Thinking about buying a 2016 Ford Focus… good idea or bad move?

I’m looking at a 2016 Ford Focus for my partner. It’s got 54k miles and is priced at $12k. Most of our driving is in the city, and there’s a lot of traffic. Would this be a good car to buy, or should I avoid it? Any advice?

I’ve got an automatic Focus, and while I like it, I’d recommend staying away. The transmissions are known to have issues. If you’re set on it, make sure the clutch kit was replaced.

Isle said:
I’ve got an automatic Focus, and while I like it, I’d recommend staying away. The transmissions are known to have issues. If you’re set on it, make sure the clutch kit was replaced.

I’ve had a 2015 automatic Fiesta for years with no problems so far. Mine came with a nice interior too—leather seats, ambient lighting, sunroof. Maybe I got lucky!

Isle said:
I’ve got an automatic Focus, and while I like it, I’d recommend staying away. The transmissions are known to have issues. If you’re set on it, make sure the clutch kit was replaced.

But doesn’t replacing the clutch just delay the inevitable? It feels like a design issue that can’t really be fixed.

@Gray
True, but if it’s done right, you might get 100k miles out of it before it fails again. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Isle said:
@Gray
True, but if it’s done right, you might get 100k miles out of it before it fails again. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

But that’s the thing—you can’t know for sure how long it’ll last. Plenty of people report issues within months. Why even risk it when you can avoid the headache altogether?

@Gray
Fair point. It’s definitely a gamble.

I’ve got a 2014 Focus, and yeah, the transmission issues are real. But Ford has a recall warranty for it in most cases—it covers 10 years or 200k km. I’m in Canada, so check if it’s the same where you are.

@Darin
They might replace it, but who knows how long you’ll have to wait for parts?

Cass said:
@Darin
They might replace it, but who knows how long you’ll have to wait for parts?

It took over six months for my 2013 SE to get the transmission replaced. They offered money for a rental, but it wasn’t enough to cover the full cost. Ended up being a huge hassle.

Cass said:
@Darin
They might replace it, but who knows how long you’ll have to wait for parts?

I’ve had mine replaced twice, and it only took about two weeks each time. They even gave me a free loaner. Maybe I just got lucky, but I wanted to share in case it helps anyone else.

@Darin
What exactly did they replace for free? When I asked, they only offered the TCM replacement and said anything else, like the clutch, was on me.

Remington said:
@Darin
What exactly did they replace for free? When I asked, they only offered the TCM replacement and said anything else, like the clutch, was on me.

They replaced both the clutch and TCM for me. The clutch was covered because the TCM failure damaged it.

@Darin
How did you prove that? I was flat-out told the clutch wasn’t covered.

Is it a manual or an automatic? If it’s a manual, go for it! They’re reliable and easy to maintain. But if it’s an automatic, I’d steer clear. Those transmissions have well-documented issues.

Scout said:
Is it a manual or an automatic? If it’s a manual, go for it! They’re reliable and easy to maintain. But if it’s an automatic, I’d steer clear. Those transmissions have well-documented issues.

Unfortunately, it’s an automatic.

@Gray
Then definitely pass. The automatic transmissions are notorious for breaking, and you’ll be stuck with a $12k car that doesn’t run while you wait on parts.

@Gray
I paid $5k for an automatic Focus, and it still feels like a mistake. For $12k, go for a Honda, Toyota, or Mazda instead. Way more reliable and less stressful.

Ezri said:
@Gray
I paid $5k for an automatic Focus, and it still feels like a mistake. For $12k, go for a Honda, Toyota, or Mazda instead. Way more reliable and less stressful.

Exactly. I don’t understand why anyone would pick a Focus over a Mazda3 or Civic at that price point.

@Gray
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’ll avoid this one.