, I have a ford focus atm, but 1.6 petrol which is a great car to teach in but fuel consumption is crap (bearing in mind i do 35k per year at 30.3mpg)

Now in the past i had a clio 1.5 dci 106hp and it was good, my local renault have a Clio GT diesel hp 3 door for £15k brand new... can get for £14k...

Or there is a ford focus 2.0 TDCI Zetec S diesel 3 door which looks abit more luxurious than the clio 58 reg but with only 3k on the clock so as good as new... for £14k can get this down to £12,500

Now i have had the clio before and had a few problems over 2 years off ownership (new ECU, Steering Column, Start Motor)

Anybody heard any horror storys about the focus? Is the engine a reliable engine?

[minty83]

clues in the title FORD lol altho i do rather like the new focus rs, why limit ur options to them? why not go german?

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

clues in the title FORD lol altho i do rather like the new focus rs, why limit ur options to them? why not go german?

Something about german car's i really dont like... but cant say what, often overly priced but i guess hold there value better...

Could you teach in a focus RS??

[minty83]

Something about german car's i really dont like... but cant say what, often overly priced but i guess hold there value better...

Could you teach in a focus RS??

dont see why not lol also so never mentioned the year of the clio

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

Ah the clio is brand new... not that the age bother's me much as i will do 60k in less than 2 years... so the 3 year warrenty means jack to me...

The focus is a £21k car brand new with all the extra's on it...

[minty83]

still thinking germany my self but when looking from a business point of view it doesnt really make much odds- build qualitys average on both, focus is big but not always good and vis verse on the clio, both prices will fall similar.. so the choice comes down to the most economical tops then personal preference next

[Daz.]

for a instructor car go for a corsa or fiesta, ive got a corsa cdti never let me down, stay away from french cars when it comes to teaching. you workin for any 1 or are you on your own? in with red at mo.

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

Daz, I am an AA Franchise instructor, but given my 4 weeks notice...How long you been teaching? You a PDi or ADi? Need a hand with any training?

I dont like the corsa as its so under powered, I had my Clio for 18months & had the above mentioned issue's, but only off work for 4 days over that time ...so not that bad & engine, gearbox & clutch were in good condition when i sold it with 55k on the clock..

Remember the car is also for me to use for personal use hence dont really want a small ish car... The focus & fiesta's are going for the same price... but get more car for your money with the focus...

[r5 rich]

best time to buy from ford is at the end of the month as they have targets to hit with getting rid of 2nd hand motors, I learnt this when I was going to buy a car for my sister and they kept phoning me up wanting me to buy it and waiting from middle of the month to the end of the month I got them down from 14k to 12k at the start and then from 12k to 10k

I still didn`t buy it as she then decided that she didn`t want it and then went and got a skyline

[Big Steve - Raider]

Daz, I am an AA Franchise instructor, but given my 4 weeks notice...How long you been teaching? You a PDi or ADi? Need a hand with any training?

Is SCS Driving School coming back then?!

I thought you jacked it all in & went back to the AA becasue running one yourself was too much @rseache?!

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

Is SCS Driving School coming back then?!

I thought you jacked it all in & went back to the AA becasue running one yourself was too much @rseache?!

I am going to carry on for around 6 month's ish, the new car would tie me over, to teach & if i give up teaching i can use it as my own personal car.

TheAA were here for me to use as a hire company as i didnt want to purchase my own car again back in march this year...

TheAA have done jack sh*t for my work but yet have taken £195 per week for it... janky c*nts & the car is a under powered thirsty car!

[Daz.]

Is SCS Driving School coming back then?!

I thought you jacked it all in & went back to the AA becasue running one yourself was too much @rseache?!

hi been working as instructor for 2 years now as a adi was on a pdi. work part time was still doing my toolmakers job 5days a week. it was going ok with 150 a week after bills, but now i want to go full time, Reds were say yeah go 4 it, so cut down to 3days as a toolmaker, now on 250 take home a week but still want more work. Reds are being ****s and sayin well you have had 3 pupils in 4 weeks. i need more work and payin £70 a week to reds is pissin me off, thinking of goin on my own or doin both at the same time to see how much work i get. I have my own car wit reds logos on it. did you get copyright on SCS Driving School ?

[BigWilly425]

The 2.0 TDCi engine is a very good unit - it's used by Ford, Volvo and Peugeot - would work very well in a Focus - Big Steve's mondeo has the same motor too!! Clio GT DCi will seem underpowered by comparison and can you get over the looks?? The new nose is awfull!!

[GTphil]

I am also looking to get an new instructor car in the new year, I too was also thinking of the clio 1.5dci the 65mpg is the thing that attracts me, (probably less whilst teaching i know) I currently use a 1.2 ford fiesta it does about 41 mpg when teaching and seems to be holding up well so far. it's a 54 plate tho but it only had 7k on it and i paid 4k for it so bargin!

I only qualified in march this year and went straight on my own no way I was paying those stupidly expensive franchise fees

Doing around 20/25 hours a week at the mo just about paying the bills but im happy as it's still early days.

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

Phil i had the clio 106hp and was getting 55mpg teaching wise... so i was happy with that.

I never knew there were so many instructors in the club... bet you all fell for the £30k bullsh*t adverts.

[GTphil]

something I have always fancied doing my grandad did it for 20 plus years.

30k I will be lucky to earn 10k this year! Cost me that to do the course and set up on my own!

It's quite funny really, people find out your a driving instructor and just assume you earn 30k because it says so on tv

[Daz.]

Phil i had the clio 106hp and was getting 55mpg teaching wise... so i was happy with that.

I never knew there were so many instructors in the club... bet you all fell for the £30k bullsh*t adverts.

ha yeah had 2 people cum up to me this week sayin oh bet your on **** loads.
getting 60 - 62mpg while teaching and 62 to 64 on my own in the corsa,