Patchy service history-would you

[Elroy Blue]

I've seen a 55reg Ford Focus at a main dealer (not Ford). Five years old and 45'000m. First saw it before xmas and it's been reduced by a grand in the last six weeks or so and is now down to what I consider to be near auction money. There's no other Focus on Autotrader anywhere near this money. Tax ran out in aug 2010 and three owners. Bodywork and interior is in pretty good nick and it seems to drive ok. However, in the 45000m, it's only shown as having two services, the last one at 29000m and two years ago. (Not Ford either).

I'm pretty fastidious about looking after my cars and having them serviced, so how important is a service history to you. The garage has agreed to service it, which I assume will just be an oil and filter. I doubt it's ever had a brake fluid or coolant change. I've also agreed with them that should I buy they will replace two worn tyres. Three months 'warranty'.

While it will be a second car for 'er indoors and seems a decent deal (price to change is what I wanted, but to get it I had to walk out and wait for them to ring). There's just that element of doubt about the lack of maintainance.

[POORCARDEALER]

What exact model and how much?

[10AE]

Wouldn't worry me too much, 29 to 45k is only 16k which is less than the service intervals on many new cars these days. I'd want a full service done before I picked up the car, though.

Is it diesel or petrol?

[Elroy Blue]

Petrol 1.6 sport. £3495.

[Angelus]

If you buy it, you could get it serviced and brought up to date. How many services would it have been due by now anyway?

[maniac0796]

Remember, it's a ford focus, theres thousands of them around, so can afford to drop it and leave it.

At the same time however, I would be happy to buy with a patchy service history. Aslong as I could see oil changes, and fuel filter changes for a diesel, I'd be happy enough

EDIT:

Looking at your post again, IIRC ford use long life coolant, so you shouldn't have to worry there. Changing brake fluid is sort of nessacery but also a bit of a money maker.

And remember, Ford don't have long life oil, they all use 5/30 Semi synthetic, so aslong as it's been changed year/10-12k miles, then it might not be great.

Edited by maniac0796 on Saturday 8th January 10:24

[steveo3002]

could the missing services be because its been clocked ?

if theres mots to prove the milage id not worry too much if the price is right

[anonymous-user]

this one?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Have you checked its not a previous write off? 'Aldershot Repairables' would always make me a bit suspicious...

[DJFish]

I'm in the same boat but looking for a 2lt petrol.
The service intervals for these are 12.5k or 12 months but cars I've looked at which have been described as FSH have had gaps of up to 20k or two years between services.

If it hasn't got a proper full service history I walk away.

[Elroy Blue]

champ54321 said:

this one?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Have you checked its not a previous write off? 'Aldershot Repairables' would always make me a bit suspicious...

No, not that one.

It's a main dealer and being sold as an 'approved' car, so I'm assuming (famous last words) that the mileage is correct.

I suppose it's a trade off in the end. Cheaper and not quite perfect, or pay strong money.

[Dog Star]

It's a Focus, not a Porsche so personally with a 5 year old one it wouldn't bother me at all; I'd simply judge by overall condition.

The other thing is that these days a "service" would seem to be an oil change and that is it. I'd just get that done and the rest of the car a good going over as soon as I bought it.

[DJFish]

I was told one car would recieve a "Showroom service" which amounted to an oil change and a wipe with a damp rag.

In fairness it isn't a Porsche, but mine will have to perform in a much wider range of conditions. ie 5am starts in mid winter, sitting in traffic in the height of summer, repeated short trips and my wife's driving!

If you don't look after a machine properly you can't expect it to perform faultlessly and I don't want to get a call from 'er indoors from the roadside because the car I chose for her has just conked out.

[GKP]

It will be fine. It may start showing signs of wear at around 150k miles when compared to another 150k miler which hasn't missed one or two oil changes, but by then you'll have something else anyway.

[Elroy Blue]

Took a punt and bought it. The cost to change puts her current car at what I'd get in a private sale, so worth the small risk.

[POORCARDEALER]

Very cheap car on the face of it.

[rallycross]

It was very low price you got a cheap car there, there are lots of run of the mill fords with patchy history lots of them do quite big mileages in between services and lots of owners (users) don't seem to worry too much about annual servicing.

At that price it's cheap enough to not worry!

[Elroy Blue]

Paerwork done now..although the tight bugger offered to put some petrol in it on pick-up, then charged me for it on the invoice (10 bloody quid ) (it was completely empty when I test drove it).

I can't imagine there was too much profit left in it. Fingers crossed now. I plan to get the brake fluid and coolant changed fairly soon and do a major service in a few months.

(Place your bets on which Chinese ditch-finders get fitted to it)

[Jasandjules]

Well for that money I don't think a service will make much difference, hell I'd be surprised if 50% of the cars on the road get serviced by the schedule, or even every year...