Swapping into an older car? 62 plate Focus to 57 plate golf GTI

MissChief

MissChief

MissChief

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i currently have a 62 plate Mk.3 Focus Zetec S 182 Ecoboost and while it's perfectly adequate it's just a bit, well, boring. It does nothing badly and everything satisfactorily but I feel I'm just not gelling with it. I've had it since October, bought on 37k miles and have put about 5k miles on it, most of it on A roads or motorways. I own the car outright having used a loan to purchase it originally.

Anyway, at the time I really wanted a Golf GTI and being without a car for nearly four weeks had to buy something quickly and the Focus came up locally so moved quickly to snap it up. There didn't seem to be a good local Golf GTI anywhere within a hundred miles in the colour or spec I wanted. Now one has come up, a 57 plate so five years older, 62k miles, five door in blue. No Satnav (not hugely bothered by this, rarely travel far enough to make use of it and easily retrofitted) and the advert is thin on interior shots.

Anyway, is there a site which tells me what options this car has? I know there's one for Fords. And am I asking for trouble? Obviously there are bits that will be starting to wear out and some history of a slight leak on a shock absorber and two new front tyres needed. Advice and discussion appreciated.

It would also likely free up £1.5-2k depending on my bargaining skills with the dealer.
 
Doesn't sound like much of an upgrade to me. The Focus has always been great to drive, you could maybe consider a remap for an extra 20-30bhp and a bit more grunt? That Golf looks quite tatty inside.
 
I'm struggling to think why stepping into a marginally quicker Golf would be "less boring" than the Focus.

If you want something less boring, go for something more involving to drive.
 
Depends on what your requirements are, number of doors you need, budget, etc.

EDIT: As for your original question, there isn't a site where you can stick in a VIN, but if you can get the codes from the PR sticker in the boot/spare wheel well, then you can use any number of PR code tools on the internet to work out what the spec is, e.g http://prsearch.planetvag.com/
 
Drive one first and then make the decision. The Mk5 interior is very dated now, and I bet a 10 year old GTI with 62k will have 'quirks' that you'll need to live with or sort.

I think it's a bonkers move.
 
Golfs aren't exactly the most involving cars, in fact they're quite boring all round so i highly doubt you'd be having any more fun in one than a newer focus. Granted i've only driven the MK6 but i was left thoroughly bored when driving it, the wifes MK3 2.0 MX5 at the time was a barrel of laughs in comparison and felt pretty much as quick.
 
Not sure i get the point. The Focus is actually a really good car to drive, the steering in the Golf will probably be a big step backwards.
 
I wouldn't bother. I would rather be inside a MK.3 Focus than a Mk5 Golf and you probably won't notice much in the way of a power increase.

Also with a 2.0TFSI at that age, you will probably get tired of filling up the oil every thousand miles if it drinks like a lot of them do.

I am sure mountune do a ford approved map for that engine which will take it likely on a par or just above the GTi in the power stakes.

Admittedly I don't know the market but £6k seems a lot for a 9 year old average looking GTI with what looks like no options.
 
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Jono8 said:
I wouldn't bother. I would rather be inside a MK.3 Focus than a Mk5 Golf and you probably won't notice much in the way of a power increase.

Also with a 2.0TFSI at that age, you will probably get tired of filling up the oil every thousand miles if it drinks like a lot of them do.

I am sure mountune do a ford approved map for that engine which will take it likely on a par or just above the GTi in the power stakes.
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They do but it's not just a map. It's a new airbox and intercooler too and it's £1k for 20HP!
 
That GTI looks quite tired and, judging by its MOT history, it hasn't been particularly well cared for. Just been used as a family hack.
 
Having messaged the dealer the Cambelt was last done five years ago and it doesn't have cruise so its out. Would still like to try a GTI though.
 
Personally wouldn't go to a mk5 Golf for something more interesting to drive despite being somewhat a Golf fan. The interesting Golfs were like the mk3/4 VR6, R models and the rare anniversary models - even the 1.8Ts to a degree but they were more relevant to a certain time period and not so special outside it.

The mk5 is like the blandest of the Golfs IMO and not really any more interesting than a Focus, etc.
 
