Hi everyone,
I found a used Ford Focus with very low mileage and a 3-month warranty. I’m thinking of buying it, but I’m not sure if the low mileage is a red flag. What do you all think? Any advice is appreciated.
Well, since it’s a manual, I take back what I said. You should be good.
Yeah, I was thinking it was automatic at first. Glad it’s manual!
A lot of people here don’t realize that only North America got the DPS6 transmission. This one being manual means you’re safe, lol.
It’s had 3 owners already? That could be a warning sign.
That was my first thought too, but with low mileage, there could be lots of reasons. It might not be a dealbreaker.
Manual and diesel? This thing should be a tank. People complaining probably haven’t owned a manual, much less a manual diesel Focus.
I own a 2017 1.5 TDCi Manual with over 150k miles, and it’s been fantastic. No major issues except for an engine mount. I do a lot of highway driving, so that helps. I’d recommend changing the transmission fluid regularly, even though the dealer won’t tell you that.
I have the same car, just two years newer. The price sounds right for Ireland. The mileage is reasonable too—around 10k km per year, which is average. Make sure it has a service history, though. At least 4-5 services would be ideal. The 1.5L engine is quicker and more fuel-efficient than the 1.6L from the older generation. They’re reliable if serviced properly.
One concern would be the 3 previous owners—that’s a bit of a red flag. You’d want to know why it changed hands so often.
Quick question, what kind of service can prevent head gasket problems?
Just regular servicing every 10-15k km should be enough. Keep the coolant topped up and check oil levels. I’m not aware of head gasket issues with the EU diesel engines.
There’s no head gasket issue with the diesels—only the petrol Ecoboost engines. This diesel should be bulletproof.
Don’t get it, chief.
Why not? What’s wrong with it?
There are issues with the TCM and some notorious head gasket problems.
The car in the post is manual, so no TCM issues. And I thought the head gasket problem was mostly with the 2.3L engine in the Focus RS?
There are head gasket and water intrusion issues with the 1.5, 1.6, and 2.0L engines. But the 2.5L engine is supposed to be more reliable.
Aren’t those head gasket problems only on the petrol engines? This one is a diesel.
I didn’t know about the head gasket issues, but isn’t the transmission problem only with the automatic version?
I have a similar car with 74k miles and a failing transmission. Even if it had a new transmission, it’s still a ticking time bomb.