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Should I buy a Focus - Bit Nervous

12K views 75 replies 54 participants last post by  tigertiger 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone,

I am a new member to the forum, however, I have been browsing over the last week as I consider purchasing a 2012 Ford Focus.

When I began researching, I was unaware of the DCT and the issues related to it. After reading numerous threads with over a hundred responses, I am a bit nervous to buy a Focus.

Disregarding the DCT, the Focus is by far my #1 choice for a new vehicle, therefore I wanted to ask everyone if I should feel confident in pursuing a 2012 Focus.

I am thinking that the people posting about DCT issues may represent only a small number of all 2012 Focus owners. With that in mind, I may just be acting silly....[facepalm]

Also, I am considering getting a slightly used one so should I be looking for a newer build date?

Thank you
 
#3 ·
Car and Driver chose the 2012 Focus as the year's top compact, even though C&D hates automatics on principle and really disliked the DCT in particular.

If you are used to driving an automatic, the Focus DCT is at least tolerable, and you'll adapt to it pretty quickly. You might even find you like it.
 
#4 ·
And keep in mind that most people just get on here to hate on the car. You shouldn't think it is a representative sample.

I have a manual, so I can't speak to the DCT, but I have MyFordTouch, which is the other thing people hate on, and I love it. I love my car enough that we bought a second one just like it.

It is an $18k car that gets 40mpg, fits a lot of stuff, and looks sharp. It is not a magic car that will always be silent, perfect, and have no little hiccups. However, for the money, there is no better car.
 
#5 ·
Don't let all complaints scare you away. For every person that feels the need to complain online, there are 10 more that are perfectly content that don't post online about it. (I make up my own stats, btw)
 
#39 ·
One thing to remember... people are quick to complain when they are upset, but not so quick to praise when happy. I work at the plant where the Focus is built and had NO problems with buying one. I have 1k miles on mine (I know not much yet) and no issues, not even jutter. Shifts are smooth and strong. No grinding into or out of first gear. MyFord Touch has had 0 crashes, Sync recognizes approximately 95% of my commands(the ones it doesnt are prob my fault... not loud enough, incorrect commands or too much background noise).
I am already getting 35MPG highway with 87oct and expect it to get better over the next couple k. I have had in the past 3 other Foci... a 2000, a 2001 and a 2002. This is my favorite. I am telling you, for a small car the quality, fit and finish of the interior and body panels is by far superior to other models I have seen. Am I biased?.... maybe, but regardless... i love this Focus and you will never hear me bad mouth it.
I say have no fear take the plunge, and if for some reason something does go wrong, trust your dealership to make it right.... jsut make sure you pick a dealership with a good, reputable service department.
 
#6 ·
I've driven good autos and I've driven 3 Focuses with the DCT and it's a so-so auto and is pretty good when it's got things worked out but the driving experience IMO was a bit boring and needs a proper manu-shift type stick instead of a little toggle. One of the best autos I'd driven was the 6 speed in the Mazda MX-5.
 
#7 ·
Test drive it under a variety of conditions first if you are uncomfortable. I haven't had problems with my DCT (not to imply others don't have legitimate problems though) and love the way the car handles. It has a lot in it for the price. Still, you driving it yourself is the only way you are really going to know if you like how it feels or not.
 
#8 ·
I've had my car for two months and it now has 2k miles on it. I have had ZERO issues with the DCT. MFT is laggy at times and has a few bugs, but again I've had no serious issues with it. Aside from a few paint flaws I am very satisfied with my car and would buy again. If I were you I would take the car home for 24 hours and drive it extensively. If there are any issues with it turn it in and walk away. The later build dates really seem to be much less trouble prone than the early builds.

Good luck.
 
#10 ·
It is a wonderful car with a huge amount of content for the price. Haters are going to hate. You may see complaints on here, but I have NEVER had someone outside of this forum complain about their new Focus. They all love them.

I love mine. Is it perfect? No, but what car truly is? Make it your own and then it will be perfect for YOU.
 
#11 ·
April and newer seem to be good bets. Ours is a mid April build.
Outside of the AC bearings going out at 100 miles our Focus has been solid with a few quirks with the sync system and getting used to it but the driving experience has been surprisingly better than I expected and isn't too bad when pushed hard and repeatedly;solid brakes.
 
#12 ·
Don't let all the DCT stuff scare you away. As many have said, people tend to just come on this forum and complain that their DCT doesn't act like an auto, doesn't shift well, etc. While I have had a few instances of indecisiveness from the transmission, for the most part the car has been wonderful. Plus the handling is excellent.

Test drive one to make sure, but I would personally recommend the Focus to anyone.
 
