WWYD - 2012 Ford Focus Titanium - new or nearly new?

[kellya]

First off, I hate car shopping ;) I try to avoid it at all costs however my husband's 2000 Toyota Echo is ending its life and instead of sinking a bunch of money into it we would like to get him something newer.

He test drove a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatch yesterday and loved it (it is pretty loaded, leather, parking assist etc. 18" wheels - basically everything but navigation) It has 20K on it, the bad part is we just found out it was an Enterprise rental. (I had no clue rentals even came in the fully loaded models?) It is priced at $21,900 and we can get $250 for our Echo (scrap price) so we would be out the door at about $24470 (not including whatever licencing turns out to be) I think a brand new one is going to be in the neighbourhood of $4500 more. I guess what my question is, for those who know more about vehicles than us, would it be worth paying the extra to get brand new? If I went with the used one I would still be able to purchase the Ford extended warranty for used vehicles since it is still within the 3 year /60K time period - and I don't think that would run $4500.

I am leaning towards going used even though it was a rental. If I get unlucky I have already "saved" $4500 to pay for any repairs. If it wasn't a previous rental I think it would be a no brainer. Since it was a rental I am a little nervous. Can anyone provide any guidance? Any help/advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Kelly

[Muney]

Personally I wouldnt ever go with a rental car. I have seen how some people drive rentals and wouldnt buy one for my self. I know not everyone drives them like they're stolen but some people do. I would pay the extra $4500 for the brand new car and break it in properly as well as have piece of mind.

Focus is a nice car though, good choice.

[Lexcyn]

I really don't see the problem going with a rental. At least you know all of the maintenance was done on time and on schedule. They usually check the car over every time someone brings it back.

Also, if it only has 20k it should be sold as a certified pre-owned which means you can still get the factory warranty if anything goes wrong.

[garyhudson]

First off, I hate car shopping ;) I try to avoid it at all costs however my husband's 2000 Toyota Echo is ending its life and instead of sinking a bunch of money into it we would like to get him something newer.

He test drove a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatch yesterday and loved it (it is pretty loaded, leather, parking assist etc. 18" wheels - basically everything but navigation) It has 20K on it, the bad part is we just found out it was an Enterprise rental. (I had no clue rentals even came in the fully loaded models?) It is priced at $21,900 and we can get $250 for our Echo (scrap price) so we would be out the door at about $24470 (not including whatever licencing turns out to be) I think a brand new one is going to be in the neighbourhood of $4500 more. I guess what my question is, for those who know more about vehicles than us, would it be worth paying the extra to get brand new? If I went with the used one I would still be able to purchase the Ford extended warranty for used vehicles since it is still within the 3 year /60K time period - and I don't think that would run $4500.

I am leaning towards going used even though it was a rental. If I get unlucky I have already "saved" $4500 to pay for any repairs. If it wasn't a previous rental I think it would be a no brainer. Since it was a rental I am a little nervous. Can anyone provide any guidance? Any help/advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Kelly

I understand it is a huge saving, but I am sure you can find used Focuses elsewhere which are not previous rentals. The problem with rentals are not just how the people drive them. The most horrifying bit is that if there was any kind of problem (engine, electrical, safety etc) or crashes the car had had in the past, it may not show up in the carproof history, since rental companies usually have their own insurance and service companies. I'd try to get the dealer to throw in extra factory extended warranty, just to be safe.....

[DavidY]

Last month, I rented a 2012 Kia Forte EX sedan. It just passed the 10,000 km mark when I turned it in. Lotsa blemishes on the paint, a few rock chips in the windshield and on the hood, 4 or 6 light scratches on the trunk. Personally, I wouldn't buy a rental car.

