What else did you consider alongside/ instead of the Mk 6 GTI?

[VWKev]

I said ST, not RS!!! 

Rolfe.

Do you honestly think the ST is not boy racer-ish ?

Well, I didn't think it was, but then I've never seen one in the flesh - they didn't have one in the showroom at the dealer I went to.

I thought it looked more or less like a tame Focus.  Which would have been OK.  The Agent Orange paint job and the go-faster stripes are optional, you know!

Rolfe.

I was just asking, i thought you were joking at first. Each to their own though.

[Rolfe]

I was just asking, i thought you were joking at first. Each to their own though.

Well, am I wrong?  The roads are crawling with Ford Focuses.  How does the ST stand out from that crowd if you don't shell out for day-glo orange or silly white stripes?

What I really liked about the Peugeot was that it looked just the same as any of the squillion other Peugeot 306s on the road.  And attracted just as little notice from the boys in blue.  It was only when people got close enough to see the little "GTi-6" badge that they started making admiring comments.  And only then, if they knew something.  Elderly aunties didn't get it at all.  That's what I like in a hot hatch.

That reminds me, as the car's going for scrappage, I must get that badge off it before it goes.

Rolfe.

[howlingmoon]

Hi,

I considered several cars:

Scirocco - was my first choice. But then I decided not to as it was not as practical when my family do come visit. 2 doors, small interior and limited boot space. But one cannot deny the beauty of the car. I really love the sporty shape and all.

BMW 320i - as I had driven one before, it was naturally something I would consider again. But since I am living alone at the moment, it is perhaps a little too large for me. Less economical for my daily commute since I would be driving alone.

BMW 120 - since the 3 series was a little too big, the 1 series seemed a good choice but read the Top Gear review and IIRC they said it was a boring car.

Mini - Nice to look at, but like the Scirocco, would be inpractical for me for all the same reasons.

Mazda 3 Hatchback- Looks nice and all... but for Euro16k for the basic model, hmmm after looking at the GTI and Scirocco, I totally forgot about the Mazda.. ha ha ha

Audi A3 - Looks a little dated IMO. Not as simple and elegant like the current GTI. Nuff said...

HM  

[GrantUK]

I considered the Focus ST but the chavvy, boy-racer, plasticky feel of the whole package put me off. I also had a quick run around in my old man's mk5 GTI I was blown away with it. Next thing I know, I'm down the local dealer to have a look around the mk6 and it was love at first sight!

[VWKev]

I was just asking, i thought you were joking at first. Each to their own though.

Well, am I wrong?  The roads are crawling with Ford Focuses.  How does the ST stand out from that crowd if you don't shell out for day-glo orange or silly white stripes?

What I really liked about the Peugeot was that it looked just the same as any of the squillion other Peugeot 306s on the road.  And attracted just as little notice from the boys in blue.  It was only when people got close enough to see the little "GTi-6" badge that they started making admiring comments.  And only then, if they knew something.  Elderly aunties didn't get it at all.  That's what I like in a hot hatch.

That reminds me, as the car's going for scrappage, I must get that badge off it before it goes.

Rolfe.

Just what I said, each to their own. You have your opinion on it and so do I. Just because I think the ST is boy racer/chavish doesnt make you wrong.

Personally I like my cars to stand out, but with a little bit of class. If I wanted to blend in I'd buy a Ford Fiesta or a Corsa.

[Rolfe]

Actually, I've never even seen a Focus ST in real life.  I've looked at Focus Zetecs, and I assumed the ST more or less looked like these.

Doesn't it?

As I said, I got a sniff of the Golf before the pathetic Ford dealer got off the starting line, so I just gave up on that line of enquiry.  I simply assumed that without the puke-inducing orange or the go-faster stripes, it looked the same as the Zetec or the Titanium.

Rolfe.

[koop22]

anyone who knows anything about cars can recognize the ST. they got nice fat chubby alloys and a lager lout body kit. from the back it looks a normal focus except it has dual exhausts like the gti, not that discrete but enough so. It is horrendous on fuel economy im told. i was set on getting it but my budget increased.

[Rolfe]

I wasn't exactly set on getting it, but it was the first suitable car I saw when a friend sat me down in front of the Parkers web site and told me I really had to let go of the Peugeot.  The fuel consumption horrified me a bit though.  I used to get under 30mpg from the Peugeot but now I'm driving further to work I'm getting 32 or 33 - the idea of getting worse from a new car wasn't something I was too keen on.

Then I widened the search a little and saw the Golf, which was always on the mental shortlist, and when I saw the fuel consumption of that it began to look very very attractive by comparison.  Then I looked at a few more features, and an actual car, and the ST was a lost cause.  Even though it was cheaper to buy.

Rolfe.

[Rolfe]

I just saw a Focus ST this evening on the way home from work.  Dark blue with go-faster stripes and "ST" on the side, just to make sure you didn't miss it.  (The house usually has a smaller blue car also with the stripes parked in front of it, someone must have a thing for looking cheap.)

Anyway, it's an ugly-looking thing after all.  Maybe I've just got too used to looking at the pics of the Golf, and maybe the Focus isn't so similar to the Zetec I saw in the showroom after all, but I've completely changed my mind on looks.  Golf wins hands down.

Rolfe.

[FroGTI]

The only other car I thought about was the restyled Renault Clio RS Sport.

The Renault salesman gave me a whopping 22% discount, which made it £8000 cheaper than the GTI, but it was really cheap & nasty both inside and out and I needed 5 doors.

Most other competitors are brash & vulgar and are completely devoid of any class. The Golf GTI is just the perfect car for my needs and nothing else comes close.