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Feb 10, 2016 20:52:17 GMT
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I'm potentially playing with the idea of selling my Caterham as my family has increased by one! Sadly as it only has two seats and although has a wheel rack and as hard as I try I can't get the child seat to fix to it!
So needs must and ideally want a small ish hot hatch as a play thing with more seats which will fit in my small garage and my thoughts are drawn to Ford's. I love the idea of parts availability etc and a couple of ideas I have had (Which may contradict my parts thoughts) are the MK1 Focus RS.
Not sure if it's entirely retro as such but nevertheless rare and appears to hold their values rather well which is also something that is appealing.
So over to the experts here, thoughts of the Focus RS, running costs, what to look for etc and potential alternatives? I have even thought about the Puma Racing but very little around at the moment and are they just simply expensive Puma's?
Opinions welcome.
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gazz81
Part of things
Posts: 842
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Feb 11, 2016 15:03:02 GMT
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Can't offer you any sensible advice other than do it!
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Feb 11, 2016 17:35:18 GMT
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The better solution would be to get a second car. I bought an avant tdi for £600, it's does 55mpg, you could get family and kids and piles of stuff in it. That's just an example, but there's tons of other sub £1000 cars you could buy for a family run around and still keep the caterham.
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andyborris
Posted a lot
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
Posts: 2,144
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Feb 11, 2016 18:21:42 GMT
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The better solution would be to get a second car. I bought an avant tdi for £600, it's does 55mpg, you could get family and kids and piles of stuff in it. That's just an example, but there's tons of other sub £1000 cars you could buy for a family run around and still keep the caterham. Small children and fast cars don't really mix, cue crying 'cos daddies driving fast, or worse, a stop on the hard shoulder to clean child and seats! Keep the Caterham and enjoy quality time with a older child, who'll enjoy being a passenger in a fast car and helping Dad work on it! I sold a small, very fast, noisy 2 seater, because my 3 year old was scared of it. Now he's 15, he still remembers it and is disappointed that I sold it!
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Feb 11, 2016 20:12:09 GMT
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If you got a focus rs it would appreciate in value - they are a good investment , even more so if you can get one with history that needs tidying .
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Cheers guys,
I don't want to add another car to the family as we have enough and not enough space for more.
The Caterham isn't used enough as it is so ideally I want something that's fun for shows etc with the bonus of more seats, a boot that will carry more than a toothbrush and which is relatively small enough to work on in the garage unlike my old Monza!
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,546
Club RR Member Number: 11
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Ford for thought advice!skinnylew
@skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member 11
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Feb 12, 2016 11:22:00 GMT
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There are a couple of mk1 Focus RS I see doing the school runs locally! Problem you will find is getting the child seat in and out of the back is a p.i.t.a in a 3dr. 5dr later ST with the 5 pot solves that.......
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Feb 12, 2016 11:42:01 GMT
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perhaps a hot escort? same vein but bit more retro
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2016 11:42:14 GMT by s1105117
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Feb 12, 2016 12:21:03 GMT
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why not go for a 280 or 2.8i Capri, retro, fast, 4 seats and a hatchback, win, win, win in my eyes
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Please don't throw litter, take it home.
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Feb 12, 2016 12:22:41 GMT
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The better solution would be to get a second car. I bought an avant tdi for £600, it's does 55mpg, you could get family and kids and piles of stuff in it. That's just an example, but there's tons of other sub £1000 cars you could buy for a family run around and still keep the caterham. Small children and fast cars don't really mix, cue crying 'cos daddies driving fast, or worse, a stop on the hard shoulder to clean child and seats! Keep the Caterham and enjoy quality time with a older child, who'll enjoy being a passenger in a fast car and helping Dad work on it! I sold a small, very fast, noisy 2 seater, because my 3 year old was scared of it. Now he's 15, he still remembers it and is disappointed that I sold it! I dunno, seems most of my friends kids want daddy to go faster when they're driving their small french/J hatchbacks!
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Feb 12, 2016 12:32:18 GMT
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I had a focus rs for a bit and it had LOTS of nearly uncontrollable torque steer, a little while after I sold it I was talking to another owner and he said that there was 2 engineers or mechanics in charge of setting them up or something like that and some are fantastic and some are a bit twitchy so might be worth investigating and driving more than one before you take the plunge.
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10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,253
Club RR Member Number: 204
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Ford for thought advice!10mpg
@10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member 204
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Feb 12, 2016 12:43:58 GMT
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My money would go on an Alfa 147 GTA, looks great, actually amazingly good build quality, engine note to die for, brutal power delivery, and stands out as interesting and different in the 'lairy hatch' brigade, also steadily climbing in price.. *lifted from wikipedia* Clarkson described the acceleration as "Ferrari throttle? Forget it. When you stamp on the accelerator it's like you've hit the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive. Suddenly all the stars are fluorescent tubes" and the handling as "...A corner was coming. And then it was a distant speck in my rear-view mirror. I vaguely remember turning the wheel and I have a dim recollection of being astounded by the grip...and then the moment was gone. No, really, the damn thing is a barnacle..."
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Last Edit: Feb 12, 2016 13:00:50 GMT by 10mpg
The Internet, like all tools, if used improperly, can make a complete bo**cks of even the simplest jobs...
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p1erce
Part of things
Posts: 50
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Feb 12, 2016 12:58:32 GMT
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Both the focus and puma are guaranteed to go up in value, (providing they're bog standard.)
Just don't crash em! They didn't make many bumpers for either!
