VW Golf R32 (mk5) v Ford Focus ST (Mk2)
Discussion
..just looking around at potential five door family hatch that could double up as a performance car. Both these interest me and wonder if anyone has any experience and could recommend one over another. The VW is more expensive to buy but I suspect will become more collectable in time...
xjay1337 said:
Why not an Edition 30 Golf?
300 quid remap and you're looking at 300bhp on 99 octane. Easier to work on and common faults cost pennies to fix.
Haven't found an edition 30 for sale below £9995. Have seen an R32 privately, for £7595 and several STs around £5-£6K mark close to me (Dorset). That's the only reason I discounted the Edition 30, they tend to fetch top dollar and even then with 100,000 miles on the clock!!!300 quid remap and you're looking at 300bhp on 99 octane. Easier to work on and common faults cost pennies to fix.
Bought my ST six months ago and love it! Does a great job as a family car even though it's only a three door.
Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
GFraser said:
Bought my ST six months ago and love it! Does a great job as a family car even though it's only a three door.
Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
Is the MPG too terrible? Also, I know there's an issue with cylinder liners on pre 2008 cars, which is the era I am looking at, but is there anything else to look out for?Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
greenarrow said:
GFraser said:
Bought my ST six months ago and love it! Does a great job as a family car even though it's only a three door.
Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
Is the MPG too terrible? Also, I know there's an issue with cylinder liners on pre 2008 cars, which is the era I am looking at, but is there anything else to look out for?Can't comment on the R32 as never driven one, but what you seem to get more features for your money with Ford but probably poorer interior quality.
The engine in the ST is wonderful!
The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
Learn2MergeInTurn said:
Near Bournemouth, so Horsham is about 80 miles away. Funny enough until two weeks ago I was working and staying in Dorking, which isn't that far from Horsham....nice car, but £8995 is more than I want to spend............
greenarrow said:
Haven't found an edition 30 for sale below £9995. Have seen an R32 privately, for £7595 and several STs around £5-£6K mark close to me (Dorset). That's the only reason I discounted the Edition 30, they tend to fetch top dollar and even then with 100,000 miles on the clock!!!
Not looking very hard.Plenty of ed30s and s3s available for that.
xjay1337 said:
greenarrow said:
Haven't found an edition 30 for sale below £9995. Have seen an R32 privately, for £7595 and several STs around £5-£6K mark close to me (Dorset). That's the only reason I discounted the Edition 30, they tend to fetch top dollar and even then with 100,000 miles on the clock!!!
Not looking very hard.Plenty of ed30s and s3s available for that.
I was hoping for feedback from any R32 owners, to compare with the ST experience....
greenarrow said:
Is the MPG too terrible? Also, I know there's an issue with cylinder liners on pre 2008 cars, which is the era I am looking at, but is there anything else to look out for?
The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
It's not too bad. I was expecting around 22mpg from reading other owners' reports but I consistently get 25mpg and I don't hang about. I get about 28mpg on the motorway but I don't hang about there either.. The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
I believe that the pre-facelift blocks are more susceptible to cracked liners as the block was modified at the facelift. Facelift liners are still susceptible to cracking, however, whether or not the car is modded. It's still pretty rare though so I wouldn't (and don't) worry. You can get a 'block mod' fitted to prevent cracking which I may well get done in a year or two when I change the belts, as it's not much more expensive to do this st the same time.
I'm very biased but my ST still puts a smile on my face. Hoping to save enough money for a Mountune upgrade in 2017!
GFraser said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
I had an R32 for about 7 years. Loved it. It was more of a grand cruiser than a revvy nutter hot hatch. Not the fastest, but each journey was special. Great sound, reasonable acceleration & occasional 4wd came in handy at times.
Personally i think the R32 is ever so slightly more 'special', look better, sound better (just), an option for those great seats and you could argue better traction when conditions are like this
Having said that if modified is an option then a facelift ST3 with remap, cat back and new intercooler would be very hard to ignore
Having said that if modified is an option then a facelift ST3 with remap, cat back and new intercooler would be very hard to ignore
greenarrow said:
Is the MPG too terrible? Also, I know there's an issue with cylinder liners on pre 2008 cars, which is the era I am looking at, but is there anything else to look out for?
The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
The MPG isn't bad & the Cylinder Liner problem only affected cars running big boost so an early car shouldn't be something to be avoided in my ownership mine averaged 25's but that included track days also it was a pre facelift version running 360bhp with no liner issues.The police around my way use STs as their un-marked pursuit cars so I guess that means they're pretty tough!
2006 ST-2 44k FSH
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
2008 Facelift ST-2 69k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
2006 R32 79k FSH
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
Out of the two I'd probably go with the ST mainly for that engine the 32 is a nice unit lovely engine note especially with an exhaust on & I could understand if you chose it.
Alternative
Audi A3 3.2 Sport 85/94k 250bhp
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
3.2 Sport with pretty much everything done.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
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