Changing from a Focus

ATiRubyfan said:
My budget is 5k. Ford stopped doing 2L models after 2009 from what I can see. Only C-Max, Convertibles and Mondeos beyond 2009 have 2L engines.
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They downsized the engines. Add a turbo to a 1.5 or 1.6 and it creates as much if not more power and torque than a 2.0 for less nasty exhaust emissions. Hence making it cheaper to tax...
 
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what's the mileage a year ?

sounds like very little, so you will not save money on changing car
if your car is getting to the point it needs work done all the time, or there's another good reason to change, then change it, otherwise id keep it

Nissan Leafs can be picked up for 6K (1K over budget) , Acenta spec have reversing camera , but no sensors

but no tax, no worry about mpg
 
ShiWarrior said:
what's the mileage a year ?

sounds like very little, so you will not save money on changing car
if your car is getting to the point it needs work done all the time, or there's another good reason to change, then change it, otherwise id keep it

Nissan Leafs can be picked up for 6K (1K over budget) , Acenta spec have reversing camera , but no sensors

but no tax, no worry about mpg
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2000-3000 a year :D
The Focus needs new brake pads and discs and I also need to do a wheel alignment and wheel balancing as it has been a year. So, I was thinking of all the money I have spent so far on the car as well. I bought it for £2300 in 2017 and I have spent £1500 on it so far ( new tyres, alternator, battery, suspension shake )
Btw, how much do you chaps reckon I can sell my Focus for ? £1500? It's got some scratches here and there ( made by other people at car parks ). Should I get it fully painted ? How much would that be then?
 
Both of them seem fairly rubbish and I'm not sure I'd bother with either especially if you like your focus.

The 318i is the worst model of the worst 3 series BMW ever made and the A3 is an ancient design that does nothing your focus doesn't do just as well.
 
ATiRubyfan said:
2000-3000 a year :D
The Focus needs new brake pads and discs and I also need to do a wheel alignment and wheel balancing as it has been a year. So, I was thinking of all the money I have spent so far on the car as well. I bought it for £2300 in 2017 and I have spent £1500 on it so far ( new tyres, alternator, battery, suspension shake )
Btw, how much do you chaps reckon I can sell my Focus for ? £1500? It's got some scratches here and there ( made by other people at car parks ). Should I get it fully painted ? How much would that be then?
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Brake discs and pads are wear and tear on any car. Shouldn't need alignment balancing unless you've noticed uneven tyre wear or have a noticeable steering issue - it's not a thing that needs doing annually
 
LeeUK said:
Don't get a MK3 Focus, they leak water in the back that collects in the spare wheel well and eventually leaks into the rear passenger foot wells and turns your whole car damp and mouldy.
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Noticed it on mine a couple of weeks ago when I went to fit the spare. Hardly a huge issue though, have removed the drain plug from underneath for time being, and will have the bumper off to sort properly when it's a bit warmer outside
 
ATiRubyfan said:
I am afraid I will never have more than 5k to spend on a car. :(
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Have you thought about getting a manual licence? Opens the door to a lot more cars, and will be cheaper compared to the auto equivalent. Also, do you need a car as large as a Focus? Giving how often you use it, maybe something like a Fiesta (Or similar) would be better suited?
 
I absolutely do not think I would make this swap.

You're going from a car which you like, which is cheap as chips to run with no faults, to an absolutely bottom of the line 10 year old Audi/BMW which could give you all sorts of headaches. No disrespect, but you don't sound like a "car guy" so it means that any faults these new cars may have (and they likely will have some) means you'll have to take it to a mechanic to fix, even minor things.

You only do 2-3k miles a year, so miles per gallon is pretty much irrelevant. My calculations are that your Focus costs you a mind blowing £374 a year in fuel. A 318i will cost your £306 - that's a saving of a whopping £5.67 a month. With the car tax factored in, this rises to a dizzying £14.64 saving per month.

Of course, a service on the Audi/BMW is likely to be more, the tyres will be more, the brakes will be more - and that's assuming that when you buy it there nothing will be wrong with it whatsoever, which IME is very unlikely.

If it's a cost saving exercise, you are likely to lose more money by buying one of those cars. If it's an upgrade you want, trust me, you are barely upgrading at all.
 
Mart2912 said:
Have you thought about getting a manual licence? Opens the door to a lot more cars, and will be cheaper compared to the auto equivalent. Also, do you need a car as large as a Focus? Giving how often you use it, maybe something like a Fiesta (Or similar) would be better suited?
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Passing the driving test as like walking across the Sahara for me. I am never going down that route again! :D I drop off family regularly at airports so space at the back is essential.

Gaygle said:
I absolutely do not think I would make this swap.

You're going from a car which you like, which is cheap as chips to run with no faults, to an absolutely bottom of the line 10 year old Audi/BMW which could give you all sorts of headaches. No disrespect, but you don't sound like a "car guy" so it means that any faults these new cars may have (and they likely will have some) means you'll have to take it to a mechanic to fix, even minor things.

You only do 2-3k miles a year, so miles per gallon is pretty much irrelevant. My calculations are that your Focus costs you a mind blowing £374 a year in fuel. A 318i will cost your £306 - that's a saving of a whopping £5.67 a month. With the car tax factored in, this rises to a dizzying £14.64 saving per month.

Of course, a service on the Audi/BMW is likely to be more, the tyres will be more, the brakes will be more - and that's assuming that when you buy it there nothing will be wrong with it whatsoever, which IME is very unlikely.

If it's a cost saving exercise, you are likely to lose more money by buying one of those cars. If it's an upgrade you want, trust me, you are barely upgrading at all.
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You are absolutely right, I am not a car guy at all. Does completing every Burnout and NFS game count?

I thought servicing is required every 20,000 miles or every 2 years. Is this different for Audi/BMW's? Road tax for my Focus is currently £305 p.a. while the Audi I looked at was £165 p.a.

Btw, these two BMW's caught my eye :
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008021985696
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012106970254

Now, if I really wanted an upgrade that was worth it, which BMW or Audi should I save up for ? The new Focuses seem to have been redesigned and don't have much space in the boot.
 
ATiRubyfan said:
Passing the driving test as like walking across the Sahara for me. I am never going down that route again! :D
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You've got years of experience in driving now, just got to learn how to change gear while the rest comes naturally.

Says me, now driving an automatic. Although in my defence I didn't pick the car... :D

ATiRubyfan said:
Road tax for my Focus is currently £305 p.a. while the Audi I looked at was £165 p.a.
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Why do some get hung up on the cost of road tax? Short of buying a new Range Rover it's inconsequential part of the running costs for most. The £140 you save and more will get swallowed up in maintenance bills on something more modern.
 
Fusion said:
Nearly six grand for a 2010 318i SE, wow.
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I love how the extra 5 minutes it would have taken to get photos of it not being parked in the middle of the road and dust that instrument cluster were not deemed worth the bother when trying to get almost 6 grand for an 11 year old 318i.
 
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