FoRS Depriciation. “Buy it Now” or wait another year.

I know. I’m sorry. I’ve posted multiple FoRS threads and still haven’t bought one.

Here’s my current quandary: I feel like my 2010 CTS-V with almost 150k is pretty close to the bottom of the depreciation curve, at least to the point where driving it another year (20k miles) isn’t going to hugely affect the selling price.

There’s a 2017 FoRS in the right color/options down the road with 25k miles for $30k.

I’ve got a handful of promising “If you ever decide to sell that thing(s)”

Mama wants me to hold off till we build our new house (and it makes perfect sense.) 

Wait a year and see what another FoRS with 30+k miles is worth then, or pull the trigger now?

(Having just typed all that, I think I know what the LOGICAL answer is, but uuuuuuuuugh; ENABLE ME!)

Following as I have been looking lately...

Well, I'm known around these parts for utterly rational car purchases of sensible vehicles. Of course I would say "buy it now" .

Actually, I'd probably wait until after the house purchase/build unless that is more than six months in the future. Mainly because mortgage underwriters don't like you taking out other loans shortly before taking out a mortgage.

There are currently seven FoRSs near me for $30-35k, with between 10ish and 30ish thousand miles, mostly to the lower.

Tempting, isn't it.

I say, buy before they get down to used Evo X territory.  That's when they will get harder to find, I think.

My 2016 has 12k and aside from shift linkage and euro console, is completely stock.  I’d consider selling it since I don’t drive it that often.

It'd be nice if a magazine geared towards automotive enthusiasts had an article detailing what to watch out for when buying a used FoRS, what features were available in which model years, and so forth...

Something tells me that there was a significant advantage to getting a 2017 vs. a 2016.  Or maybe it was 2018 vs. 2017.

I can't even foresee the point at which Focus RS's will stop depreciating. I mean, i'm pretty sure it's like $5000, i just don't know whether that's 5 or like 8 years away. 

18 vs 17 you get the Quaife LSD.

I paid $20k for my ST. I would not pay more for any kind of focus. these are not overly engineered cars. Both the ST and RS have documented issues on track and I've not been impressed with the build quality.. 

I'd suggest going towards a Type R, better performing car overall and I expect will depreciate much better than the RS. 

If you're already looking used, more waiting isn't a bad thing IMHO. they will continue to fall in price. 

Knurled. said:

It'd be nice if a magazine geared towards automotive enthusiasts had an article detailing what to watch out for when buying a used FoRS, what features were available in which model years, and so forth...

 

Something tells me that there was a significant advantage to getting a 2017 vs. a 2016.  Or maybe it was 2018 vs. 2017.

Unfortunately, that magazine you’re speaking didn’t  like the FoRS and instead they preferred to wet themselves all over the Civic.  

They liked the FiST and the FoST, but not the FoRS, so it was one and done for articles.

spacecadet said:

18 vs 17 you get the Quaife LSD.

I paid $20k for my ST. I would not pay more for any kind of focus. these are not overly engineered cars. Both the ST and RS have documented issues on track and I've not been impressed with the build quality.. 

I'd suggest going towards a Type R, better performing car overall and I expect will depreciate much better than the RS. 

If you're already looking used, more waiting isn't a bad thing IMHO. they will continue to fall in price. 

All of the “documented” issues are usually around people driving like complete numpties and cooking the brakes because they are over-driving the car or putting the rear diff into overheat protection because they are trying to drift it around a full lapping session.

Have some mechanical empathy, use proper brake pads (because we all know street pads don’t always work on the track) and realize that unless you’re racing wheel to wheel and/or being timed, you’re driving like an shiny happy person at a track day.

I’ve done two track days with mine, in high heat with very little cool down time between sessions.  I finally got brake fade by driving it too hard by the third session of the second event.  A fresh set of pads and fresh fluid solved the problem and I’ll swap pads  if I go to another track event.

In reply to Stefan :

You have to drive around their imperfections on track. Which is not impossible, but definitely worth considering. 

I will not recommended a focus ST/RS again after driving the new Si and knowing the type R is even better. 

Even having a truck at the time, my hatchback took a pretty fair beating during the process of building my house. YMMV, but they tend to be so damned useful that you end up cramming them full of building supplies that you hadn't planned on buying at the time "or you would have brought the truck".

Just another factor to consider.

spacecadet said:

I'd suggest going towards a Type R, better performing car overall and I expect will depreciate much better than the RS. 

When Honda makes an all wheel drive CTR, then maybe.

For this consumer, all wheel drive is mandatory for something of this power level.

Knurled. said:

spacecadet said:

I'd suggest going towards a Type R, better performing car overall and I expect will depreciate much better than the RS. 

 

When Honda makes an all wheel drive CTR, then maybe.

 

For this consumer, all wheel drive is mandatory for something of this power level.

But....but.....but....special front knuckle for exception Honda handling! No need foar awl weel contwol.


This sarcastic post made by a FiST user.

kevinatfms said:

Knurled. said:

spacecadet said:

I'd suggest going towards a Type R, better performing car overall and I expect will depreciate much better than the RS. 

 

When Honda makes an all wheel drive CTR, then maybe.

