##forfoz.jpg --Right##IT is amazing how trivial things can completely colour your view of a car, especially if you have to live with it for three years. In the past few reports on our long-term Ford Focus, the on-off saga of the boot lid has raised its head a few times. Basically, when you want to open it, the dash-mounted button refuses to oblige, but it was happy to unlatch when you were braking to a halt approaching a roundabout.

Apparently, I am the only one to have experienced the boot opening of its own accord, but it has happened to me so many times that it was not just a one-off occurrence. The worst part was finding that the boot could have unlocked on its own and, if the little red warning sign on the dash went unnoticed, would remain open even if the car was locked.

If any readers have experienced similar problems, examples would be most welcome. We'll pass them on to Ford to see if it is part of a larger problem. I must be honest, the boot saga left a nasty taste in my mouth with the Focus, which has otherwise proved to be a very good car. Even the noisy diesel engine has a plus-point, offering over 50mpg fuel economy.

I have tried different driving styles to see how fuel economy is affected and the engine always seems to come up trumps. The heated front windscreen has also been a massive bonus during cold spells in recent months, clearing the screen in a couple of minutes without having to use a plastic scraper - why doesn't every manufacturer adopt this technology?

But do these benefits outweigh the boot problem? Well, the car has now been in to the dealership to be fixed and for an early service, so hopefully the problem is banished and the benefits will shine through. We will let you know in our next report.

John Maslen