PovK1

drive all four and report back your findings

rabbos

Yes, I'll agree that the V8s sound nice, but the others didn't set my pulse racing... I was actually referring to the lesser type VAG hatches, and forgot to read it from the 'pedantic bell end' POV

Whenever I see any kind of comment from blatant fanboys going on about passing other cars like they are going backwards I do an actual LOL, and feel sorry that the humble tw@t is still going strong

Matteeboy

Focus ST - Audi Quattro soundtrack, excellent handling, plenty of torque but heavy engine so nose heavy, interior a bit iffy, Mountune work makes it a proper quick car basher. Mpg very poor for the bhp.
CTR - skittish back end but lovely soundtrack, best gearchange of any hatch, steering a bit light, slightly chavvy, naff all torque so need thrashing.
Astra VXR - not as quick as it should be but still fast, actually well made, good strong engine, nice handling, better mpg than an ST, lots of road presence.

As a Leon isn't even on your shortlist, I'm not actually going to mention it (I don't like them much) let alone bang on forever about them. I'd much sooner look at en Edition 30 mk5 GTi Golf.

PovK1

Obviously havent heard the 2.5 5cylinder audi TT-RS then. Ford take lesson. Or should I say volvo.

YouTube - GTI Edition 30 Stage 2 vs Astra VXR Stage 2

YouTube - Golf GTI 30 edition vs m3 e46 (smg)

Astra VXR struggles to put down power, Focus ST has too many hinderances that require alot of money to put it on par with a K04 VAG.

YouTube - Golf GTI Edition 30 vs Ford Focus ST

Dream Weaver

Can't say I've noticed any hinderances, or spent mega money in my 300 brake ST.

It drives nice and smoothly, is fast, reliable and cheap to buy and run. I wouldn't swap it for a Golf GTI or a Leon any day of the week regardless of which one of them was faster. Being the fastest is the preserve of 21 year olds and not really important when you grow up.

PovK1

Being fast has nothing to do with age. Some people just enjoy going quicker than others, and for less money.

Matteeboy

wrxhewitson

well ur the 1st person to say the st is cheap to run. every1 else says their really thirsty and need lots of fill ups.

i agree, i love acceleration as much now as i did wen i was younger, it has nothin to do with age. i'd go for quickness off the blocks ova top end speed

Dream Weaver

It's a bit thirsty, 23mpg is my average for the year but as I only do low miles it doesn't bother me for the power it has.

Other than that servicing is cheap, £180 for my last one, tax is ok at £215 and insurance seems cheap as well.

Much cheaper to run than our civic diesel anyway.

Dream Weaver

And my point on the speed thing was that most people are happy to have a fast car, they don't have to own the "fastest" car. Povk's ballistic leon may be quicker than my ST and that's fine.

PovK1

Can o worms.

Define fast.

Even once mines done it wont be anywhere near fast enough to satisfy my needs.

I need something stupid fast, Something that scares me when I put my foot down and have to fight to keep on the road. I have issues

ScoobyJawa

The ST might be thirsty, but its a peach of an engine! Its got soooo much torque its really easy to drive around in any gear and it just picks up and goes even from really low revs, with a surge as the turbo comes in. In comparison my 210bhp MK1 Cupra (not the MK2 mentioned above) is just flat until the turbo really starts to spin around 2.5k revs, really noticable after the ST!

Saying that though its 700cc down, worth a third and does nigh on 30mpg all the time, more on a run.

wrxhewitson

an old mate of mine has an st so i contacted him the other day, he says he gets about 240 miles on a tank, im goin to try and have a go of it. hopefully at the weekend i will have a go in the st and vxr. the civic is now out of my mind, just decided i didnt really like the look of it that much, so back to the vxr and st.

paulwrxboro

i like the look of the vxr but handling is a a bit errr

YouTube - Astra VXR on Top Gear test track

maydew

iTrader: (9)

i average 29-30 (mixed driving) i do about 180-200 miles a week and put 25 quid of v-power in which is more than enough for the week.

young kid down the road was managing 16-17 in his but drives it like he stole it .

as i have said many times run a 380bhp scoob and see if u still say the st is heavy on fuel,if i do the same trip in the girlfriends 1.8 mondeo that uses the same amount of fuel.

things to check up on
engine liners prone to cracking and show signs of head gasket
oil breather diaphragm but replacement item seems to of fixed the issue
alternator believe to be a diode within the alternator failing
cv joints , they do clunk a little any how but if you fit the vibra technics lower mount along with volvo xc90 drive shaft rubber damper things (2min job) it seems to take most of it away .

wrxhewitson

just watched that vid, terrible understeer. seen a few vids on there now and the st is faster round the track. if it wasnt for the poor handelin at speed the vrx wud be much better. i think takin it a bit easier round the corners it wud be ok.



is this the st? i think anythin close to 30mpg is great. the lad i know that has 1 and said he was gettin 230 miles on a tank will have a bit of a heavy foot. and as for any problems, well every car gets them. mite be a brand new car but can still have faults.

ScoobyJawa

I had a heavy foot in mine which was remapped to 270bhp, I got 23mpg on average, had to fill up around 260 miles, sometimes a little more. Had a trip up to Yorkshire and at one point had 32mpg on the display, but by the end of the tank had come down to 30.

Only thing I'd say is that it is desperate for cruise to be fitted!! (not standard, and not an option, and don't know anyone who's managed to retro fit).

Jimpreza

My mate has a VXR and it pisses all over my WRX. I mentioned to him the video from Top gear and he reckons it was a pre devolped VXR and Top Gear wouldn't have it on the show by the time it was fixed. So it had a stndard SRI set up.

If it were me I'd get the vxr or old shape civic as I love the vtec engine. Only problem is that the old civics aren't cheap for thwe age and mileage especially with them being the old model. The new shape civics are cheap but they look pig ugly imo.

Dream Weaver

The VXR look good IMO, but on our last STOC run up round the Dales we had a member there with a VXR Nurburgring Edition who was behind me for the whole journey and he just couldn't keep with me at all, not on acceleration, handling, cornering etc. I was running about 265bhp then so I had a small advantage in theory.

But then he was getting 29mpg and I wasn't

I have recenly had a play with another VXR that was heavily modded and there was nothing in it in a straight line right up to when we gave up. Not sure of his power though as I didn't know him.

I hammer mine all the time and mainly country/local roads so 23.4mpg average for the year is good for me. I have had it up around 30mpg when motorway cruising though.

Jimpreza

Yeh but my mates VXR is standard and reckons he spanks all over ST's all the time.
At the end of the day it's probably down to the driver more than anything. All of the cars mentioned in this thread are brilliant cars the VXR looks the best (especially on 19's) the ST sounds the best and the cupra is the best for tuning. It completly boils down to ones priorities I suppose.

ScoobyJawa

Yeah but mates always say they have cars that spank others

wrxhewitson

well i didnt test drive all the cars i wanted as they weren't that close to where i live, but i did test 1 and bought it straight away. wot a car it is. can u guess which 1??? i'll get some pics of it on soon.

PovK1

DC5 Type R?

john banks

Supra.

PovK1

I have actually always wanted one