I've been offered an '07 56 plate 1800 diesel focus LX with 38k miles on it for £5,300 (private sale). Bearing in mind the car is only just two years old it is obviously in pretty good shape (only a couple of minor scuffs and scratches to the interior). It seems a good price and I get the impression the seller might be prepared to go as low as £5,000 so am considering making him an offer.

The only worrying thing is that the service book shows that it wasn't first serviced until nearly 21k miles!! This was 9 months after it was first registered but the manual states that it should be serviced at 12.5k miles or 1 year (whichever comes first). Normally I would walk away from this but is this acceptable nowadays?? I know engines have come on a lot in recent years and service intervals have increased dramatically.

I was under the impression that a new engine should have its first oil change at about 500 or maybe 1000 miles and then every 12.5k/1 year? Is that maybe a throwback to the old days???

To be fair the engines can probaly take it . But the car still has some warranty from ford left (warranty 3 yrs form registered date) that would now be viod as the proper schedule was not kept to. So id hagle hard on this car as if they neglect services what else do they neglect. has it been thrashed.

To be fair the engines can probaly take it . But the car still has some warranty from ford left (warranty 3 yrs form registered date) that would now be viod as the proper schedule was not kept to. So id hagle hard on this car as if they neglect services what else do they neglect. has it been thrashed.

Thanks for replying - to be fair to the current keeper the first service was the previous owners doing (not his). You've raised a good point about the warranty - the second service was done by a garage linked to his business (not a Ford dealer) hence this has presumably voided the warranty anyway!

I think modern engines are pretty bulletproof but you've certainly given me some food for thought.........

As long as genuine Ford parts were used for the service Ford should honour the warranty based on this fact. As for the missed service, pretty sure they won't. Yes the engine can take it as the amount of miles they covered in 9 months its fair to assume most were motorway miles.