A mechanic has declared that a 20-year-old used car ranks among the most dependable vehicles your money can buy. Paul Lucas claimed that the Mk1 Ford Focus makes for an outstanding second-hand purchase, thanks to its no-nonsense design and exceptional reliability.
As the proud owner of a Mk1 himself, Paul revealed that he had snapped one up for £500 16 years ago, and it hadn't let him down once due to his careful maintenance. He told the Daily Mail: "For me, a 20-year-old 1.6 litre Mk1 Ford Focus is top for reliability.
"It was designed before all the unnecessary bells and whistles came in and even lets you start the car with a real key rather than press a button. I bought mine 15 years ago for £500 and have no regrets."
The Mk1 continues to sell for a very reasonable price online. On Autotrader, a 2001 Ford Focus 1.6i with 91,500 miles on the clock is currently on sale for £795.
The Mk1 Ford Focus often gains plaudits despite its age. One petrol head, writing on Petrolblog.com, called it "one of the most appealing and cost-effective cars you can buy". He added: "It's also exceptionally good to drive. Like, properly good."
It's not the first occasion a motoring expert has weighed in on what they consider to be the most trustworthy car on British roads.
William Fletcher, CEO of car.co.uk, took a different stance to Paul, singling out the Toyota Yaris as his top choice. He previously said: "The humble Toyota Yaris, the 58th most popular car model in the UK, is one of the most reliable cars on British roads, with thousands of owners reporting zero faults in a given year. Backed by Toyota's reputation for durability, the Yaris benefits from simple, well-proven engineering and is highly dependable.
"Repair costs are typically low, it sits in modest insurance groups, and Toyota's warranty can extend up to 10 years when serviced within the network - making it one of the safest bets for hassle-free, affordable motoring."
Meanwhile, regarding electric vehicles, several have been securing consistent accolades in recent months. Journalist Christopher Sharp recently test-drove the "EV Car of the Year", which is rivalling the likes of BMW, Audi and Porsche.
However, while he was largely full of praise, there was one niggle he highlighted.
Christopher also recently drove the UK's two best-selling cars and delivered his honest verdict.
The toss-up was between the Ford Puma and Kia Sportage but, after the end of his testing, he found there was one clear winner.
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Simple engineering and regular maintenance can make older cars surprisingly dependable long-term.
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This challenges assumptions that newer cars are always better investments than well-maintained older models.
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The Mk1 Focus was produced from 1998-2004 and won European Car of the Year in 1999.
