Daily Drives
Author
Discussion

pigeondave

Original Poster:

216 posts

252 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
quotequote all
I am unsure what to get as a daily driver. Im thinking of a Focus but then thought of the ST170 (second hand 5 door).

My question is what do people use as daily drives when they own a kit? Do I really need the extra power of a ST170 over a standard Focus when I have a fast car on the drive at home.

Driving the Fury to work is not an option on most days as I have lost my parking space in the car park, and don't want to park the Fury on the road.

rdodger

1,089 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
quotequote all
55 plate Golf 2.0 TDI

YAWN! tongue out

mr_fibuli

1,109 posts

219 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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Mondeo ST220... so similar to the Focus you are considering. Gotta keep the commute mildly entertaining biggrin

Benzini

122 posts

205 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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I owned to focus TDCI's, great chassis imo.

Furyblade_Lee

4,114 posts

248 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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my "normal" car is a WRX Impreza (estate version) but to be honest I find it boring / heavy / slow. The problem you will have after a lightweight car is everything else is just "fat" If I did not need the estate bit I would buy something like an Integra Type R as a daily driver. As for a diesel, I would go for something like that Megan Tdc 170, something that would not bore me to tears on a nice road.

groomi

9,330 posts

267 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
quotequote all
I like to have all bases covered:

Daily driver: Jag XJR
Wifes Car/Family Runabout: Golf GTi
Kit Car: Westfield SEiW

biggrin

matt frost

783 posts

275 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
quotequote all
Mine is a MG ZS 180.

I had a Clio 182 Trophy but after getting the Westfield I only needed a cheaper car to get me around day to day and that could tow a trailer. I looked at all used BMW/Audi/Mondeo etc type cars and decided that being young I will get bored driving these and decided on something slightly more fun. Not that I needed a car to be fast, or drive fast everywhere but I wanted something to be fun as and when I needed it. It goes about aswell as the clio, is very responsive, practical, comfortable and tows just fine too.

It fits the bill very well for me....and isn't bad on track either.

JRM Rossi

703 posts

213 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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My daily driver = dodge ram 1500 or my smart car

Porkie

2,378 posts

265 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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500bhp Porsche 996 Turbo... or my Boxster when its sunny and I really can't be arsed to get the Westy out! WHICH IS NEVER!

leaving work now for a blat!

When the weathers nice both Porsches batteries are always flat as...

I LOVE MY WESTFIELD!

dean100yz

4,582 posts

208 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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Megane R26, Clio 197 Cup, Laguna Coupe GT, Koloes Dci175....did I mention I was a car salesman laugh

I have for years had a company car of my choice so use my MAC1 for fun. I use the company Trafic van for my Honda CRF450 too biggrin

Yeah Im gonna get stick for this post!

ian_uk1975

1,192 posts

226 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
quotequote all
Lightly-modded Corvette C6 smile

AdamW

775 posts

264 months

Wednesday 8th April 2009
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Kit car: Sylva Riot - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.
Daily car: Toyota MR2 Mk3 - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.

I'm not sure I have the balance quite right...

Chris71

21,548 posts

266 months

Thursday 9th April 2009
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I've got a Focus as it happens and I used to work for Ford, so my opinion FWIW is that a 2.0 mk1 Focus with the Zetec suspension is more than fast enough for a daily driver.

Mine's only a 1.6 which is distinctly gutless and not that economical, the larger engines are a better compromise to be honest. A mate's got a mildly tweaked 2-litre example which will more or less keep up with my TVR on twisty roads - it's devastatingly rapid for an ordinary, mid-price repmobile.

That said, my longest serving daily driver was a kit-built Quantum 2+2. Keep thinking about getting another as a hack.

LaurenceFrost

691 posts

276 months

Thursday 9th April 2009
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Mine can be found in my profile.

No matter how good a kit car is, I don't think I could have have something boring as a daily car. Even though my daily cars are just that, they will always have an evo magazine rating smile

Edited by LaurenceFrost on Thursday 9th April 17:25

dean100yz

4,582 posts

208 months

Thursday 9th April 2009
quotequote all
AdamW said:
Kit car: Sylva Riot - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.
Daily car: Toyota MR2 Mk3 - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.

I'm not sure I have the balance quite right...
laughlaughlaugh

Gulf -LS2

1,922 posts

228 months

Friday 10th April 2009
quotequote all
Seat Leon FR with Seat motorsport suspension, big brakes, strut braces and chipped

50 mpg if you cruise at a steady speed and fun on country roads.

groomi

9,330 posts

267 months

Friday 10th April 2009
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dean100yz said:
AdamW said:
Kit car: Sylva Riot - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.
Daily car: Toyota MR2 Mk3 - mid-engined, two-seater, no boot.

I'm not sure I have the balance quite right...
laughlaughlaugh
On the contrary, they should be perfectly balanced! smile

AdamW

775 posts

264 months

Friday 10th April 2009
quotequote all
Good point well made smile

Once the Riot was on the road, I did consider swapping the daily driver to a diesel estate earlier this year (I know...), but the MR2 has depreciated so heavily in the two years I've had it that it's not worth selling. I'll just keep it until it dies now, which I think is the best way to deal with everyday cars.

groomi

9,330 posts

267 months

Saturday 11th April 2009
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AdamW said:
Good point well made smile

Once the Riot was on the road, I did consider swapping the daily driver to a diesel estate earlier this year (I know...), but the MR2 has depreciated so heavily in the two years I've had it that it's not worth selling. I'll just keep it until it dies now, which I think is the best way to deal with everyday cars.
We took that decision with my wifes old Mk2 MR2 when the clutch started slipping. We then proceeded to put a further 30k on it over three years before selling for £500 - the thing just refused to die. The clutch had only got marginally worse and no other issues had developed despite the only servicing I carried out in that time being an oil change each year.

funwithrevs

594 posts

219 months

Tuesday 14th April 2009
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Kit: Napiersport Corse (powered by Alfa 3.0V6)
Daily: Alfa 166 2.5V6

Apart from the engine, they couldn't be more different really biggrin