#13 ·
The people on here that have complained about the DCT represent around 1% of focus owners with that transmission. Yes it drives differently that your average auto, but the flipside is it returns better MPG than a standard auto.

Everyone here is going to say buy it, Why? because we all love the focus. I have 2 myself a 04 and 12. But like any car it will have its quriks. The best thing you can do is go out there and test drive one as much as the dealer will allow you too, and then if your still not sold go drive something else and see how it stacks up in your eyes.

I (and everyone else) would love to welcome a new focus owner for the site. But at the end of the day its about what you want because your the one that has to make the payments.

[ffrocks]
 
#14 ·
It's a great car, but as you've noted there is a lot of discussion about the DCT and MFT. I don't have MFT so can't comment but I do have an 12/11 build DCT.

A lot of the DCT discussion here is a hangover the software these cars had early in their lives. There was certainly a problem as evidenced by several software and at least one hardware change. Field Service Action 12b37 is the latest software update and it has made a big difference for most.

My advice, particularly if you're looking at a DCT version is to test drive it a lot, including in the most urban conditions you can find. It is a different kind of transmission and does have different behavior, so make sure it suits you. Second, make sure 12b37 has been applied to any car you're considering. You can ask the sales person, but to be sure enter the VIN on Ford's ETIS site.
 
#31 ·
This!![read]
My advice, particularly if you're looking at a DCT version is to test drive it a lot, including in the most urban conditions you can find. It is a different kind of transmission and does have different behavior, so make sure it suits you. Second, make sure 12b37 has been applied to any car you're considering. You can ask the sales person, but to be sure enter the VIN on Ford's ETIS site.
Believe mine was a November, 2011 build. I liked the DCT from the start and have never had an issue, but I will say 12B37 made it better. [thumb]

Post 12B37's will behave (for the most part) like a traditional automatic in "D". Sport mode is also greatly improved (if you happen to get one so equipped).

Like any mass produced vehicle, there will be a few duds, but these are (it seems) the exception to the thousands of others that everybody likes/loves.

As the folks that have serious DCT issues [smackbum] (grinding sounds, etc) generally claim it happens all the time, it should be obvious during a test drive of a used model.
 
#15 ·
Definitely test drive it. If you are buying new, make sure you test drive it in a lot of conditions knowing that the transmission will get slightly better. If it's used, and has a lot of miles on it, it's going to be like that.

You could get a manual and not have to worry about it. Like me. I have no DCT and no MFT and I'm not worried about a thing. heh-heh.
 
#16 ·
I went from a 2000 Sedan SE to a 2012 HB SEL and I love it!

The DCT took a little bit to get used to and smooth out. (As an aside, the transmission finally smoothed out a bit around 1200 miles). The engine is great and makes a great noise for a 4-banger.

I find reasons to go out and run errands or something just to drive it.

Make sure you test drive it. The DCT does seem to have qualities of a manual transmission that took me a bit to get used to. It will roll backwards a bit and it sounds like a manual as it goes through the gears. But it's smooth and has good power. My 2 cents.
 
#18 ·
There are good deals available right now on year-end leftovers of the 2012 Focus. That pushed me in the direction of a new one. We had a 2011 Fiesta with the DCT and drove it for 23 months and 28,000 miles with zero issues. The DCT in the Focus is an improvement over that one. We only have a little over 1,000 miles on the new Focus so far, so it's too early to tell about longevity. However, the car drives and shifts smoothly, and we love it!
 
#19 ·
I realize I'm in the minority here, but I would not suggest purchasing one unless you like to take risks. There have been more than a few here with problems that the software has not fixed, and three lemon laws claims filed here that I've seen. I understand that the software helps most and that the people that come here are not a majority of owners. I also understand that not everyone with a problem knows how to use the internet and discussion boards well enough to do so when they have a problem. If you want to take the risk of getting a DCT that isn't up to par with the rest of the DCT's then go for it.

If I had to do all over again I'd get the same car but I'd get a manual. I've only had one issue with it outside of the DCT and it's been a great car other than that.
 
#21 ·
I realize I'm in the minority here, but I would not suggest purchasing one unless you like to take risks.
Based on what I've seen in many different forums, there isn't a single car out there that wouldn't be a risk to think about buying.

As for the Focus, risk can be reduced by getting a manual, no sunroof, and no MFT.

For me, once MFT was updated, all complaint's were resolved. Out of every 4cyl + automatic I've driven, the DCT in the Focus has been the least annoying. I always imagine to myself that the people complaining about the DCT have always driven 4cyl manuals or bigger engines with automatics (like 2.5L or bigger), in which case I can imagine the DCT would be very annoying. Try a mid-90's Mitsubishi Eclipse GST or GSX with an auto and you'll never complain about another automatic again...that thing would randomly start from a stop sign in 3rd gear and sometimes take 5+ seconds to shift down.
 
