I saw a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium 2.0L automatic listed on Facebook Marketplace for 9.4k CAD with 145k km. I’m a university student looking for my first car. Is this a good deal? Is it reliable?
If it’s a manual, it’s fine. I had no issues for 8 years. The automatic, however, is where the problems are.
Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive manual 
. Do you have any other suggestions for reliable first cars?
Vale said:
Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive manual
You can’t go wrong with a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, or Mazda3. All great options.
@Marlon
Thanks for the suggestions!
@Marlon
Honestly, consider learning to drive manual if you can. It’s a dying skill, but it makes you a better driver.
Vale said:
Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive manual
I started with an ‘05 Honda Accord. It was super reliable, even after an accident. If you can find one, I’d recommend it.
Absolutely not. The automatic transmission in these cars is one of the worst ever made.
Do NOT buy this car if it has the automatic transmission. It’s notorious for failing and leaving you stranded.
Run far away from this one.
If it’s manual, it’s fine. The automatic (PowerShift dual-clutch) is garbage.
One of the worst cars Ford has made, especially with the automatic transmission. Look elsewhere.
With the automatic, you’ll eventually have shifting problems or overheating issues. It’s just not reliable.
As long as the transmission’s solenoid has been rebuilt, it should be okay. Just avoid holding it on hills with the gas pedal—it’s a dual-clutch system, not a regular automatic.
My husband did that on a hill once, and the transmission overheated. The car cooled down and worked fine for a while, but then I got a check engine light about the clutch actuator. Now I’m nervous about the car’s reliability.
It’s a nice car if you take care of it, but it’s not a race car. I’ve had mine since 160k km, and now it’s at 202k km. I’ve spent about 1k CAD on repairs in 3 years. It gives great fuel mileage (40 mpg highway), but watch out for alignment and coolant issues.
I’ve had a 2012 for over a year now. The only issue I’ve had was the engine failing to start on really hot days. My mechanic couldn’t figure it out—it might have something to do with the push-start system a previous owner installed. Otherwise, it’s been okay.