I checked out a 2008 Ford Focus yesterday. It’s got 101k miles, one previous owner (it was a government vehicle), and the Carfax shows a good service history. They’re asking $4,750 for it, but I negotiated them down to $4,000. I’m considering asking for $3,800 or $3,900 since I’ll also have to cover DMV fees.
The car drove nicely, and I didn’t find anything majorly wrong during the test drive. I checked belts, fluids, brakes, and electronics, and it all seemed fine. The engine looks clean too. The only issue is the driver’s window—it makes a loud clunk three times when rolling it up or down, which has me a little worried.
It does have some cosmetic issues like scrapes, a couple of dents, and paint peeling on the trunk, but I really enjoyed driving it. As a college student moving out soon, this would be my first car. But I’ve heard it’s a pain to insure, and I’m wondering if I should get it smog-checked or inspected before making a decision. What do you all think? Is $4,000 a good deal, or should I keep looking? Thanks for reading this long post, and I’d really appreciate your advice!
They’re pretty reliable, but the transmission can be a weak spot. If you change the fluid occasionally, it should hold up fine. $4k sounds fair if everything checks out during inspection.
Noah said:
They’re pretty reliable, but the transmission can be a weak spot. If you change the fluid occasionally, it should hold up fine. $4k sounds fair if everything checks out during inspection.
Thanks! Do you know if it’s true that engine mounts tend to fail around 110k-130k miles?
@Zen
Yeah, engine mounts are a common issue around that mileage, but they’re not too expensive to replace. Honestly, $4k feels a bit high for an ‘08 with some cosmetic issues and a window problem. I’d say try to get it for closer to $3,500.
I’ve worked on my brother’s Focus ST and SVT, and both have been solid cars. The biggest issue we had was suspension, but we fixed it by installing BC coilovers, and now they handle amazingly. Both are over 130k miles with the original motor and transmission.
If you enjoy working on cars, the Focus platform is great. It’s simple, reliable, and parts are easy to find. I’d say for a non-SVT model, $3k-$3.5k is a better price. Hope this helps!