Rroff said:
Personally wouldn't go to a mk5 Golf for something more interesting to drive despite being somewhat a Golf fan. The interesting Golfs were like the mk3/4 VR6, R models and the rare anniversary models - even the 1.8Ts to a degree but they were more relevant to a certain time period and not so special outside it.

The mk5 is like the blandest of the Golfs IMO and not really any more interesting than a Focus, etc.
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In some quarters of the motoring press though the mk5 GTI is considered to be when VW got their Mojo back, after the heavy & slow mk3's and mk4's, and is often preferred, handling wise at least, to the mk6 GTI, obviously as well as the mk3 & 4's. Sure, the VR6's were interesting, but were also a bit meh.

I made the move from my 2013 530d to a 2007 Golf GTI Edition 30, and have not regretted it one bit. It's far more fun and rewarding to drive, albeit not quite as quick or as frugal. The quick bit can be rectified though. I did look at a few mk6 GTI's, and had considered a Golf R when the cheap lease deals were on, but the Edition 30 was close, the right price, and at the right time. And I had always wanted one, so thought I'd go for something like that this time round. (I did consider other options too, which are forever getting ripped on here for, so wont go anymore into that). But I had always wanted an Edition 30 since they were released (I was driving a mk4 GTI that I had spent some money modifying when the ED30 was released). So it was an easy jump for me.

Having never driven a mk3 Focus, I wouldn't know how it compares in reality to a mk5 Golf GTI. It would certainly be worth taking one for a test drive. The only thing that one you linked has going for it is lowish miles. Almost everything else sucks. And it is quite expensive, in my mind, for what your getting. I mean, no xenons, no nav, no mfsw, midline dash, no leather and 17's. No doubt no cruise either. Now, all these can be retrofitted, but at a cost. Not sure what on that car makes it the "spec" you wanted? There is no spec there. For that money, on a normal GTI, I'd want it fully loaded personally.

It's not a HUGE amount away from an Edition 30 for the money. At least with that you get a bit of exclusivity, half leather and 18's as standard (as well as bodykit, and other interior touches). You might have to hunt for one with xenons or MFSW / highline clocks, but they are around too. And you get that k04 engine, which is great. A cheeky remap on your Focus wont get you to 300 BHP, where it would on the ED30.

Anyway, go drive a GTI and pay less heed to the naysayers on here. If it was a BMW you were considering switching too it would all be applause and congrats. Such is the nature of motors.
 
xs2man said:
Sure, the VR6's were interesting, but were also a bit meh.
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VR6s tend to be quite meh to drive around town but there is something I really enjoy about them on a longer run on better roads - the engine just sounds right, performance is where I expect it, etc. maybe its just me but it suits me. I really need to get one again but no one seems to be selling anything around here that isn't totally shot or stupidly priced :|

Also on the fence with the new clubsport (edit: meant the S) - the price is fairly affordable (for what it is) but there are other options that make you second guess spending the money on that car unless you really want a golf :s

EDIT: Weird they seem to have pulled the offer - had an email awhile back with a pretty decent pre-order offer for the clubsport but now its just all dead pages and no sign of it.
 
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Doesn't seem worth it for a boggo GTi to me. All you'll be buying into is potentially endless niggles for a really minor power increase that you'll never notice after week 1.

Ed30 or even Pirelli worth considering price dependent, at least then you'll gain something tangible for the relative step back ( though a mk5 GTi with Nav and leather still looks perfectly decent inside, unlike the one linked).

Personally I can't think of anything around £6-8k and "hot hatchy" that's a good move from what you have, hence why I ended up spending a bit more and going for the ST after the Octavia VRS
 
MissChief said:
. No Satnav (not hugely bothered by this, rarely travel far enough to make use of it and easily retrofitted) .
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Not sure if it affects the Golf too but I've found with the 56 plate Octavia vRS I have that to update the stereo and not fall foul of battery drain problems the CANBUS gateway needs to be changed for a more recent model too, which needs coding with VCDS etc. and means a simple update to the Skoda sat nav is actually not so simple. The 2007 facelift cars don't face this issue. Point being, don't assume it would be easy, check first!
 
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