I do agree with those who suggest keeping the Focus, it IS a good car. I'm probably lucky that the current recession hasn't bitten yet.
We're fortunate enough to finance our cars with cash from short term savings, which is what give's the flexiblilty to keep or swap whenever.
And thanks to Espada III, when I spoke to my FSA last week, who was basically too busy to see me as many of his clients were going broke due to not being able to refinance as planned.
I know that it makes sense, but you can't help looking at what seems like a good deal can you? And I'm sure that there'll be many more in the next 12 months!
Better go and polish the Focus then and let SWMBO know it's staying (which she'll be pleased about really).
Thanks all.
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I am glad I could be of assistance!
In response to the person who queried my rapid change of cars - I am fortunate to run my own surveying practice and have other business interests that allow me to 'enjoy' changing cars more frequently than most. However, despite that ability I never spend as much as colleagues who spend upwards of £40,000 for the default BMW, Merc or Porsche.
The enjoyment is in the chase rather than the ownership, although I really should update my profile as I had my Forester for 23 months and the Outback has been with me for more than 18 months now and I really don't see any reason to change. Subarus eh? Once they've got you, they really hang on!
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"The enjoyment is in the chase rather than the ownership"
Absolutely right, Espada - as usual! Although in Brian's case (good car, buys with cash, similar needs, low mileage) I agree with the majority view to stay put, the process of looking for a new car is FUN - whether you're spending £1,000 or many times that.
I've been looking for a convertible for £6k-£8k, and the discovery that SWMBO wasn't comfortable getting in and out of the original front-runner, the MX-5, wasn't as upsetting as all that: the hunt starts again.
However pleased one is with one's eventual choice, it's difficult to avoid the slightly flat feeling when the contract is signed and the 'chase' is over. I suppose that applies to any purchase of something interesting, as opposed to everyday or 'distress' purchases.
Those sad souls for whom a car is a distress purchase are almost certainly not Backroomers, so we needn't spare them much sympathy.
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My goodness , I thought I was one of the only people to enjoy the thrill of this particular chase! I'm pleased to see that it afflicts plenty of others too. :-)
Edited by Webmaster on 22/07/2008 at 01:42
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Keep it. And get an extended warranty. It is probably not needed but keeping the car will save a fortune. Why swap a 3 years if it's not just the warranty? Maybe you need a private plate too :-)
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My goodness I thought I was one of the only people to enjoy the thrill of this particular chase! I'm pleased to see that it afflicts plenty of others too. :-)
No real thrill in chosing between a Vauxhall Astra Design and a Focus Zetec, though, is there?
Keep the Focus. It's a reliable, economical, reasonably new, low mileage car. A brand new Astra will offer you absolutely nothing that your current car does not already offer you, bar more depreciation. If you wish to upgrade then sure - move up to a better class - but if thats not your aim, keep the Focus. It is an excellent car.
A Vauxhall Astra is not £10,000 better than a 2005 Focus. Infact if you want an Astra just rent one from Enterprise like every other Astra driver out there, as most of them are company cars for junior carpet salesmen and hire cars.
The Focus - keep it. Or buy a nice Mercedes or something.
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We have recently got a 2007 Focus and it's proving a great car. Effortlessly reliable. I would suggest keeping what you've got. Why let another buyer get their hands on it?
If you do decide to change then I would advise you to steer clear of ex-rental. Despite what some people will say I am far from convinced they are a good buy. At work we have hire cars and the way they get treated would cause me to run a mile from one.
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A Vauxhall Astra is not £10 000 better than a 2005 Focus. Infact if you want an Astra just rent one from Enterprise like every other Astra driver out there as most of them are company cars for junior carpet salesmen and hire cars. The Focus - keep it. Or buy a nice Mercedes or something.
I don't believe I suggested that I'd be paying £10K on top of the Focus (more like £4K), the improvement would possibly be going from a 1.6 petrol to a 1.9 150bhp diesel (which Ford can't offer).
I already have a nice Mercedes, W203 C220CDI, well I like it anyway.
Reading the other recent post I believe that I've hit on the reason for the proposed change, boredom. Those who talk about the fun of the chase, for me it's also about seeking out what seems like a bargain. Despite the biggest bargain being keeping the current car, I still like to find a good deal and change regularly.
I heard that it was a medical fact that if you live a stress free life, don't smoke or drink and avoid loose women you can live to be 100 years old. Not really, it just seems that long!
