I am looking to swap mint 03 Ford Focus 1.4 petrol (a horrible car imo) for a 04 Skoda Octavia 1.9 deisel also mint. Both same mileage circa 170,000 .. test driven and I loved it .. is it a wise decision. Have owned 2 Octavias petrol old and wonderful. One was killed in NCT test (she was 17 yrs old) and the other was crashed into and airbags and bonnet destroyed (she was 8 yrs)

 

advice welcome

as the Ford was temporary and must go

 

the pic below is just an Internet pic representing what the Skoda I speak of looks like.. might I get a swap?

Both will be on last legs so it's a lottery which breaks first. 

well, both are serviced, mint and NCT for one year / taxed for 3 months.

 

the focus just got a new clutch, its just a rubbish drive compared to the skoda

 

my dealer is willing to take back the focus, will he do a direct swap or not. 

 

Dealers always want money?

true...then ill just have to tell him forget it unless its a direct swap.

he did say tho when i bought the focus, that skodas depreciate more quickly in value than fords

that fords are more in demand in ireland. but he couldnt get me a skoda fast enough, id been in a crash and needed

a new cheap car fast

 

how much more quids might he ask for considering that a) he wants bucks (retired dealer still does cars for the love of it, and is a family friend)

does anyone know?

Edited 28 August, 20178 yr by Skodalover4ever
after thought

I reckon you should try that, but I would pay a few hundred on top of the swap for the Octy, it may last a lot longer.

Hi one things for sure if you don't ask you won't know........

 

ps second thing, check if NCT ( equivilant to road tax in UK ? ) transferable on both cars

both cars are totally mint, and paperwork servicing totally up to scratch (both have 11 months NCT left)

they are literally like perfect to go

 

i just realised i never considered the insurance.. it will rocket wont it..

its hopeless

 

i am skodaless

and doomed to drive a lumpy feeling slug of a ford 

excuse me while i burst into tears

Edited 29 August, 20178 yr by Skodalover4ever

At that end of the market reliability would be my only concern, not looks, colour, equipment levels, how it drives, nothing. When I scrapped my FIAT, I picked up a 13 year old Proton diesel from my trusted mechanic for £480 that looked a little ropey outside and in but had a new service, new MOT, water pump and radiator. It was a fine commuting vehicle for my 15000 miles a year and pretty much free to run apart from putting diesel in it. 18 months later it sold for £375.

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 September, 20178 yr by camelspyyder

Cars of that age can look mint, but hide a lot of issues underneath. We part exchanged my wifes fabia estate 1.9tdi 53 reg, 3 years ago,  due to needing a new exhaust, brake discs, driveshaft, wheel bearing, cambelt, front shocks and probably main brake lines before it could take another mot in around 6 months. I estimated £1800 of work required on an otherwise very good condition, 75k mile car.

Car was worth £800 in good condition, but got the dealer to up to £1k against a used car that they had just discounted by £2400 to clear it by year end.