2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 128,000 Miles Sea Foam Green

2005 Ford Focus Description

I got this car in 2009 when my grandmother died. She had only put 20,000 miles on it so I've nearly been the sole owner. I was always good about taking care of the engine (never missed an oil change, used full synthetic whenever I could afford it, changed the transmission fluid twice since I've had it, replaced spark plugs last year, new brake pads and rotors at 105,000 miles, changed power steering fluid twice, three-point fuel system cleaning in 2012 and I cleaned the injector again myself last summer) but I was really hard on the cosmetic side of things since I always intended to drive it until the wheels fell off and I never much cared how it looked. As a consequence, there are plenty of cosmetic issues that I will list shortly. It gets up to 32mpg on the highway and the cruise control works fine, along with the power locks and windows. It comes with two keys which both have battery powered clickers, although on one clicker the plastic broke where it is supposed to hold onto the keychain. The A/C works pretty well but over the last couple years you can feel it suck power. It also shakes more while it's idling than it used too and is overall buzzier than it once was.I spent some time teaching in Thailand so it wasn't driven from August 2016 until a week ago. I had to jump the battery and put some air in the tires but it appears to be holding air/charge just fine. The battery is from summer 2015 and the tires from winter 2014. My tags and insurance expired while I was gone so it currently has neither. I never intended to sell it but I will soon be in Taiwan for a year and a half and I just can't let it sit for that long. I already had oil and a new oil filter for its next changing as well as a spare headlight bulb so that will all come with the purchase.It's been a great car. It has only needed work twice. The first time it was simply a leak in the air intake that was causing it to sputter while idling. That was in 2012, and they did a three point fuel injector cleaning first and then discovered it was just a small crack in the air intake and patched it. Haven't had a problem with that since. The second time it needed work I hit some construction at night where they had left a huge drop-off between paving and knocked the undercarriage loose. I glued it back in place myself at first but unfortunately the fan was still beating against the alternator, making it so that it only charged on the highway. I spent over $600 getting everything fixed by a great mechanic our family has been using for years so there shouldn't be any trouble there. Those are the only two issues it has ever had. The power steering kind of sucks, but it's been that way since I first got it 108,000 miles ago, despite twice changing the fluid, and it has never gotten any worse. The mechanic said some of the Fords during that period were just that way so I never worried about it.When I changed the spark plugs last summer there was some oil down in the wells, so there is probably a leak in the valve cover gasket that will need to be repaired. I was leaving for Thailand soon at that point so I didn't mess with it. I would recommend getting it fixed soon, though. The tires still have some life left in them (see photo) but there is a large crack across the front windshield (see photo). It has passed inspection every year (crack has been there since 2011) but I suspect that many people would not pass it, so if you live in a state that requires inspection please take that into consideration.The CD player and the cigarette lighter outlet don't work (car chargers don't get power through it either). I don't know why that is, each of them just ceased to function over the years (not simultaneously--CD player in 2013 and cigarette lighter in 2015). The radio works fine and no speakers are blown so it just needs a new unit put in for music. There's no auxiliary jack on this model either, fyi.There's residue on the dash from Gorrila tape I had idiotically used to keep my Tomtom GPS on the dash before I had a smart phone, and there's also staining in the seats from where I've spilled stuff. Also one notable cigarette burn in the passenger seat. I've detailed all this in the photos. There are also many small scratches to the exterior and some hail damage that can be seen at certain angles (please see all the photos and use the zoom feature so you get a full understanding of the exterior condition) and it's visible where I once locked myself out and had to break in with a screwdriver and a clothes hanger. There's tar splattered around the bottom where I hit construction they should not yet have been allowing us on (compliments of the city of Little Rock) and when I got back from Thailand I noticed that the sun has bleached parts on the interior paneling or something, I guess from sitting in the same place so long. I've also been smoking in it since 2009, so there are some places on the driver's side where I've stubbed a cigarette on the paneling trying to flick out of an insufficiently opened window. Basically I'm just a jerk when it comes to the cosmetics, though I wish I wouldn't have been in retrospect. Also, I wiped it down a bit to take photos but nothing extensive so it could use a good detailing if you're getting it as a present for someone (would make a good first vehicle for sure).I've been very careful to list everything about this car because I don't want there to be any surprises; hence, if it's a surprise to you, it's a surprise to me as well. As a consequence I've probably frightened away any potential buyers already, but if you're still with me I do want to say that this has been a really great, economical car and (aside from cosmetic issues) I treated it as though I would be driving it for the duration of its life--which should be many more years. One last note: this model has a supposed "lifetime air filter," so it's never been changed. However, I was planning to take it to the Ford dealership and have a new one put in at 150,000 miles. I intended to get another 100,000 miles out of this car so if you're of that same mentality I would recommend replacing the air filter before too long since I worked in west Texas for 6 months and it's pretty dusty out there.You are responsible for coming to pick up this vehicle or sending someone for it. It will be at my dad's house in Dexter, Missouri. I will have already signed everything I need to sign so he will just give you the keys/title etc and you will have to get or bring a temporary tag/insurance for it. The DMV is less than a mile from his house and it's rarely crowded (small town convenience). I will only accept payment in cash or cashier's check.Thanks for looking and reading the entire history of my trusty Focus. I hope that whoever gets it will be more than pleased. If you have any further questions just shoot me a message.