M140i, Audi S3, Focus RS or Golf R?

[Kenny Powers]

I'd choose the BMW for the engine alone. It'll sound and feel a million dollars compared to the others.

[Nickbrapp]

I would go for a s3 saloon, it's a very very handsome car, the ford will be the best to drive but it looks gawpiping, BMW also looks crap and is a bit numb. S3 won't be amazing to drive but still 4wd and the golf is too Barry

[Kenny Powers]

It's true. The S3 saloon is a very good looking car indeed.

[anonymous-user]

I think you should drive all of them, but IMO. The Focus looks ordinary and is fairly low rent inside, probably great if you end every sentence with a hashtag but personally I think it's daft. The Golf is the clever choice but I couldn't live with a 4 cylinder, stunningly competent car though. Audi, only ever owned one, wouldn't have another, best of the image choices if that's important? Which leaves the 140. It needs an LSD for sure, the suspension is 'ok' but the fact it's RWD and has a straight six wins for me. I'd get over the looks, but I don't think it's so bad anyway.

You need to book some test drives

[Crafty_]

Focus RS - Its too disjointed. Years ago boy racers used to bolt ridiculous bumpers to Saxos and the like, the bumpers looked totally out of place - the RS reminds me of those cars, it looks like a boggo model with a dodgy front bumper bolted to it. It just looks a bit daft. No 3 door.

Golf - Wanted to like it, if I wrote down the ideal setup for a car it'd be 4WD 2 litre 4 pot turbo.
The problem is its just done in such a way that makes it uninteresting. It doesn't feel anything like 280lb/ft, not even close - it goes fast but it doesn't say "go on, drive me". I think the stock seats look cheap, the touchscreen is the stupidest thing I've seen in a car for a long time and the screen is too low, meaning you take your eyes off the road to look at it.. I drove one with leather seats that look much better, but it felt like I was sat on it, rather than sat in a car if that makes sense. The stock wheel looks like a cheapy halfords/ebay special, the 19" option is a very nice wheel, but £600 option. Lots of lads got them on lease dealers, image already seems a bit dubious.

Audi - Not driven one, better seats but less toys compared to the Golf as standard (so ££ for options). By all accounts its much like the Golf. Pixelpeep on here has one and used to have a Golf, so worth getting his opinion.

BMW - no 4WD. Some people complain of poor traction but haven't had any problems myself (maybe I'm too slow? ). I like the seating position and the two big gauges that are right in front of you. idrive screen is in your eyeline, you can operate by feel, so don't need to take your eyes off the road. The autobox is very good (dare I say it better than a dsg?) but many people love the manual too - its personal choice.
Spec wise its a bit odd - leather seats as standard, but seat heating is an option, as are cruise and reverse sensors (you want them, rear visibility is crap). The Pro Nav is worth the money imho. Adaptive dampers worth it too.
When giving it some the sound is great, you can make it louder with an MPE back box if you must. Stick it in eco mode and your granny could drive it. BMW don't like android phones, much more interfacing is possible with Apple stuff but bluetooth/streaming works with all no problem. 20% off list is pretty easy to achieve.

For me, if the BMW had xdrive there would be no contest, but if you spend much of your time on cold, wet, greasy b roads the golf will be faster point to point and safer - just not necessarily more fun..

[Regiment]

Why not a Mustang?

[bigvanfan]

I've had my golf r for 10days and already want my mk5 gti back , if it's fun you want without risk of binning it I'd go focus

[ZX10R NIN]

What about a Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[Limpet]

I've had my M140i for 2 weeks now and just passed the 1200 mile running in mark. Yes, it's flawed in places, but its got bags of character, and for me has a real sense of occasion to drive. Makes a great noise, goes like a stabbed rat, and the interior is lovely.

It's not perfect. The steering is numb, you can find the limits of the suspension fairly easily over our third world roads, and traction in the wet is easily overcome by the box kicking down under hard acceleration. I'm already driving around that by manually downchanging with the paddles and the applying the power smoothly. Then you can accelerate really hard even in the wet with no problems.

Also a brilliant cruiser in Comfort mode. Rides well on the adaptive suspension, turning over at just 1800 RPM at the legal limit, and the engine is very smooth and quiet when just bimbling about. Even does 35 mpg on a run without trying.

It's not the best looking car, but I wouldnt call it gopping either. I like its relative subtlety. At a glance its just another M-Sport 1-Series. I appreciate some see this as a negative though.

[ollie05]

Good thread. Im in the same boat re golf, s3 or m140. As good as the focus is, I just dont like it.

