# Thinking of buying a Ford Fpcus - help please! **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** focus, mazda, ford, honda\ **Created:** [December 28, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238 "2010-12-28T22:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![meowmix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@meowmix](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meowmix)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/1 "2010-12-28T22:56:03Z")
Hi all, We’re thinking of buying a 2010 or 2011 Ford Focus. Also considering a Ford Fiesta, Honda Civic or Mazda 3. Our prime consideration is safety and handling. Any advice?? Thanks so much in advance! ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/2 "2010-12-28T23:05:51Z")
None of them are bad choices. Start with Consumer Reports reviews of them in the April 2010 issue. Then do test driving and decide which is best for you. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/3 "2010-12-28T23:06:28Z")
All of the above. Car buying is a pain in the keester anyway. Give your business to the dealer who treats you right. And tell them so. Not just the sales person but the management and owners too. Tell them why you’re leaving AND tell them why you’re staying so they all know it’s the human factor that can, and will, make or break the sale. You can just walk accross the street and buy the other brand in a split second. Think years down the road. Have you previously dealt with any of the dealers’ service departments ? Get opinions from neighbors and co-workers concerning the overall busisesses you’re about to deal with. That part is a big part of car buying as well. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/4 "2010-12-28T23:19:16Z")
Any of the three should serve you well. It is mostly what feels good to you. Consider trunk size and shape if you take trips. Safety is 85% driver and 15% vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/5 "2010-12-28T23:20:54Z")
> **[Ratings](https://www.nhtsa.gov/ratings)** > > NHTSA 5-star safety ratings Many of the cars you want are rated in 2010 but not 2011 (yet). Click on 2011 in the left hand column if you want to poke around in the newest model year. > **[IIHS safety ratings](http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings)** > > IIHS tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash — and crash avoidance and mitigation — technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity. These are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test scores. They are a little different from the government tests; both provide useful information. Choose the ones with the highest safety ratings. Then shop for a car that handles well. You should know that bigger is safer. A midsize car like a Chevy Malibu or Ford Fusion is safer than a mimicar like the Fiesta. This doesn’t make a Fiesta or Civic or Mazda3 an unsafe car. Larger cars in general, and the two I mentioned specifically, will fare better in a crash than the others, unless they meet a dump truck. They all lose badly then. But the main thing is don’t compare safety ratings across size categories, only within size categories. ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/6 "2010-12-29T00:28:28Z")
All good choices. Cars are like shoes – what fits me may not fit you. Take them all out for a long (one hour+) test drive and buy the one that fits you best. Make sure to see how all your stuff fits (wife, girlfriend [not both at the same time], kids, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/7 "2010-12-29T03:46:03Z")
If you’re considering the Fiesta, consider it’s sister car, the Mazda 2. Each car offers something the others don’t; like the Fords offer their SYNC car audio system, the Mazda will be a sportier handling ride, and the Honda will be a tad bit more reliable and have better resale value should you consider selling it before it’s 10 years old. I’m a little biased towards Mazda, but I won’t deny the SYNC is a pretty nice setup ---
**Author:** ![meowmix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@meowmix](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meowmix)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/8 "2010-12-30T03:06:48Z")
Thank you all for the replies! Much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/thinking-of-buying-a-ford-fpcus-help-please/59238/9 "2010-12-30T03:56:38Z")
I agree; they are all decent choices. I’d include the Corolla too. In addition to reliability ratings, check the satisfaction ratings as well. I feel they are just as important if not more so. If a high % of people who bought a car, say they would not buy another, that’s important for you to know.