Enable me/ get me grounded; Focus ST

So my current life situation with work and two little ones at home affords me nearly zero time to wrench on cars for fun.

My current stable is an 06 mazda6 hatch which I love, but is a 2.3L automatic appliance DD.

My "fun"car, is a 91 Foxbody with explorer top end kit that I've owned for 12years. But due to work/family constraints I've driven it 500 miles since 2005. I have almost no time to mess with it, and it's too stinky/ loud to drive the kids in, so it sits covered in the garage.

Both cars are paid off, and are well sorted.

But lately I've had an itch to go down to one car to combine fun and DD

I found a few base Focus ST for sub 20k. I could sell both my current cars and put over 50% of the purchase price down and have a fun dd, low payment and a warranty. I drove one, and I was impressed. Roads were too wet to gauge acceleration, but the ST did everything else great.

What say the GRM hive? Keep the current cars, and sit on them until I have time to play with the foxbody again, or sell, buy Focus ST and have fun every day.

Normally I think two cars makes sense. However it sounds like right now you never get to enjoy your fox body and you daily an appliance. The focus ST is a great one car and with how its depreciated etc you should be able to find one less than 20k (my buddy paid 23k for his brand new ST3 1yr ago)

Are you planning/able to do anything like autocross? Is this just a daily? You get to cruise on weekends? What do you want the car for besides being a daily thats more fun? (if anything)

Fortunately you have time on your side and there is no pressure/rush to do this tomorrow. I would wait until the spring and see if you can make time for your Mustang and then sell both if you are too busy.

You'll miss the rwd. I bought my Honda fit thinking "this'll be great, a lively little rally car with four doors and 50mpg."

Reality sunk in. And I bought my Celica. Now every time snows or rains my Celica comes out to play. The fit stays parked in the hot sun

I still want to drive an ST, but my friend's standard Focus pisses me off to no end when I drive it. It does not feel like you are driving a car at all. The steering is completely uncommunicative and artificially stuff, the pedals feel like you're playing a video game, and all you see forward is a big expanse of windshield like you're driving an RV, no idea where the corners of the car are at all.

I can understand why stability control is mandatory, as modern cars have surgically removed all feedback needed to control them.

I'm in the same boat, currently running a SUV for the winter and a 350z for summer, with a baby expected in the late summer. I've been eyeing the Focus ST for the same reasons. Can a Focus ST be modded to a point where fwd is enough fun to not miss RWD? Also waiting for more solid information to come out on a possible AWD Mazdaspeed 3. Rumor has it, the Focus RS is coming with some pointing to near 350hp and AWD.

Knurled wrote: I still want to drive an ST, but my friend's standard Focus pisses me off to no end when I drive it. It does not feel like you are driving a car at all. The steering is completely uncommunicative and artificially stuff, the pedals feel like you're playing a video game, and all you see forward is a big expanse of windshield like you're driving an RV, no idea where the corners of the car are at all. I can understand why stability control is mandatory, as modern cars have surgically removed all feedback needed to control them.

Same issue I have with new cars. aside from just setting the cruise and swallowing miles I find them a horrible driving experience. between drive by wire and the electronic power steering the road feel is zero! Im not sure how anyone can be enthusiastic about driving them.

The funny thing is, I think the electric columns GM has are really good. Sick that the steering in an HHR feels better than some BMWs.

Jaynen wrote: Are you planning/able to do anything like autocross? Is this just a daily? You get to cruise on weekends? What do you want the car for besides being a daily thats more fun? (if anything)

I've never done auto x, but I'd be open to try it a few times. Mostly it would be just a daily, maybe a few weekend cars & coffee things, a random auto x, and just enjoying winding roads. That's part of the issue I have with the mustang is that it doesn't do anything particularly well. It's decent in a straight line but it is a pig in the corners and the brakes suck. So I never tried auto x or hpde with it. Of course I could upgrade it, but that's more time and $$ in it.

I feel like the ST would be decent enough stock at auto x to get a feel for it.

dropstep wrote: Same issue I have with new cars. aside from just setting the cruise and swallowing miles I find them a horrible driving experience. between drive by wire and the electronic power steering the road feel is zero! Im not sure how anyone can be enthusiastic about driving them.

Could be just that I'm so far out of touch with what "good is" but I love driving the new stuff.

If you are looking for fun the fiesta st is more fun and gets better mpg--if you can live with the limited space. Having said that,the focus is faster and pretty fun in its own right. My only concern is the focus seems to depreciate a lot. Good when you are buying not so good when you want to sell. Your fox body probably is appreciating. If you can live with depreciation i will do it. I did something similar. Instead of a miata and camry wagon, i got an 08 civic si 4door. So far no regrets and both STs are more fun than the civic imho. If i could afford it comfortably i would be in a fiesta st.

How little are your kids? My youngest was 6-7 when I got the frankenfiat running. He loved riding in that thing. Like took a crowbar to pry him out. It was way noisier and smellier than your stang

IF your kids are old enough to only need boosters/no car seats I would go Fiesta ST all the way, but with car seats especially rear facing or convertibles its a non option.

The Focus ST and Fiesta ST rotate really well, the Focus has more torque steer

Cooper_Tired wrote:

dropstep wrote: Same issue I have with new cars. aside from just setting the cruise and swallowing miles I find them a horrible driving experience. between drive by wire and the electronic power steering the road feel is zero! Im not sure how anyone can be enthusiastic about driving them.

Could be just that I'm so far out of touch with what "good is" but I love driving the new stuff.

