2008 Ford Focus… is it worth $5000?

I’m in the market for a used car and currently drive a 1995 Accord with 205k miles. My coworker is selling a 2008 Ford Focus SE Sedan with 98,000 miles. I took it for a test drive, including on the freeway, and it drove smoothly. No rust, clean engine bay, and it has new brakes and tires.

I’ve always driven Hondas, so I don’t know much about Fords. Online reviews say the Focus is reliable and comparable to cars like the Civic and Corolla. He’s asking $5000, which feels a bit high based on KBB and other sites. However, the car is in mint condition, and he’s the second owner (originally a leased car).

I live in Wisconsin, so winter driving and road conditions are something to consider. I plan to have it inspected before buying. What do you all think? Is $5000 reasonable for a Focus in this condition, or should I negotiate? Any known issues I should look out for?

Three years ago, I bought a 2007 Focus with 48k miles for $5400, so $5000 seems overpriced for a 2008 with almost 100k miles. The 2008 is a different design from 2007, though, so maybe it’s worth it if you like the newer style. Just know that the 2008 doesn’t have a double DIN radio slot for easy head unit upgrades.

@Ren
I just checked Craigslist and found a 2008 Focus with 72k miles for $3600. Your coworker’s price is definitely on the high side.

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

Scout said:
I’ve heard that Focuses have jerky dual-clutch transmissions. Is that something I should test for during stop-and-go driving?

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

@Juno
Ah, I didn’t realize that. Thanks for clearing it up. My friend must’ve had a newer model Focus with the dual-clutch issues.

Scout said:
@Juno
Ah, I didn’t realize that. Thanks for clearing it up. My friend must’ve had a newer model Focus with the dual-clutch issues.

What’s your overall experience with the Focus? Any common problems I should know about? And do you think $5000 is a fair price?

@Scout
$5000 feels high for an ’08, even in great shape. One common issue is with the tumble flaps inside the intake manifold. If they go bad, you’ll hear a loud tapping or ticking noise.

Kiran said:
@Scout
$5000 feels high for an ’08, even in great shape. One common issue is with the tumble flaps inside the intake manifold. If they go bad, you’ll hear a loud tapping or ticking noise.

Thanks, that’s good to know. Mine does have a tapping noise…

@Scout
If it’s the tumble flaps, you can diagnose it easily. With the engine idling, unplug the vacuum line to the intake manifold. If the noise gets quieter within a few seconds, it’s the flaps. You can just plug it back in after testing.

@Kiran
Oh, okay. So it’s just a temporary unplug to check if that’s the issue?

Scout said:
@Kiran
Oh, okay. So it’s just a temporary unplug to check if that’s the issue?

Exactly. It won’t hurt anything, and it’ll confirm if the flaps are bad. Let us know what you find out!