I'm looking for a cheap (< 4K) gas-saving car to use for work, errands, etc to help save fuel and such from my F150. I know with Honda's you have to make sure timing belt and water pump change are done. What regular maintenance items does the Focus engine need? I've seen some high mileage (over 150K) cars for sale, and am wondering how much life is left in them. If it's clean and highway miles, I'm inclined to go with it, but I know you often get what you pay for.

I would appreciate any input into this. I'm looking for 5 speed, 4 cylinders, prefer a 4 door, but not a deal breaker if it's not.
Any other recommendations? Thanks, Jumpn.

 

VW Jetta or Passat

 

Get one if you want a 2nd car. Dont get one to "save money" on your f150.

 

id love to pick up a used focus hatch 5spd for a nice DD

 

me too!

 

Why spend so much if its just going to be a gas saving beater? $4K will buy you lots of gas. Find the cheapest car you can that needs the least amount of work. Don't let the mileage scare you. I paid $350 for my Cavalier with 240K miles on it. I drove it for over a year before I had any major problems. Put a few hundred dollars in it (timing chain and headgasket), and at 270K, it's still running strong and going great. If you're wanting a cheap beater that will SAVE money, you shouldn't be too picky about make, model, color, etc.

 

98-03 escort zx2. I have a 98 as a commuter car and love it. Has 203,xxx on the odo and runs like a champ, cheap to fix too if something breaks.

 

ford focus

just wondered what is "high mileage" anymore.
This is just what I'm looking for. 4K was the most I would even think about at this point. I just haven't heard much of Focus' reliability, issues, etc...but i trust Patman

 

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/ford/focus/

Ive always heard they are junk! Doesnt mean much just what ive heard, people around here call em ford **** up's.

 

My buddy has a Focus. It's bright yellow, we call it the Focachu. Anyways, its a coupe with a 5 speed. He has like 140K on it and it's been a great car, and he's not easy on it either. It's been down many roads where he probably should have taken a truck. Gets good highway mileage too.

 

Coy, they are no worse than any other car in its class and better than some. It's probably the best domestic in its class.

 

Two years ago I paid 3g's for a totally mint 93 Camry LE V6 with 100K miles! Now it's at 136K miles & still runs like a champ & saves me a ton of $$$, with gas & wear & tear in the truck!

 

My fleet consists of my truck (not driven often) my daily driver (03' Yota Highlander limited 4wd) and my wife's daily driver (08' Ford Escape XLT 4wd). All paid for except the Escape, and it's close. I found a really nice Focus ZX3 SVT at a Ford dealer local to me. I thought long and hard about trading in one of the SUV's and picking up that car. It was black with black leather, 6 speed manual (same that comes in the Mini Cooper apparently), just a really sweet looking ride with just over 100,000 miles. They only made that car for 2-3 years.

But, I wussed out. Between having a kid, a labrador, inclement winter weather, etc, having an SUV is more practical for me. Plus, we've owned our cars since new. So we know they've been well maintained.

 

get a focus, they are great, just do the timing belt and watch out for the passenger side motor mount, you can find a decent one for less than 4k, and if you can afford it to save gas then do it because gas just passes 4 dollars a gallon here and its going to suck with money

 

my sister's bf is selling his chevy cavalier at the end of the month for $1200, so most likely i'm going to be getting a daily driver. he's been getting 27 - 35 with it, so that will be a welcome change Its got less than 80K miles on it, so I should be able to keep it for a while.

this will also help me put less miles on the truck, so that the warranty will last longer not thrilled about driving a compact car, being 6' 2" and a bigger frame guy, but gotta do what I gotta do to in this wonderful, obama economy...