Impreza or Focus ST?

mambo69

We are moving office soon much closer to home, so just playing with buying a much less fuel efficent car, more fun to drive etc

Regardless of if you agree with that would you go for an Impreza WRX or a Focus ST2 or ST3?

I am looking to save my pennies for a year, and then look around, but obviously need a savings goal, very MSE :j

Would like to have a top budget of around 8 to 8,500

so whats the thoughts of the congregation?

vikingaero

Any repair costs on the WRX will be high because of the way everything is packed in - there's no room to sneeze in the engine bay. I actually toyed with buying a ST2 5 door.... and was going to put TDCI badges on it.

jaydeeuk1

Neither

I'd get an elise 2nd gen with the roof that works as a roof, and the fact the pre 2001 cars haven't dropped in value for 3 years (in fact a £6k 1998 car 3 years ago seems to go for nearer £7k now!), but thats probably too hard core for you! IMO a car you can chuck round corners is more fun than one in a straight line, driving to work usually involves being stuck behind some chump in a mondeo.

mambo69

Hey no fair I drive a mondie now!!

I have 2 kids so needs to be 5 door, and fun :-)

Lum

5 door and fun?

Nissan Stagea RS-Four (Or the Autech 260RS variant, if I could find one) would be my choice.

Of your two choices, however, I'd go for the Impreza as it's not FWD.

grimsalve

Have you already ruled out a Mitsubishi Evo?

bigjl.

Lum wrote: »

Nissan Stagea RS-Four (Or the Autech 260RS variant, if I could find one) would be my choice.

Why would anyone go for one of those tacky of heaps?

motorguy

Drive both and see which suits YOU.

My wife has a 2010 WRX-S and wouldnt have a ST about her. BUT the ST has a different character entirely.

The WRX cabin is very low rent but you do get 4WD and greater performance.

scheming_gypsy

Lum wrote: »

5 door and fun?

Nissan Stagea RS-Four (Or the Autech 260RS variant, if I could find one) would be my choice.

i do like those; for some reason I'm liking fast estates lately (probably why i've just picked up an 850 T5 estate); only thing with the Stagea is they all seem to be automatic.

mambo69

At the moment nothing is ruled in or out, but I am a ford man and love the look and sound of the Focus ST, but the impreza tugs at my heart when i see one.

Not adverse to the Cupra, or a quattro although i do think the A4 is overpriced. Never been a golf fan, although the R32 would be fun

gilbert_and_sullivan

It all depends on what you want and how you drive and where.

If you only go fast in a straight line or the dry then whatever takes your fancy.

If you drive your car swiftly in the wet and want it to be able to take corners competently then Subaru is the only real contender, unless you have a good RWD car.

FWD's will always be scrabbling for grip in the wet, add unpleasant torque steer to that, and plagued by boy racer look at me wheelspin if you try and make a sharp getaway in imperfect conditions.

Could try an EVO, but you need very deep pockets when it goes wrong.