A blessing from Hell
Buying a new car is one heck of an ordeal. Buying a used one is a major headache. There are many cars to choose from in every price range but I think that nowhere is it more difficult than in or around $5,000, say $4,000 to $7,000. Without making out a huge list, you could purchase a 15 to 20-year old Mercedes-Benz, a 10 to 12-year Toyota Camry or you could get a 4 to 5-year old Ford Focus.
Mind you, for this price, I am not talking about a base model with 200,000 km. I am referring to, for example, a 2002 Focus ZX5 with less than 100,000 km. If you have been looking for a used car in this price range or regularly drive by a used-car lot, you know as well as I do that the market is flooded, saturated even with used Ford Focuses. The question is: "What is it worth?"
Focus on the Focus
The Focus replaced the well-liked Ford Escort in 2000. The last generation of the Escort was a good car with few problems thanks mostly to its Mazda underpinnings. The New Focus promised wonderful things: European design and flair, excellent handling, a fine-tuned chassis and an original comfortable interior. I can attest to the fact that the Focus, when new, delivered all the goods. I clearly remember adoring the Focus' drive and feel. It even went on to win the "Car of the year" award from the AJAC.
What happened very shortly afterwards was a seemingly endless barrage of safety recalls and service bulletins. I also remember visiting a Ford dealer in 2000 and spotting no fewer than 6 Focus' stripped of their interiors because the dealer was trying to figure out a glitch with the car's HVAC system. The damage was done. Or was it?
To Focus or not to Focus
The Focus still sold quite well despite the Lemon-covered Focus' on the road, lawsuits and endless complaints from owners. Why did it sell well? Because it was affordable and felt great. Since 2000, I have driven 5 or 6 of them and was recently a passenger in a 2003 and briefly tested a 2000. To this day and knowing what I knew then and now, I can still appreciate to car's dedicated drivability and focus (pun intended).
Buying a new car is one heck of an ordeal. Buying a used one is a major headache. There are many cars to choose from in every price range but I think that nowhere is it more difficult than in or around $5,000, say $4,000 to $7,000. Without making out a huge list, you could purchase a 15 to 20-year old Mercedes-Benz, a 10 to 12-year Toyota Camry or you could get a 4 to 5-year old Ford Focus.
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Mind you, for this price, I am not talking about a base model with 200,000 km. I am referring to, for example, a 2002 Focus ZX5 with less than 100,000 km. If you have been looking for a used car in this price range or regularly drive by a used-car lot, you know as well as I do that the market is flooded, saturated even with used Ford Focuses. The question is: "What is it worth?"
Focus on the Focus
The Focus replaced the well-liked Ford Escort in 2000. The last generation of the Escort was a good car with few problems thanks mostly to its Mazda underpinnings. The New Focus promised wonderful things: European design and flair, excellent handling, a fine-tuned chassis and an original comfortable interior. I can attest to the fact that the Focus, when new, delivered all the goods. I clearly remember adoring the Focus' drive and feel. It even went on to win the "Car of the year" award from the AJAC.
What happened very shortly afterwards was a seemingly endless barrage of safety recalls and service bulletins. I also remember visiting a Ford dealer in 2000 and spotting no fewer than 6 Focus' stripped of their interiors because the dealer was trying to figure out a glitch with the car's HVAC system. The damage was done. Or was it?
To Focus or not to Focus
The Focus still sold quite well despite the Lemon-covered Focus' on the road, lawsuits and endless complaints from owners. Why did it sell well? Because it was affordable and felt great. Since 2000, I have driven 5 or 6 of them and was recently a passenger in a 2003 and briefly tested a 2000. To this day and knowing what I knew then and now, I can still appreciate to car's dedicated drivability and focus (pun intended).
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