Ford Focus ST or Golf GTI?

s_macmahon

Don't really care about running costs etc...

robtri

ST..... every day of the week....

Leonard Hofstadter

The only reason why you would go for the Golf is because of the far lower running costs.

Seeing as the OP has said he doesn't care then there is no excuse for not buying the Focus:).

.Longshanks.

I presume your talking about the current generation version of both?

A 2nd hand ST can be picked up a lot cheaper than a GTi. If running costs don't bother you then it would be my pick too....but it will be a bit more expensive to tax (and fuel).

If your talking about the older N/A 2.0 ST compared to the MKIV GTI, thats a different story

zero19

St would be my choice

Leonard Hofstadter

Longshanks100 wrote: »

If your talking about the older N/A 2.0 ST compared to the MKIV GTI, thats a different story

The general consensous is that the Mk1 ST is quite a poor effort though, probably not worth the bother of trying to track one of these down.

s_macmahon

Longshanks100 wrote: »

I presume your talking about the current generation version of both?

A 2nd hand ST can be picked up a lot cheaper than a GTi. If running costs don't bother you then it would be my pick too....but it will be a bit more expensive to tax (and fuel).

If your talking about the older N/A 2.0 ST compared to the MKIV GTI, thats a different story

Yea 2008 versions of both

s_macmahon

how about a SEAT Leon 2.0 TFSI FR DSG A/T? Bout 3k cheaper than a golf....

.Longshanks.

s_macmahon wrote: »

how about a SEAT Leon 2.0 TFSI FR DSG A/T? Bout 3k cheaper than a golf....

Has you sat inside one? Very bland IMO

cjmcork

ST all the way

bazz26

ST for me too. The sound from the 5 cylinder engine would more than swing it for me.

Seth Brundle

+1 for the ST.
Also, there are far too many Golf GTi's out there to make them distinctive anymore.

Henry Ford III

GTI is a great hot hatch, but the ST is better. The engine sound & torque set it apart imho.

Seating position is a wee bit high, and it's not cheap to run/own however.

.Longshanks.

What is a realistic MPG figure for the ST? Assuming normal driving on N/M roads without pressing on (I'd save those figures are for the weekends and they are always going to be a lot different )

Henry Ford III

30mpg maybe?

p.s. Peeps are overly concerned with fuel economy imho. That's only a part of the overall running costs.

.Longshanks.

Henry Ford III wrote: »

30mpg maybe?

p.s. Peeps are overly concerned with fuel economy imho. That's only a part of the overall running costs.

True....my own car is officially quoted as proving an average of 35.8mpg and i my average is about 30-32. Im more than happy with that. I'd consider a ST in the future, but not if it comes back with a real (normal driving) average of 18-20mpg.
Again....weekend fun is a totally different kettle of fish!

EPM

s_macmahon wrote: »

how about a SEAT Leon 2.0 TFSI FR DSG A/T? Bout 3k cheaper than a golf....

Much better spec than either of the other two, well screwed together and better looking too imo.

But if you don't care about running costs the Focus would be worth it:D

STForSale

Forus every day.
Friend has one and they like a drink.
You'll never get close to the 40MPG quoted for extra urban.
Anything in the 20's i'd say depending on conditions and how it's driven.
Half looking for one myself at the minute but full leather is a must (that two tone fabric is hideous).
Found a fully spec'd one but it was Orange!!!

Tea 1000

I know a VW nut who lives and breathes them, worked in a VW garage and now in a Skoda garage. He's had the Mk 5 GTi for a few weekends and a VRS or two, but also a Focus ST. He reckoned the ST was better than the GTI. That sold it to me!

WilliamEgan

Yep I would stump for the ST. I am guessing the full spec ford costs less than the full spec golf.

And my girlfriend has a golf which means they are getting too common.

STForSale

A guy on here was trying to shift a fully loaded 08 ST a while back.
Would of made him a offer if I got my own sold.
Anyone know if he still has it, think it was darobot?

daRobot

Yup, I still have it alright!

