Help! On What To Do With My Focus

[dp1987]

Some help on what i should do would be greatly appreciated !

I have a 2000 X reg Focus 1.8 Zetec. It has done 103,000 miles

I have trouble with my clutch sometimes. Driving short distance is fine but when im about in stop start traffic or long journeys it gets temperamental and has a awkward biting point. It doesnt over rev which is the major sign of a dodgy clutch but i was doing a u turn on a hill the other day and it stalled 4 straight times. I thaught my clutch had just give in but on the 5th go i took off up the hill. I seem to stall alot lately and its not the way im driving. The pedals just feel worn for soem reason.

So anyway ive been told i will soon need my back brakes doing aswell so ive decided to try and sell it incase the clutch goes also as i dont have the money to pay out for all that. The car is great apart from that and is in good condition.

Can i sell this PRIVATE?? or is that classed as ripping someone off?? i dont know what to do as it does drive fine most days but soemtimes the clutch will feel weird. I paid £1450 for it 8 months ago private and ive seen local car dealers charging £2000 and £2400 for the exact same thing as mine is Black which seems to go for a little more 2nd hand.

I asked in a car dealers before and he offered me £500 :angry: and said id be lucky to get that in auction aswell. This is the man i seen selling the exact same thing for £2400. "We buy any car" have also quoted me £570. Surely its worth £1000-£1300 private isnt it??

Its got 5 months MOT and 6 months Tax. Had the cambelt, front brakes and rocker cover gasket done aswell as a full service in the last 4 months.

should i sell private ?? i just dont want someone buying it off me and then knocking on my door p11ssed off if they have to get the clutch done.

thanx in advance for any advice !!

[r0b3r7]

Have a garage look at your Clutch Master Cylinder. SHouldnt cost too much to fix.

WIth regard to garages, they will give you bottom book price regardless what length MOT or tax it has. They are a business at the end of the day, and will try to make as much profit as possible. I had a 1999 T Corolla that i could have sold for £1000 privately, but got £500 P/X.

If you are going to sell it, the buyer will probably suss there is something wrong woth the clutch. You're probably better finding out what the problem is, might not be as bad as you think

[artscot79]

Have a garage look at your Clutch Master Cylinder. SHouldnt cost too much to fix.

WIth regard to garages, they will give you bottom book price regardless what length MOT or tax it has. They are a business at the end of the day, and will try to make as much profit as possible. I had a 1999 T Corolla that i could have sold for £1000 privately, but got £500 P/X.

If you are going to sell it, the buyer will probably suss there is something wrong woth the clutch. You're probably better finding out what the problem is, might not be as bad as you think

you wont see garages selling with that mileage mate heres the proper valuation on it Private £1,310 Part exchange £1,115 Trade £1,015 thats in good nick with a years road tax and a years mot on it now the fact the clutch needs done and the brakes its not classed as good condition so you can knock 500 off the private price so yeah what you were qouted is about right. selling it just because of these 2 things is pointless i paid 2695 reduced from 2995 for my y reg 2001 1.8 zetec and because of its condition ansd history ide get so youre way over optimistic on the price you think youde get by the way these are official dealer prices

Dealer £2,085 Private £1,755

[dp1987]

thanx for advice.

As for selling it i can get the bus to work and i cant be bothered paying out £200 for the cluch and about £80 for the rear brakes.

Ive looked at other black focus's on eBay and car dealers are charging £1600 to £2200 for x and y reg's with high mileage.

Does it sound like my clutch is going?? wouldnt it be over revving if it was failing?? what is the clutch master cylinder?

[LiamZetec]

If they are the only things wrong with the car then I would just get them done, I wouldn't let something like these 2 things totally put me off the car as both these things need replacing on all cars eventually (except if it's an auto that is). The clutches on Focus's only last to the 100,000 mark anyway so either way it will have to be replaced. Brakes are also another thing that need to be replaced/maintained every few years and as you know, brakes are really important.

If you still decide to sell it without getting the work done then I would still mention these problems when selling it as it would save you a lot of hassle with the buyer if he comes back to you shortly after buying the car off you and finding the problems. Obviously as well, you won't be able to sell car for how much you got it for a few months back but take a look on eBay to see what the rough estimate of other similar ones are going for. Dealer's will always sell cars at a more expensive price because they are a business at the end of the day. They could buy your car for as you said £500 and then carry out the work that needs doing and then sell the car on for around £1400.

Liam

[dp1987]

If they are the only things wrong with the car then I would just get them done, I wouldn't let something like these 2 things totally put me off the car as both these things need replacing on all cars eventually (except if it's an auto that is). The clutches on Focus's only last to the 100,000 mark anyway so either way it will have to be replaced. Brakes are also another thing that need to be replaced/maintained every few years and as you know, brakes are really important.

If you still decide to sell it without getting the work done then I would still mention these problems when selling it as it would save you a lot of hassle with the buyer if he comes back to you shortly after buying the car off you and finding the problems. Obviously as well, you won't be able to sell car for how much you got it for a few months back but take a look on ebay to see what the rough estimate of other similar ones are going for. Dealer's will always sell cars at a more expensive price because they are a business at the end of the day. They could buy your car for as you said £500 and then carry out the work that needs doing and then sell the car on for around £1400.

Liam

Thanx for the advice. The clutch was supposed to have been done on the 80,000 miles mark from the 4th owner "i am the 6th" im on 103,000 miles I dont understand myself why it would be acting up after only doing 20,000 miles. is there anything else that could cause the clutch to be weak sometimes and make me stall??

sorry to sound dumb but this is my first car ive owned and i have not got a clue about them.

[LiamZetec]

Have you got proof that the clutch was done i.e. a receipt from a garage from when it was done? If not then it's likely that it hasn't really been done and that the seller lied to you. Don't believe the seller if they tell you that X and Y work has been done if they haven't got any proof.

Liam

[artscot79]

Have you got proof that the clutch was done i.e. a receipt from a garage from when it was done? If not then it's likely that it hasn't really been done and that the seller lied to you. Don't believe the seller if they tell you that X and Y work has been done if they haven't got any proof.

Liam

is it defo tyhe clutch if its over revveing while driving then it most likely is and may have been done at 80k by these cheap clutch guys that come to you they use recon parts that burn out very quickly hence why you only get a limited mileage warranty like 500 miles or summat daft all indications say the clutch over revving stalling etc pedal travel on hydraulic clutches are high anyway best bet is get it done its not that expensive