Thinking of buying a 2014 Ford Focus… good idea or big mistake?

Hey everyone, I’ve got a chance to buy a 2014 Ford Focus automatic with 65k miles for $4,500. As a student, the price looks really good to me. But I’ve read a lot of bad stuff about these cars, especially the transmission issues.

I won’t be using it for daily commuting, but I do want it for road trips, grocery runs, and weekend outings for at least the next 4-5 years.

Would this be a smart buy, or am I just signing up for a ton of expensive repairs down the road? Would love to hear your thoughts!

I’d stay far away from it unless you can get a manual. A lot of people think they’ll be the lucky one who gets a good one, but the reality is that these transmissions are built with serious flaws. It’s not a matter of IF it fails, but WHEN. That price might look good, but it’s cheap for a reason. I’d save up a little more and get something more reliable.

@Kelley
That’s what I was afraid of… thanks for the advice!

I had a 2015 in college. Traded it in a year later because it was a complete nightmare. Took a huge loss on the financing, but I had a baby on the way and couldn’t deal with all the problems. Wouldn’t recommend it.

@Rory
Oof, sounds rough. Thanks for sharing, this helps a lot!

Never buy an automatic Focus from 2012 or later. The manuals are super reliable, but the automatic transmissions are total junk. Doesn’t matter if it’s low mileage—these things failed right off the lot when they were brand new.

If you’re open to learning stick shift, get a manual Focus instead. Best car I’ve ever owned, hands down. I’ve had four of them and they’ve all been solid.

Run away from this deal. Seriously.