Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Ford Focus SEL sedan

[dirtyjeffer]

+2. The Focus I tested had the MT and it was a good one (sourced from Germany) with reasonable, crisp throws and an easy clutch.

i am assuming you drove the Focus in the USA?...if so, the Focus uses the MTX-75 transmission which is NOT one sourced from Germany (it is a Ford designed and built unit for the NA market).

...but then I'd rather pony up the extra cash for a Golf at that point. I've seen quite a few of the hatchbacks here though, hopefully they aren't all rental cars!

good point...say what you will about VWs, but they are very good "driving cars" and have very strong resale values...a 5 year old $30k golf is likely still worth $20k...a 5 year old $30k Ford (car) is likely barely over $10k...as well, a Kia Rio5 loaded up is "only" $22k and still includes almost everything aside from auto parking and the MFT system (which could end up being a costly disaster in 5 years if something goes wrong with it anyway)...is the Focus a better drivers car??..sure...is it $8k better??...i doubt it...people will still likely buy it because it's "pretty", and some people refuse to give a brand like Kia a look, but it's their money.

[DKaz]

I would not buy an auto if it were not for my wife. She claims that there's enough to worry about when driving (especially as the local city has some decent places for hill starts) without worrying about a clutch and which gear to be in. Therefore both cars have to be auto (mine also has to be auto as it's the "main" car).

Why can't her car be the main car?

[Cord]

i am assuming you drove the Focus in the USA?...if so, the Focus uses the MTX-75 transmission which is NOT one sourced from Germany (it is a Ford designed and built unit for the NA market).

Pretty sure the MTX75 is from the Cologne, Germany plant.

[safristi]

"Cologne" .....does it smell as good as the new Fusion........or is it better to shift awkwardly in yer seat while BIG BROTHER steals the  hot chix......

[Sir Osis of Liver]

+2. The Focus I tested had the MT and it was a good one (sourced from Germany) with reasonable, crisp throws and an easy clutch.

i am assuming you drove the Focus in the USA?...if so, the Focus uses the MTX-75 transmission which is NOT one sourced from Germany (it is a Ford designed and built unit for the NA market).

...but then I'd rather pony up the extra cash for a Golf at that point. I've seen quite a few of the hatchbacks here though, hopefully they aren't all rental cars!

good point...say what you will about VWs, but they are very good "driving cars" and have very strong resale values...a 5 year old $30k golf is likely still worth $20k...a 5 year old $30k Ford (car) is likely barely over $10k...as well, a Kia Rio5 loaded up is "only" $22k and still includes almost everything aside from auto parking and the MFT system (which could end up being a costly disaster in 5 years if something goes wrong with it anyway)...is the Focus a better drivers car??..sure...is it $8k better??...i doubt it...people will still likely buy it because it's "pretty", and some people refuse to give a brand like Kia a look, but it's their money.

Really? When I looked at the wholesale on a loaded 2007 Jetta GLI with 100k on the clock, it was between $11k and $13k. New it was a $30k car.

I think people will buy the Focus because they like it. It's quiet, it handles very well. The interior is very nice. You can get either a hatch or a sedan. and it has very good fuel economy numbers.

It'd much rather gamble on Ford electrics holding up over the long term than anything coming out of Germany.

[dirtyjeffer]

Really? When I looked at the wholesale on a loaded 2007 Jetta GLI with 100k on the clock, it was between $11k and $13k. New it was a $30k car.

comparing apples to apples, you can't seriously tell me a Ford car (whatever model you wish) would hold its value as well as something like a VW or a Honda...seriously?...i'm not talking about which is a better deal use (keep in mind, i purchased my 2000 Taurus in 2002 with only 30k on the odometer for $16k taxes in...it's MSRP brand new was $32,995 plus all the fees and taxes associated with buying a car new...i'm not also not talking about which car is better quality...i'm sure the Ford is good quality too, but the resale values of VW and Honda (likely a couple other makes too) are certainly very strong and above what a Ford would be.

I think people will buy the Focus because they like it. It's quiet, it handles very well. The interior is very nice. You can get either a hatch or a sedan. and it has very good fuel economy numbers.

It'd much rather gamble on Ford electrics holding up over the long term than anything coming out of Germany.

i don't debate anything you say here...i agree, although, the couple of people i know who own recent VW products don't have any issues with them.

[dirtyjeffer]

Pretty sure the MTX75 is from the Cologne, Germany plant.

after further research, you appear to be correct...that is odd, considering they make so many transmissions on this side of the pond, i would have thought it would have simply been cheaper to make them somewhere in one of their NA facilities, but i guess they choose not too.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Really? When I looked at the wholesale on a loaded 2007 Jetta GLI with 100k on the clock, it was between $11k and $13k. New it was a $30k car.

comparing apples to apples, you can't seriously tell me a Ford car (whatever model you wish) would hold its value as well as something like a VW or a Honda...seriously?...i'm not talking about which is a better deal use (keep in mind, i purchased my 2000 Taurus in 2002 with only 30k on the odometer for $16k taxes in...it's MSRP brand new was $32,995 plus all the fees and taxes associated with buying a car new...i'm not also not talking about which car is better quality...i'm sure the Ford is good quality too, but the resale values of VW and Honda (likely a couple other makes too) are certainly very strong and above what a Ford would be.