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So maybe try a compromise between head and heart, Brian? No need to be in any hurry to change the Focus, but make a short-list, test drive them and look out for bargain deals on the cars you like, starting with end August but being prepared to wait a few more months for the right deal to come up.
As suggestions that should meet your original criteria, you could try the Skoda Fabia hatch or estate (1.6 petrol or 1.9 diesel - looks like a biggish car for the 1.4s), or the Kia Ceed or Hyundai i30, again available as hatchback or estate. There's 1.6 petrol or 1.6 / 2.0 diesel. Or the Nissan Note - a stupid name but said to be a good car. 1.6 petrol or 1.5 diesel. Finally there's the Mercedes A-class: expensive unless you buy secondhand but might be worth a look: Espada has just gone for one of these for his wife's possibly similar needs.
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Reading the other recent post I believe that I've hit on the reason for the proposed change boredom. Those who talk about the fun of the chase for me it's also about seeking out what seems like a bargain. Despite the biggest bargain being keeping the current car I still like to find a good deal and change regularly.
If you like deal-making and bargain-hunting, it might be cheaper to have a separate hobby car which you can chop-and-change. A young man of my acquaintance seems to change his car every few months: old Land Rovers, classic VW Beetles, the occasional van etc. Never has much money tied in them, but usually sells them on for more than enough to cover his costs, and loses little when he doesn't.
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If you are bored of a 2005 Focus then buy something interesting becuase a 2008 Focus or Astra isn't going to provide you with much more enjoyment.
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If it's boredom then no matter what car you buy you'll get bored with it sooner or later.
It could of course be OCD (obsessive car disorder) in which case a professional cognitive behaviour therapist should be able to help.
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"No greater joy but never runneth to end"
We would call it response habituation now..
But this poem captures it perfectly in earlier times.
tinyurl.com/5bfopq
In other words, the initial `buzz` doesn`t last on new purchases, but also the real `downer` of an incident lifts with time.
Response habituation then. The curse and blessing of Human kind...
Er...Keep the Focus
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Long story my mk2 Focus was a disaster (documented elsewhere on here) but due to the fact it failed for the 29th time and I had it at the dealers wouldnt go (again) and no car SO I opted in january 2008 to trade it get a brand new 1.8 zetec petrol focus, so far Ive done 2,760 miles in it.
I not surprisingly given the 6mths run around Ford gave me on the last one, I now hate Fords and anything Ford so I now find myself hating this one I have now i hate this car and was thinking of trading it for one of the last vectras on a 58 plate in a few weeks time.
Question is what Petrol Engine is best to get in the Vectra - I only do at most 5K miles a year.
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"Question is what Petrol Engine is best to get in the Vectra - I only do at most 5K miles a year. "
You're stealing a thread ;-) You'd get a better response by starting a new one. Some people with knowledge of Vectras might not look here - well Dynamic Dave will so you're probably fine.
Had a 1.8 SRi Vectra as a hire the other week when my Mazda6 was serviced. I thought it was a bit gutless but I only drove it a total of 5 miles in the end ;-) Had 1.8's before with 4 passengers plus luggage and again not much go.
If only doing 5,000 miles then the bigger engines won't do much less mpg and will probably depreciate more. So how about 2.2 direct or even a 2.8 turbo ;-)
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Bear in mind that 2007/07 Vectras are going for £6k now if you're after the 1.8 Life base model, which is adequate but no more - but then a Vectra is not an emotional purchase.
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the fact it failed for the 29th time .......
Seriously or slight exaggeration?
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If you trade in an 8-month-old car you will be looking at a loss of many thousands of pounds, so you will be paying a lot of money just to get a different brand.
If you really hate Fords, then buying a new one in January was not a great idea. But having got it, and found it to be trouble free, why change it? If it is trouble-free, you have got a highly-recommended car that works well, and there is no guarantee that a replacement from any manufacturer won;t turn out to be a pup.
If you are only doing 5K miles a year, that's about 3 hours use per week. Rather than spending several grand to change the label on a rarely-used tool, why not use the cash for something that will give you much more pleasure, such as holiday or home improvements, or more security such as paying off part of your mortgage or boosting your pension pot?
Assuming you sleep 6 hours a night, you spend 42 hours a week in bed, which is 14 times as much as you spend in the car. £1000 will buy you a really good new bed and mattress, and surely that'll make more difference to your life than a change of label on a 3-hours-per-week car?
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