Posting this thread for my father. We’ve found a very good deal. A Ford Focus 1.4 Petrol, 55 kW for about 1500€ which seems like a solid price in our country. Comparing it to other cars in this price range, it seems like the best option with the lowest mileage, excellent condition, etc.
It’s a 1999 or 2000 model. It has ABS, ESP, AC, etc., but it’s a 1.4 Petrol. What’s the fuel consumption like? Is it a reliable car, and are there any high-cost fixes? Can you tell me more about it and whether it’s worth buying?
Actually, that vintage Focus is considered to be quite reliable—more so than the model that followed (at least in the US). It had some issues with suspensions rusting out, so I guess be on the lookout for that. Otherwise, it’s no better or worse than any 16-year-old economy car. The condition of the specific car you’re looking at matters more than what kind of car it is.
Sai said:
No, most non-Japanese cars pre-2005 or so were not very reliable. Even with newer cars, American cars have never had more than average reliability.
New Ford salesman here! (about 2 months) Two customers came in to buy a Ford Focus and a Fusion because their Hondas were unreliable. It took me some time to process this because I’m 41 and all I heard for many years was that Honda was very reliable. However, after speaking with a couple of guys who know their stuff, apparently all the Japanese car makers have been resting on their laurels, and Ford has come a long way and is kicking ass! However, if I were to buy a 2000 car, I’d stick to Honda, Toyota, or such!
@Chen
Yeah, Honda and Nissan have actually gone down in reliability recently, but it’s been the Germans who have been making up the slack. BMW is more reliable than Honda, and Audi is #3 behind Toyota and Lexus.
I mean, it’s getting a bit long in the tooth by now, but that generation of Focus was pretty solid for the most part. There was one engine configuration known for major problems, but the 1.4 wasn’t it (it was one of the 2.0L motors, I think?).