I've got a dealer in Dublin looking after the sale of it now, as all I was getting was p/x offers (totally understandable as selling is hard these days), so they can take a trade in against it.

However, if someone wants to do straight deal, drop me a pm for details.

STForSale

This it?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Focus-ST/2.5-ST-6/201010197226083/advert?channel=CARS

OP, if you're serious, this is probably the best spec'd ST in the country
for average money.

Atomic Pineapple

daRobot wrote: »

Yup, I still have it alright!

I've got a dealer in Dublin looking after the sale of it now, as all I was getting was p/x offers (totally understandable as selling is hard these days), so they can take a trade in against it.

However, if someone wants to do straight deal, drop me a pm for details.

What sort of prices are on 08 or facelifted versions these days? I mean realistically whats the minimum you'd have to pay to get a clean one?

daRobot

STForSale wrote: »

This it?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Focus-ST/2.5-ST-6/201010197226083/advert?channel=CARS

That's the one

daRobot

draffodx wrote: »

What sort of prices are on 08 or facelifted versions these days? I mean realistically whats the minimum you'd have to pay to get a clean one?

They seem to be all around the 20k mark, which IMO is very good value for them, especially when specced up. I of course, would say that :pac:

STForSale

Rathdown motors had a facelift 07' for 18K. had it for a spin and asked for a cost to change but someone came in with a straight cash offer so I missed out :mad:

ST3's seem to be rare enough, most seem to have gone entry level or ST2. Don't like the 2 tone cloth, although can look less bad in some color combinations.

bf

ST without a shadow of a doubt.

You should pic up a 08 ST for about €18k I reckon. Da Robot's car (as mentioned above) is as high a spec ST as I have seen around - well worth a look.

I unfortunately had to trade my 08 ST in recently due to the mileage I'm doing & miss it. It's in Lambe & O'Connor OP if you want to look - but it certainly hasn't the spec of DaRobot's

Round town average mpg was about 22mpg. On a long run this went up to about 34mpg.

MarkN

Only bit of "wisdom" I'll throw in is how will a 5 year old ST look compared to a 5 year old GTI if you plan on keeping it?

They don't age well compared to GTIs, at all.

Henry Ford III

MarkN wrote: »

Only bit of "wisdom" I'll throw in is how will a 5 year old ST look compared to a 5 year old GTI if you plan on keeping it?

They don't age well compared to GTIs, at all.

They'll look much the same. ST will be cheaper to buy, more expensive to fuel & tax, but considerably less expensive to service.

Wossack

the gti will hold its value better, but the st is the better car

the old appreciation vs depreciation question again!

Matt Simis

Longshanks100 wrote: »

True....my own car is officially quoted as proving an average of 35.8mpg and i my average is about 30-32. Im more than happy with that. I'd consider a ST in the future, but not if it comes back with a real (normal driving) average of 18-20mpg.

18-20mpg is M5 fuel economy... I would hope it would be quantum leap better than that.

Acid Green ST and remapped if I had to choose from those 2.

MarkN

Henry Ford III wrote: »

They'll look much the same. ST will be cheaper to buy, more expensive to fuel & tax, but considerably less expensive to service.

Really depends on who you are. I saw a 2007 ST near Setanta carpark in town a few weeks ago and it just looked like a tarted up Focus, bit of wear and tear on them and they don't look as smart as they are when new.

If someone doesn't look after any car they'll all look bad but the Golf just seems to age better.

The fuel economy seems mad too - my car has twice the power but gets the quoted (here) ST fuel economy??

Atomic Pineapple

MarkN wrote: »

Only bit of "wisdom" I'll throw in is how will a 5 year old ST look compared to a 5 year old GTI if you plan on keeping it?

They don't age well compared to GTIs, at all.

Golf Gti's are way more common, much duller to begin with and look exactly the same as 90% of other MK V Golfs.

The Gti will definately not age well over the next few years, I'm sick of the sight of them already, whereas I'd always admire an ST if I seen one go by

Henry Ford III

Matt Simis wrote: »

18-20mpg is M5 fuel economy... I would hope it would be quantum leap better than that.