The puma has a curse word incredible chassis, but is soooooo underpowered, to avoid frustration, and the temptation of modifying, maybe go for the focus? Will need new engine/gearbox mounts + inner wing reinforcements and your good to go!
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Feb 12, 2016 15:32:18 GMT
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I would say don't forget the racing puma and the focus rs are just warmed up basic fords so suffer from rot issues just the same, check either over thoroughly for it
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Feb 16, 2016 16:50:01 GMT
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Thanks for the input.
I think I will rule out the Racing Puma. I think it is over priced for the amount of power it produces however I think it's a good looking car with a cult following which I like.
I still can't get the urge away from the Focus RS however I have taken on board about other cars such as the Alfa however I think Ford is where I am steering towards.
As for the Capri, I love them but not 100% sure as its almost a sideways movement from the Monza, I really need to have a good look around one for a better view of them.
I have now considered the Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, a good example is only a little more than the Focus so this maybe another avenue to consider.
I have had XR 4's previously and know that tin worm will be an issue hence I'm after something in good shape and not modified.
The search commences which is half the fun! Just need to persuade the misses now!
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,188
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Ford for thought advice!ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Feb 16, 2016 22:18:00 GMT
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If you got a focus rs it would appreciate in value - they are a good investment , even more so if you can get one with history that needs tidying . Summed up what I would say . There are a couple of mk1 Focus RS I see doing the school runs locally! Problem you will find is getting the child seat in and out of the back is a p.i.t.a in a 3dr. 5dr later ST with the 5 pot solves that....... They are not quite the same to drive however. But driving a Mondeo 2.5T that 5 pot note is addictive as is the wall of torque. I never went from Warwick to Yeovil so quickly or climb hills so well! Effortless is one word. perhaps a hot escort? same vein but bit more retro Without being funny the Escort MkV/VI was a dog's dinner of a car compared to the Focus and previous Escorts which some incidentally view in the same light. It was Ford's cost cutting exercise and it showed ; nasty plastics even compared to French cars, curse word handling, and generally poor and I've owned/driven a few of them! Cheap however they were. Cosworths are now silly money and the GTis IME are not quite all that. The RS2000 4x4 is not too bad thought . But they do love to rust, not ideal for a daily. I also wouldn't run a MkIV Escort as a daily ; the car would rust before your eyes (my dad's XR3i was way way worse in the rust stakes than my Clio now when the Escort was 11 years old to put things into perspective). I had a focus rs for a bit and it had LOTS of nearly uncontrollable torque steer, a little while after I sold it I was talking to another owner and he said that there was 2 engineers or mechanics in charge of setting them up or something like that and some are fantastic and some are a bit twitchy so might be worth investigating and driving more than one before you take the plunge. It seems Ford fitted two kinds of diff into them. One for the road testers and one for the public. But yes buy carefully. My money would go on an Alfa 147 GTA, looks great, actually amazingly good build quality, engine note to die for, brutal power delivery, and stands out as interesting and different in the 'lairy hatch' brigade, also steadily climbing in price.. *lifted from wikipedia* Clarkson described the acceleration as "Ferrari throttle? Forget it. When you stamp on the accelerator it's like you've hit the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive. Suddenly all the stars are fluorescent tubes" and the handling as "...A corner was coming. And then it was a distant speck in my rear-view mirror. I vaguely remember turning the wheel and I have a dim recollection of being astounded by the grip...and then the moment was gone. No, really, the damn thing is a barnacle..." Bar rust and upper arms being made of Swiss cheese (but genuine Alfa or SuperFlex bushes can fix this) they are a great car. They are a little quirky but feel like a real event to sit in. I've debated about selling the Clio and buying a 147 or GT believe it not for a daily for some time ; I once ran a 147 JTD 8v and that was a great car. With a Q2 diff you are laughing with a GTA. In short the FRS is a car that feels alive despite its humble origins. With its RS tag and the bad press almost being forgotten they should appreciate in value. If I am honest I sometimes consider selling my RST for one ; it's nice to own a usable retro even if it is a future Retro.
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Last Edit: Feb 16, 2016 22:19:34 GMT by ChasR
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Feb 16, 2016 23:09:42 GMT
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3 doors are a pita when it comes to putting baby seats in and out, not so bad once they are older though.
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Sapphire Cossies are indeed similar money, Kgf have a nice one at the moment. If it were me I would go Focus RS, they look nice and prices will be on the up very soon. If you don't get on with it at least you have scratched the itch and will probably make a bit of money in the process, so a double win. And that doesn't happen everyday... On another note my mate has a well sorted Clio 197, he says it is the best 6 grand he has ever spent but the elevator doesn't quite reach the top, if you know what I mean.....
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New cars. Who needs em.....
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orangecords
Part of things
yawner extraordinaire
Posts: 892
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Feb 17, 2016 14:54:26 GMT
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5 door ST was a good call earlier. Mate of mine has a 2007 model with a 340bhp mountune setup on decent coilovers-looks standard and low so very much a sleeper - best described as civilised hooliganism! It gives stock RS models a surprise put it that way... He sold a mk1 focus RS to buy it when his littleun came along (3 years ago now) but misses the early one because it was more of a drivers car.
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I then wanted to start cleaning the interior as it stinks of wood (the material not the smell of a boner) best quote ever!
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,188
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Ford for thought advice!ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Feb 17, 2016 23:26:09 GMT
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The above is exactly what Norris Motorsport told me ; they felt the FRS Mk1 was the last of the great Ford driving cars, where he felt afterwards more emphasis was put on the engine.
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