[Calberto]

Hi, I am new to this website, and I have a few questions, mainly about a focus I am looking to buy. It is a 2001, has 90,000 miles it is in good condition, but with a couple of weird points of which I dont know about, and would like to hear your recomendations, or opinions
I will update soon with pictures to show what I mean.

UPDATE:
Here are the pics I talked about,

Front of the Focus

Driver's side

Passenger's side

Rear

The engine bay, the yellow circles surrouns some either burn marks, or extreme heat points.

Closer picture of the intake and parts of the firewall where there are heat marks on

The plastic cover on the front of the Focus, notice the sticker surrounded by the yellow circle, it looks as if it has been exposed to extreme heat.

These are letter I found on the engine bay, written on the driver's side strut mount

Thank you for all your help, if you have any suggestions please tell me.

Also another thing that is wrong with the car is the AC compressor is going bad, it is locking up quite often and will need ot be replaced once I buy it, the current owner is not the original, and she bought it with 85,657 miles.

BTW does the hand brake handle in the car deteriorate fast?

 

[Scott_SVT]

Welcome! What sort of issues are you having?

 

[Calberto]

First post edited with the pictures and some more information. Any more questions I will be glad to answer them.

 

[Scott_SVT]

well, the underhood note written in yellow marking paint indicates that the car had a fuel injection cleaning service and the throttle body cleaned at 89,000 miles.

I can't tell for sure on the 'heat' issues since the pics are so far away, but it doesn't appear to me that the car had a fire or anything. Maybe an underhood leak at some point.

Discoloration near the battery box usually indicates the battery terminals had corrosion at some point, and when they cleaned them, the residue ran down the cover.

The cover on the firewall is absorbant, and any leak will spray back and soak into that thing. So it shouldn't worry you considering the car had probably had at least one cooling system repair in 90k miles.

The yellow hose that is burnt looks like at some point is was routed near the EGR tube and got singed... no biggie, since it's just a breather hose and not under pressure anyway.

How is the condition of the coolant in the resevoir? If auto trans, what does the fluid look like? Does it look like the serpentine belt has been replaced? If not, its likely that the timing belt needs changing also. Are there any drips under the car? These are the things I would check if I were considering the car.

 

[Calberto]

It is a manual, and I was going to schedule another test drive/look around to examine it a little bit closer, I completly forgot to check the serpentine belt, I believe the coolant looked clean but I should check to see if it is in fact completly clean.

If you would like to examine it closer I can send you the original pictures.

Thank you very much for your help and hopefully after the next test drive I will be calm about the car.

 

[slocussvt]

The cover on the firewall is absorbant, and any leak will spray back and soak into that thing. So it shouldn't worry you considering the car had probably had at least one cooling system repair in 90k miles.

+1, i have the same stains on my firewall cover. It shouldn't be anything to worry about as long as they fixed w/e may have caused it.

How is the condition of the coolant in the resevoir? If auto trans, what does the fluid look like? Does it look like the serpentine belt has been replaced? If not, its likely that the timing belt needs changing also. Are there any drips under the car? These are the things I would check if I were considering the car.

I'd ask the seller if they have any records of all the maintenance (however you spell it) they've had done to it. Check for any leaks or damaged parts. As for your extreme heat question(s), that sticker on the panel behind the grill is known to fade with age. I work at a ford dealership and see that quite often. It doesn't look like anything is wrong with it with what i can tell in the pics. Hope you decide to get it.

BTW: [welcome] to FF!

 

[Calberto]

Thank you! I feel welcomed it's nice.

 

[focuztyle]

welcome
as far as the back styrophone thingie magie is always like, if you were supid eneought to try and cleanthe engine bay that back black part get all yellowish like that, mine is the same as am sure many others though, i would check th eothr important stuff, se if the compresoin is still the same, no cracks or leaks .
take to a shop near by, pay them bout 50-70 bucks for them to take a ridi with you and him to find out if anything is noticible wrong with the car.
good luck

 

[Calberto]

I am getting the Focus on Friday, I can't wait!

 

[_RED_]

Where at in Orlando are you. We are having a G2G on the 10th at TGI Fridays you should try and make it [thumb]

Oh yeah that’s a nice looking focus there, just take the Type R sticker of []

 

[Calberto]

hehe, yeah I think I am gonna try and remove both stickers from the back, thank you for the invitation, I live right next to UCF but on the Seminole side.

 

[_RED_]

I think I know where your talking about, yeah but if you can make it you should try.

 

[CrispyBurn]

yea man, you should come by... it'll be a good time

 

[Calberto]

I might, which TGI Friday's are you talking about?

 

[_RED_]

Heres the address [thumb] if you need more info just ask in this thread []

 

[gump1114]

if i were you i would make sure to take it by a dealership and have them check the vin # to see what if any recalls have been performed on the vehicle. the 00-01 focus' have several recalls.

 

[_RED_]

You know about that Shelby lol

 

[Calberto]

Ill make sure I go by a dealership when I have time, make sure all the recall stuff has been taken care of. EGR valve is giving me problems, I got the 401 code from the computer...

 

[gump1114]

Ill make sure I go by a dealership when I have time, make sure all the recall stuff has been taken care of. EGR valve is giving me problems, I got the 401 code from the computer...

oh no it has already started! sell it! sell it now! lol

 

[Calberto]

hehe, I took care of it. It was the DPFE sensor that controls the EGR valve, no it's running smooth as a babies bottom.