06 Focus

Zoetoes

Hi

My partner and I have taken a loan to buy a car, I was thinking we'd spend about 4K, he wants to spend about 7.5k on a 06 Ford Focus, I think it's too much and we could still have a decent car for less and afford other things.

He's trying to talk me into it by saying that it's the newer shape etc and won't depreciate as much as the older shape and that if we spend 4k it will only be worth 2k in a couple of years whereas the focus won't lose as much blah blah

Is he right or just babbling crap so I'll give in?

Obviously it would be a better car but it's a lot more money.

rjm2k1

Dunno for sure, but I can't stand the new focus, I've had 2 old style and find the drivers cockpit on the new one very very cramped in comparison. On the old style, the central console curves away nicely above my knees, on the new one it's straight down to the floor and my left knee presses against it all the time, it's a shame as they spent a lot of time on minor tweaks on the old one improving it over the years, yet seem to have made a bit step back on this. Incidently, the new fiesta also has the same arrangement, but for some reason that doesn't seem to catch as much.

xzibit

New cars will lose more money.

DavidHM

He's partially right.

A 55/06 Focus 1.6 LX for £7,500 will be worth £4,000 in 3 years' time (or thereabouts). A 52/03 for £4,000 will be worth £2,000 or so like he says - but the newer shape one will have lost £1,500 more. Against that the older car will have needed a timing belt, an exhaust and probably something else - say £500 all in, which the newer one wouldn't - so the newer one is £1,000 more.

Against that you have to factor in the cost of actually financing the extra - whether interest on a loan or lost on savings. That's likely to be another £500 so you're back to the £1,500 cost difference again.

So if a new Focus vs. an old one is worth £10 per week to you, every single week without fail, get the new one. If not, get the old one.

My parents are likely to go from a 52-plate Focus with 80k to a new one and I'm trying to persuade them to get an ex-rental for £3,000 off new price, but at least your OH has managed that saving already.

DealDrivers_company_representative

It's a hard one....and pretty much down to what you are comfortable spending. The 'brand new' deals are exceptional until end of March and many of ours have way more than £3k off list price to get you first registered owner status at the moment so 7.5K on that one might look a bit steep...without knowing what mileage it has on it


For instance new 1st owner 1.6 LX 5drs can be got for £10,700 at the moment and you can even go to a brand new Zet Climate 1.6 5dr inc metallic and a free Sport Pack (17" alloys and spoiler) a whole yrs road tax for £11,726 - so weighing those deals up against 7.5k for one that's a year old with mileage isn't the right 'value for money' you might be looking for.

You can always do a new one a PCP and put £2k down, using the rest of your cash to do other nice things with and pay around £190'ish a mth on the PCP depending on engine etc.

Hope that helps put things in perspective a bit!

nej

The newer one will be in warranty, so no unexpected bills should anything go wrong in the 1st couple of years.

But then, you could put aside your "spare" money towards the cost of any repairs.

Hintza

Or ditch partner and spend it all on a nice new sports car.......probably work out cheaper in the long run!

gord115

do you mind me asking where he can get an '06 focus for 7.5k,seems very cheap

moonrakerz

gord115 wrote:

do you mind me asking where he can get an '06 focus for 7.5k,seems very cheap

A chap in last Saturday's Telegraph got an 06 Mondeo for £7,999 from a car supermarket.

Zoetoes

gord115 wrote:

do you mind me asking where he can get an '06 focus for 7.5k,seems very cheap

motorpoint.co.uk

7699

Should be able to get them down towards the 7k mark by paying cash

DavidHM

Should be able to get them down towards the 7k mark by paying cash

Maybe... I'd never say never and they're not going to charge you more for trying, so you've nothing to lose, but I would be impressed if you get anything at all off. Plus there'd be an admin fee so I reckon you're looking at more like £7,760 all in... still a very good price for a sub one-year-old Focus as long as it's not a 1.4 (and especially not a Studio - no air con and a tape player :eek: )