The Ford Focus is the latest in a long line of compact, efficient cars from the automaker. Marketed since 1998, when it replaced the Escort in North America, the Focus has consistently been one of the best-selling small cars on the continent. Until 2004, two-door and hatchback versions of the Focus existed, but due to declining sales they were discontinued in the American market that year. Because of changing consumer tastes and consistently high fuel prices, however, Ford brought back the hatchback Focus in a 5-door version for the 2012 model year and beyond.
For such a popular vehicle, the Focus has had relatively few quality or safety issues during its lifetime. One issue that occurred in Focuses built prior to 2004 involved valve seats, which would detach suddenly during operation and drop into one of the engine’s cylinders, causing costly damage. This problem was fixed through a recall, however, and most older vehicles are no longer in danger. The Ford Focus shares other mechanical and maintenance issues with other small cars: city driving can be hard on the manual transmission version’s clutch; the car’s brakes and calipers tend to wear down and loosen easily; and power steering fluid leaks are common in older models.
Because the Focus ages so well, it attracts one of the highest proportions of repeat buyers of any car model. However, repeat Focus owners also know that proper maintenance and smart decisions can prolong the life of their car even more. For many drivers, this means looking into an extended warranty on their aging car.
Unfortunately, even dependable cars like the Ford Focus tend to require more maintenance and repair work as they get older. Though Ford offers an excellent 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty on new vehicles including the Focus, repair bills can quickly become expensive for cars beyond those limits. For owners planning on keeping their cars for many years, extended warranties provide valuable protection against uncertainty. In exchange for a weekly or monthly fee, companies that provide these warranties will pay for certain car-related bills. Plans vary widely based on what types of maintenance and repair they cover, with the most basic paying for only catastrophic problems like transmission replacement and engine rebuilds while more comprehensive plans cover almost all work on the car. No matter what its specifics, an extended warranty will save older Ford Focus owners time, stress and money!