Buying a used car

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
I have been sniffing around various web sites looking for something to build to run in the GEAR format. There are a couple of cars that pique my interest but honestly there is so much shit for sale for stupid prices Michael Caton would go hoarse. Comments like looks to have no rust when you can see it in the pics. Ah well the looking continues. A nice cams log booked MkIII Sprite is at the top of the list but I have my doubts about that one too.
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
So for some reason a couple of weeks ago I drove the older 2018 Focus entry level first up with only a 92 kW 1.6 L engine with 6 speed automatic and was left sufficiently underwhelmed.

Today I took the current one with the 134 kW 1.5L 3 cyl turbo thingy out for a spin and it was huuuuge difference. Pretty fun to drive for an entry level small "family" car.

Oh and Hyundai left us sitting for 30 mins yesterday (I booked it days ago), so we walked out and said thanks for making our shortlist shorter..

None of this is helping me find a decent used car though!
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
The Ford 3 cylinder engines are super good. The Peugeot 1.2 3 cylinders are also bloody good - and love that 3 cylinder rumble :)
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
So for some reason a couple of weeks ago I drove the older 2018 Focus entry level first up with only a 92 kW 1.6 L engine with 6 speed automatic and was left sufficiently underwhelmed.

Today I took the current one with the 134 kW 1.5L 3 cyl turbo thingy out for a spin and it was huuuuge difference. Pretty fun to drive for an entry level small "family" car.

Oh and Hyundai left us sitting for 30 mins yesterday (I booked it days ago), so we walked out and said thanks for making our shortlist shorter..

None of this is helping me find a decent used car though!
None used for sale in Canberra but you can test a new one. These are made by the millions and are proven quantity, but the Australian importers are idiots. Very reliable and robust, fantastic 3 cylinder turbo.



The cockpit setup is a love or hate thing - you might really like it, heaps of people do and Peugeot is selling millions of cars with it.
 
Last edited:

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
I have had a couple of Fords and an FPV and exhausted all the dealers in my area looking for competency however I am waiting patiently for the next Focus RS, some nice technology going into that.
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
So for some reason a couple of weeks ago I drove the older 2018 Focus entry level first up with only a 92 kW 1.6 L engine with 6 speed automatic and was left sufficiently underwhelmed.

Today I took the current one with the 134 kW 1.5L 3 cyl turbo thingy out for a spin and it was huuuuge difference. Pretty fun to drive for an entry level small "family" car.

Oh and Hyundai left us sitting for 30 mins yesterday (I booked it days ago), so we walked out and said thanks for making our shortlist shorter..

None of this is helping me find a decent used car though!
What about a slightly used Levorg?
Practical and fun?
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
What about a slightly used Levorg?
Practical and fun?
Bit out of budget - even used ones :)

I would absolute never ever own a Ford again after this....

TBH, I haven't read enough about it yet. The new cars are completely free of the powershift transmission etc, so it comes down to how much do you think Ford are sorry for how they handled it vs "oops we got caught"..

I'd only get a manual used Focus at this point still. But the new 8 speed transmission was nice and I think its just a straight up automatic now...
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I would absolute never ever own a Ford again after this....

Yet Renault still use the exact same Getrag made unit and they're fine. It was all down to the Ford software slipping the clutches too much...
 

nathanm

Eats Squid
Bit out of budget - even used ones :)



TBH, I haven't read enough about it yet. The new cars are completely free of the powershift transmission etc, so it comes down to how much do you think Ford are sorry for how they handled it vs "oops we got caught"..

I'd only get a manual used Focus at this point still. But the new 8 speed transmission was nice and I think its just a straight up automatic now...
Ford have had a long and sordid history of this behaviour starting back in the AU falcon days and it's only now the ACCC are doing something about it. The powershift was just such a major issue, particularly from a safety standpoint, that they finally had something big enough to drag Ford to court over.
If you google pretty much any ford model you're going to find a long list of issues from Ranger DPF and oil changes resulting in pressure loss and Focus RS engine's warping.
Holden, VW, Chrysler, Audi are all just as bad and Toyota have a class action as well.
 

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Sounds like you need a second hand golf GTI.
I miss mine sooooooo much.
Ours had 200,000k’s and was incredibly smooth to drive, even hifi was impressed.
I'm aiming for a Mk VII Golf R in a few years. Given how many zillion appear to have sold in the Melbourne area alone resale will probably dribble down to something vaguely affordable soonish.
 
Top