2013 Focus ST, worth it?

[Burnette]

If we got out for lunch and I have the ham sandwich instead of the turkey, am I too dumb to hang with then? Seems only logical by the path layed out.
Looked at pics of '07 GS 350 AWD seeing as you have one. Big ugly jelly bean, Toyota's answer to Buick for the greying demographic, and you bought it the same time I got a silly Jetta. But I would almost bet that if I got to drive/keep your GS, I would push my Jetta under a rug. Better car by far, ain't even going to try to compare.
But really, for the money you paid, you could have done better. Ha!
Just kidding, your car rocks, I like it, and seriously, calling people dumb just for liking the ST, well, it looks bad against the rock thrower.

[DIAF]

If we got out for lunch and I have the ham sandwich instead of the turkey, am I too dumb to hang with then? Seems only logical by the path layed out.
Looked at pics of '07 GS 350 AWD seeing as you have one. Big ugly jelly bean, Toyota's answer to Buick for the greying demographic, and you bought it the same time I got a silly Jetta. But I would almost bet that if I got to drive/keep your GS, I would push my Jetta under a rug. Better car by far, ain't even going to try to compare.
But really, for the money you paid, you could have done better. Ha!
Just kidding, your car rocks, I like it, and seriously, calling people dumb just for liking the ST, well, it looks bad against the rock thrower.

I said that the Focus makes sense for $24k. For $34k it's dumb.

If you were going to order a $40 ham sandwich, I'd try to talk you out of that as well.

And I bought my car used, basically Jetta money.

[kraut_pauer79]

$34k is EVO/STI money.

4 door hatch. Eat the Focus' lunch all day everyday.

$34k for a Focus is dumb.

The top-tits ST comes in at $29,8XX, with full leather Recaros, Nav, Sony Audio with sub and 10 speakers, xenons/LED's, dual-zone A/C, keyless access, moonroof and destination. I think the first guy that mentioned $34K was implying it would be $34K out the door, with TTL.

Let's see, 5 door hatch. Turbo. Manual. Yeah no direct comparison at all . My wife drove the MS3 and liked it, and this is after driving the "almighty" R32 for the past 4 years. Just because the MS3's interior doesn't live up to your expectations doesn't mean others find it just fine.

gotta agree, the MS3 and the ST are pretty well competitors. The Focus just has a way more nicely finished cabin and probably better all-around suspension tuning.

[Burnette]

DIAF, I agree about the thirty four grand, don't know why they are asking (wondering if they are really getting any buyers at that price) for that much. As I stated, for about twenty nine grand, it's pretty much loaded here in NC.
And, the fact that you care enough about your fellow man as to talk him out of a forty dollar sandwhich, well, you and I are solid bro. Unless that was one kick butt sandwhich. Then you done did me wrong.
OK, now I'm hungry.

[hardcore4life]

The Mustang is more fun to drive than any current FWD, so there's that too.

At $24k loaded it would make some sense. The base GT starts at $27k, so a $34k Focus is stupid.

Some day you guys who a defending the Focus over the Mustang for the same price will see how silly you sound.

Sorry but mustang is way too unpractical to me, i have people who sit in the backseat



Have fun putting people in there

[Max Rebo]

The Mustang is more fun to drive than any current FWD, so there's that too.

At $24k loaded it would make some sense. The base GT starts at $27k, so a $34k Focus is stupid.

Some day you guys who a defending the Focus over the Mustang for the same price will see how silly you sound.

Some day, you'll realize (or maybe you won't) that not everyone has the same preferences.
Yes, I agree that $34k is stupid for a Focus ST. It shouldn't be any more than MSRP for the trim level in question.

At least there are some reasonable people here that understand the practical differences between a 4-door hatchback and a 2-door sports car.

[hardcore4life]

$34k is EVO/STI money.

4 door hatch. Eat the Focus' lunch all day everyday.

$34k for a Focus is dumb.

Yeah well i'm not that stupid to pay $8000 over MSRP , like i said, whoever wants to pay $34k for the ST2 Focus needs to go to another dealer because you can buy the same fully loaded car for $27k ....

