Hi, I’m new to Ford Focus vehicles, but I’m looking for a cheap used car and the Focus caught my attention. I’m looking at two options: a 2008 Ford Focus Coupe SES for $4800 with 70k miles, and a 2011 Ford Focus with 130k miles for $3500. Both seem to be in good condition and well taken care of.
What should I be concerned with for these years? I’ve read about transmission problems in Focus cars and was wondering if these years have those issues. Any advice from experienced Focus owners is greatly appreciated.
This vintage of Focus is really solid. 2012+ have the notorious transmission issues.
For these years, the main issues are:
Thermostat housing leaks: Use a Motorcraft part to avoid persistent overheating.
Motor mounts: They wear and cause significant vibrations.
Valve cover gasket: It’s cheap and needs replacing over time.
Rusty rockers: Mostly cosmetic but can be a pain to fix.
Overall, these are great, cheap cars! Even if you need to replace an engine or transmission, you can find them for under $500. They’re cheap because they don’t fail that often.
Blaire said: @Freddie
Hi, I made a mistake. The 2010 is actually a 2011. Are the 2011s also safe from the transmission issues? Thanks!
Yes, the 2008-2011 models are all the same in this regard. 2012 is when the body style changed, and those can be fine if they have a manual transmission.
Blaire said: @Freddie
Thanks! Would you say $4800 is a good deal for the 2008 Coupe SES with 70k miles?
In today’s market, it’s not a bad deal with that mileage. Coupes are a bit less desirable than 4-door models, but if you plan on keeping it for a while, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
We replace them all the time at the dealership I work for. High mileage stuff still breaks. The real issue is the quality of aftermarket replacement parts.
@Freddie
I have a 2009 with 225k miles and only had to replace parts of the cooling system. If you replace one part, do all the hoses at once. It’ll save you from replacing them individually every few years.
@Freddie
The DPS6 transmission is horrible. It’s the dual dry clutch that’s the problem. I wouldn’t let my worst enemy buy a Focus with that transmission. Even under warranty, it’s a hassle with dealership visits. But, as you said, pre-2012 models are safe from that issue.
If you find a manual transmission, jump on it. My 2014 SE has been going strong with regular maintenance. I do have a small, slow oil leak from the timing chain or valve cover gasket, but it’s no big deal. It’ll cost about $1300 to fix, but I might try the valve cover gasket myself.
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
Yeah, I knew it was high. Most of it was labor cost. I’m just starting to work on my car myself. It’s time-consuming, but it feels good doing it myself. It’s a lot of work, but rewarding. Thanks for the info!
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
Thanks for the encouragement! I’m not sure how complicated this is, but I appreciate the insight. The leak is slow, and it’s probably the least of my concerns. So far, I’ve done spark plugs, oil changes, coolant flushes, air filters, brake shoes, and I’m about to change the e-brake cable for inspection. Feels great to avoid the shop, especially after the high quotes. The headaches are real, but it’s all part of the learning process!
I bought my 2010 SE 5-speed about 5.5 years and 45k miles ago. I’ve had to replace the clutch, struts, shock absorbers, and control arms, but I could’ve done without those replacements. It hasn’t failed me yet.
Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I’m feeling much more confident about going with these years of Focus models. I’m leaning towards the 2008 Coupe with low miles. It’s a little more expensive at $5k, but I could probably get the price down a bit.