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Buying a Focus and have a choice of two - any tips to help me decide?


Mike-Mike
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Ford Focus 2013 Models.

1.0 Ecoboost - Battery: Type 075 

  • Amp Hours (Ah): 60Ah
  • Cold Crancking Amp (CCA): 500

1.6 Tdci - Battery: Type 110

  • Amp Hours (Ah): 78 Ah
  • Cold Cracking Amp (CCA): 700
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If you think the stop start is bad on a MK3 don't go anywhere near a mk4.

I have no intention of going anywhere near another Ford. All being well by this time next week it'll have been traded for a newer non-Ford vehicle, not because of the stop-start but due to needing a wet-belt change and some other issues.

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25 minutes ago, mjt said:

I have no intention of going anywhere near another Ford. ...

I always find that attitude odd. No matter what brand you move on to, there will be people on a forum somewhere that will have exactly the same opinion on it as you now do of Ford. It's a futile position, but as the buyer, as long as you're happy, that's all that counts...

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9 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

No matter what brand you move on to, there will be people on a forum somewhere that will have exactly the same opinion on it as you now do of Ford.

I think that's a fair point. Every forum I lurk on, which is quite a few, seems to have at least one horror story like, for example, the ecoboost saga running at any one time. I've owned several of the cars involved with no problems and would have been none the wiser unless I'd subsequently discovered things on line.

In many cases the real issue has been the way a given problem is dealt with by the manufacturer and dealer concerned. I was always taught that the key to good customer service is not things never going wrong, but how they are handled if/when they do.

Sadly, it seems several manufacturers/dealers were away from school that day!😀

 

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I don't like the look of option 2, or its surroundings.

If aircon needs regassing there's a cause and a question.

The question is - how long has it been like this? Even if the aircon isn't used it still needs to be fully gassed to ensure the pump is properly lubricated, otherwise there will be a failure and an expensive one at that.

As for the cause aircon rad could be holed or a leak somewhere, the cause will need to be identified and fixed.

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9 hours ago, RMurphy195 said:

As for the cause aircon rad could be holed or a leak somewhere, the cause will need to be identified and fixed.

It'll be a simple stone hit, the radiators are specifically put in vulnerable positions to maximise airflow, which also puts them in the path of errant stones...

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10 hours ago, RMurphy195 said:

I don't like the look of option 2, or its surroundings.

If aircon needs regassing there's a cause and a question.

The question is - how long has it been like this? Even if the aircon isn't used it still needs to be fully gassed to ensure the pump is properly lubricated, otherwise there will be a failure and an expensive one at that.

As for the cause aircon rad could be holed or a leak somewhere, the cause will need to be identified and fixed.

 

It's option 1 where the aircon isn't working. 

When I test drove it also the handle for seat adjustment stuck at one point, then unstuck. Also, the seatbelt was odd - the stitched loop was almost in the middle of the belly belt, almost like it was out of position or something.

Funnily enough, both dealers are located within sight of each other on the same business park / industrial estate. Neither particularly luxurious 😄

And FWIW, option 1 has had 3 owners, option 2 just 1 owner. 

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At this point, you should probably toss a coin for it! :laugh: 

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8 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

At this point, you should probably toss a coin for it! :laugh: 

 

😄 I know!

I am definitely over thinking it. Trauma does that to a man.

I am literally consulting my spreadsheet of pros and cons as we speak as I do need to make a decision!

 

 

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16 hours ago, StephenFord said:

No matter what brand you move on to, there will be people on a forum somewhere that will have exactly the same opinion

True, but as Eric Bloodaxe commented it's not just that other makes are more free of problems but how the manufacturers deal with them. Someone commented a while back that far eastern manufacturers are much more concerned about their reputation and generally score higher in reliabilty and customer sevice, which is why our next vehicle will be from that part of the world.

You've only got to look at Sarah's recent saga, that has resulted in them getting rid of all their Fords, plus the multiplicity of problems reported with the newer Ford models to see that Ford are not doing themselves any favours by their hard-nosed attitude, but I gues that's the typical American business model.

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49 minutes ago, Mike-Mike said:

 

😄 I know!

I am definitely over thinking it. Trauma does that to a man.

I am literally consulting my spreadsheet of pros and cons as we speak as I do need to make a decision!

 

 

If neither option "feels right" then walk away.

There are always other ones to choose from providing you can wait.......

