Focus RS MK1 - Am I mad?

[ic0n]

Hi everyone...

I'm quite young, and I've just got a quote on one of these (out of interest) and can't quite believe the price to insure them for my age, most cars of this pedigree are over-21 only on Admiral/Bell/Elephant.

I can afford the car in a couple of months, and the insurance.

Just wondering what else I can expect?

How much for decent tyres? Service?

MPG?

[slipstream 1985]

care.. having a nice car at a young age is something you can only do once

[GroundEffect]

They are far too expensive in my opinion. You can get a car with similar performance and handling for either much less money or get something newer. I test drove one with the intention of it replacing my Integra Type R but nothing about it made me think it was worth more than double the money.

[slipstream 1985]

GroundEffect said:

They are far too expensive in my opinion. You can get a car with similar performance and handling for either much less money or get something newer. I test drove one with the intention of it replacing my Integra Type R but nothing about it made me think it was worth more than double the money.

so's an nsx but youd still consider one. i say go for it.

[Ikemi]

If you can afford it, go for it - The MK1 RS is huge amounts of fun! However as you know, they're pretty thirsty, particularly if you have a heavy right foot!

[Chainguy]

GroundEffect said:

They are far too expensive in my opinion. You can get a car with similar performance and handling for either much less money or get something newer. I test drove one with the intention of it replacing my Integra Type R but nothing about it made me think it was worth more than double the money.

And yet I had totally the opposite opinion, just change Integra to Civic..

Different strokes, different folks eh?

[BoRED S2upid]

slipstream 1985 said:

care.. having a nice car at a young age is something you can only do once

I will second this, we all have a crash in us and its usually when we are inexperienced so take care if you do go for this much power at the wrong wheels first thing you should be doing is get it on track and some tuition.

[Jakg]

For a laugh I got a quote... i'm amazed by how cheap it is.

I pay just under a grand for my car - an MG ZT CDTi. 135 BHP, 0-60 in 10 seconds. I'm 19 with 2 years NCB.

If I wanted something like a Leon Cupra (180 BHP) i'm looking at £1700.

If I wanted an ST170, £1450 (170 BHP)

If I want an RS, £1395 (215 BHP).

Thats *epically* cheap for the level of performance!

[Jw Vw]

Ikemi said:

If you can afford it, go for it - The MK1 RS is huge amounts of fun! However as you know, they're pretty thirsty, particularly if you have a heavy right foot!

what he said

[Baryonyx]

They're known for bein a difficult drive, so be careful. And if you get one, look after it. It's an RS Ford and deserves to be looked after.

[Baz Tench]

Baryonyx said:

They're known for bein a difficult drive, so be careful. And if you get one, look after it. It's an RS Ford and deserves to be looked after.

Some are worse than others aren't they (to drive)? Only what I've heard and not experienced mind.....

[Baryonyx]

Baz Tench said:

Some are worse than others aren't they (to drive)? Only what I've heard and not experienced mind.....

I'm not sure. A bloke I work with who is an RS Ford nut (and Escort Cosworth owner) had a Focus RS and commented that it caught people off guard by tightening up when you put the power on in the corner as opposed to going wide. That and them being a nightmare to drive in traffic, apprently. I'd still consider one.

[Mastodon2]

Baz Tench said:

Some are worse than others aren't they (to drive)? Only what I've heard and not experienced mind.....

There has been come suggestion that the Quaife differentials were not as well "set up" in some cars as in others. Some of them understeer and torque steer like pigs, while others are supposed to be a good drive. Not sure how true the reasoning is, but some people who have driven more than one factory standard car has commented that not all RS cars are born equal.

Keep in mind if you do go through with this, costs will be in another league compared to what you are used to so far. The potential rewards are massive though, so I can see why you'd want to own such a cool car.

[paulmoonraker]

My neighbour has one. Miltek exhaust and Dream Science remap. Goes like stink.

