Talk to me about.... Mk1 Focus RS
Discussion
Right, new car time. And rather than blasting around in sub grand sheds. I'm tempting treating myself to something on *cough* finance! 
Budget would be around £6-8k. Only me and the girlfriend + occasional rear seat use for the pub/'Ring trips to Europe!
Never really kept a car for more than a couple of months in the 4 years I've been driving so need something I realistically think I could live with for around 2-3 years. Anybody got any experiences about running/service costs etc? And ideas (in a mystic ball style!) of what values will be like in the future. Ideally was dreaming of an Escort Cossie but a quick look in the classifieds killed that idea!
Other options would be things like a DC5 (double the insurance premium!), R53 Mini Cooper S with some cash left to fettle it. Or other hot hatch/coupe/roadster ideas!
Cheers, EM177
Budget would be around £6-8k. Only me and the girlfriend + occasional rear seat use for the pub/'Ring trips to Europe!
Never really kept a car for more than a couple of months in the 4 years I've been driving so need something I realistically think I could live with for around 2-3 years. Anybody got any experiences about running/service costs etc? And ideas (in a mystic ball style!) of what values will be like in the future. Ideally was dreaming of an Escort Cossie but a quick look in the classifieds killed that idea!
Other options would be things like a DC5 (double the insurance premium!), R53 Mini Cooper S with some cash left to fettle it. Or other hot hatch/coupe/roadster ideas!
Cheers, EM177
FRS may well dip a little lower, but I don't think you'll loose money on one in 2-3 years. Pretty epic hot hatch well rated by most really, personally I'd be hankering for a bit of RWD action - perhaps a Z4? Can't see their prices dropping that much lower either, especially not a well-looked-after 3.0 model. That's just me though. 
Have a read of these threads:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
They are 10 years old now - I don't think you'll lose much in terms of depreciation unless you put mega miles on it. I have spent a fair bit on mine in the approx 18 months I have had it - I think probably £2k per annum. You can spend more than this if you want to, particularly if you want to modify, or probably a fair bit less (I have done a reasonable amount of preventative maintenance). I really want to get the underside of mine fully restored (suspension powdercoated/underside painted/new bushes etc etc.) but don't have the expertise to do it myself!
I took mine on a trackday at Donington a couple of months ago, was great fun and the car really impressed me. I want to take mine to the Ring within the next year if I can.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
They are 10 years old now - I don't think you'll lose much in terms of depreciation unless you put mega miles on it. I have spent a fair bit on mine in the approx 18 months I have had it - I think probably £2k per annum. You can spend more than this if you want to, particularly if you want to modify, or probably a fair bit less (I have done a reasonable amount of preventative maintenance). I really want to get the underside of mine fully restored (suspension powdercoated/underside painted/new bushes etc etc.) but don't have the expertise to do it myself!
I took mine on a trackday at Donington a couple of months ago, was great fun and the car really impressed me. I want to take mine to the Ring within the next year if I can.
I looked at these a couple of years ago&still really like them. I struggled to find a decent low mileage one at reasonable money and whenever one came up it got snapped up before I could even view it!
I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
I also tested an r53 cooper s jcw which I loved and was all set to buy but the dealer wasn't willing to put new tyres&brakes on which it really needed and also wouldn't give any warranty. Great laugh to drive mind although sub 30mpg seems a bit poor for a small hatch though.
I ended up going for a 350z too which I still love 2years down the line.
hatch.
I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
I also tested an r53 cooper s jcw which I loved and was all set to buy but the dealer wasn't willing to put new tyres&brakes on which it really needed and also wouldn't give any warranty. Great laugh to drive mind although sub 30mpg seems a bit poor for a small hatch though.
I ended up going for a 350z too which I still love 2years down the line.
hatch.
350nick said:
I looked at these a couple of years ago&still really like them. I struggled to find a decent low mileage one at reasonable money and whenever one came up it got snapped up before I could even view it!
I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
I also tested an r53 cooper s jcw which I loved and was all set to buy but the dealer wasn't willing to put new tyres&brakes on which it really needed and also wouldn't give any warranty. Great laugh to drive mind although sub 30mpg seems a bit poor for a small hatch though.
I ended up going for a 350z too which I still love 2years down the line.
hatch.
Ignore the hatch. at the bottom, can't delete it for some reason on phone.I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
I also tested an r53 cooper s jcw which I loved and was all set to buy but the dealer wasn't willing to put new tyres&brakes on which it really needed and also wouldn't give any warranty. Great laugh to drive mind although sub 30mpg seems a bit poor for a small hatch though.
I ended up going for a 350z too which I still love 2years down the line.
hatch.
350nick said:
I looked at these a couple of years ago&still really like them. I struggled to find a decent low mileage one at reasonable money and whenever one came up it got snapped up before I could even view it!
I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
This is a good point - it is possible to find a decent car for £6k - £8k but there are also a lot of ropey ones at this price point.I did see one I liked but mileage was a bit high which put me off and also had some mods which I wouldn't have wanted.
Your best bet to get a decent one would be to go higher miles (approx 100k) and buy a car through the RSOC if you can - don't let high miles put you off too much, the cars can take the miles if looked after properly. Condition needs to be number 1 factor on purchasing really, not mileage.
