LS/LT reliability & cost of ownership?

[Minerva]

G'day,

I've been looking at buying a LS/LT focus for a cheap runabout car as my current car is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Just curious as to how reliable these cars are and what the price of parts and repairs are compared to other makes?

I've been reading a lot of conflicting things online, some people love them and some people hate them it seems. My mechanic said "they're ok" but he mainly works on Japanese stuff.

Cheers