I think people will buy the Focus because they like it. It's quiet, it handles very well. The interior is very nice. You can get either a hatch or a sedan. and it has very good fuel economy numbers.

It'd much rather gamble on Ford electrics holding up over the long term than anything coming out of Germany.

i don't debate anything you say here...i agree, although, the couple of people i know who own recent VW products don't have any issues with them.

The Fords in the past have always sold at a discount. Something like a VW Jetta or Civic generally didn't. So a Taurus discounted from $30k to $25k new that sells for $10k 5 years later is still a better deal than a $30k Jetta that sells for $13k 5 years later.

[dirtyjeffer]

The Fords in the past have always sold at a discount. Something like a VW Jetta or Civic generally didn't. So a Taurus discounted from $30k to $25k new that sells for $10k 5 years later is still a better deal than a $30k Jetta that sells for $13k 5 years later.

while i understand your point, i disagree with your numbers used as an example...my SIL bought a 2007 Civic last summer for $14,200...a 2012 model (which is what i suggested she get instead) was $17,500 and included more (bluetooth, 4 wheel disc brakes and likely a couple of other nice things)...yes, a new car has the freight/PDI and a couple hundred in extra taxes (tire tax, AC tax, etc), but a 5 year old Focus would have depreciated a heck of a lot more than the $3300 price gap there, which was my point.

[airbalancer]

The Fords in the past have always sold at a discount. Something like a VW Jetta or Civic generally didn't. So a Taurus discounted from $30k to $25k new that sells for $10k 5 years later is still a better deal than a $30k Jetta that sells for $13k 5 years later.

while i understand your point, i disagree with your numbers used as an example...my SIL bought a 2007 Civic last summer for $14,200...a 2012 model (which is what i suggested she get instead) was $17,500 and included more (bluetooth, 4 wheel disc brakes and likely a couple of other nice things)...yes, a new car has the freight/PDI and a couple hundred in extra taxes (tire tax, AC tax, etc), but a 5 year old Focus would have depreciated a heck of a lot more than the $3300 price gap there, which was my point.

But what price did the person who traded it get from the dealer or what is the true wholesale price of the car

I was told there is a program that dealers use , the once they plug in the info of the car it gives a wholesale and retail price of the car. That is what auto.ca should have on their website 

[kenm]

The Fords in the past have always sold at a discount. Something like a VW Jetta or Civic generally didn't. So a Taurus discounted from $30k to $25k new that sells for $10k 5 years later is still a better deal than a $30k Jetta that sells for $13k 5 years later.

while i understand your point, i disagree with your numbers used as an example...my SIL bought a 2007 Civic last summer for $14,200...a 2012 model (which is what i suggested she get instead) was $17,500 and included more (bluetooth, 4 wheel disc brakes and likely a couple of other nice things)...yes, a new car has the freight/PDI and a couple hundred in extra taxes (tire tax, AC tax, etc), but a 5 year old Focus would have depreciated a heck of a lot more than the $3300 price gap there, which was my point.

Your example is not a good one. Your SIL was taken to the cleaners and she should have followed your advice to buy a new one. I just did a search on Autotrader for 2007 to 2008 Civics priced between $5k and $15k. I got 256 hits. 32 units had an asking price of $8-$10k and 22 were priced between $14k and $15k. The remainder were between $10k and $14k. I capped it at $15k, because most examples above that are Si's and EX-L's. Surely your SIL's price of $14,200 was the drive-away price with taxes in, which would still be at the high end of the scale.

[dirtyjeffer]

Your example is not a good one. Your SIL was taken to the cleaners and she should have followed your advice to buy a new one. I just did a search on Autotrader for 2007 to 2008 Civics priced between $5k and $15k. I got 256 hits. 32 units had an asking price of $8-$10k and 22 were priced between $14k and $15k. The remainder were between $10k and $14k. I capped it at $15k, because most examples above that are Si's and EX-L's. Surely your SIL's price of $14,200 was the drive-away price with taxes in, which would still be at the high end of the scale.

Civic's do sell for considerably more...while i agree that the $14,200 price may have been on the high side, it was a low km model and a single owner trade-in...and no, that price was not tax in, it was plus taxes.

as well, looking in ON for 2007 Civics and excluding the Si and EX-L models, there are plenty in the $13-$16k range...and no, i don't understand it either.

[GapBoyPCS]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I don't look at resale value when buying a new car. I am the type of person that will buy something and run it into the ground before getting anything else.

After 13,000 km, I like how my PowerShift transmission operates. Still, the reviews seem to be all over the place (and this is from sites like this and owner enthusiast sites). In some cases, there are valid issues. Other times, I can't tell whether people are driving with the original programming in place, or if they are just mashing the pedal down and thinking this is a typical torque-converter automatic. Maybe I've spent too much time behind the wheel to get used to any quirks of the transmission.

And I know it's been said in other posts, but you can get the rear seatback to fold flat in a sedan -- make sure you order either an SE with an Interior Trend package, SEL, or Titanium without the handling package, and flip up the seat base first.

Like others have mentioned, you really don't need to shell out over $30K for a well-equipped Focus. It really depends if you NEED active park assist and MyFord Touch. It comes down to playing with the options list and figuring out what you really need or want, and what you can afford.