Focus ST 225 vs MKV Golf GTI..

Anyways back on topic. OP I would recommend upping your budget if you want an ST. £7.5k will get you a nice low mileage ST3 pre-2008. The facelift model which came out in 2008, has a better interior, with a much more aggressive looking front. The rear diffuser is also a nice touch too. But the main pro is that Ford fixed all the niggly problems with the engine (oil diaphragm, turbo housing etc.) So your less likely to come across problems.

Depending on when you look to buy I'd say you could pick up an average mileage ST3 08. I'll be selling mine next year for around £8-9k, the going rate now is around £9-10k for a good example facelift ST.

If you like the GTi, it's a great car and a very good all rounder. Don't pick the GTi over the ST because it's less "plasticky", pick it because you prefer the looks, or you prefer how it drives.
 
rossk26 said:
You haven't stipulated how much this costs, whereas I did? The ST engine will go to 400BHP on stock turbo with a few bolt ons too. What is your point?
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A £200 remap will take a MK5 GTI to 250bhp or the GTI ED30 to 310bhp no other mods required that is hardly more expensive or harder than taking a ST to 260bhp is it ?

My point is both cars offer similar ease of tunning and cost a similar amount to do it, I would say the Golf is slightly cheaper as the clutch is less likely to need to be replaced and the factory FMIC is very good where the STs stock intercooler is poor.

Can your ST really go to 400bhp on it's stock turbo or are you talking about the RSs turbo ?
 
rossk26 said:
Running costs are similar :confused:
ST has five doors and the GTi can also have 5 doors :confused:
Nicer interior and better place to spend time in is purely opinion :confused:

I'd much rather spend time in my ST than a GTi with those burberry seats. But at the same time, someone else probably loves those burberry seats. Pointless argument?
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Just going off official figures, there's a ~5mpg combined economy difference. I imagine they're similar VED bands but insurance is cheaper for me on the GTi than the ST. Sure, the outright cost would be more but it would depreciate less to offset that.

Apologies, I didn't realise you could spec the ST with 5 doors, never spotted one of those before.

Of course it is opinion, one which most people hold, too. Except those who own Focus ST's, obviously.

It DOES sound like a pointless argument. Which makes it all the more peculiar that you are defending it?
 
It's the same reason some people would rather have a GTi over a Honda Civic type r. I'd hate to have a interior full of shiny cheap feeling plastics.

I don't get this forum half the time. In one thread people say how looks don't matter because you're sat behind the steering wheel 99% of the time and then in other threads, people on here go on and on about how something drives but then say it looks crap so would never buy it. And then other members on here bang on about reliability, only then they sell the car 6 months later so not a very informative.

Mk5 is more 'grown up' imo while still being fun to drive when you want it to be and a nice place to be commuting to work.

You'd have to be mental to think the focus interior is a nicely place to be then GTi:
ford-focus-st_03.jpg

DSC_0038.jpg

DSC_0035.jpg
 
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I really like both cars, but I would personally go for the GTI, it's just an all round good car which ticks all the boxes.

I would definitely have to agree with others though and say that the build quality is better on the Golf.
 
One other thing I would note from all my previous research is that the ST's standard clutch isn't up to much tuning wise, so you would probably want to factor in the cost of an RS clutch.
 
I'd have a type R over either personally.

Hard one though, ST isn't as premium as the golf and is more boy racer. GTi is more grown up and a better all round.

I'd probably go for the GTi if I had the option of both.
 
Blackhawk47 said:
You'd have to be mental to think the focus interior is a nicely place to be then GTi:
ford-focus-st_03.jpg

DSC_0038.jpg

DSC_0035.jpg
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You've compared a bog standard ST3 interior to a top of the range impossible to buy GTi for £7.5k

Here is something more useful:
fordfocusstinterior3.jpg

37895574394c57512e81o.jpg

Also your rant about people moaning about specific things, yet you completely rule out an ST because it's more "plasticky". You contradict your own point...
 
NathWraith said:
I'd have a type R over either personally.

Hard one though, ST isn't as premium as the golf and is more boy racer. GTi is more grown up and a better all round.

I'd probably go for the GTi if I had the option of both.
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I'd personally pick the Type R over the Gti too. The GTi is too boring and plain, the Type R is much better looking, has way more character, and and interesting interior.

However I think I'd miss the low down effortless power delivery of the turbo. But then I'd have to try it before I could make that assumption.

For me at the moment being 24 the ST is better than the GTi, I'm not pedantic enough to make a fuss about what type of plastic has been used, nor am I at the stage in my life where I don't want my car to stand out from the crowd and make me look like I have more money than I actually have.

Maybe if I was 40 years old, had a bad back and wanted something quick and dull I'd get a GTi...
 
Thanks for the input. I do like the Type R having had an EP3. However, I prefer the easy low down torque a turbo gives you.

I think I will just go an test drive both and see which one I prefer.

I actually quite like the look of the DSG box with the flappy paddles. The potential huge bill if it goes wrong scares me though.
 
lee1101 said:
I actually quite like the look of the DSG box with the flappy paddles. The potential huge bill if it goes wrong scares me though.
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There isn't THAT much to go wrong with the DSG as long as it has been maintained properly/oil changed at the right time. Most of the horror stories are from really early cars like a 2005 gti. Both the manual and dsg are sound, just depends what you prefer. :)
 
The mk5 gti is a bit average. Very Safe, but easily remapped if you're into that sort of thing. The fuel economy of the mk5 gti will be much better than the st on a run, but day to day, not much different.

I wouldn't pick a gti if you wanted to have all out fun, I would only pick it if you needed a semi sensible quick car. The problem with the focus st is the chav image that comes along with it.
 
Blackhawk47 said:
There isn't THAT much to go wrong with the DSG as long as it has been maintained properly/oil changed at the right time.
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I wouldn't say that, the occasional mechatronic unit fails and throws up a 4 figure bill. And the newer dry clutch 7-speed boxes are troublesome too.

Overall the problems with the DSG boxes are uncommon though. Plus the 6 speed box handles a remap better than the manual which likes to destroy it's clutch.
 
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