If you want something newer and similar in size to the Focus, I would look at the 2011 Kia Forte EX sedan. They are around $20K when new. The problem is the depreciation....it's higher than average...so I wouldn't buy one new. Seen recently in BC, a 2011 EX sedan with auto and under 30K for $14-$15K.....so $12.5-$13.5K plus taxes should be doable. Has 158 hp...power almost everything. Heated front seats. 16 inch alloy wheels. Keyless entry. Cruise control. Plenty of headroom for a 6 footer in the front. Above average room in the rear (seats 2 adults...3 would be tight)...sizable trunk. Rear visibility isn't great. Front seats were not that comfortable during a couple 3 hour drives. Warranty is better than average...5 year 100,000 km bumper to bumper warranty. Like Hyundai, Kia's long term reliability isn't proven yet....hence their higher than average depreciation.

Not enough horsepower?...The top of the line SX has 173 hp....and more standard features like sunroof and leather. There are also a coupe (Koup) and 5 door hatchback (Forte5). The SX, Koup (EX or SX), Forte5 are less common, and therefore, command a higher price.

Save more $$...LX is the entry level trim....cruise control isn't available. Someone here posted that the LX was as low as the mid teens when new. 15 inch steel wheels, etc.

Dave

[msqrade]

+1 on never buying a rental. Especially if it was treated like a 'new' vehicle to you. Might as well buy used, especially if it's cheaper. Rental vehicles are usually sold wholesale from rental companies to dealers who bid on them. At least with a used vehicle, especially if its a private sale, you get the complete service history...

[anhtuan]

I've rented a couple of cars before and know better than to buy a rental. I'm sure a lot of people will drive the rental like me.

[Rehan]

He test drove a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatch yesterday and loved it (it is pretty loaded, leather, parking assist etc. 18" wheels - basically everything but navigation) It has 20K on it, the bad part is we just found out it was an Enterprise rental. (I had no clue rentals even came in the fully loaded models?) It is priced at $21,900 and we can get $250 for our Echo (scrap price) so we would be out the door at about $24470 (not including whatever licencing turns out to be) I think a brand new one is going to be in the neighbourhood of $4500 more. A brand new Focus Titanium sedan with the 18" wheel and leather interior upgrades is currently $27334 including tax according to ford.ca...so about $27050 after your trade in. And that's without negotiating a discount from the MSRP. For the ~$2500 difference, I would definitely get the brand new one with close to 0 km on it. Very easy decision.

[DJ_Peanuts22]

Go brand new for peace of mind.

Buying a rental car is like playing Russian roulette with your money.

[Avatar]

For 20K and rental, the saving should be better than $4500.

You can get a used car for that amount of discount. Car usually depreciate quite a bit as soon as it's on the road. I heard some ppl took rental car on bumpy road for fun or push into parking to stop the car etc.. It's not worth the headache later on.

You probably get a year end saving like that if you buy it later.

[Voltex]

How long you plan on keeping the car is crucial in deciding if you should buy used or new. Rental cars generally have been abused their entire life, but the negative effects of the abuse may not show up until years down the road, so if you're only planning on keeping it for a few years, then it may be a wiser decision to just buy a used one. If you're planning on driving it into the ground, then buying new may be the safer bet since you have peace of mind knowing your car's entire history.

[Voltex]

I really don't see the problem going with a rental. At least you know all of the maintenance was done on time and on schedule. They usually check the car over every time someone brings it back.

Also, if it only has 20k it should be sold as a certified pre-owned which means you can still get the factory warranty if anything goes wrong.

You clearly haven't seen people like me get behind the wheel of a rental;)

[JACKIE26]

Don't buy a rental, you would not believe how people drive rentals and what they do in them. I drive rentals and so do my co-workers all the time for work, and they beat the crap out of them. They have the attitude I have full coverage who cares.

For the trivial difference in price get a car cost canada report and buy new. Have a Coscto membership that will take I think another $1000 off the cost from Ford with their Costco promo. The potential future headaches with how people drove the car and abused the engine and tranny are not worth it.

Oddly enough I am driving the exact car you are looking at right now as a rental, the same focus titanium edition from Enterprise, drives really nice was plesantly suprised that the engine does have some guts. Very comfortable, nice looking interior was very impressed. What I don't like is for me personally it's not enough space, my personal car is an SUV so I don't think anything in a compact would have enough cargo space for me in comparison.

