RE: PH Service History: Hot hatch heaven
Discussion
Really like this 00s sector of cars at the moment. I'd have an FRS but they are expensive in this group, i struggle to find many meganes for sale and although not the drivers car the Leon cupra r stands out for aggressive looks and strong engine which is easily a couple of thousand cheaper than an R32.
coldel said:
I have not driven one but the Seats seem such a good deal as people are put off by the badge, but if you are looking for out and out performance you cannot argue with the prices they kick around at vs the competition.
They are decent but they lack LSD and most don't have Recaros so lack supportive seats. Still good cars for the money.Ahbefive said:
They are decent but they lack LSD and most don't have Recaros so lack supportive seats. Still good cars for the money.
Drivers seat (ironically!) is easily fixed though. Given that things like Golfs have four figure premiums over them if you value things like seats then you would probably benefit from having your own bespoke seat option anyway.Not a hot hatch, but if you can find a rust free one (almost impossible I know) get a Ford Puma! They're criminally cheap at the moment - under £1000 buys you a decent enough one and I guarantee you that ten years from now, values will be in current XR2 territory.
Definitely worth getting any of the Renaultsport clios
Another cheapeee is the Toyota Celica 190 VVTLI. Again, not a hot hatch but these are dirt cheap and seeing as Toyota have no plans for a new Celica, I can see values rising.
Krikkit said:
To a petrolhead they obviously look very different, but a casual observer wouldn't have trouble saying they're the same car. Much like the current RS!
And that was my point. The difference is reasonably small in both cars. Claiming the MK1 looks special compared to say an ST170 and the MK3 RS "blends in" compared to say a FST is nonsense.Both are tweaked/refined versions of the original car.
Tuvra said:
And that was my point. The difference is reasonably small in both cars. Claiming the MK1 looks special compared to say an ST170 and the MK3 RS "blends in" compared to say a FST is nonsense.
Both are tweaked/refined versions of the original car.
Have to disagree, the mk1 frs had wider wings and chunkier bumpers as well as those gorgeous alloys, no mistaking it for an ST at the time surely?Both are tweaked/refined versions of the original car.
Tuvra said:
Krikkit said:
To a petrolhead they obviously look very different, but a casual observer wouldn't have trouble saying they're the same car. Much like the current RS!
And that was my point. The difference is reasonably small in both cars. Claiming the MK1 looks special compared to say an ST170 and the MK3 RS "blends in" compared to say a FST is nonsense.Both are tweaked/refined versions of the original car.
But you can keep calling that nonsense if you like.
1974foggy said:
Have to disagree, the mk1 frs had wider wings and chunkier bumpers as well as those gorgeous alloys, no mistaking it for an ST at the time surely?
The uninitiated could just as easily mistake one for the other just as they could the mk3. An actual enthusiast would easily differentiate between the ST and RS models of either car.The megane on the other hand, it would be very easy to confuse a 225 with an R26 etc.
Some people on here are obsessed with the mk3 RS not having wider wings etc but I never heard anyone complaining about that with the R26, VXR, Civic Type-R etc of the same era as the mk1 RS.
Talking of the Focus ST170, another car that's surely at the bottom of its deprecation curve?
I know it wasn't universally well received at the time, but neither were a lot of the crummy 80s and 90s Fords which are now worth a packet, so I think eventually people will appreciate that these Mk1 Focii were benchmark cars for the period and values will rise accordingly.
DickP said:
What I like is how you can have depreciation-less motoring in something that's a bit more interesting to use with only the maintenance to be concerned about (which to be honest will be more than a shopping trolley shed, but that's a small trade off).
I also like the Focus mk1 RS. Always have. Not sure I want to have a go in one now though, I might be a bit disappointed having been in much more capable cars!
I honestly don't think you would be disappointed with a MK1 focus RS today, in a straight line its probably not up to modern standards but across a twisty B or un-classified road they are amazing pieces of kit and capable of disappearing from much newer or more exotic machinery. They have a very special feel to the controls in comparison to the likes of the mk2 RS. I also like the Focus mk1 RS. Always have. Not sure I want to have a go in one now though, I might be a bit disappointed having been in much more capable cars!
coldel said:
I really fancied going for a FRS a couple of years back, was going to throw £9k at a 60k miles one, have gone up a fair bit since then. But what put me off is climbing into it that it didnt feel special enough to be that fun car I love to get in at the weekend. I do love the looks of it though, will no doubt continue to rise in value (for no other reason than this countries bizarre fascination with the Dagenham brand!)