Just cant bring myself to like the 1 series. Seems better in certain colours, then when I go to the dealer, it just disappoints me and so I walk away. Woukd literally only be buying for the engine, so much so I priced up a 340I, but in comparison to the 335d lease deal, its not worth it imo.

S3 is nice, fancy the saloon myself but they are more expensive than the hatch and also less gadgets than the golf.

As you can see im leaning towards an R. Deals dependant...

[JQ]

I've had a Golf R for 2 years and quite honestly it's boring. The only reason I've still got it is it's cheap (£163pcm lease) and practical. The Mini JCW I previously had was miles more fun.

[Tiggsy]

daemon said:

Lozw86 said:

Worth considering the Mercedes A45 AMG too, a very capable car, although a little more expensive new

+1

Though considerably more expensive than the others here...

Test drove all those listed - + RS3 and ended up with the A45 as it is simply better than them all at the one trick pony job of being staggeringly fast A-B car with room for the kids and dogs in the boot (just) and bikes on the roof for the weekend.

But as has been said.....VERY costly for that one trick. Every now and then I wonder if I'd have been happy in the 135 or Golf and 95% of the time I would have.....5% of the time I'd be next to an A45 at the lights and be gutted though

[Hackney]

ZX10R NIN said:

What about a Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

What if you need a back seat?

[Benjy911]

Hackney said:

ZX10R NIN said:

What about a Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

What if you need a back seat?

You buy a Clubsport

[Ahbefive]

Best bet is to drive them all and make your mind up. For me the Golf and Audi are uninteresting and unexciting. Capable but boring. The safe, bland options.

The 1series ugly as anything and feels floppy to drive compared to the RS which feels very sharp and fun.

For me the RS is a clear winner in regards to how it looks and drives but as seen above other people have different opinions (whether or not they have actually driven them all at all it seems).

You need to drive them really. Loads of reviews on youtube to help out but driving them is the best bet to see which one feels best for you.

Edited by Ahbefive on Monday 20th March 21:41

[Hackney]

Benjy911 said:

You buy a Clubsport

Aye, I was looking at this earlier, hence the mistake

https://vindisgroup.com/vehicles/14766?colour%5B0%...

[Crafty_]

Ahbefive said:

The 1series ugly as anything and feels floppy to drive compared to the RS which feels very sharp and fun.

The original one series was maybe a bit challenging from the front, due to the odd shaped headlights but since the LCI it looks rather smart in a typically Teutonic BMW way.
Whilst the BMW isn't as (overly) stiff as some Audis I've been in I wouldn't call it floppy.

I can't get my head around the focus, it really does look like one of those horrid aftermarket bumpers from years ago. The lower painted bar just hangs awkwardly, it has no reason to be there and the masses of grey plastic just looks odd. Even with Ford's current "fishmouth" styling they surely could have got it to look better ? In fact the boggo model focus does look better, or at least more in keeping with the car.

As it is it reminds me of this sort of thing

[JeS10]

Well, whichever you decide on will get nicked within a few months anyway. It's crazy that I know - just in my circle of friends - two stolen Rs, three stolen S3s and a stolen M135i.

I've driven the S3 and, despite it not being very cool to say, thought it was a fantastic and highly capable car. A tad stunted in some way, hard to say how exactly.

[nickfrog]

Crafty_ said:

The original one series was maybe a bit challenging from the front, due to the odd shaped headlights but since the LCI it looks rather smart in a typically Teutonic BMW way.
Whilst the BMW isn't as (overly) stiff as some Audis I've been in I wouldn't call it floppy.

I can't get my head around the focus, it really does look like one of those horrid aftermarket bumpers from years ago.

+1 - I think there is a popular perception that stiffer is better, which as most regular Ring drivers know, is rarely true. The M135i is supple for the benefit of traction. I find wheel movement control quite superb for OE kinematics actually.

As for style, we're still within the subjective I would have thought, however tricky it is for some to fathom !

[Ahbefive]

Crafty_ said:

The original one series was maybe a bit challenging from the front, due to the odd shaped headlights but since the LCI it looks rather smart in a typically Teutonic BMW way.
Whilst the BMW isn't as (overly) stiff as some Audis I've been in I wouldn't call it floppy.

I can't get my head around the focus

I think you have misundersteeod my criticism. Slightly wallowy suspension maybe yes but most of the criticism was aimed at the vague steering/lack of directness. It just doesn't feel cery sporty at all. I guess thats where the M2 comes in at twice the price.

In regards to the aesthetics I guess it just goes to show how people like different things. The 140i just looks like a regular diesel with 'M' badges to me whereas the RS looks purposeful and special.

OP needs to take some test drives as really this thread is pointless for helping him decide.