Also Subaru and Mitsubishi might give you more power but it still have a Fisher Price quality interior ...i went to the Auto show in February and sat in the STI , well i don't think i could live with that car for years , interior quality and feel of the whole car makes me wonder if i can justify overpaying $15.000 for the car that has the $16.000,- econobox feel

[Max Rebo]

I've driven both - I'd take the Mustang still.

I agree with regards to personal preference, but of it comes down to the same price, the focus is a silly choice.

Other people are free to spend their money however they want, however poorly I think of their decisions.

Your criteria are obviously different. Try fitting a family of four, including full size child seats in a Mustang and tell me how convenient it is.

[xtravbx]

Evo's plague is cabin drone, and raw comfort seats. Anyone hear anything on the forth coming Evo? Last I heard it would be diesel. That draws my fancy a little.

If truth, I want.

[Vanilla_Coke]

If truth, I want.

Evo's plague is cabin drone, and raw comfort seats. Anyone hear anything on the forth coming Evo? Last I heard it would be diesel. That draws my fancy a little.

The next Evo is going to be a diesel electric hybrid, if you want an Evo you may as well buy one now while you can....

As for the Mustang, I fapped to it, praised it, then I actually drove it, and yeah its cool on paper but I would rather drive something else; I mean it feels reallllly cheap it makes my Ranger feel upscale lol.

[Wilhelm0075]

Sorry but mustang is way too unpractical to me, i have people who sit in the backseat



Have fun putting people in there

I fit 4 people in my Mustang GT. Of course 3 were women . And oddly enough, that's my interior color on my Mustang

[BRealistic]

I've driven both - I'd take the Mustang still.

I agree with regards to personal preference, but of it comes down to the same price, the focus is a silly choice.

Other people are free to spend their money however they want, however poorly I think of their decisions.

2003 Mustang GT or new Focus ST?

[warren_s]

What part of 4dr hatchback didnt you understand???

How hard is it to understand, that when people need 4drs, they are looking for cars w 4drs. Not a faster 2dr for same money. Mustang can be a great bang for the bucks, but its a coupe. This dude needs 4drs, Let me repeat it again FOUR DOORS!!!

Dood, I know you said you were in the market for a 2 bedroom condo, but you should totally buy an Aston Martin DBS instead. It's only slightly more money but it's way faster!!

[AE2058]

ST version is simply ugly. Wish the U.S would have gotten the Eurospec RS

[brad@fifteen52]

ST version is simply ugly. Wish the U.S would have gotten the Eurospec RS

There is no RS version of the current Focus. Anywhere.

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

There is no RS version of the current Focus. Anywhere.

Unfortunately If they put the Volvo turbo 5 in it I would have left the dealer with it.

Thinking I'll hold off till the Golf mk7 is revealed.

And yes to the person that said I was implying 34k out the door, I was. That was without xenons on it. I think the sales guy said the xenons aren't available yet anyway, I was loopy on my pain meds

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

Yeah well i'm not that stupid to pay $8000 over MSRP , like i said, whoever wants to pay $34k for the ST2 Focus needs to go to another dealer because you can buy the same fully loaded car for $27k ....

Also Subaru and Mitsubishi might give you more power but it still have a Fisher Price quality interior ...i went to the Auto show in February and sat in the STI , well i don't think i could live with that car for years , interior quality and feel of the whole car makes me wonder if i can justify overpaying $15.000 for the car that has the $16.000,- econobox feel

Same here. I would have to upgrade that STI interior, by retrofitting my mkv R32 fronts and leather wrapping the dash, and whatever else to not feel like I'm in a plastic container.

Ya, I'm shopping around. Make a few calls tomorrow.

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

The next Evo is going to be a diesel electric hybrid, if you want an Evo you may as well buy one now while you can....

As for the Mustang, I fapped to it, praised it, then I actually drove it, and yeah its cool on paper but I would rather drive something else; I mean it feels reallllly cheap it makes my Ranger feel upscale lol.