My idea of good would be the foxbody mustang you already own.

My oldest is 5, youngest is 16months.

Cooper_Tired wrote:

dropstep wrote: Same issue I have with new cars. aside from just setting the cruise and swallowing miles I find them a horrible driving experience. between drive by wire and the electronic power steering the road feel is zero! Im not sure how anyone can be enthusiastic about driving them.

Could be just that I'm so far out of touch with what "good is" but I love driving the new stuff.

Just depends on what car you drive and your budget. We are living in an automotive cornucopia right now. They have never been better and we have never had so many good choices available. I think it's amazing that you can buy stock cars off the showroom floor that out perform full on race cars of just 40 years ago.

Your 5 year old would love riding in the mustang! Drive that suckka!

Cooper_Tired wrote: My oldest is 5, youngest is 16months.

I'm at 4 and 1yr so fairly same issue. I have a SUV which I daily and a miata as a toy. We just moved back to San Diego which means I can actually drive it again (autocross) after spending a year and a half in Seattle. I couldn't do anything with the car really there because A) no hardtop B) Autocross was 1,40mins away which was too much driving and time away from a young family for dad to escape.

I have recently been debating replacing my two vehicles with the Focus ST or something similar (the new GTI is kind of on my radar now)

The GTI is more expensive, but can come with DSG a mechanical diff (performance pack) and gets slightly better mileage and is more mature, the focus is a riot and every inch a hooligan while retaining practicality.

Also personally I prefer the NON recaro seats which means I would be going for a ST1 car with no recaros/sunroof and extra stuff on it.

What it comes down to for me is no car payments vs car payments. Assuming I got 3500 or so for the miata and sold the SUV for 7-8k I would even be looking at a similar downpayment as you. The math says keep my two current rigs but my heart still makes me wishy washy.

Jaynen wrote:

Cooper_Tired wrote: The math says keep my two current rigs but my heart still makes me wishy washy.

Glad I'm not the only one! We are in a pretty similar boat. Good luck with your decision. I've heard great things about the GTI, but to be honest, VW scares me a little and I have a tendency to lean towards Fords. Plus if I spend any more $$ than a base ST1, I'm going for an Ecoboost mustang.

Yeah I would not think the Ecoboost mustang would be viable for the car seats. Right now I am not going to get the GTI or FST I will be keeping the two cars and putting some love into the miatas suspension and wheels and tires. BUT I am getting to use my toy car unlike you with your fox body.

I've also got a buddy with an FST so its easy for me to get a more extended test drive :)

But Detroit Auto Show Focus RS reveal :)

I made the mistake of driving an FRS just prior to sitting in both an FST and FiST. I know, apples to oranges, but I wasn't a huge fan of the ergonomics in either of the Fords.

The Focus ST is a good all-around ride. I had one, but sold it and bought an FRS. It wasn't as much fun and all the buttons in the ST1 got on my nerves. In hindsight, the extra $2k is probably worth it for an ST2 or ST3. The car really needs a mechanical LSD. You can carry stuff/people and it's a pretty fast car. I'd say that it's faster than my FRS in the majority of circumstances. That said, it isn't a sports car. As long as you're not wanting/expecting a sports car, it shouldn't disappoint you.

Definitely go for at least a Cobb AP if you get one.

The Recaros are not fat-friendly. If you're a bigger guy, they'll probably be very uncomfortable.

The Fist is fun, but the Fost will destroy it, especially since they're about the same price.

This whole RWD bias is crazy to me, Are you saying that RWD is so much better that you would rather drive 500 miles in 5 years in RWD than switch to FWD and enjoy every mile, every year? I don't think so. The Focus is a car that accelerates, brakes and corners like sports car costing a lot more, yet it is better in the snow/rain and has 5 door practicality. It will put a smile on your face every single day...not just when it is sunny. Take it from a FiST driver: you will enjoy driving every day. Drop the kid off at daycare, then take the twisty route to work. Grab that off-ramp at twice the posted limit, then brake hard. Smile. Repeat.

You can easily go to the autocross with it and whip it up. And you don't have to spend a ton of time preparing either - time which dads with kids often don't have. I literally drive to an event, remove the car seat, have a blast, and drive home. Sure, I am not as competitive as when I had a dedicated car, but I am there having fun...not at home wishing I was there in a better car. Or spending hours the day before prepping, and wrenching after an event, and buying more parts, and chasing a $2 trophy. I make the kids breakfast, head to the event, and am home in time for dinner. Happy wife, happy life.

The kids are seldom the real issue...kids love cars, and having a Dad who is a "Car Guy" gives the little porch monkeys something to brag about to their friends. Bragging rights are a big deal to little kids in case you have forgotten your childhood.

In truth, its where SWMBO and YOUR newly minted paternal mind is leading your priorities vis-a-vis time and budget.

A 91 Fox body does not need to be a stink-pot. It would take very little time and or budget to bring it back to original emissions mode and as such you could drive it as much as you wanted. Certainly going to cost less than the first year's depreciation on the new car.

If you get rid of the Mustang, you are getting rid of the "Car Hobby". I am lucky in that I have a wife who does not want to see the car hobby go away. She is smart enough to be concerned about what I might gravitate to as a replacement.

I would wait out the winter and make a point of actually driving the Mustang before I made up my mind. If you find that love has turned to hate, then get rid of it.

would you rather wait until the RS is available and get the bonkers one? Or wait until the RS is out and get the ST for even less