Ford Focus - North or South?

GuestID

Hello, first post on Boards so apologies if I'm going over old ground.
I have an urgent need to buy a new (one year old preferably) car. My preference is a 1.6 Ford Focus. Can anyone tell me please if it is worth looking for a well-priced 2008 one in early 2009 here in the "South", or would it be smarter to go up North and get a 6 month old one?
I would prefer a nearly-new one, but maybe it needs to be 2 years old to be a reasonable price.
I really don't know much at all about buying cars, only ever bought the one I have now, and I don't know any garages up North, but it seems like all the ones down here are charging crazy prices for nearly new Fords.
If anyone has any recommendations of good dealerships in the North I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks

bazz26

Cars are generally cheaper over in the UK mainland than up in the North. I would look there, someone here recently bought a 08 nearly new Focus over in the UK and saved alot of money over the price of a similar car here. Just make sure the car has more than 6000 km and 6 months old otherwise you will be stung for VAT as well as VRT.

BTW the biggest savings are on the diesel models as the VRT and motor tax on 2008 models is based on Co2 levels which are lower than the petrol versions.

Here is a good website to view:
http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/

DamoRed

I know about the 6 months, but what's the story on the 6000km?

shawnee

Apparently the car needs to have more than 6,000k on it , for the reduction in tax. I was just talking to a neighbour of mine who had just bought an 08 golf tdi in the North, He told me that he had the car home with vrt paid for 17 and that a similar model here could cost up to 26. He also mentioned that the tax is only 150 and vrt on this car is only 16 percent and amounted to 3k approx..
I can understand how the garages down here are fuming. They are full of secondhand cars at present and there has never been more cars coming in from uk and north. Think a lot of them will go and what's left will either drop up to ten grand of their prices or be stuck with modern cars for life.
I suppose the only thing about going to Uk is that you need to get your own car sold or given away or be a first time buyer.

Stevie Dakota

I recently bought a 2008 Focus 2.0TDCi Titanium, 6 months old in the UK (Motorpoint Newport). Saved about €5K off the new price here and since then UK prices have dropped and Sterling rate has improved, so the savings are even bigger now. You would pick up a low mileage, 2008 1.6 TDCi for €16K easy and it would be as good as new. Don't buy the petrol 1.6, the diesel is far better. I would skip the North and pop over to Wales, a day is all it takes.

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/(S(evgvzxakxx50ml55fyhmjr45))/Search/VehicleDetails.aspx?vehicle=209895&diesel=yes

whowantstwoknow

Looking at a 6 month old diesel focus with over 9K miles on it...Does that seem excessive to people? Never had a diesel but have heard it needs to be driven for the engine to "settle in"..So would this be OK?

Thanks

W.