Well I know why my Focus is crap, it broke down again last night, gear linkage snapped in rush hour in Leicester. Took 3 hours to get fully recovered.

In the last two months since I bought ithas had:

new front springs

new clutch and clutch bearing

new alternator

now new gear linkage

Its a 2005 model with 84k milage, I thought this was particularly bad especially when other focus's seem like gems. So I pulled the carpets up and yes there was filler in the passenger footwell where the dual controls were, its ex AA driving school :( .

I rang the dealer I bought it from who to be fair has done most of the work under warrenty I had too pay for half the clutch. I stated this fact and told that they are in a legally dubious position having omitted this crucial bit of information before the sale. They claimed they didn't know surprise surprise, but said when the car is repaired they will discuss options for me but said if I wanted to return the car it would have to be dealt with at director level.

What should I do?

Get shot of the pain in the !Removed! car by giving it back after its had all this work done to it?

Get them to extend the warrenty for a year and give me back the contribution I paid for the clutch?

Get them to pay for a AA or similar check and pay for any repairs highlighted?

The first option will be the most hassle for both parties and so I figure if I'm willing to agree on an enhanced warrenty they will be happier.

What do you guys think? What else can go wrong? Rear suspension, Gearbox? :(

personally i would not keep the car, see if the garage will do an exchange for another.

i would not want to keep the car unless they would nock a resonable amount of ££££`s off the car plus extended warrenty as you stated this was not documented in the sale and for them to say they didnt no about it is a load of bull coz these days you can find out a damn lot about a cars history they had to no that AA owned it.

i think you need to have a serious think about wat you gonna do and good luck hope you have a possetive outcome

ste

Thanks guys, I think about what you said. Its my wife's car so I getting it in the neck as she wanted a fiesta in the first place.

as stated get shut of it i also would say that they did know all about its previous life as its not in there interest to disclose this information to you

if they had been forthcoming with this information would you have bought the car ?? i think not

also someone had to remove the dual controls from the vehicle and fill these holes ??

i dont believe this was the AA do you ??

anyway you look at it youve been mislead please dont let this continue as they will do this to someone else

Thanks to all of you, problem was that it would only have been AA for the first 6 months of its life (its now 4.5 years old) and I contacted the previous owners wife who was unaware of the fact it was ex AA, but then he may not have told his wife.

The dealership has however agreed to possibly swap the car to one of equal value. They have a 2003 fiesta on their website at another location with 43K on the clock and FSH. So I said I would consider this as a swap being 2 years older but having half the milage, makes them roughly the same value despite the advertised price of £3700 the manager thought this was reasonable but the director of the dealership[ group did not he will swap but onbly if I pay an additional £500.

So I said no, and I will have the money I paid instead refunded, which the director also declined. But it was left that they would bring the Fiesta over to the local dealership so I can have a look at this week, then if I like it come to some agreement. I'll be pulling the carpets up first of all though

What do you think? they won't take into acoount the money I paid towards the clutch in the pricing, which I think is very unfair.

I was going to stand my ground on price. Based on cars advertised locally the focus with similar milage is worth slighty more than the Fiesta about £300 but wisebuyers say the fiesta is worth £250 more than the focus however, thats national pricing and considering this dealership only covers Leicestershire. I think the Leicester prices should be the guideline, reason for lower prices in Leicester is probably the fact there are more fiesta's around due to it being a city and quite a high concentration of Ford Dealerships in the county.

P.S. I did contact consumer direct about it in the first place and they said they would pass the details onto trading standards so I assume if it happens again and is reported the franchise will have some explaining to do.

P.S. I did contact consumer direct about it in the first place and they said they would pass the details onto trading standards so I assume if it happens again and is reported the franchise will have some explaining to do.

The stupid dealer sold the Fiesta we were due to swap for so going to ask for money back now and will be off to buy another renault megane mk1 I know where I am with these thanks for your help guys.