hen23

I am looking at a 03 focus svt in my area. It has 122k miles on it. It seems to be in great condition all around.

I have some questions tho. How reliable would a car like this be? There seem to be a lot of reviews out there about rattling clutch problems and others things, but most seem to occur in the first few thousand miles of driving. Would a car like this be a money sink?

I test drove the car, but it has been sitting around a while and he needed to jump the battery. While I was driving the car, I turned the windshield wipers on and the battery just died. The owner said he would replace the battery, but I also read somewhere that these cars can have battery issues.

Lastly, any known issues I should look for when I go back?

Thanks

R.S.LOGAN

At 122k mls , it's above average for year , especially as it has been unused for a while . How long has car been of the road ? As for battery cutting out when wipers turned on , probably due to draining whatever power was left in flat battery , but make sure alternator is charging o.k . You really are advised to get a mechanic or someone experienced to go with you when buying a car of that mileage , otherwise you may end up with a money pit . Also a lot depends on whether you are buying from a dealer or private sale re. vehicle check , previous owners , service history , accident damage , any warranty etc. etc.

hen23

Well the car has been in one accident so it has a salvaged title. It was rear ended and sold to the man who owns it now. He owns a body shop and repaired it. It needed a new hatchback and bumper and what not. The back looks fine now as far as I could tell.

I will do a carfax and have a mechanic look at it. I believe he said he is the third owner, but he did not drive the car much as he got it when it was wrecked and after he fixed it the car just sat around for a long time.

If the mechanic says the car is fine as far as he can tell, would it be a good deal? How important are the service records and what should I look for? Do most cars come with service records and is it odd for one to come without?

R.S.LOGAN

Be very , very wary of a car that has been wrecked , repaired and sat around for a long period of time !!! If not repaired and aligned correctly , big trouble . Also could have problems when you come to resell . Service records will let you know how the car has been looked after / maintained and can also verify mileage is correct . Personally , I would walk away and find another with better history . I could be completely wrong , but after spending a lifetime in the motor industry and knowing what can go on ,you become very careful / cautious / suspicious , call it what you like on buying second hand cars . Hope this helps you .