Avoided a near death experience (or how I have come to HATE my Ford Focus wagon car.) what an utter piece of vile excrement this is, that Ford has put out.
Went to switch cars in the drive way. drove the Focus out. Then drive the Yaris out. then went to drive the focus back in...
Hop in, press the brake pedal, start the car, and I feel a 'pop' on the brake pedal. Pedal goes straight the floor with a bit of a 'squish' feel.. I do get it into the driveway, but with no brakes. Main cylinder or caliper piston. Yup, puddle under passenger front wheel, very likely the caliper piston blown.
Jack up the car (in the freezing rain we are getting - mild, but wet) and attempt to take the wheel off for a better / closer inspection. Wheel is seized on; won't come off regardless of how hard I hit it. (It was in for its 'winter tune up & inspection a month ago) give up..
for comparison (our two cars):
2008 Ford Focus wagon, 127-somethign KM on it
2010 Toyota Yaris 268-somethign KM on it
both go in for regular maintenance & tune ups.
Yaris: comfortable pushing to 150kmph, long distances not a worry
Ford: bouncy & shaky ride at any speed. I won't trust it anywhere outside the city / on highways.
Yaris has had an axle changes, usual brake work, and I believe both front tables have been changed. Oh, and I did have to change the cable for the gas cap..
Ford has had:
2 alternators, 2 batteries, onto our 2nd set of tables, various blown fuses, ignition tumbler repaired / replaced (twice in about a month) one rear door never locks, rear lift gate catch is finnicky in the winter, re-done the wiring in between the rear lift gate door.. It's lost both rear wheel well liners, and it's gas cap hatch has lost it's spring, so it's always open.. Oh, and it's developed a severe engine vibration, that things are likely to start rattling off!!! (Certain engine RPMs send harmonics thru the car..)
The wife likes the wagon format, as it suits her job (she's a dog walker, and can get 6-8 dogs in it, separated into smaller groups) Minivans or SUVs just don't have the room / space this thing does. I guess this was a limited time car: Ford developed it for lease to service companies, and with an expected lifespan of about 3-5 years..
This is our 2nd Focus, and this is by far the worst car I've ever owned. (First one was great!)
I guess Santa got my wish: "A new car"
Starting to look at new cars, and staying away from anything 'North American'