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3 hours ago, Wino said:

If neither option "feels right" then walk away.

There are always other ones to choose from providing you can wait.......

 

Just went to see option 2 again, was about to pay a deposit and the dealer started talking about the fact that it comes with one month warranty and if the pre-purchase check that I was going to get my mechanic to do missed anything then it was on me and the mechanic - so I very politely mentioned about the effective cover provided by the consumer rights act and he said that if I didn't want to buy it "on his terms" and that he wouldn't be taking it back if anything went wrong, that it's a used car blah blah blah, then I shouldn't buy the car.

So I took his advice and didn't. Just walked away.

Bit gutted tbh although I know it's the right thing to do. Had a really good look around and underneath etc and it seems really clean, almost immaculate for its age.

But I can't take the risk of dealing with a difficult dealer if something does go wrong. Crazy by him really, as there's every chance it would get beyond 6 months no trouble. But I guess he's not that confident in the car himself.

So the search goes on...

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7 minutes ago, Mike-Mike said:

So I took his advice and didn't. Just walked away...

 

Always customer prerogative - well done...

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1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

Always customer prerogative - well done...

 

Thank you.

But the car was so niiice 😪

 

 

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It’s a sellers market just now. 

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48 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

It’s a sellers market just now. 

Certainly is. Though this one has been listed for 3 weeks.

I just wasn't prepared to deal with a seller who was clearly not interested in playing straight. Maybe I was hasty, probably the car would have been fine... but I can't take the risk

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2 hours ago, Mike-Mike said:

Certainly is. Though this one has been listed for 3 weeks.

I just wasn't prepared to deal with a seller who was clearly not interested in playing straight. Maybe I was hasty, probably the car would have been fine... but I can't take the risk

You did the right thing.

It would only niggle at you if anything was to go wrong....as they sometimes do.

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4 hours ago, Alex.S said:

It’s a sellers market just now. 

StephenFord you’d know all about that. We buy any car..com refused yours . 😂 

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1 minute ago, Alex.S said:

StephenFord you’d know all about that. We buy any car..com refused yours . 😂 

I have no idea what you're talking about, they offered me a most generous £50!

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Just now, StephenFord said:

I have no idea what you're talking about, they offered me a most generous £50!

It’s a sellers market …only reason you got offered 50 quid 

Just now, StephenFord said:

I have no idea what you're talking about, they offered me a most generous £50!

 

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On 8/3/2022 at 9:01 PM, unofix said:

Trader 2 is offering a 1 month warranty, even though he must know that legally it is 6 months, so that makes me wonder why ? They want you to pay £150 to change the timing belt. If you buy the car and don't get them to change it, just see how the garage feels in a few months time when the belt snaps and the car is dragged back to them as scrap !

 

5 hours ago, Mike-Mike said:

he said that if I didn't want to buy it "on his terms" and that he wouldn't be taking it back if anything went wrong, that it's a used car blah blah blah, then I shouldn't buy the car.

I kind of had a feeling about Trader 2 after reading your original post.

Think it was a wise move not to buy from him. - Shame about the wheels 🤣

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1 hour ago, Wino said:

You did the right thing.

It would only niggle at you if anything was to go wrong....as they sometimes do.

 

Thank you, yes.

I kind of feel like whichever way I jumped I'd regret it. I'm wondering if I was a bit hasty now, but I just know that if I'd bought and if something had gone wrong then I'd be kicking myself for not listening to my gut.

Oh well, onto the next one. (Though I'll keep an eye on the Autotrader ad for this one to see if and when it goes!)

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1 minute ago, unofix said:

 

I kind of had a feeling about Trader 2 after reading your original post.

Think it was a wise move not to buy from him. - Shame about the wheels 🤣

😄 had my heart set on those wheels!

Yep, when a trader thinks his terms supersede the law then it's an uphill battle. I mean, it could have been fine but I'd always be on edge waiting for something to go wrong.

And thanks all to those that commented with advice and input, appreciate it.

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Huh, just checked the ad again for option 1 out of interest and it's gone up from £3,795 to £3,899 (was originally £3,995).

Is it normal for dealers to put prices back up after dropping them?

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4 minutes ago, Mike-Mike said:

Is it normal for dealers to put prices back up after dropping them?

Nothing is 'Normal' in the car market these days !!!

You can expect the unexpected at any time 🤔

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