[lavar]

Also, if you are financing you are likely to get a better deal on the new focus vs. the used. The differential in rates could make up the difference in costs.

[boredstudent3]

you also have to consider how many people it took to rent the car and abuse it in the 20,000 km's

usually i rent for road trips with 3000 allowed km's, if that's the case, then 6 ppl have rented and used it before you.

but most of the time it is not the case, people rent and only use a few hundred km's at most

i would go brand new. like others have said, you have peace of mind that you are the first owner and it has not been run hard by anyone else.

what percentage of total price are you saving by going used vs. new? sometimes the little money savings is not worth the trouble.

[poedua]

you also have to consider how many people it took to rent the car and abuse it in the 20,000 km's

usually i rent for road trips with 3000 allowed km's, if that's the case, then 6 ppl have rented and used it before you.

but most of the time it is not the case, people rent and only use a few hundred km's at most


i would go brand new. like others have said, you have peace of mind that you are the first owner and it has not been run hard by anyone else.

what percentage of total price are you saving by going used vs. new? sometimes the little money savings is not worth the trouble.

So, a car that as many as 60+ people ( or more ) have driven ?

Not so much.:cry:

[poedua]

Don't buy a rental, you would not believe how people drive rentals and what they do in them. I drive rentals and so do my co-workers all the time for work, and they beat the crap out of them. They have the attitude I have full coverage who cares.

For the trivial difference in price get a car cost canada report and buy new. Have a Coscto membership that will take I think another $1000 off the cost from Ford with their Costco promo. The potential future headaches with how people drove the car and abused the engine and tranny are not worth it.

Oddly enough I am driving the exact car you are looking at right now as a rental, the same focus titanium edition from Enterprise, drives really nice was plesantly suprised that the engine does have some guts. Very comfortable, nice looking interior was very impressed. What I don't like is for me personally it's not enough space, my personal car is an SUV so I don't think anything in a compact would have enough cargo space for me in comparison.

How do you find the shifting of the auto transmission on the Focus ?

Reports are, that it can feel ' funky ' at times.

[DavidY]

If one looks around, there are used 2012 Ford Focus Titanium around that are cheaper than $21-$22K and likely are not rentals....seen one as low as $17K here in BC. There are at least one or two at $19K in NB.

Here's one at less than $20K...should be able to negotiate down to $17-$18K assuming Carproof is clean and not a rental:

http://wwwb.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Focus/BRANTFORD/Ontario/5_12572386_ON20080317092146390/

Dave

[Jon04CTS]

If one looks around, there are used 2012 Ford Focus Titanium around that are cheaper than $21-$22K and likely are not rentals....seen one as low as $17K here in BC. There are at least one or two at $19K in NB.

Here's one at less than $20K...should be able to negotiate down to $17-$18K assuming Carproof is clean and not a rental:

http://wwwb.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Focus/BRANTFORD/Ontario/5_12572386_ON20080317092146390/

Dave

Based on the mileage and the condition of the rear sub and seats, that's a rental.

[Rehan]

Based on the mileage and the condition of the rear sub and seats, that's a rental. And especially based on the section of the ad description that says "Previous daily rental". ;)

There's probably only 1-2 non-rental 2012 Focus Titaniums around the GTA, and their prices are going to be higher than the former rentals...like this one (http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/Focus/OSHAWA/Ontario/19_5538030_/), which is $22k + HST and doesn't have leather interior.

And as someone else mentioned, the lower financing rates on the new vehicles is another benefit to buying new. Not sure if it's still valid or whether it's combinable with the employee pricing offers, but at http://www.fordcostco.ca/FordCostco/en/legal.html it says:

"† Until July 4, 2012, receive 0% APR purchase financing on new 2013 Ford [Taurus (excluding S), Edge (excluding SE)]/2012 [Focus (excluding S),Fiesta (excluding S)] models for a maximum of 60/72 months to qualified retail customers, on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit."