If you have time have a read of some of the threads in the Mk1 Focus RS section of the RSOC forum. Quite a few posts on there that will give you an idea of the usual issues, costs, etc.
This is a link to the buyers guide on there as well.
http://bbs.rsownersclub.co.uk/showthread.php?t=369...
This is a link to the buyers guide on there as well.
http://bbs.rsownersclub.co.uk/showthread.php?t=369...
Also forgot to say if you get the build number off the plaque on the centre console, you can check it on the build list which has been put together by Clayton on the RSOC.
www.focusrsbuildlist.co.uk
Quite a few cars have been logged on there at some point with details, photo's, etc, so it can be useful to see what the history was at one point on the car
I only mention this as there are quite a few FRS out there that have been modified (some very cheaply/badly) and then returned (bodged) back to standard to sell on.
There are some very good examples out there, including the modified ones, that have been well looked after, but there are also a large number of sheds as well
www.focusrsbuildlist.co.uk
Quite a few cars have been logged on there at some point with details, photo's, etc, so it can be useful to see what the history was at one point on the car
I only mention this as there are quite a few FRS out there that have been modified (some very cheaply/badly) and then returned (bodged) back to standard to sell on.
There are some very good examples out there, including the modified ones, that have been well looked after, but there are also a large number of sheds as well
BUG4LIFE said:
Performance wise, I'd be interested on how a DC5 compares to a FRS. And how they both compare to a DC2 [as I know what a DC2 feels like, having owned one].
A UKDM DC2 can do 0-100 in about 17.5 seconds.A JDM shaves about a second off that coming in at 16 seconds.
A DC5 comes in low 15s.
A standard FRS does it in just over 14s.
FRS was on my shortlist, but as an only car/daily driver I just knew parts/maintanence would be brutal and it wouldn't be fair to put huge mileage on it.
Megane R26 was next...drove one, and it was really nice...butt he interior is a hateful, hateful place.
Astra VXR....not bad but, it didn't grab me.
MCS R53...very nearly but decided in the end it was too small
Ended up with wild card entry - C30 T5
Not the last word in handling, but a character filled engine, superb build quality and design: inside and out (IMO).
Doing less mileage, I'm sure I would've got the FRS... despite the retina ruining interior colour scheme and the badly ageing interior design, the exterior and driving experience are 1st class.
Megane R26 was next...drove one, and it was really nice...butt he interior is a hateful, hateful place.
Astra VXR....not bad but, it didn't grab me.
MCS R53...very nearly but decided in the end it was too small
Ended up with wild card entry - C30 T5
Not the last word in handling, but a character filled engine, superb build quality and design: inside and out (IMO).
Doing less mileage, I'm sure I would've got the FRS... despite the retina ruining interior colour scheme and the badly ageing interior design, the exterior and driving experience are 1st class.
TameRacingDriver said:
A UKDM DC2 can do 0-100 in about 17.5 seconds.
A JDM shaves about a second off that coming in at 16 seconds.
A DC5 comes in low 15s.
A standard FRS does it in just over 14s.
I know I own a DC5, so I'm bound to defend it to a certain degree, but come on...are you really trying to suggest that the measure of any given vehicles performance is based on how fast it goes in a straight line?A JDM shaves about a second off that coming in at 16 seconds.
A DC5 comes in low 15s.
A standard FRS does it in just over 14s.
To the OP, I was in the same boat as you 3 years ago and considered the same cars. I test drove an un-modified FRS and I thought it was fantastic, but ended up with a DC5 as it just had the edge in terms of well, everything...it seemed to me like every aspect was 10% better than the FRS, and the K20 sealed the seal for me. I've now had the DC5 longer than any car I've owned before (apart from my beloved 205 Gti's
), and I just never seem to get bored of it.Try the major insurers as well as the 'specialists', as in my experience they have have become relatively cheaper in the last couple of years. I'm insured through Admiral for the same it cost me to insure my previous Evo.
In addition, you've got offset the insurance cost next to maintenance and running costs. The DC5's are Jap made Hondas (as opposed to British built like the FN2's); they are bulletproof. In 3 years, I have not had ANYTHING go wrong with the car. At all. I've replaced the front tyres, oil, brake fluid and coolant, and thats it. I suspect that may not have been the case if I'd bought the FRS.
Edited by John Galt on Wednesday 12th September 14:48
BUG4LIFE said:
Performance wise, I'd be interested on how a DC5 compares to a FRS. And how they both compare to a DC2 [as I know what a DC2 feels like, having owned one].
I wouldn't be much interested in the 0-whatever times for a DC5.Back when I ran a Focus ST, which was tricked up by Morego to circa 290bbhp, a DC5 kept me more than honest when already rolling. Granted, I don't know whether the DC5 was breathed on, but eeebuygum it were quick.
That said, I can understand the OP's point; why spend much much more to insure a DC5 when the other car is an RS. I wouldn't. I badly wanted an RS but couldn't stomach piling silly miles on one, hence why I went with the ST.
OP - you may also be able to get a supercharged Cooper S Works for your budget if hot hatches are your thing. Superb ground covering ability and very quick.
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