now is probably a better time to buy that you're likely to see for the next decade... HIGH incentives and LOW interest rates.
But, about your car...
if it is still stalling, I would really think about moving to something else... but what else is the question... the Focus has a terrible reliability record... and who wants to drive a Taurus?
if they have actually fixed that problem, you should keep the car with the understanding that every once in awhile you will encounter surprises. Perhaps you should up your budget on preventive maintenance... if you replace things before they break, it might cost less (replacing an almost worn out pad is cheaper than a TOTALLY worn out pad AND it's rotor) and is more convenient...
I think the water pump will always be a problem for our cars. Mine was replaced due to a recall about a year or two ago.
Mine is a '98 Zetec auto with 50,050 miles on it... yay, I reached the halfway milestone!
Some of these cars have been noted to drive for a high number of miles... someone on this forum had 170,000 miles I believe...
I am a college student, which means that I will be driving this car for the rest of my life, haha.
I don't know when I will be able to buy a new car. But, for now I have to make sure this one will run R-E-L-I-A-B-L-Y for the entire time I need it, probably well over 100K.
That's my seven scents. Oh wait, cents, I mean, cents!
Keep the engine full of clean 5w30 oil and change the tranny fluid every 30K and your car should be good for a long, long time. Plugs and wires are usually good for 60-80K. EGR passage cleaning can revive some lost pep around that time also. Check for catalytic converter recalls before the emissions warranty runs out. (80K miles) Mine's at 111K and running stronger than ever and not burning a drop of oil. I'm sure I'll get 200K+ out of this car! 