RE: Ford Focus ST-3 Estate: PH Fleet

[Escort Si-130]

The same knob heads did the same thing with the RCR Z price.

excel monkey said:

Sheesh, are we going to have this comment every time the Focus is featured??

This test car is loaded with options. You can get a brand new ST hatch or estate from the broker websites for not much more than £20k.

[Escort Si-130]

Totally agree, in the comments about premium badge. This is PH after all, more dreamers than drivers here.

wormus said:

I love the new Focus, my wife has one and it's a really nice thing to drive. Not an ST but 1.6D Titanium which averages mid 50 mpg, goes well enough and is very quiet on the motorway. Also, the doors have a reassuring "thunk" when you close them, it has a great (DAB + sat nav) stereo and cost pennies to run.

I wish people would stop bashing Fords. They may not have a premium badge but I'm old enough to remember when Audi, BMW and even VW were premium products and sadly now they are not.

[Escort Si-130]

An honest car salesman??? very rare.

Justin S said:

Parked my 'old st225' next to a new one at the local Ford dealer recently and the salesman said 'keep your one, its nicer' and this old 5 cyl has managed 39 mpg today, driving like miss daisy. On average I manage 27 mpg with 300 bhp , so which bit of this new car is called 'progress'?

[GranCab]

Escort Si-130 said:

Yes, although they do start from around £14k if that is too expensive for you. Or even you can buy an old one to suit your budget for less than £1000.

GranCab said:

(Almost) £30K for a Focus ???? Jeez ...

My comment was directed at the (list) price of it - whether I can afford one or not is irrelevant - check my profile for what I can afford ...

[LordPetroleum]

Hmmm, not for me I think, although fast wagons do give me wood.

Think I will opt for the new upcoming Octavia VRS and buy a bigger wallet in which to keep the £3-6k I could save (figs dependent on std or upgraded costs quoted in article.)

IMHO I think the Skoda is more of a finished article looks wise and does everything the ST will but for less. To me fast Fords always look like the designers young child has got hold of the original concept and stuck bits of lego to it.

[MadDog1962]

GranCab said:

(Almost) £30K for a Focus ???? Jeez ...

I wonder what the real price is? I expect you can easily get a huge discount. Options look crazy expensive too. £200 for privacy glass, £900 for the upgraded radio/satnav thingy. Hmmm... Otherwise it's probably a great piece of kit. I had the estate version of the Focus 2 and found it a great car, only lacking in the engine department. Wonder if they sell these in the US?

[Mr E]

Off topic;

Does *everyone* ride an orange five these days?

[MC Bodge]

Dan said:

entertaining back roads that, as luck would have it, usually end in fun places to ride mountain bikes.

Quite. Outdoor activities and enjoying driving complement each other well.

[excel monkey]

MadDog1962 said:

I had the estate version of the Focus 2 and found it a great car, only lacking in the engine department. Wonder if they sell these in the US?

Hatch yes, estate no. "Wagons" are showroom poison in the States - people would rather buy a softroader.

[mattjampet]

I've just bought a B5 S4 Avant which admittedly is getting on a bit but is 1/10th of the cost of the Ford, delivers 27MPG, has reasonable boot, 4x4 and is pretty damn quick in standard guise. I'd rather keep the remaining 27k change personally and I think the Ford is a proper chav wagon.

[blearyeyedboy]

Odd question... can you left foot brake in these, or do the electronics cut the throttle when you press the brake?

A fast estate appeals... I'm watching with interest.

[nottyash]

I can't see how its much better than the 3500 pound Mondeo st220 estate I just picked up. I mean its about 9 x the price.

[The Vambo]

nottyash said:

I can't see how its much better than the 3500 pound Mondeo st220 estate I just picked up. I mean its about 9 x the price.

Really? You can't see how a factory fresh car with full manufacturers warranty could be much better than a car from two generations previous? Strange.

[Woody]

Really like the look of these.

The MPG is a bit off putting if using as a family wagon with roof box/bike rack, full boot etc.

Will they be doing a diesel version??

[nottyash]

The Vambo said:

nottyash said:

I can't see how its much better than the 3500 pound Mondeo st220 estate I just picked up. I mean its about 9 x the price.

Really? You can't see how a factory fresh car with full manufacturers warranty could be much better than a car from two generations previous? Strange.

Over 25 grand for a warranty?? Your nuts
What I am saying is its not 9 times the car, its not twice the car, so its not worth that.

[Talented009]

The exterior and interior just look well....horrible

[oobster]

Yes everybody, lets all buy 2nd hand cars as those nasty new ones aren't worth the money, let's see how that works out for us + the economy!

One issue on my ST-3 that has had been shouting at it most days is the iPhone + car stereo connection.

My iPhone 4S gets plugged into the car via USB every morning so I can control playlists etc without having to touch the phone. Same again on the way home from work every night. I very rarely add or amend the playlists on my iPhone but some days I can plug the iPhone in and start listening to the music/podcast etc at the same point the track was at when I unplugged it the previous evening.

Other days I plug my phone in and the car stereo seems to be completed flumoxed as to what is happening to it. "USB device not detected" - YES IT IS is what I find myself shouting at the car, "USB device paused" - NO IT ISN'T, I CAN HEAR IT! or the favourite "USB Playlist error" which can only be resolved by switch the car stereo + the iphone off, then both back on again.

[nottyash]

currybum said:

nottyash said:

Over 25 grand for a warranty?? Your nuts
What I am saying is its not 9 times the car, its not twice the car, so its not worth that.

Let me get this straight....you can buy a second hand car for less than a new one?....really? there must be a catch !

That's not what I said though is it?
I don't think its a big enough improvement, and wouldn't justify 29 grand of my money. That's all.

[audidoody]

Who pays cash for new cars these days anyway?. The list price is largely irrelevant. A £30,000 Focus will be about £380 a month on a PCP. Run it for three years. Give it back.

[rob.e]

ok, so question for Dan:

Now you've had some time to properly get to know the focus, can you answer the question you posed when this car first came on to the PH fleet; is a fully spec'd up focus ST wagon better than a poverty spec 135i BMW?