#22 ·
It is a sharp looking car, The dct has been rock solid for me after I got the first tsb it fixed 99% of the problems.

Mft is substantially better after the new update, and to be honest most of the complaints before were complaints about how inconvenient it was to pull the power fuse for the infotainment system when it froze or crashed.

A lot of other companies with infotainment system's are having similar issue's.

That and this car love's my k&n drop in a bit too much.
 
#23 ·
I have a lot of issues, but I do not think they represent the majority rather they represent the minority. I would find one you like and ask the dealer to take an extended test drive. Perhaps an entire weekend. I have done this before and really wished I had done it this time. I would have noticed issues the first day that would have been a red flag. I think a couple days should tell you if the car you chose is plagued with problems or not. I have driven 5 other Focuses and not one exhibits the same DCT problems that mine does. So do not be scared, but informed and prepared. Overall I think the Focus could be a real winner, but every first year car has problems and I should have held off a little longer.

Good luck
 
#24 ·
I've got 2000kms on mine so far and love it. the DCT smoothed out amazingly... it's definitely not like an auto, but I came from a manual and I love it.

I have MFT and aside from the clock time changing twice and my phone needing a re-pair once it's been fine. sure there are some bugs but I'm hopeful they'll be worked out eventually and even with the little bugs it's a highly usable system.

my only dissapointment is my city mileage isn't all that stellar (9-10L/100kms) but if i wanted amazing stop and go performance I would have gotten a hybrid anyway. Plus I drive it to enjoy it which means throwing my foot down heavy from time to time.

as others said, try one out for a full day or two if you can.
 
#25 ·
To the OP,

May we ask what kind of usage you will be doing ? What kind of traffic will you do ? Rush hour trafic ? short commutes ?

I noticed you are from BC. What kind of winter conditions do you get on your end of the country ? I'm from the east coast (well, kinf of) and some winter conditions can be a source of irritation depending on your usage.
 
#43 ·
I will be doing 60% highway driving and 40% around town. I expect to drive around 200 km a week on average..

I do my best to avoid traffic but a few times a month it is inevitable. Also, trips will always be under an hour(ranging from 20 mins up to 40ish)

Finally, our temp doesn't usually drop below 0°C with only a week or two of snow.

Could you be more specific on the kind of irritation you experienced?

Thank you!
 
#26 ·
bozo089, do yourself a huge favor. Go to Hertz or Budget and rent a 2012 Focus for 2 or 3 days. Take it out on your normal routine. If you go to work, drive it to work. If you have to go to the store, take it to the store. I've done this with the last 2 vehicles I've bought, and it's really helped me weed out the ones that I like vs. the ones I don't. If you're going to plop down tens of thousands of dollars on a car, a couple hundred to know if you like it beforehand is money well spent. Every car will have one quirk or another. Only you'll know if a specific quirk does or doesn't bother you.

A 10 minute test drive with a (potential) overly talkative sales person isn't going to give you a good feel for a car - period.

As for reliability, overall my ride has been fine. The DCT was much improved since the software update. I found out the hard way not to take it through an automatic car wash with brush rollers (took the plastic rain channel cover right off). The dealer replaced it under my initial 3yr/36000 mile warranty. Too bad my salesperson didn't tell me I needed to use the touch less car washes. Other than that, I have 12500 miles on it, one oil change, and gas - that's it. It's the nicest riding, smoothest handling, and quietest compact car I've ever had.
 
#33 ·
bozo089, do yourself a huge favor. Go to Hertz or Budget and rent a 2012 Focus for 2 or 3 days. Take it out on your normal routine. If you go to work, drive it to work. If you have to go to the store, take it to the store. I've done this with the last 2 vehicles I've bought, and it's really helped me weed out the ones that I like vs. the ones I don't. If you're going to plop down tens of thousands of dollars on a car, a couple hundred to know if you like it beforehand is money well spent. Every car will have one quirk or another. Only you'll know if a specific quirk does or doesn't bother you.

A 10 minute test drive with a (potential) overly talkative sales person isn't going to give you a good feel for a car - period.

... It's the nicest riding, smoothest handling, and quietest compact car I've ever had.
+1 to this ^
 
#27 ·
I have had mine for 5 months and have 5100 miles on it. I had had zero problems and really enjoy how it drives. Went from an 03 Sonata and about 21 mpg to 32 mpg on a car that's a lot more fun to drive. Once I had the software update there have been no issues with the DCT. He fit and finish have been perfect on my car. Would definitely buy it again.
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