Salvage title 2008 Focus SE - things to look out for?

From the ad:

This is a great car, I have had it for almost 4 years and have had absolutely no problems with it. Me and my husband are having a baby in September so we're just wanting to upgrade to a larger vehicle.

"This car is a two door, Ford Focus SE. It has a sun roof and cloth seats. There are currently 116,980 miles on it. There are a few minor dings on it, but overall it is in good condition.

It does have a prior salvage title from the first owner. It was in a wreck on the right side, the owner totaled it out and the insurance company replaced the door and mirror and resold it. You cannot tell it was ever in a wreck, I've owned it almost 4 years with a prior salvage title and have had absolutely no issues with it. It gets great gas mileage and is a really good car."

I'm not familiar with this generation Focus. I've never purchased a salvage title car before either - they are asking $3000.

Apparently they are getting some interest already. Should I jump on it before it's too late?

For that price I'd be all over it unless it was super crumpled up somewhere that the pictures don't show.

PubBurgers wrote: For that price I'd be all over it unless it was super crumpled up somewhere that the pictures don't show.

I'm not getting any bad vibes from the seller, so I'm starting to think so also.

I'm going to say that it wasn't totalled just because of a door and a mirror.

A properly repaired Salvage/Rebuilt is still probably worth only 2/3 of a similar car with a clean rap-sheet.

Check with your insurance company - some will not touch a Salvage car.

If you are in it for the long term, it can work out.

<< bought a salvage title Volvo in 2001 - still own it after 13 years.

I was thinking the same thing.

Door and mirror don't come to the car being totaled.

There is more to this story.

Whoever rebuilt it didn't do the greatest job, I'm seeing panel gaps that are NOT even. I realize that they're not the easiest to do on a car that HASN'T been totalled, let alone one that has- but there's something going on here.

I see one glaring problem between the right fender and bumper. It doesn't seem to line up.

Jump on it!! That 2-door coupe body style is somewhat rare. IIRC, 2008-2009 only. It should have the 2.0L Duratec engine

A friend of mine has one as a track car.

Well, now I'm torn.

The way I look at it for $3000 it's pretty much in beater territory. As long as it drives straight I personally wouldn't give two farts about panel fitment and such. YMMV.

If it's going to be towing my dirtbike back and forth to races, it's bound to get dinged up a little bit anyway.

I have an 2008 Focus S with almost 80k on it. Its the only car I've ever bought new. I have changed the oil, battery, and tires. The door handle broke and I still need to fix that. Mechanically, I have never had a car with so few issues.

Just to stir things up some more, this is a styling idea from "HotRod Kris" from back in 2008. She has designed and built several Focuses for the SEMA show.

In reply to Hal:

I usually lean towards the hatchback for utility, and I did not like these coupes when they came out. But my views have changed. I look at them as being similar to 2 door Jettas. Done correctly like this one I do like these Focus coupes.

Look at it this way...a car to me is worth $200 a month as just transportation. Worst case scenario, buy it for 3thou, drive it five months, find a good shop to tweak it on a frame rack and fix the panel gaps, and then drive it another hundred thou. That is a lot of car for three large...

Inquiring minds want to know.....did you buy it cause I'm sure a few of us will if you don't

GTwannaB wrote: In reply to Hal: I usually lean towards the hatchback for utility, and I did not like these coupes when they came out. But my views have changed. I look at them as being similar to 2 door Jettas. Done correctly like this one I do like these Focus coupes.

That's my view exactly, I was devistated when they got rid of the hatch in 2008, but I too have grown to like the coupes especially the ones without the god awful chrome fender vents, but they sdo make spray paint to hide them better. So now id drive one if I could find a good deal, but like stated the 2 doors seem pretty hard to find