Ford focus - what mileage?

kp0510

Hi all, apologies if this post is a bit rambly - just after some car advice.

Currently have a 12 year old Peugeot 206 with nearly 117k miles. Its running ok at the minute, but I drive approx 15-18k miles a year and not confident it will last another year or so. Another factor is I am currently back living with parents so thinking of investing in a new car before I buy my own place later this year so that I won't have to buy a new one after I've moved out & have less money.

I am considering a Ford Focus 1.6 petrol - I have seen a few advertised but the miles/age vary so much.

I've seen a few 2010 models - one with 39k, one with 53k and one with 62k miles. Or, a 2011 model with 60k miles. All with service history. Budget is around £4k.

I know mileage isn't everything and it depends on how it has been driven, service history etc but I am conscious of racking up miles quickly because of my job. The 2010 model with 39k is appealing because its low but probably more stop/start etc, but the one with 62k miles means it has probably been used for long journeys, more time for engine to warm up etc.

I know its impossible to say without looking at a car, but does anyone have any recommendations/general advice on what sort of mileage would be best for a 6/7year old car with the amount of miles I drive annually?

To add - I'm not bothered about resale value because I would plan to run it into the ground.

Thank you for any help!

Alias_Omega

Depends on the car.. Audi should see 200k, A6 possible 300k with maybe a DMF, clutch and injectors (wear and tear). Get a good spec and nice comfy seats. You don't want to be spending 2-3 hrs a day in a fiat 500..

wgl2014

Alias_Omega wrote: »

Depends on the car.. Audi should see 200k, A6 possible 300k with maybe a DMF, clutch and injectors (wear and tear). Get a good spec and nice comfy seats. You don't want to be spending 2-3 hrs a day in a fiat 500..

Whilst this may be true the OP has said they wanted a Focus

forgotmyname

Sisters got a car with over 200k miles on the clock and she does between 20k and 30k a year.

No signs of an expensive bill yet.

Jamiesmum

Unless you know the persons job / social arrangements you can't really rely on high or low mileage as you've no idea what it's been used for.

If you're too worried then just go for the middle one at 53k.

System

kp0510 wrote: »

Hi all, apologies if this post is a bit rambly - just after some car advice.

Currently have a 12 year old Peugeot 206 with nearly 117k miles. Its running ok at the minute, but I drive approx 15-18k miles a year and not confident it will last another year or so.

I bought my last Mondeo at 3 years old with 90k on. I did 16/17000 miles a year every year until I sold it with 165,000 on the clock still passing a MOT every year, still coming back from being serviced at my local Ford dealers usually with a clean bill of health and in all that time it needed just two suspension bushes, an alternator because the bearing had gone and a plastic pipe between the intercooler and the turbocharger. Total cost of non-service repairs in the time I owned it was less than £500.

My friend has a 12 year old Astra van which is now on over 220,000 miles and he hammers it to hell and its still running fine despite its irregular servicing.

If you are looking into buying your own place later this year the last thing you want to be doing is buying a new car, especially on finance. If you buy one in cash now that is less money for a deposit which could mean paying a lot more interest on your mortgage if it takes you into a higher LTV bracket. If you're buying a house for £100k, the difference between a deposit of £10k if you buy a car and one of £15k if you don't can mean a difference in interest rates on a 5 year fix with my lender of 2.44% vs 1.74% with monthly payments being £433 vs £383 meaning it costs you an additional £3000 in repayments over the 5 years. This means your £5000 car actually ended up costing you £8000. If you buy one on finance it can harm your ability to pass an affordability check for a mortgage. Buy the house, see what position you are in then get the car if you need to.

Strider590

kp0510 wrote: »

Another factor is I am currently back living with parents so thinking of investing in a new car before I buy my own place later this year so that I won't have to buy a new one after I've moved out & have less money.

How does that work?

Money is money, spent it now or spend it later, you still spend the same.

If you have £20k now and you spend £5k on a car, you've got £15k to spend on the house.
If you spend £15k on a house, you've got £5k to spend later on a car.

My close friend recently bought a house, he owned a new Audi A4, after buying the house he soon sold it and bought an 8 year old Ford Focus.

I would advise not spending money now if you plan to buy a house, going into a house purchase with very little spare cash is very bad idea.