Focus ST to GTI Anyone?

[Sean465]

Hi All

Has anyone traded up from a Focus ST to a Golf GTI mk 6?? I currently have the 'blue collar peoples champion(!?)', but just placed my order for a CW DSG...should be here by 2014.

Just interested to hear the differences from anyone who has. I was blown away on the test drive for the Golf but I am gonna miss the 5 pot wurble (but not the 25 mpg average..)

Cheers
Sean

[Keithuk]

Welcome to the forum Sean.

but just placed my order for a CW DSG...should be here by 2014.

2014  are you having a custom special built thats going to take 2 years to build?

[R32UK]

Havent owned but spent a bit of time with the ST previously. The GTI doesnt sound as good as std, but you will most definately enjoy the much better mpg on the GTI.

A remap is a must to make it fun when pushing on, and offers better economy when taking it easy.

You will also find that the GTI is a little more fun that the ST simply down to the better driving position and being lighter. 


Welcome to the forum.... a great way to killl time until your GTI arrives 

[The Doc]

Welcome to the forum Sean.

but just placed my order for a CW DSG...should be here by 2014.

2014  are you having a custom special built thats going to take 2 years to build?

For the love of god - Help and SARCASM since '02.....


2014 made me LOL - Welcome, you'll fit in here very well 

[EyeballPaul]

I took an ST out for a test drive before i brought my MK5 GTI, loved the sound but sat far to high and wasnt keen on the cheap interior feel.

The MPG was the real killer, especially when you compare it to a MK6 which is a good few MPG better than the MK5.

[Will@carbon]

The thing for me with the st is that the build just isn't as good as the golf and that's far from perfect. Seams every 2 year old st feels knackered compared to a golf.

But....

On a ford discount ticket the st 3 was £16000 and the golf isn't, but they don't make them anymore so that's that.

But....

Driven a few st's, ive not lived with one and they are great but the golfs are just better all rounders. Also if you get a DSG you won't be disappointed with the sound, it supprised me how good it sounds. DSG has been by far away the best option I've ever had on a car it's more than just an auto and you just don't get that option on a focus, so golf it is.


Good luck.

[Buck]

...just placed my order for a CW DSG...should be here by 20:14.

...

Bloody hell that's quick - only 4 hours to go and a dealer that opens late night too!! :lol:


Seriously though - welcome to the nut house!!

[PenguinGTI]

I suspect - and am hoping - that you will find you're GTI a much better car than the Focus. Candy White and DSG sounds like a spot on combo.

We did have someone not too long ago trade up from an ST into a Mk6 GTI but they ended up switching out quite quickly as a good deal on an RS appeared. His impressions of the GTI after having the ST were not at all negative and I think the only reason he changed was that he had actually wanted an RS all along but had never found the right deal.

Just to add some icing to the cake of your new purchase, my Mk6 made 222.6 HP (at the engine) on the factory map. I don't know if Focus ST's outperform the manufacturer's stated output's but at least it's less than 3 HP off the quoted figure for the 2.5 lump.

Looking forward to seeing some pics.

[mkviken]

i very nearly bought an RS but went for the golf in the end

the only new RS i could find were green (still a few left unregistered) but my other half hated the green and i didn't want to buy used so took the sensible option and went for the golf.

the ST is a great car and i would say its a match for the golf in every aspect except after sales value and MPG is a joke. build quality on fords is very good (our 4 year old zebec rattles a lot less than my 1500mile old gti)

you can feel the weight in the ST though. if it were a bit lighter it would be a REALLY good car (and maybe do better MPG)

[gman86]

I had an ST for 3 years and I definitely miss the noise and the torque. 17mpg isn't missed, however. I had mine at 302bhp/360lbft torque and it's a shame the Golf takes a good fair amount more cash to get near that figure

Build quality wise? Well, over 40mph the Golf makes a horrible wind noise that sounds like the window is open slightly. The ST didn't make a peep all the way up to 160 leptons.

As far weight - don't folk realise the Golf is actually heavier than the ST? A good 60kgs more.

Driving wise - the ST always felt more confident in the bends, but I'm not sure if the nervousness of the Golf is because of the run flats. The diff helps pull out the bends in the dry, but is as useless as an open diff in the wet. Brakes don't feel as strong either, and seem to suffer more from fade.

The above seems very negative, but I'm glad I've got the GTI now. It's just a nicer place to be and I was fed up of the drama of taking the ST as a daily driver. The constant pops, bangs and high-teen MPG figures were getting boring.