2008 Ford Focus… good car and fair price?

I’m looking to upgrade from my 1995 Accord with 205k miles, and my coworker is selling his 2008 Ford Focus SE Sedan. It has 98,000 miles on it, drives great (even on the freeway), and has no rust. The engine bay is clean, and it’s got new brakes and tires.

I’ve always driven Hondas and don’t know much about Fords. Reviews for the Focus seem solid, and it’s often compared to Civics, Accords, Corollas, and Camrys. He’s asking $5000, which seems high based on KBB, Edmunds, and Cars.com, but the car is in mint condition. He’s the second owner (the first was a dealership, and it was a lease). I live in Wisconsin, so winter driving and road conditions are important factors.

I plan to have the car inspected before buying it, but what do you all think? Is $5000 too much for this car, or is it a fair price for the condition? Also, any advice on common issues with the 2008 Focus would be much appreciated!

Three years ago, I bought a 2007 Focus with 48k miles for $5400. $5000 for a 2008 with almost 100k miles seems overpriced. The 2008 is a newer design, though, so it might be worth it if you like the updated look. Just keep in mind that the 2008 doesn’t have a double DIN radio slot, which makes upgrading the head unit harder.

@Ripley
I just checked Craigslist and found a 2008 Focus with 72k miles for $3600 and a clean title. Your coworker is definitely asking too much.

I’ve heard Focuses have jerky dual-clutch transmissions. Should I test for that during stop-and-go driving?

Logan said:
I’ve heard Focuses have jerky dual-clutch transmissions. Should I test for that during stop-and-go driving?

Don’t worry about that for the 2008 model. It uses a regular torque converter automatic, not a dual-clutch.

@Dani
Got it, thanks! My friend must’ve had a newer model with the dual-clutch issues.

Logan said:
@Dani
Got it, thanks! My friend must’ve had a newer model with the dual-clutch issues.

What’s your experience with the Focus overall? Are there any common problems I should look out for? And do you think $5000 is a reasonable price?

@Logan
$5000 is a bit high for a 2008, especially since it’s 9 years old. One issue to watch for is the tumble flaps in the intake manifold—they can go bad and cause a loud tapping or ticking noise.

Finnley said:
@Logan
$5000 is a bit high for a 2008, especially since it’s 9 years old. One issue to watch for is the tumble flaps in the intake manifold—they can go bad and cause a loud tapping or ticking noise.

Thanks! Mine does have a tapping noise…

@Logan
If it’s the tumble flaps, you can test by temporarily unplugging the vacuum line to the intake manifold while the engine is idling. If the noise stops after a few seconds, that’s the issue. You can just plug it back in after testing.

@Finnley
Okay, so it’s just a temporary unplug to diagnose?

Logan said:
@Finnley
Okay, so it’s just a temporary unplug to diagnose?

Exactly. It won’t harm anything, and it’s a quick way to confirm if the flaps are bad. Let us know what you find out!