I'd suggest avoiding private, and going to a garage to buy one - might cost a little more, but you get more security should the car go wrong. Also, what Focus were you after? The 1.8TDCI is great fun, and efficient
It's like being back in the hardware forum! What do you want it for and what are your priorities. If you just want a Focus, go ahead and buy one. No offence, but most people that do, don't really want to here advice
To be honest mate I am all up for advice. Back where I'm from there is no such thing as MOT and that. Also I live in London and will be using it mainly driving to and from work as well as going down to the sea now and then for holiday's. One problem I have as well is that I'm 6 ft 5 and some of the cars are a bit to small for me. Also my PC parts are bought from all the feedback comments I read on this forum and the Custom PC magazine
Focus' are excellent cars, if you buy one you won't be disappointed. If you don't mind a diseisel then the 1.8TDCi is excellent, otherwise the 1.8 petrol unit is the pick of the range imo. Make sure you get one with Zetec trim, that way you'll have electric mirrors (not that useful), heated windscreen (epic usefulness in this country) and AC. If you buy private have a scout round for a Focus buyer's guide on the car-specific owners' clubs. There isn't much that goes wrong, and one with a full service history will likely be very reliable. If you go trade with a garage that offers a warranty be sure to check the T&C's of the warranty to be sure what is and isn't covered. My GF bought her last car (a focus, nonetheless) from a trade garage, a week later the rear brakes needed some work and they refused to contribute because the contract was sufficiently vague.
Is bootspace an issue? If you needed the space, I could also recommend a Peugeot 406 Estate - plenty of room to drive. One of my friends is the same height as you (and fairly wide) and has been driving them for years. The 2.0L Petrol is quite nippy, and the HDI 2.0 is very efficent. Also the 306 has plenty of room within to drive from, and you can get that as a hatchback, which I could imagine being pretty good around London for parking.
It's incredibly useful, once you've used one the usual screen blower just doesn't cut it for demisting.
A/C or climate works just as well most of the time. For £2500 you're looking at a whole bunch of things. IMHO the Focus is cheap inside and not very comfortable, but that's just my preference. Also, earlier ones aren't amazingly well put together. However, they do drive well and they're cheap, so everyone's got one. You don't mention which bit of London you're in, but if I lived up there, I'd want something I didn't care about in case it got scratched, stolen or whatever. That would probably be a 205 diesel I didn't mean to be arsey about the Focus, it's just that it's a very "safe" choice and quite general purpose. It'll probably do most of what you want. I just think there are better choices out there if you decide what you want from a car. So priorities? Driveability People space Luggage space Comfort Equipment levels (maybe specific options you want, I'm partial to a sunroof for example) Cost of running (fuel, parts, servicing) Anything else (I like my cars to be able to take a good stereo upgrade) Once you've sorted those out, we can make more specific recommendations.... Bear in mind, whichever you choose, you can't have them all for £2500!
Room for just two people too freggin old for kids now. Luggage space a definite Comfort no problem really as used riding long distance on a bike No equipment except as you mentioned music is a definite and would like to use my zen as it has all my music on. Servicing I will do except for the fuel injection. Also I'm a fanatic in keeping cars clean, which includes under carriage and engine area.
You only need space for two but you need luggage space? Get a coupe or similar, then. Coupe has all the practicality of solid hatch underpinnings with the flair of a show-off body; it's a shame the new Sciroccos won't have fallen to your sort of prices yet. You definitely don't need an estate or a saloon, even; what's the point of dragging around three seats you'll never use? Have a look at the Audi TT if you're feeling in touch with your feminine side; alternatively hairy-chested man's cars like the Nissan 350Z are reputedly excellent to drive if you can find one in your price range (which you probably won't). Maybe a Peugeot 406 coupe? Bit big but pretty nonetheless. If the coupe vibe isn't pulling you in, have a look at the oldest second-hand car trick in the book; secondhand Golfs. Faultlessly reliable, everywhere, inoffensive, OK to drive, should be relatively comfortable even for BFG-esque drivers. Badge-engineered siblings are much the same. Of the other hatches, I would personally avoid French and Italian cars (by the time they're £2.5k they've reached the 'unreliability zone'); Japanese or German is better. Audi A3s, VW Golfs etc might do the trick; Focuses and Fiestas might suit you too. [EDIT]As the owner of two successive cars without AC, I should point out that while you can certainly survive without it, I don't recommend it as a matter of choice. Try for AC in addition to a decent stereo; connections for your Zen are either very easy (head-unit swap, could be £150) or only easy (wired-in radio AUX input), or insultingly easy (nasty short-range wireless transmitter) so don't worry about that, obviously.[/EDIT]
I hope you have money for repairs then Pie - GTV's are rather unreliable. I remember Phat (a member on here now long gone) had one, had to get rid of it because the thing needed repairing and it was too much, bought another one and the engine self-destructed! He went for one of those M breadvans instead. Interesting you say the Focus isn't comfortable okenobi - I find it to be excellent in every aspect of ride and handling. It might be a default choice, but it's a capable, reliable hatchback with interior trim that can stand children too.
You can get a TT for £2k easy these days. They started making those in '98, they're well-depreciated now. The 350Z would be my pick, but then I always was ambitious - probably more like £4.5k even on eBay. You mean the new-ish Alfa GTV? I like those because the facelifts made it uglier, so you don't feel compelled to buy the newer ones, but like the others say they are famously unreliable, especially with the electronics. And the gearbox. And other assorted elements of the powertrain IIRC. I envy that bloke his Z3M Coupe, that was a mad, hot-rod of a car. [EDIT]The 147's got the same general issues; it's an Alfa (well, Italian) thing. Do you want a specifically Italian car? Or just a fast one?[/EDIT]
Personally I'd buy a GTV (not a GT, they're a bit sketchy with that shelf-like boot) and just pay for the costs. Such a beautiful car. I'd get the 2.0TS, dark blue with tan leather. Either that, or on a similar italian-coupe-for-£2500 theme a Fiat Coupe Turbo. Again, blue + tan. Lovely. On the French hot hatch side, buy a Pug 106 GTi instead of a Saxo VTR - they look better and have a lower insurance group, but they're the same mechanicals. My next car will be a 106 Rallye, which is a bit basic for most folks but I can't wait.
2.0 GTVs are for gays. V6 all the way. However, back to the OP..... Easy servicing rules out most Jap. Space for two with luggage does put you in coupe town. Good sounds, means well built door cards and decent upgrade options. You don't however mention fuel budget? If you're not bothered a nice G60 Corrado would be gorgeous. Maybe a VR6 at a push. If you don't mind fiddly servicing, a Prelude would work. Bit girly, but an MX5 would also be on the shortlist. If you wanna keep it clean, galvanised panels is worth looking at and that starts late 90s with everything German. Personally, I drive an Octavia vRS. Ticks most of your boxes, except it's maybe a little too practical. Either way, a Focus sounds too ordinary for you
