To buy or to wait?

nogiggity

So I know we are in a bubble atm for buying used cars but I wanted to get a general consensus for my situation.

I've had my heart set on a Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 and found one that ticks all the boxes and then some.

I am by no means an enthusiast(more just picky) but I know what I like and its not common that I find one .

Sep 2012, 88.5k miles

Lovely spec and extras.

Listed as £5,950.

Ive worked out that it will set me back about €8,300 after import (VRT and NOX), but I might be able to haggle down to about €7800 or slightly less.

Worth noting that I have a functional banger that's not pretty and smells has a faint smell of diesel in the cabin 9just from age) but gets me from A to B but will likely become past the point of rescue at some stage in the not too distant future (08 Focus TDCI 170k miles that's overdue a timing belt).

Also, I currently only commute about the town and a weekly short road trip.

I know its not the cheapest time to buy but I worry I wont find a car with these specs in another blue moon and I have the dough there.

Haven't really spent much at all in the past few years and wouldn't mind treating myself( I never do!).

Am I mental spending this kinda money on this kinda car atm?

Lantus

Doesn't sound like a bad idea. You need a car, it's an ok price and a specific model you want. I'd say go for it especially as you have the cash and won't be getting into debt and will probably be keeping the car for some time.

JCN12

Almost €8k to move up approx. 4 years does sound a bit steep.

An '08 focus with 170k miles is not unusual by today's standards either to be fair. Faint smell of diesel in the cabin could be injector seals needing replacing, unless you have been transporting cans of diesel etc. in the car.

Personally, I would sort the timing belt, investigate the source of the smell at the same time, give it a wash/ vacuum (or polish if you have time on your hands) and look at keeping a reserve of funds to change the car if something catastrophic happens to it down the road. Put the remaining balance of what you might spend into a pension, a nice holiday or something rewarding.

bazz26

Your doing well only paying 8k to go up 4 years in today's used car market. Used car prices have increased substantially in the last year or two due the lack of new cars being available and there being little or no value in importing from the UK due to Brexit. The days of trading up a couple of years for a few grand are well gone now.

AMKC

@OP No you are not me mental spending it on a car it's not like it's 80grand or something. Get yourself a nice one just the way you want and be happy. Make sure it has a full service history.

User1998

If the engine on that Ford hasn’t been replaced or fully rebuilt it will have to be done very soon and can costs thousands. Those eco boost engines rarely make it past 80k miles.

And if it’s being sold by a dealer they probably won’t reduce the price