Dang, that sucks. I'm sure it'll be a little better, well I hope

Ya, I dont like the current Mustang at all. If I wanted two doors with a v8, and the luxury of AWD I would buy a used 07 S4 cabby.

[ChiTownA34DR]

Are you in the market for a new car?

Do you have other options youre considering?

For 34k there are a lot of vehicles out there...

Holy hell. Regal GS money.

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

Also, some food for thought, since reading the last page... A ms3 stage 2 Cobb tuned is faster than a STI stg2 and Evo. I have high hopes for the ST in the power and reliability department. So I guess I left that out. It will be modded, suspension, lightweight wheels, tuned, turbo back, intake, new fmic, progressively of course

[hardcore4life]

Same here. I would have to upgrade that STI interior, by retrofitting my mkv R32 fronts and leather wrapping the dash, and whatever else to not feel like I'm in a plastic container.

Ya, I'm shopping around. Make a few calls tomorrow.

It not just the dash feel cheap, when i opened the door it had that typical Asian door feel ,light and had no weight also when you close it it doesn't make that thump noise , also i hate that damned climate control knob .....

[Wilhelm0075]

What did she like about it? Did she testdrive the mk1 or the mk2 ms3? My brother wants me to get one soo bad, but I hate all the cheap hard plastic in both generations. He has a mk1 on e85.

Mk2. What did she like about it? The way it drove. I know in here is the land of dash strokers, but in the real world people usually look at what options they want and then decide on a car based on how it drives. She said the clutch wasn't finicky, the shifts were precise and it handled great.

gotta agree, the MS3 and the ST are pretty well competitors. The Focus just has a way more nicely finished cabin and probably better all-around suspension tuning.

Fully agree having been in both. I would prefer the ST personally, but it will be my wife's car, so it's her choice ultimately. Plus price may play a factor for her. Who knows. Not like I know what she wants even after 11 years

[borapumpkin]

Drove one and loved it. My wife is waiting to test drive one to decide between it and the MS3. And when we buy I won't be going off the dealer sheets or putting up with their BS. I'll go thru Costco and save myself a headache and several hours of "negotiating".

i've been looking at the ms3 too. drove one and loved it. they're cheap and inconspicuous. people aren't really considering them. you can get a 2011 for about $22k from a dealer on ebay. much better bang for buck than the focus, especially if it's going to be over $30k.

these cars come out and it's expected they'll be attainable for under $400-500 / month. like the bmw 1 series. we're like, nevermind! rather get a 3 series!

[gsprobe]

The Mustang is more fun to drive than any current FWD, so there's that too.

At $24k loaded it would make some sense. The base GT starts at $27k, so a $34k Focus is stupid.

There is no $34,000 focus ST. Period.

FYI:

Base GT is not at all near $27,000. Base GT is $30,000 minimum. Then add ~$800 freight, and ~$2,100 tax, and misc addl fees.

[MightyDSM]

If we got out for lunch and I have the ham sandwich instead of the turkey, am I too dumb to hang with then? .

Yes if your sandwich costs the same as a 12 oz sirloin steak

[DIAF]

There is no $34,000 focus ST. Period.

FYI:

Base GT is not at all near $27,000. Base GT is $30,000 minimum. Then add ~$800 freight, and ~$2,100 tax, and misc addl fees.

The OP referenced paying $34k for a Focus. He later clarified it was + TTL.

Right now there is $3,000 sitting on the hood of 2012 GT's, so it's a $27k car.



I went and looked at USAA to see what their "no haggle" pricing was, a good benchmark for what people are actually paying, and it's under $26k before TTL.

[Charlie84]

Why would I buy a .:R when the whole appeal was because of the AWD and vr6. The golf R is an abomination.

Dude, the Golf R is a completely different car with a completely different appeal than the R32. Get over it. If your metric for a successful VW .:R model is that it has a VR6, then obviously a turbo-four isn't going to do it for you.

But if you want a loaded GTI that's faster, edgier, and factory-reliable, that's your ticket. Oh, and the AWD, which is not insignificant.

