Just wondered what peoples thoughts are on high mileage hatchbacks?
I have the chance to buy an 03 plate ST170 with about £170k on the clock. It's about £1000 cheaper than an avergae mileage equivalent.
I'm told it's motorway mileage but is it a bit risky being that it's a Ford?Petrol?hottish Hatch.
Any thoughts?
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How much? There's loads of them out there just waiting to be given away.
MD
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About £2k.
Got any others you could point me at for similar
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Any thoughts?
Only that I remember reading that the ST170's engine wasn't that great. Never driven one though - I'd like to try swapping that engine with the normal 2.0 lump in my estate :-)
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I'd go for it if it passed all the usual checks, but I'd want more than £1000 off.
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Ho hum. I have just bought an 03 ST 170 with 40K. I was looking for a car with a bit of go that wouldn't cost a fortune in petrol and insurance and with a bit of collectabilty so you can say that's why you don't have a new car (i.e. I can't afford it)
I'm more than impressed with it despite being group 15 it only costs me £224 fully comp with my partner as a named driver. Handling is fantastic unlike the 2.5 Vectra I was driving and fuel economy at the moment is just over 32mpg and that is normal not eco driving unlike the 20ish mpg from the vectra It will pull 30 in top unlike the Vectra which has around the same quoted horsepower.. Engine power is fine I think because it is a pretty flat increase it is deceptive unlike a big gob of power coming in two stroke style I have to moniter the speedo fairly carefully as it's very easy to find yourself going faster than you think you are. It looks pretty standard Focus unlike the asbo STs so doesn't attract any attentiont.
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I have the chance to buy an 03 plate ST170 with about £170k on the clock.
If it's got that much cash on the clock, you can't go wrong.
OTOH, if it's got that many miles on the lock, it's probably going to be quite tired.
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Well spotted. Lol.
I think maybe I should spend the extra and steer clear.
Shame.
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A friend of mine had an ST170 and it drank fuel at a rate akin to my old V6 4motion Golf.
And didn't go nearly as well.
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Interestingly I was thinking about a V6 4Motion Passsat.
I only need a 2nd car for the station run and so fuel economy isnt a huge concern - but I am a bit of a boy racer at heart and like something that has some grunt - but on a budget.
My attention went to a Ford because I get really badly frosted windscreens (my house sits ina dip I think) and no sun gets onto the car until afternoon. So the Ford Quickclear windscreen option made it appealing along with the zip.
Maybe it's time to look for a standard Focus and don my pipe and slippers. Sigh......
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Avoid is because its probably 170k of very very harsh driving. People do not buy an ST to cruise round in at 60mph in 5th!
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I wouldn't go near any car with that mileage. How close do you think all those major components are to fail/refurbishment date? £1000 'off'? I'd pay a maximum of £1000 for the whole thing (if I wanted it, which I don't of course).
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Maybe it's time to look for a standard Focus and don my pipe and slippers. Sigh......
Hey! :-)
The standard 2.0 might not be a ball of fire, but it's entertaining enough. As I've said before I prefer driving my Y reg 2.0 estate to the brand new 200bhp Leon 2 TFSI that preceded it. Straight line performance isn't everything.
Edited by Focus {P} on 29/09/2009 at 12:40
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All depends what the two grand means to you in spending terms - may be worth a punt. I bought a car for the Office in 2004 it was a Cavalier SRi Ecotec. with 169k up. It was a peach of a car with loads of grunt - if it dies you'll get something back if only for the ST170 specific parts. Buy it and enjoy it but remember its not a 1.0 Corsa.
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A V6 4Motion Passat would be a far better bet, as long as you're willing to write it off if something major goes wrong.
My Golf needed all the valves replacing (24 no.), luckily under warranty, but the bill was circa £3k (dealer rates), hence why i got shot as soon as my years VW warranty expired.
I am now in a position to buy "fun" second car, and am seriously considering another Golf V6, just because it one of the most understated, effortless and fun cars I have ever driven. The amount of grip they have is phenomonal.
There is lots of high powered older cars out there for £2k, a late 90's BMW 328 springs to mind.
I think Rattle's assumption that just becuase it's an ST170 it has been thrashed is a little short sighted, like any car, some will have been, some won't. Sensible drivers still buy performance cars, and a lot of yopunger drivers proably couldnt afford to run/insure an ST170.
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i would rather eat bluebottles than buy a performance ford with that mileage
nice to see its not had a haircut though (or has it?)
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Must be a fair amount of motorway mileage, if it is good condition, full history and, say, two thirds of the price of one with half the mileage then it could be a great buy. How many owners?
IIRC they are known for worn suspension bushes so check tyre wear though not costly to fix anyway.
The key thing is to make sure that what you save in it being high mileage is not spent in getting it to the same condition as a lower mileage one.
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Sshh Cheddar, steady on old boy, the more people who think that high mileage cars are worth "nothing" the better for those of us who know it is not always the case.....Keeps them cheap ! ;-)
Funnily enough, I borrowed an old Volvo 850 T5 estate the other day. I used to have one back in the 90s when they were current. This one had 280k on the clock but was as sweet as a nut. I'd quite forgotten how much fun they are to drive.
I hate it when I drive a quickish petrol car. Always makes me want to set fire to my diesel for a couple of days afterwards.
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Pfft - if you must get a Passat and mileage is low get a W8 !
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2 K wouldt stop me because of the milage.
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It's the costs of a new alternator, steering pump, discs, exhaust, water pump.cambelt etc..
If it's been manintained the engine should be OK.. But ancillaries DO fail...
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Good points madf,but if the car has been maintained discs,exhaust cambelt are service items in my opinion, which can be checked.
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Dutchie
IF the car has been maintained..
My guess is not much after 150k miles: human nature.. (I would spend pence only)
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These cars are money pits, even the low mileage ones.
Can be fun but you will PAY.
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The cars I've had with high mileage I used to take more care of them,but like looking after a old pet.:)
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