Focus Throwing up Large Bills - Need Advice

[Lopéz]

I'm still not sure why you are using general running costs of a car (tax, MOT) to justify purchasing a new one If you wanted a new car just say so instead of making out like you had no choice.

 

[Imy]

I did *want* a new car I guess but the MOT/Tax running out and the issues it has (not all mentioned here) just made it ideal timing.

On another note, I still can't figure out if that ST220 has xenons or not.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Lol, my focus needs some new tyres so I bought an ST220. First one you had seen as well I guess?

 

[Lashout_UK]

Lol.

 

[monkey_boy]

It doesn't have Xenons or Nav which were in your nice to have list, but still a nice car at a reasonable price.

Out of all the cars that could've been impulse bought, I reckon that's a good one!

The way the OP sounded about focus throwing up large bills so must get st220 might have been badly worded, but nothing more than that. Are you guys suggesting that he should have either paid to have all the niggles fixed or gone to the hassle of fixing them himself to turn round in 3 months and say "actually I do just want a new car". The bloke hasn't wandered out to carcraft and landed himself with a 6 year finance deal for a £10k 750iL- give him a break.

Come to think of it, didn't fox drop £20k on a car onlyto realise it wasn't what he actually wanted?

 

[Imy]

Lol, my focus needs some new tyres so I bought an ST220

Exagerating much? The car has a string of problems.

First one you had seen as well I guess?

If I saw a dozen ST220's, what difference would it make? It's a fairly rare car, in a desirable colour, low mileage, pre-2006 so tax is low but still a face-lift, great condition cosmetically, had been serviced every year with Ford, was located not too far away and the price seemed reasonable. I could have maybe wasted my time looking at one or two others in my region which weren't as nice and not really what I wanted and for what?

 

[Jonny ///M]

I think the point is what happens when the ST throws up a few niggles? New tyres + pads and disks?

Cam belt won't be too cheap on a V6 car I'd imagine.

I've spent nearly half what I paid for my car on tyres and getting a clutch on it. I know the history and I now know that I can justify spending money in the future to keep it right.

 

[monkey_boy]

I think the point is what happens when the ST throws up a few niggles? New tyres + pads and disks?

Cam belt won't be too cheap on a V6 car I'd imagine.

I've spent nearly half what I paid for my car on tyres and getting a clutch on it. I know the history and I now know that I can justify spending money in the future to keep it right.

It's chain driven, so no cambelt.

This has never been a thread about changing or upgrading cars because he can't afford the repairs/maintenence. It's about weighing up whether to get the niggles fixed with a view to keeping it a while, or upgrade.

 

[Imy]

This has never been a thread about changing or upgrading cars because he can't afford the repairs/maintenence. It's about weighing up whether to get the niggles fixed with a view to keeping it a while, or upgrade.

That's hit the nail on the head.

 

[Amleto]

fwiw:

In the time I've had my st220 (since 07 and 25k miles), it's done 60k and only needed a breather pipe and an oil seal fix, aside from consumables and servicing.

 

[Jonny ///M]

It's chain driven, so no cambelt.

This has never been a thread about changing or upgrading cars because he can't afford the repairs/maintenence. It's about weighing up whether to get the niggles fixed with a view to keeping it a while, or upgrade.

I know that. What happens when the st gets niggles though? Bin it and get a 320i?

Each to their own though. I'd love an st220 myself but can't afford it in my situation.

Happy motoring.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Didn't know it was chain driven though.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Exagerating much? The car has a string of problems.

No, it really doesn't. It has a few minor issues you've inflated way out of proportion and then been dismissive towards anyone who has tried to help.

You don't need to have a broken car to buy a new one. Heck your Focus could have been in full working order with 4 brand new wheels and at the end of the day you could still have simply fancied an ST220.

But you posted a thread called 'Focus throwing up large bills - need advice' and in this thread went into great detail about the huge bills your Focus had thrown up.

Obviously then, on seeing the fact these huge bills are nothing of the sort and the entire car could be fixed - even without DIY - for perhaps £200-£250 tops, everyone focused on helping you in this way.

Then you changed your car anyway. It is clear that actually you had no intention of listening to any of the advice and were always going to go out and buy a new car - that you had already seen - before you even posted this thread.

With this in mind, why even mention the Focus? Why didnt you simply post 'Hi guys, I really fancy a Mondeo ST220. Please tell me all about them and what you think of this example which I have found'.

Instead of a thread full of people trying to explain how £700 of work can be done for £200 you'd instead have got a thread full of people telling you all about the Mondeo ST220. Wouldnt that have been more useful to you?

People constantly do this in Motors and I do not understand why. If you want advice on Subject Y then for goodness sake ask about Subject Y. Don't launch into an essay on Subject W, tack Subject Y on the end and then get irritated when people focus on Subject W.

Your thread came across as a guy who feels compelled to buy a new car because his old one is developing expensive faults. In reality you are a guy who is bored with his Focus and fancies something more fun. That would have made for a far more interesting thread than us focusing on trying to save you money on parts for your Focus anyway.

There is a wealth of ST220 ownership and knowledge on this forum and your thread managed to tap into none of it

If I saw a dozen ST220's, what difference would it make?

I didn't suggest a dozen, I suggested perhaps more than one. It's good practice as it lets you get an idea for what sort of things are normal and whats abnormal when buying a car of this type.

 

[Brookert]

What have you being doing (or not being doing) to let that car get in that state?

2 buckled wheels? Curb the car much?

and the brakes are not an issue or a 'big bill'. They are an expendable which should be changed or inspected at least once a year!

