Ive had my 'new' (08 mark 2.5) Focus for a month now and I just love it.

I love the new shape, the way that the spoiler wraps around the boot door.

The inside is very well laid out with all the control in familiar places.

I think the 'clever' wipes are great with the variable speed control and in normal mode they slow down at traffic lights.

There are a couple of things that I would move, like the 12 volt socket thats down by the handbrake, which is also in a weird place.

The volume control for the CD player, a couple of times Ive gone to turn the sound up and ended up flashing some poor sod in front, and the AUX input... in the glove box. That wont be an issue soon, I'm having a MP3 player put in in its place.

I'm very happy.

Thank you listening.

Hi KF, I presume by this new purchase that you must have given up with your thermostat issue? I recall partaking in that conversation and recall it costing a lot of pounds - both in new parts , labour bills and paracetamol purchasing fee's?

Good to hear your happy with the new one though!

yup that was me, I waved the white flag over that car which is a shame, there was nothing else wrong with it.

Driving to the New Forest and back home again made me think that I couldn't go on any more throwing money at it only to find it was still doing it.

once again, I would like to thank everyone for their help.

Glad to see you stuck with the pack though! as you say, theres only so many times you can empty your wallet into it before you feel the need to give in! did you get a good part ex price? or private sale?

They gave me £250 in part exchange, and from the same Ford dealer where I took the old car to be diagnosed, and as some will recall, they couldn't find anything wrong, so I haven't mentioned anything nor that are a couple of leaks, or only one side on the windscreen defrosts in the winter. B)

Dont ask - wont tell! I did the same with my kia dealer when I chopped mine in... He didnt ask about the DPF, or the bodywork damage... so I didnt tell and still got my full part ex... then they found the damage, but because we had agreed and it was on paper... they lost out! resold the car to another dealer for 1500 less than they bought it, and that dealer then sold it for about £2.00 MORE than I bought it for... :)