Acid Green ST and remapped if I had to choose from those 2.

I had an ST and it did 26mpg average in mainly city driving. It was much better on a run obviously - nearer mid 30's.

It's heavier on fuel than a GTI for sure, but there's a lot more to it than that in overall costs.

I got a main dealer service done on mine for c.€150 iirc.

Henry Ford III

MarkN wrote: »

Really depends on who you are. I saw a 2007 ST near Setanta carpark in town a few weeks ago and it just looked like a tarted up Focus, bit of wear and tear on them and they don't look as smart as they are when new.

If someone doesn't look after any car they'll all look bad but the Golf just seems to age better.

The fuel economy seems mad too - my car has twice the power but gets the quoted (here) ST fuel economy??

That's all they are though - tarted up versions of humble hatches.

bazz26

I've seen some tired looking Golf interiors too, the legendry VW build quality is definately not there like it was many years ago. I would not base my decision on that factor to be honest. I sold a run of the mill 4 year old Focus last year and the cabin was well built like it came out of the showroom.

MarkN

draffodx wrote: »

Golf Gti's are way more common, much duller to begin with and look exactly the same as 90% of other MK V Golfs.

The Gti will definately not age well over the next few years, I'm sick of the sight of them already, whereas I'd always admire an ST if I seen one go by

Didn't say they weren't common. I said they don't age as much as the Focus and you can argue all day long if you don't agree, I'm just stating my own opinion.

There's nothing particularly striking about this car.


Or this one


But the Golf looks like it's survived a bit better.

Marty McFly

Have to say im with draffodx on this one, if a saw an st id give it a 2nd look since you dont see many of them around as were everywhere you look you see gti,s plus there quite a bland looking car like the majority of volkwagons these days.

happymondays

+1 for the ST.
GTI too common and not as good looking

BArra

ive got a 2006 ST, mine is fully loaded though inc the leather seats and trust me they are a must.

the cloth recaros hold you well, but the leather is just the business.

i would rec that you go for a UK import, as most of the irish ST's are pure ****e, no zenons, no auto wipers, no auto dimming mirror, no sat nav, no heated front windscreen, all of them were options on the irish STs

wheras the uk had the ST1,ST2,ST3, 3 being the best.

im averaging at the moment around 24.3 MPG. but when i was bringing it back from the north when i got it, i was getting 39MPG on the lovely straight motorways.

the sound off the ST over the GTI is not comparable, the ST sounds so much better than a GTI. its grunt is very nice indeed

you get the odd pops and bangs aswell if you ease off the pedal, but they arent overly loud to be boy-racer territory.

stick a dreamscience remap and a few other totally hidden things and your looking in the region of 270BHP.

or another option would be a mountune upgrade.

a previous poster put up some very bland pictures of the car, my opinion is its a very nice looking car, and anyone who knows cars can tell its an ST, wheras it then stays slightly sleeperish to the average joe who thinks its just a bog standard focus, but infact its got a great 5pot under the hood.

every tom dick and harry has a Golf GTI, if you want the better drivers car, go for the ST, i testdrove a lot of them both

BArra

Matt Simis wrote: »

18-20mpg is M5 fuel economy... I would hope it would be quantum leap better than that.

Acid Green ST and remapped if I had to choose from those 2.

you cant get an Acid green ST

ST 225BHP = black, red, orange, blue, white, silver, dark grey

RS 296BHP = green, blue, white

Smelf1

The ST is alot better, i looked at the GTI in 07 but ordered the ST. Eats petrol if you have a heavy foot and €1100 odd a year to tax.

I got it fully spec'ed and in EO. It has only 11500km (as i have another car and only used it in good weather and weekends) and up for sale for the last while.

Alanstrainor

Smelf1 wrote: »

The ST is alot better, i looked at the GTI in 07 but ordered the ST. Eats petrol if you have a heavy foot and €1100 odd a year to tax.

I got it fully spec'ed and in EO. It has only 11500km (as i have another car and only used it in good weather and weekends) and up for sale for the last while.

Please don't drag up old threads.

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