Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage

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Sun 9 Oct 2016 13:12
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - Alex Tomlin

Hi,

I've seen a 2013 Ford Focus at a dealers, which is a finance repossession, and is at least a thousand pounds cheaper than equivalents around. The car drives fine, but there are quite a few small scratches on the paintwork and some loose panels inside the car (drivers side inside door, for example. Not sure why that would be loose?).

It's only three years old and the dealer will sell it with a full MOT. There's no service history at present but we may be able to get it.

Question is whether to run a mile or take a risk? Any ideas? We plan on doing an HPI check.

Thanks

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Sun 9 Oct 2016 13:33
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - Palcouk

This isnt a Category C/D right off is it? If it is check with your insurares first

Any dealer would have to be providing a minimum 3 month warranty

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Sun 9 Oct 2016 16:46
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - Avant

Don't buy one without a full service history - there are plenty of Focuses out here with FSH to choose from. And it's possible that someone who has had their car repossessed may not have been a very careful owner.

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Sun 9 Oct 2016 20:08
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - S40 Man

I'd go for it £1000 pays for a lot of repairs. If it's sweet you're quids in. Buy it service, it out could be a good motor. It's not very old. What's the mileage?

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Sun 9 Oct 2016 19:30
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - SLO76
Don't buy anything without a full service history with proof of servicing every year. It's a false economy to buy a neglected car or a poorly repaired crash damaged motor.

Better to spend more up front or buy an older car that's been properly looked after than find yourself with a money pit or a car that looks tatty and is impossible to sell later on.

Also when buying a Focus be aware the 1.6 PSA diesel has a terrible reputation for reliability and should be avoided at all costs and according to another recent thread on here early versions of the 3cyl 1.0 turbo are proving troublesome too.

They're nice cars to drive but I'd stick to the petrol 1.6. The Yamaha designed 1.6 Zetec SE unit is pretty vice free if serviced correctly but don't touch one that hasn't been.
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Sun 9 Oct 2016 20:57
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - SLO76
Second to this. I used to sell for a large new and used dealer in the 90's and occasionally the finance reps would ask one of us to accompany them to repossess a motor, usually one we'd sold ourselves. They were almost always neglected by owners who couldn't afford to run them and often hammered into the ground when they knew they were going to be repossessed which was daft because any balance between what the car achieved and what they owed was invoiced to them and persued.
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Sun 9 Oct 2016 23:51
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - bathtub tom

>>It's only three years old and the dealer will sell it with a full MOT. There's no service history at present but we may be able to get it.

Yeah, and pigs may fly.

Why's the dealer selling it as it is? He would want to make as much profit as possible and there must be a reason he's copped out on this one.

There's plenty of them out there.

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Mon 10 Oct 2016 17:55
Ford Focus - Buying repossessed car with superficial damage - NARU

If an owner hasn't cared for the body, what makes you think they would have cared for the mechanicals?

I'd have a look at the tyres. Do they match? Are they a decent brand?

>> loose panels inside the car (drivers side inside door,...

Could be where drugs have been stored.

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