It can be a bit of a handful however at that power, being FWD!

-P

[300bhp/ton]

ic0n said:

Hi everyone...

I'm quite young, and I've just got a quote on one of these (out of interest) and can't quite believe the price to insure them for my age, most cars of this pedigree are over-21 only on Admiral/Bell/Elephant.

I can afford the car in a couple of months, and the insurance.

Just wondering what else I can expect?

How much for decent tyres? Service?

MPG?

MPG will be middish 20's, lower if you like to use the power and a tad higher on a run. Suspect superunleaded is preferred is not required and any remaps will mean it must use superunleaded.

I like these. I like the styling on them and the fact they have a LSD. Fairly stable residuals too at the mo, so pretty safe buy.

I'm not a hatch person, but if I was I'd have one of these.

[rb5230]

Mastodon2 said:

Baz Tench said:

Some are worse than others aren't they (to drive)? Only what I've heard and not experienced mind.....

There has been come suggestion that the Quaife differentials were not as well "set up" in some cars as in others. Some of them understeer and torque steer like pigs, while others are supposed to be a good drive. Not sure how true the reasoning is, but some people who have driven more than one factory standard car has commented that not all RS cars are born equal.

Keep in mind if you do go through with this, costs will be in another league compared to what you are used to so far. The potential rewards are massive though, so I can see why you'd want to own such a cool car.

I was lead to believe it was the allignment differential between cars which made them seem a bit different, something that can be sorted with £100, although by now tyres etc will make lots of them seem very different. I dont think they "set up" diffs any differently probably because they are not required to be set up but just fitted.

A friend had one and it really was a great car.

As said though, if you crash it you wont have anything nice for a while after.

[ManaghGB]

A friend of mine has just bought one which is running approximately 320bhp and it's epic. It's got an uprated diff so handles the power much better than a standard one and hardly torque steers at all as it's been mapped to have a very linear power curve. Embarases a lot of the more expensive performance cars out there and is great fun to drive.

They're very expensive to run though, especially the price of parts as Ford have stopped producing a number of them. Fuel? This one has had it as low as 7mpg on a track but can get nearly 30mpg on a long motorway run at 60mph.

He's 19 aswell and pays £1800 with all mods declared, stupidly cheap IMO.

Just go for it, you only live once and they're not going to lose too much value.

[Gazzas86]

i would say do it!!!!!, i was in the same situation as you at a young age, Money coming in, no out going's i.e. mortgage etc, at the age of 19 i had a Clio 197 Cup, and at the age of 22 i had a Focus RS Mk2, at the ripe old age of 24 now, the RS is up for sale to fund a deposit to get myself on the property ladder with the missus, I am glad i've had my nice cars at a young age, however i've seen the light and can't live at home forever!.

[winshent]

ManaghGB said:

A friend of mine has just bought one which is running approximately 320bhp and it's epic. It's got an uprated diff so handles the power much better than a standard one and hardly torque steers at all as it's been mapped to have a very linear power curve. Embarases a lot of the more expensive performance cars out there and is great fun to drive.

I've not of this before.. I don't know of anyone who has uprated the diff.. tell him to get himself on the RS owners club forum and tell us all about it !!

ManaghGB said:

They're very expensive to run though, especially the price of parts as Ford have stopped producing a number of them.

Depends what you call expensive.. I've had mine for 4 years now and the only things that i've had to get fixed are the after market radiator (so non standard) and the thermostat housing.. Mine has been fine for everything else..

In terms of torque steer, in my opinion its all down to the tyres.. Fit new rubber all round and its sublime.. no torque steer whatsoever.. However, if you track it a few times for example, and therefore have uneven tyre wear.. then it will defo torque steer..

Get one, they are fantastic cars..

In terms of insurance.. go to a specialist.. my car with full mods declared is cheaper to insure than my Mk3 Mondeo TDCI !!

[anonymous-user]

Get my vote, although i might be slightly biased: