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Hi, I'm looking to buy a used car - ideally manual.
But, the car I've got my eye on - a 2003 For Focus 163,000 ks - is an automatic - bother!.

My concern - based on what I've been told in the past - is that automatics can be troublesome and excruciatingly expensive to service/fix. Manuals are a much smarter choice

What is your view of autos vs manual? Perhaps autos are much more reliable these days?

Thanks
Alice

As a generalisation, manual transmissions tend to be more reliable and cheaper to repair in the event they do fail, however the down side of manuals is that clutch components wear out, so neither is totally fail-proof.
However, at this mileage, there are other aspects to consider too. I'd highly recommend having a pre-purchase inspection on a vehicle such as this.