Dodgy oil in focus im thinking of buying, I need help!

rsheehan

Hi all,
this is my first post in the Motors section of boards.
Im looking for your advice on a 05 focus im thinking of buying.

Its a hatchback, very clean inside and outside, two owners 88,000k on the clock. Its a nice looking car and its a good pice, its petrol

but (there is allways a but)
when i dipped the oil, there was rust on most of the dip stick and no oil on the end of the dipstick! It took a few dipps to clear the gunk off the end of the dip stick. I took it for a short drive, then waited a few minutes and dipped it again. Only a tiny amount of oil on the end of the dipstick and it was thick and black. I think the gunk on the end of the dipstick was coming from the shaft of the dipstick rubbing of its housing each time i dipped it.

The guy selling the car said he had it serviced a year ago, there was a sticker on the car door saying its last oil change was January 08! The guy he got to service it was his frend from the local garage and im woried that he might not have changed the oil.

Have any of you come across this problem with low oil in focus before? Do you think the rust on the dipstick and fact that there is no oil is a big problem?

Id appereaciate any advice you guys could give me on this problem.

slimjimmc

Walk away. If he hasn't bothered to check the oil (the first engine thing a buyer would look at) before selling it then I'd have no faith in it's maintenance history or engine condition.

trad

Keep walking

Captain Slow IRL

I'd stay clear - the seller obviously hasn't serviced it as recommended and has even let it run so low that the oil barely registers on the dipstick. A "clean car inside and out" isn't a lot of good to you if it's stuck in a garage awaiting a new engine!

For future reference, it is possible to get corrosion along the shaft of the dipstick - it isn't something to worry about as only the dipstick is affected, although if it's bad enough, a new dipstick would be needed.

colm_mcm

you know the answer already

maidhc

As everyone else says: Forget it.

Focii are 10 a penny, get one with a service history, and don't just get one with stamps, try and see the last few invoices. There is nothing nicer than looking at a clean s/h car where the previous owner has clearly spent money maintaining it.

rsheehan

Thanks every one,
i sort of knew it was dodgy but it was a good price.
I told the seller that i wasent interested anymore.

245

rsheehan wrote: »

Thanks every one,
i sort of knew it was dodgy but it was a good price.
I told the seller that i wasent interested anymore.

It'd have cost you in the end - good move to walk away

weepee

Doesnt sound too good, take the advice of the rest of the guys and walk.

Also-the Focus is notorious for coil pack failure, and ya havnt even got that far yet

snowman707

trad wrote: »

Keep walking

RUN

daveharnett

Oh dear.

Has the seller considered a trade in? Really, some clean oil should be step one for prepping a car for private sale.

TestTransmission

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC8ratbjyjk