 

For this consumer, all wheel drive is mandatory for something of this power level.

But....but.....but....special front knuckle for exception Honda handling! No need foar awl weel contwol.


This sarcastic post made by a FiST user.

I'm sure it drives extremely well when the road conditions are dry and not covered with loose dust or gravel, and the surface is perfectly smooth, and when you're over 70mph or so...

Have you cross shopped a Golf R? can be had in the low 30's with much better build quality and to me a much nicer package

In reply to poopshovel again : hold off until you build your new house and refinance.  Unless your credit score is well into the 800’s. Banks, credit unions, etc will micro manage your construction in ways you find very intrusive.

Things you want to personalize your house, make it your own. Will be poo- pooed until you make the house just like every other house in the neighborhood.  

Want a bigger garage, or a swimming pool? Anything that is uncommon to the neighborhood will delay approval until you give in.  

Want to do some of the work yourself?  Or  anticipate putting in in the near future?  Banks etc have no vision, can’t conceive anything out of the ordinary.  

One more payment, a little less cash reserves and that’s the excuse they will use.  Oh you’ll get a loan, eventually at above prime rates.  

The good news is the cost of driving an extra year or so will be trivial, cars are lasting well into 200,000-300,000 miles now days.  

spacecadet said:

In reply to Stefan :

You have to drive around their imperfections on track. Which is not impossible, but definitely worth considering. 

I will not recommended a focus ST/RS again after driving the new Si and knowing the type R is even better. 

I feel like any FWD or FWD biased AWD hot hatch is going to have compromises/imperfections that have to be "driven around" on a race track. Most hot hatch buyers aren't buying them to track (that $30-40k budget buys a lot of Corvette/FRS/Cayman/Miata/etc). They're going to spend most of their lives on public roads doing normal car stuff, so some on-track imperfections probably don't matter as much as things like general driving dynamics, functionality, interior feel, exterior aesthetics, or even fuel economy.

Stefan said:

Knurled. said:

It'd be nice if a magazine geared towards automotive enthusiasts had an article detailing what to watch out for when buying a used FoRS, what features were available in which model years, and so forth...

 

Something tells me that there was a significant advantage to getting a 2017 vs. a 2016.  Or maybe it was 2018 vs. 2017.

Unfortunately, that magazine you’re speaking didn’t  like the FoRS and instead they preferred to wet themselves all over the Civic.  

They liked the FiST and the FoST, but not the FoRS, so it was one and done for articles.

You can grab a 14-15 FiST for like $12K...maybe less. Add $2K in tune, intake, rear bar, and tires, and you've got a car that won't break the bank and is more fun than any Focus on the daily. Once house expenses settle down, then go for an RS or TypeR.

(car pictured is not representative of a $12K Fiesta)

I say wait and get your home squared away. Even though FoRS are disappearing at an alarming rate (there's a thread about it on one of the Focii forums) you should still be able to track one down. 

I know it's tempting! I have been lusting over a Type R for the longest time. Then I said "well if I get a new ride it should be somewhat frugile, so how about a GTI or a Si?" Even still I've hesitated to bite the bullet because I want a better home and garage that I've been aiming for. It pains me to tell a fellow enthusiast to hold off on a car purchase :(

In reply to pinchvalve :

The appeal of a car like this, at least for me, is that you can leave it 100% stock and enjoy OE levels of engineering and refinement.

Which is why I see used FoRS acquisition as having a closing deadline: need to buy one before they get cheap enough that the tunerboyz buy 'em and ruin them.

I mean... find a bone stock Evo IX.

There's no such thing as a bone stock Evo IX.

You guys who are disparaging the FoRS have never driven one.  It's a truly special piece.

jstein77 said:

You guys who are disparaging the FoRS have never driven one.  It's a truly special piece.

I've driven multiple. The RS was what originally led me to buy my ST. They are not truly bad cars, but there are better cars(for the same money). Those cars require less compromises in build quality, resale value and on track capabilities than the RS and ST. 

I no longer drink the focus Kool aid. 

1. I wouldn’t track it. Plenty of track beaters at my disposal that I hardly drive.

2. I’d probably pay cash for the difference of sale of the V, purchase of the FoRS. Credit score is 820.

3. berkeley a CTR or a Volkswagen, but thanks.

The only other car I’m seriously considering at the moment would be a manual Vagon. Pricing has gotten a little more “down to earth,” into the 30-40k range.

Stefan said:

All of the “documented” issues are usually around people driving like complete numpties and cooking the brakes because they are over-driving the car or putting the rear diff into overheat protection because they are trying to drift it around a full lapping session.

This is genuinely false...

Vorshlag has a blog documenting the issues that they have had with their RS in detail. They are almost guaranteed better drivers than 90% of the people here. In addition, I have been in students cars (and driven them myself) and have been able to overheat the RDU in a light 20 minute HPDE no problem. 

jstein77 said:

There's no such thing as a bone stock Evo IX.

 

You guys who are disparaging the FoRS have never driven one.  It's a truly special piece.

Driven one, tested one, tracked one. 

It's a good daily driver, certainly nothing special, and certainly not a great track car.