[woobie]

How do you find the shifting of the auto transmission on the Focus ?

Reports are, that it can feel ' funky ' at times.

The only issues I've had is when you give it a lot of gas then let off at low speed it'll feel like it's fluttering, Like if your backing into your driveway and you give it the gas then let off to coast up into your spot. Other than that around town and on the highway I've never noticed anything odd, I've got 11K now on mine now.

[pokerbrat33]

Hey kelly;

I have a 3 month old ford focus titanium hatch with 2000kms on it and I have gotten a new job offer for the U.S and I am looking to sell my car, the car is FULLY LOADED, leather, NAV, SYNC, sunroof, 18" 5 star rims, sport suspension, pearl white option paint code, ect ect, there is not a mark on the car, it is in new condition, I will take a bit of a hit on the price but not much, send me an email to pokerbrat68@hotmail.com

I live in London, Ontario.

Thanks
mark

[DavidY]

Based on the mileage and the condition of the rear sub and seats, that's a rental.


And especially based on the section of the ad description that says "Previous daily rental".


Sorry, I missed that part. :o

Dave

[cruisecontrol]

First off, I hate car shopping ;) I try to avoid it at all costs however my husband's 2000 Toyota Echo is ending its life and instead of sinking a bunch of money into it we would like to get him something newer.

He test drove a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatch yesterday and loved it (it is pretty loaded, leather, parking assist etc. 18" wheels - basically everything but navigation) It has 20K on it, the bad part is we just found out it was an Enterprise rental. (I had no clue rentals even came in the fully loaded models?) It is priced at $21,900 and we can get $250 for our Echo (scrap price) so we would be out the door at about $24470 (not including whatever licencing turns out to be) I think a brand new one is going to be in the neighbourhood of $4500 more. I guess what my question is, for those who know more about vehicles than us, would it be worth paying the extra to get brand new? If I went with the used one I would still be able to purchase the Ford extended warranty for used vehicles since it is still within the 3 year /60K time period - and I don't think that would run $4500.

I am leaning towards going used even though it was a rental. If I get unlucky I have already "saved" $4500 to pay for any repairs. If it wasn't a previous rental I think it would be a no brainer. Since it was a rental I am a little nervous. Can anyone provide any guidance? Any help/advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Kelly

Hey Kelly

Just wanted to let you know, you can buy the Ford Maintenance Protection Package if the used car you bought has about 20,000km or about a year from build date. Some Account managers could backdate the contract for you if you ask nicely.

Make sure they have all the papers with regards to accidents in the car if there are any. If there were any repairs, make them explain what the repairs were, if they can't explain, walk away. You'll find that they'll change their tone immediately, if they don't want to explain even if you're ready to walk away... walk away faster.

Go over the car, interior and exterior with a fine tooth comb, it was a previous rental, can you live with some minor scratches than can be buffed out? Use these to your advantage when you're finally dealing with the price of the car. You might be able to get it lower because all of a sudden, you lost interest in the car because there's a light scratch on the bumper. $500 off please. Look for any mismatching colouration in the body, that would indicate a repair in excess of around $1000 :) Look for stickers of Auto Detailers on the windows where these detailers usually put it, you can ask what kind of detailing was done, interior and exterior? If interior, is there some sort of invoice explaining what kind of detailing was done on the inside? Did a former renter puke inside? LOL :D


I bought a previous rental. I love the car, drives great it has all the tech I want. I know there's a lot of hesitation with regards to getting a previous rental and it's always good to get brand new, but see if it fits into your budget. Some dealers of these former rentals might even give you a good deal on your financing if you so choose. But always bring in your own financing and see if they could match or offer you a better deal. If I went with a brand new one, I would've been paying way more monthly than if I didn't go used.

[kellya]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their comments. They were all very much appreciated :) I do think that we need to take a step back, not "fall in love" with any car and look at all our options. Right now I am contacting local Ford dealers to see what we can come up with in the way of a new vehicle. Otherwise we may expand our search to look at other makes/models too. The dealer also had a cheaper Focus SEL which had a lot of options too and was not a rental so that may be something else to take a look at.