Funnily enough, cars need maintaining, not abusing untill you buy a newer one........

 

[Imy]

What have you being doing (or not being doing) to let that car get in that state?

It's been serviced yearly and all advisories followed.

2 buckled wheels? Curb the car much?

No but they're 12 years old and been driven in a pot-hole ridden city since at least Feb 2005.

and the brakes are not an issue or a 'big bill'. They are an expendable which should be changed or inspected at least once a year!

Never said they were. I had them changed without a 2nd thought about it as I have done a number of times before.

Funnily enough, cars need maintaining, not abusing untill you buy a newer one........

Where have I said otherwise or are you just being patronising?

 

[Imy]

The car has a string of problems.

No, it really doesn't

Yes it really does and I believe I'm in a better position to say. I've said before that I haven't listed all the car's problems - only the ones that were advised to me on Friday.

Lol, my focus needs some new tyres so I bought an ST220.

And you have the cheek to say:

Nice attitude. People here are trying to help you.

As monkey_boy pointed out, this wasn't about whether I should get it fixed or if I could get it fixed on the cheap. It's about me feeling it's time to drop it while it was in need of things fixing at a cost high in proportion to the value of the car and simply move on.

It has a few minor issues you've inflated way out of proportion and then been dismissive towards anyone who has tried to help.

Quite simply not true. It has a number of issues and not "just tyres" as you like to troll about.

The only help I asked for was suggestions on a replacement car and comments on the one I linked to. The only "help" you offered was on a cheaper alternative to getting new replacement parts and a couple other people just chimed in with sarcy comments. There was only ONE suggestion of a replacement car in the entire thread and I gave a considered response to it.

But you posted a thread called 'Focus throwing up large bills - need advice' and in this thread went into great detail about the huge bills your Focus had thrown up.

Please tell me you didn't reply based on the title alone? "Huge" may have been a bit of an exageration but I meant it in proportion to the value of the car, not as an absolute value. The "advice required" part was in relation to a replacement car". All of this was explained in the original post and the extra info about it's recently flagged issues were hidden in a spoiler tag as it was completely superfluous to the post.

Obviously then, on seeing the fact these huge bills are nothing of the sort and the entire car could be fixed - even without DIY - for perhaps £200-£250 tops, everyone focused on helping you in this way.

Due primarily to the misunderstanding that I was interested in fixing it up and that's the help I was asking for - it wasn't.

Then you changed your car anyway. It is clear that actually you had no intention of listening to any of the advice and were always going to go out and buy a new car - that you had already seen - before you even posted this thread.

I had only seen the car on Autotrader while sat at the garage and I made no attempt to hide that - it's even linked to in my OP. I didn't go to see it in person until yesterday (the day after my post) as it was 60 miles away.

With this in mind, why even mention the Focus? Why didnt you simply post 'Hi guys, I really fancy a Mondeo ST220. Please tell me all about them and what you think of this example which I have found'.

In hindsight I should have, but it's not like I didn't ask for opinions on the ST220 or ask for suggestions of other cars. In fact that's the only thing I asked advice for. It was you who decided to focus on turning this into a cheap motoring thread.

Instead of a thread full of people trying to explain how £700 of work can be done for £200 you'd instead have got a thread full of people telling you all about the Mondeo ST220. Wouldnt that have been more useful to you?

Absolutely, and that's why I didn't ask for opinions on whether I should get it fixed and again with the £700. I clearly said that was the top-end of what it would've cost if all parts were new and included fitting. For the record, here it is again:

It would cost in the region of £500-£700 for 2 new OEM alloys, a new calliper and regulator for the window.

If you are saying that is inaccurate, then fine but what you were saying is I can buy 2nd hand for cheaper - well yes - that kind of goes for everything.

People constantly do this in Motors and I do not understand why. If you want advice on Subject Y then for goodness sake ask about Subject Y. Don't launch into an essay on Subject W, tack Subject Y on the end and then get irritated when people focus on Subject W.

I can't comment about other peoples' posts but maybe you should've paid more attention to what I wrote and the advice I was actually asking for. I appreciate though that you thought you were trying to be helpful by investigating why I wanted another car, but you did come across as arrogant rather than helpful at times.

Your thread came across as a guy who feels compelled to buy a new car because his old one is developing expensive faults. In reality you are a guy who is bored with his Focus and fancies something more fun. That would have made for a far more interesting thread than us focusing on trying to save you money on parts for your Focus anyway.

I'm sorry it came over that way - it was not the intention. Some people realised that and some didn't and some just trolled (aimed at some of the one-liner responses).

There is a wealth of ST220 ownership and knowledge on this forum and your thread managed to tap into none of it

I directly asked for opinions on the ST220 and you're right - I got none (at first).

I didn't suggest a dozen, I suggested perhaps more than one. It's good practice as it lets you get an idea for what sort of things are normal and whats abnormal when buying a car of this type.

Generally that's true but it's a relatively rare car and would've required a lot of travelling around to see. I've had my eye out for them on Autotrader for a while now and this one seemed to tick the most boxes and offer acceptable compromises for me. I then asked for further opinions on it before I did the 120 mile round trip to see it.

Anyway

There have been some misunderstandings and I'd like to draw a line under them now. I don't post in Motors often but I do read it a lot and honestly do generally appreciate the advice given out to myself and others (minus the sarcy trolling).

 

[Imy]

fwiw:
In the time I've had my st220 (since 07 and 25k miles), it's done 60k and only needed a breather pipe and an oil seal fix, aside from consumables and servicing.

That's good to know; hopefully my experience with it is as good as that.

Didn't know it was chain driven though.

Me neither, good to know.