Shame that the interior put you off, the drive is quite special, whether its the way the gear change feels or the way it pulls you into the apex of a corner under throttle there is just something about the MK1 FRS sets it apart from the norm. its looks are also quite timeless!MK1RS Bruce said:
coldel said:
I really fancied going for a FRS a couple of years back, was going to throw £9k at a 60k miles one, have gone up a fair bit since then. But what put me off is climbing into it that it didnt feel special enough to be that fun car I love to get in at the weekend. I do love the looks of it though, will no doubt continue to rise in value (for no other reason than this countries bizarre fascination with the Dagenham brand!)
Shame that the interior put you off, the drive is quite special, whether its the way the gear change feels or the way it pulls you into the apex of a corner under throttle there is just something about the MK1 FRS sets it apart from the norm. its looks are also quite timeless!Bought an FRS '3086' with 1800mls on the clock back in 2005, the car was like new, traded in an EVO VI for it. I was a little underwhelmed with the car at first with the factory "212 BHP" but the handling did impress me. spent a few quid on it with a Bluefin map, K&N filter, Milltek exhaust and sports cat which gave the car circa 260 BHP, it should of came out of the factory with that power. I kept the car for nearly 3yrs covering 9k mls. Good looking very capable car, was never a big fan of the interior though as others have commented. Great tuning potential nowadays which can make for a very quick great handling hatch.
I don't think I appreciated how good a car the FRS was back then eventually selling it on for another EVO.
Would I have another FRS? Yes I would, not sure I would pay the premium for a nice one though...
I don't think I appreciated how good a car the FRS was back then eventually selling it on for another EVO.
Would I have another FRS? Yes I would, not sure I would pay the premium for a nice one though...
bassett said:
Really like this 00s sector of cars at the moment. I'd have an FRS but they are expensive in this group, i struggle to find many meganes for sale and although not the drivers car the Leon cupra r stands out for aggressive looks and strong engine which is easily a couple of thousand cheaper than an R32.
I've been saying for a while now that early 00s is the sector to invest in. The 80s cars are all way too expensive now, the 90s have followed suit and tbh, I don't think the 90s hot hatches really improved much on the 80s ones, thanks to insurance problems during that decade which sort of prevented any power advances. The early 00s cars are mostly at the bottom of their depreciation curves and some fairly big advances were made with hot hatches of the period. Civic Type R, Focus RS, Clio 172/182, all of these cars are going to appreciate during the next decade. Most of all, they're just good fun to drive.
greenarrow said:
I've been saying for a while now that early 00s is the sector to invest in. The 80s cars are all way too expensive now, the 90s have followed suit and tbh, I don't think the 90s hot hatches really improved much on the 80s ones, thanks to insurance problems during that decade which sort of prevented any power advances.
The early 00s cars are mostly at the bottom of their depreciation curves and some fairly big advances were made with hot hatches of the period. Civic Type R, Focus RS, Clio 172/182, all of these cars are going to appreciate during the next decade. Most of all, they're just good fun to drive.
Still quite a few 90s gems to be had - my 1995 ST205 Celica is running standard boost with full flowing stainless as only performance mod and has a dyno'd 281bhp, it's pretty rapid and great handling to boot. Just doesn't make the 'trendy list' unfortunately! The early 00s cars are mostly at the bottom of their depreciation curves and some fairly big advances were made with hot hatches of the period. Civic Type R, Focus RS, Clio 172/182, all of these cars are going to appreciate during the next decade. Most of all, they're just good fun to drive.
Now now Scrof, didn't you used to write for one of the Ford mags? That RS doesn't look very standard to me. Front splitter and nasty wind deflectors outside, plus what looks to be an aftermarket intercooler hiding behind the front bumper?
The point of the article is right though. Some decent cars from this era are getting rather affordable. Can't say I see much appeal in the Golf though. Yes it makes a nice noise, but a MK5 GTI is surely a better car in every single way?
The point of the article is right though. Some decent cars from this era are getting rather affordable. Can't say I see much appeal in the Golf though. Yes it makes a nice noise, but a MK5 GTI is surely a better car in every single way?
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