I see the new Focus ST as a Mazdaspeed3 done right...wider power band, more developed chassis, more conventional styling. Awesome car, but I wonder if it's for a slightly different buyer than a Golf R. I know a lot of people that bought Golf Rs specifically because they didn't want another BMW or Audi. They wanted something edgier that flies under the radar but is still sophisticated and Euro-styled. Focus ST buyers are probably coming from cheaper cars --not more expensive ones --and are more likely to choose the orange paint and flashy wheels (not that there's anything wrong with that).

I love that there is a 'Murrikan competitor to all the Asian/German hot small cars, and that it's truly a worthy effort from Ford. I can't wait to see how the GTI VII stacks up against it. I love that you can now get cars from Ford other than the Mustang that are a scream to drive, and real performance machines.

to this. An American hot-hatch that isn't using massive amounts of power to excuse its shortcomings? Paint mine red, white and blue, please.

[rdevine]

While I am most certainly not the target demographic of a Focus ST, I applaud Ford for bringing this thing to market. It sure does offer a lot of bang for your buck, and it's wrapped in a package that's not too "look at me". That said, approaching $30K for this car is getting a little insane. Hell, a $30K GTI is also insane in my book. But for my money, I'd choose the GTI every single time.

And what the Focus ST will do is up the ante for the competition. That means VW will have to give a significant power boost to their next Golf R to further distance itself from the power output of this Focus. While those 2 cars don't necessarily compete, they are both considered hot hatches. And a $10K premium for the AWD Golf R is a hefty premium indeed if it doesn't come with a healthy power increase as well.

[Perio5]

This would be the real no brainer, arrived today to Mexican soil, 265 hp, brembo big brakes, for the equivalent of $27,000 USD, too bad you can´t get it there

[hardcore4life]

One big reason i buy the ST because i try to support local economy , but i'm not trying to bring politics in this thread, but i'm also the person who would go to local market and pay 1-2 bucks more for an apple rather then go to Walmart and save a buck or two

[Chapel]

Got the call Friday from local dealer they've got a few in stock to come look at. Can't argue with the cars performance aspect, and its impressive numbers it puts down, but $34,000 out the door for nav, and Recaros? 27k sticker without nav, and Recaros

Seems a bit overpriced if the dealer is asking $34k. Online a Full leather Leather + Nav Package (202A) for me shows $28,9k

My local dealer is asking $29,092 OTD for a yellow one with the partial leather and NAV (201A with Nav and power sunroof)
I think it's cheaper to just get the 202A package
http://www.inventory.ford.com/servic...26856&refid=FD

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

One big reason i buy the ST because i try to support local economy , but i'm not trying to bring politics in this thread, but i'm also the person who would go to local market and pay 1-2 bucks more for an apple rather then go to Walmart and save a buck or two

Same reason for me. I'm waiting a couple months, to decide between the ST and upcoming mk7. Currently trying to trade the mkv plus cash for a v6 b7 A4 Avant.

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

This would be the real no brainer, arrived today to Mexican soil, 265 hp, brembo big brakes, for the equivalent of $27,000 USD, too bad you can´t get it there

And if we did get that, I would highly consider. It's basically a mkv anyway. All VW part #'s

[kevin FaKiN spLits]

Seems a bit overpriced if the dealer is asking $34k. Online a Full leather Leather + Nav Package (202A) for me shows $28,9k

My local dealer is asking $29,092 OTD for a yellow one with the partial leather and NAV (201A with Nav and power sunroof)
I think it's cheaper to just get the 202A package
http://www.inventory.ford.com/servic...26856&refid=FD

Plus I thought I mentioned I have a stock mkv that would get traded in toward one, at 13k$ and I have $8k saved, and finance the rest. My issue was merely the point of the attempted over charge. My local Subaru dealer did the same thing with the BRZ when it came out. Told me the average price they sold them for created a perceived demand 5 grand above msrp, and they would not play ball. Even pulled up asking prices from other dealers, and FT86forum and they didn't care. Wlaked and I'm glad I did. I think in the long run I would have been miserable with the BRZ.

[Chapel]

build it on Ford.com and it'll give you local dealers with the window stickers