Once again, thanks so much for all the posts. I think it is a good idea to get other disinterested third parties opinions on things like this :D

Kelly

[kellya]

Just as a bit of an update, today we just drove home a brand new 2012 Ford Focus Titanium :) I ended up contacting Florin at www.easycardiscount.com after reading this thread http://forums.redflagdeals.com/anyone-buying-new-vehicle-read-1074069/ I wasn't expecting that he would be able to do much at all because I wasn't prepared to pay much more than what I would be paying for the used vehicle that I discussed in my first post. He ended up getting back to me very quickly and bottom line was he found a dealership that would sell me the same vehicle that I was interested in but brand new for about $1K more than the used one. I actually was very skeptical as I thought it sounded too good to be true. I did tell him if that was really the price than I was very interested. He then gave me the contact name for a dealer (Rahul at Yonge Steeles Ford Lincoln) that had this pre-negotiated price. I contacted Rahul and we made arrangements to meet the next day. My husband and I met with Rahul (still extremely skeptical and thinking he would try a bait and switch or give us a reason why he couldn't sell for that price. He did none of that. He was fully prepared to factory order the vehicle we wanted exactly as we wanted it. We actually ended up slightly increasing the price and got navigation and 18" wheels too - he had that vehicle on the lot so we wouldn't have to wait for the factory order. We just picked up the vehicle today and it is perfect. 11km on the car when we picked it up and we couldn't be happier. Bottom line was about $1500 more than the used vehicle (includes nav which the used car didn't - we did get a bit more on our trade than we were going to get at the other dealer so I am including that in my calculations)

Anyway I would recommend Florin at Easy Car Discount and Rahul at Yonge Steeles Ford Lincoln. Both of them were completely awesome, polite, quick to respond to emails and both followed through with the numbers they promised. We were VERY happy and would absolutely recommend them to anyone. I still can't believe it was so easy. Our experience truly was how car buying should be.

Kelly

[coriolis]

Just as a bit of an update, today we just drove home a brand new 2012 Ford Focus Titanium :) I ended up contacting Florin at www.easycardiscount.com after reading this thread http://forums.redflagdeals.com/anyone-buying-new-vehicle-read-1074069/ I wasn't expecting that he would be able to do much at all because I wasn't prepared to pay much more than what I would be paying for the used vehicle that I discussed in my first post. He ended up getting back to me very quickly and bottom line was he found a dealership that would sell me the same vehicle that I was interested in but brand new for about $1K more than the used one. I actually was very skeptical as I thought it sounded too good to be true. I did tell him if that was really the price than I was very interested. He then gave me the contact name for a dealer (Rahul at Yonge Steeles Ford Lincoln) that had this pre-negotiated price. I contacted Rahul and we made arrangements to meet the next day. My husband and I met with Rahul (still extremely skeptical and thinking he would try a bait and switch or give us a reason why he couldn't sell for that price. He did none of that. He was fully prepared to factory order the vehicle we wanted exactly as we wanted it. We actually ended up slightly increasing the price and got navigation and 18" wheels too - he had that vehicle on the lot so we wouldn't have to wait for the factory order. We just picked up the vehicle today and it is perfect. 11km on the car when we picked it up and we couldn't be happier. Bottom line was about $1500 more than the used vehicle (includes nav which the used car didn't - we did get a bit more on our trade than we were going to get at the other dealer so I am including that in my calculations)

Anyway I would recommend Florin at Easy Car Discount and Rahul at Yonge Steeles Ford Lincoln. Both of them were completely awesome, polite, quick to respond to emails and both followed through with the numbers they promised. We were VERY happy and would absolutely recommend them to anyone. I still can't believe it was so easy. Our experience truly was how car buying should be.

Kelly

Good to hear! While entertaining, horrible dealership stories are not something we'd like others to experience.