Car History Check
Used Car Buying Checklist
Ford Focus

Used Ford Focus Buying Checklist

What to check on a used Focus: its known faults, what it is advertised for, its service interval and the paperwork.

Check a Focus by rego

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The Focus checklist

Before you go 0/5
Inspection 0/17
Test drive 0/5
Paperwork 0/7
After you buy 0/7

Before you go
0 of 5

What a 2013 Focus is advertised for

Asking price

$5.5k to $11k

Odometer

105k to 200k km

Asking prices, not sale prices: the middle 60% of the 585 advertised in the last 12 months, one listing per car.
- Get the rego or VIN From the ad or the seller. Enter it at the top of this page: the make, model and year should match the ad.
- Compare the price With what similar cars are advertised for.
- Ask the seller How long they have owned it, why they are selling, any accidents and any money owing.
- Ask for the service book And for the engine to be cold when you arrive.
- Meet in daylight In dry weather. For a private sale, at the seller's home: the address should match the registration papers.
Inspection
0 of 17
- Panels and paint Uneven gaps, paint that does not quite match and overspray on rubber seals point to accident repairs.
- Rust Under the doors, around the wheel arches and under the boot floor.
- Tyres At least 1.5 mm of tread, even wear across each tyre, and a spare.
- Glass and lights No chips or cracks in the windscreen, and every light works.
- Oil and coolant Check them cold. Milky oil under the filler cap, or oil in the coolant, can mean a head gasket fault.
- Cold start Watch the exhaust and listen for rattles in the first few seconds.
- Wear inside The pedals, steering wheel and driver's seat should fit the odometer reading.
- Warning lights and controls Lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs. Try the air conditioning, windows, locks and screen.
- Flood signs A damp smell, water marks or silt under the carpets.
What to check on a Focus
- PowerShift drive On an LW automatic, pull away from rest several times, crawl in traffic and stop on a slope. Any shudder, clunk, hesitation or gearbox warning is a reason to walk away or renegotiate.
- Gearbox paperwork Ask for invoices for clutch packs, input shaft seals, TCM and software work. Recent documented repairs make an LW automatic a better bet.
- Recall work Ask a Ford dealer to confirm the carbon canister, driveshaft and clutch recalls are done for that VIN.
- Fuel smell and gauge Check for a fuel smell, wet patches under the tank and a fuel gauge that jumps around.
- Cooling system On an LZ or ST, check the coolant level, look for a damp passenger floor or misted windows, and watch for white smoke on start-up.
- Warning lights Make sure the check engine light comes on with the ignition and then goes out, and have a mechanic scan for stored codes.
- Manual clutch Test for slip in fourth or fifth gear at low revs and listen for a noisy release bearing.
- Electrics and brakes On older cars, try every window, lock, light and switch, and check disc and pad wear.
The Focus's known problems, in full
Test drive
0 of 5
- 20 minutes or more On slow streets and at highway speed.
- Steering and brakes It runs straight with your hands light on the wheel, and stops straight without shudder or squeal.
- Gear changes Smooth, with no slipping or flaring revs. In a manual, a clutch that bites near the top of the pedal may be worn.
- Noises Knocks over bumps, and whines or hums that rise with speed.
- Temperature and leaks The gauge settles and stays put. After the drive, look under the car for fresh drips.
Paperwork
0 of 7
- Money owing A car with finance owing on it can be repossessed after you have paid for it. A PPSR check shows it.
- Write-off A statutory write-off can never be registered again, and a repairable write-off needs an inspection first.
- Odometer Compare the reading with earlier records of the car: service book stamps, earlier listings and other records.
- VIN match The VIN on the car matches the registration papers and the PPSR certificate.
- Seller's licence The name and address match the registration papers.
- Safety certificate In Queensland the seller needs a current safety certificate, and in Victoria a roadworthy certificate is needed to transfer the registration.
- Receipt The date, the price, the VIN and rego, and both names and signatures.
Money owing and write-offs on the Focus

3% had money owing

10% were recorded as written off

Of about 690 used Ford Focus checked on Carify since November 2023. Every car checked: 9% had money owing and 13% were written off.

These are cars people chose to check before buying, so they are not a share of every Focus on the road. Money owing is what was registered against the car on the day it was checked.
Where to find the VIN on a Ford

Ranger (PX) · where to find the VIN
1. 1. Base of the windscreen. Passenger side. Read it from outside.
2. 2. Under the bonnet. A plate at the back of the engine bay, passenger side.
3. 3. Chassis, under the front door. Driver's side, stamped into the chassis rail.
Drawn on one Ford model: others may differ, and the owner's manual lists the places. Reading a Ford VIN

Older cars also carry a compliance plate, usually under the bonnet or on a door pillar. A car supplied new since mid 2021 may have none: it is entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles instead.
Run these checks in one go

The history report checks for finance owing, write-offs, theft and odometer rollbacks.

Average rating of 4.9/5 on ProductReview.com.au
After you buy
0 of 7
- Transfer the rego Into your name before the deadline, usually 14 days.
- Stamp duty Worked out on the price you paid or the market value, whichever is higher.
- Insurance Before you drive the car away.
- Recalls Check that no recall work is outstanding.
- Next service Book it on time.
- Keep the papers The receipt and the PPSR certificate, with the car's papers.
On a Focus
- Service interval Every 15,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first: the interval most Focus listings give.
What it costs on top of the price
It opens on $8,250, the middle of what a 2013 Focus is advertised for. Put in the price you're offered for the stamp duty, the transfer fee and a year's rego.

State Price of the car What you pay, GST included

Is the car worth more than the price?
Duty is on the market value when that is higher than the price

Stamp duty (motor vehicle duty)

$249

Up to $45,000: $3 per $100 or part of $100 of the whole value

Transfer fee

$42

Rego, 12 months (estimate)

$375

A private car of 1,151 to 1,500 kg tare, less the $100 private vehicle discount on renewals. CTP insurance (the green slip) is bought separately from an insurer and is not included.

On top of the price

$666

Duty at Revenue NSW rates as at 27 October 2026 (revenue.nsw.gov.au).

How stamp duty works in NSW

Questions

What should I check when buying a used Ford Focus?

On a Focus, check powerShift drive; gearbox paperwork; recall work, on top of the checks for any used car: the body, tyres and engine, a test drive, and the paperwork for money owing, a write-off and the odometer.

How much is a used Ford Focus?

Most 2013 Focus are advertised at $5,500 to $11,000, with 105,000 to 200,000 km on the odometer. Prices depend on the year, the kilometres, the badge and the condition.

How often does a Focus need a service?

Most Focus listings give a service interval of every 15,000 km or 12 months, whichever comes first.

How many used Ford Focus have money owing or a write-off?

Of about 690 used Ford Focus checked on Carify since November 2023, 3% had money owing and 10% were recorded as written off. Across every car checked it was 9% and 13%.

About these numbers: the asking prices and odometer readings of Focus advertised for sale in the 12 months to November 2026, one listing per car. They are asking prices, not sale prices. The checklist for any used car.

Used Ford Focus Buying Checklist

The Focus checklist

1Before you go

2Inspection

What to check on a Focus

3Test drive

4Paperwork

Money owing and write-offs on the Focus

Where to find the VIN on a Ford

5After you buy

On a Focus

What it costs on top of the price

Questions

What should I check when buying a used Ford Focus?

How much is a used Ford Focus?

How often does a Focus need a service?

How many used Ford Focus have money owing or a write-off?

Before you go

Inspection

Test drive

Paperwork

After you buy