2013 Ford Focus ST Long Term Road Test

Comments

• kirkhilles_ Member Posts: 151

  October 2013

  That seems expensive. Could you break it down for us? A reasonable cost (in my mind) for oil change and tire rotation should be about $55 or so. Air filter for another $20 or so. Dunno about the cabin filter. $160 every year sounds pricy though.

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• duck87 Member Posts: 649

  October 2013

  @kirkhilles: Santa Monica prices. This is expensive no doubt, but if you read any of the other long term entries they're not that far off in price.

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• fordson1 Unconfirmed Posts: 1,512

  October 2013

  Oil is going to be $45 (synthetic - turbo), the oil filter will be $12, the air filter will be $20-25; the cabin filter the same...call it $100 for parts alone. Maybe $85 if you shop around. $161 ain't too bad. If you're worried about the $60 in labor, this is all stuff that can be done in the driveway. Unless you keep it to 10k miles a year, it's going to be required more often than that, though.

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• subytrojan_2 Member Posts: 79

  October 2013

  Did you verify the tires were rotated?

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• socal_eric Member Posts: 189

  October 2013

  The owner's and shop manual only requires a minimum of Ford's semi-synthetic motor oil (or conventional oil if you have a Focus ST and live in Canada), and given the reluctance of Edmunds staff to use "suggested" premium fuel over "acceptable" standard or mid-grade in some other cars in their long-term fleet, I doubt they'd splurge for full synthetic when not required. Still for the area with $100-150 an hour labor rates it probably isn't too outrageous and those in other parts of the country would get away with a more reasonable cost. (Back to the oil, used oil analysis has shown the Motorcraft semi-synthetic 5w30 is pretty good and that is what the oil life monitor is calibrated to assume you're using, but a full synthetic might be better for those pushing the car hard or in extreme climates.)

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• empowah Member Posts: 71

  October 2013

  Air filter is needed at 30,000 miles according to the manual. The Works Fuel Saver seems to include everything you need at 20,000 miles (rotation, oil/filter change, inspections) and costs $39.95 with a coupon at every Ford dealer: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Owner/Page/ServiceCouponsPage

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• duck87 Member Posts: 649

  October 2013

  @socal_eric: I'll be honest, with high temps in SoCal I'd just run the synthetic oil (if considering DIY route). Pennzoil is offering something like a $10 discount off Platinum, and you can find this stuff at Wal-Mart for $25 to begin with.

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• gmcgurk Member Posts: 2

  June 2015

  I would not use anything but a full synthetic in a turbo engine. That and a low restrictive lifetime air filter like Amzoil or another brand. Would increase both power and fuel economy.. I have driven many cars over the last 25 years both turbo and non turbo. I have driven all of them 200K + miles have never replaced anything lubed with synth oils engine trans and rear end on rear wheel drives. Commuted 114 miles a day 5 days a week + vacations and normal trips and wife commuted 50miles a day the other way.. This in Texas heat at 70-80 + mph. That is a lot of miles and cars. Only one that didn't make the 200K + was a Dodge Stealth that a water pump locked and broke the timing belt at 120K. Mech didn't change the pump as he was told to when belt was replaced. It bent the valve stems Changed mechanics!. The rest of the car was not holding up well, I put a used engine in and traded it.

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