Which $7k Hot Hatch

Tom Suddard wrote: Hmmmm, how does this look? It fits every requirement. http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3740906754.html

I would keep looking. Personally, I prefer 3 doors to 5, and that one looks a bit beat up. The EAP is the one to get; my non-EAP has the HID lights, and they are quite nice. I have never sat in the Recaro seats, but they are supposedly very nice.

https://www.google.com/search?q=eap+recaro+seats&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=KGFsUbbvKcb8qgGay4HYAQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=504#biv=i%7C8%3Bd%7CfpBTtaQ61kdeWM%3A

yamaha wrote: Says the person recommending a Hyundai......

The interior on the XD's (01-06) were soft touch plastics, carpet/leather inserts on the doors with more soft plastics and they held up well.

Completely unlike the "wtf-were-we-thinking" berkeleyus dash.

Bobzilla wrote: The interior on the XD's (01-06) were soft touch plastics, carpet/leather inserts on the doors with more soft plastics and they held up well. Completely unlike the "wtf-were-we-thinking" berkeleyus dash.

The interior isn't bad at all, I think you've gone off the deep end bob. Although I hate my '01 SE for it being an autotragic, it is comfortable, quiet inside, has a good stock sound system, and doesn't feel "cheap" The SVT's are the next step up from my SE, pretty much better everything.

Point in this matter, which looks better?

This, which obviously is European designed

Or this Which looks like it belongs in a mid-90 truck?

In other news, definitely hold out for a EAP package SVT.

Yeah, that's even worse than I remembered. Thanks for reminding me just how berkeleyed up ford was during that time.

In reply to Bobzilla:

Streets closed Korean boy, find another way home.

oldeskewltoy wrote: DON'T......... The 405Mi16 was and is an interesting car... but NOT for a US resident. Having owned one the parts are just too hard to acquire, too costly... and the car is kinda fragile.... add them up and in the US... it doesn't make sense.

My experience couldn't be more different. My Mi16 has over 240k miles on the clock and it still runs like a top. Absolutely, dead reliable. As for parts, absolutely everything is available and prices are cheap. Tons of AC Delco parts, so you can literally buy stuff from Autozone. I really don't see an issue.

As a point of reference, I just bought a complete factory exhaust for $225 shipped and a new PS pump for $135 (the original lasted 240k miles).

As for the general argument about how French cars are unreliable, you would have a very different opinion if you came from my part of the world! Every taxi cab in the Middle East and North Africa is a Peugeot or Renault from the 80s and 90s. These things are tanks.

Bobzilla wrote: Can you actually find a Mazda 3 for $7k? Just curious, I've not seen anything locally that cheap on them just yet.

Found 8 of them on autotrader within 300 miles of the space coast (Cocoa Beach area)

Tom Suddard wrote: Hmmmm, how does this look? It fits every requirement. http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3740906754.html

The MINI comes standard with better trim, if you know what I mean.

So, let's say I want an SVT EAP. How do I find one? "EAP" or "European" isn't helping my searches and returns 0 results.

In reply to Tom Suddard:

All I have to offer is search SVT and look at pics to see if it has the HIDs.

Bobzilla wrote: I'm just not seeing a Focus fitting in that "upscale feel" for the interior. I know the car can be capable, but the interior screams CHEAP at the top of it's lungs with a bullhorn at it's lips with the volume set on max.

I get it, you like Hyundais, but that Hyundai's interior is way - way - way cheaper looking. Sorry man. "premium feel" does NOT equal an Elantra. No way.

In reply to Tom Suddard:

Well you're only looking for 03-04 Focii if you want an EAP. Typically they're fully loaded, and the big giveaways are the different wheels than the standard 5 or 6 spokes, and the all black leather Recaro seats and interior, as opposed to the seats with red or blue cloth inserts.

I usually look on focaljet or svtperformance and find a nice one every once in a while.

Bobzilla wrote: You want comfort? You want reliability? You want good stereo? Done, done and done.

Want a car that is guaranteed to turn into a death trap in a collision?

yamaha wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: The interior on the XD's (01-06) were soft touch plastics, carpet/leather inserts on the doors with more soft plastics and they held up well. Completely unlike the "wtf-were-we-thinking" berkeleyus dash.

The interior isn't bad at all, I think you've gone off the deep end bob. Although I hate my '01 SE for it being an autotragic, it is comfortable, quiet inside, has a good stock sound system, and doesn't feel "cheap" The SVT's are the next step up from my SE, pretty much better everything. Point in this matter, which looks better? This, which obviously is European designed Or this Which looks like it belongs in a mid-90 truck? In other news, definitely hold out for a EAP package SVT.

Just a general observation but that Focus dash is uh......er............shall we say busy? Odd lines and shapes all mixed together. I think I might get a head ache driving that.

Hmm, I think I'm sold on a Focus SVT EAP. But I can't find the classifieds on SVT Performance or FocalJet. Thoughts?

In reply to LanEvo:

I agree, My Mi16 has been reliable. There are a few minor things that are bad but it always starts up and gets me where I need to go. It does take a little more searching for parts than walking to the local auto parts store but they are not hard to find or costly. I would sooner own and work on it than a VW of similar vintage.

I do not understand.

A focus, but not interested in the lighter car with more power, better gearing, and better interior?

Focus svt gearing is seriously dumb without forced induction.

Srsly. Celica GTS. Drive them back to back and I dare you to say with a straight face the focus is better.

You want upmarket but you're ok with a focus interior? Wut.

This particular Viggen is currently for sale for $8000 with an extensive list of mods, rebuilt engine (not stock), and trans (LSD, etc).

As much as I want to like the Focus, I just can't get past that interior

Swank Force One wrote: I do not understand. A focus, but not interested in the lighter car with more power, better gearing, and better interior? Focus svt gearing is seriously dumb without forced induction. Srsly. Celica GTS. Drive them back to back and I dare you to say with a straight face the focus is better. You want upmarket but you're ok with a focus interior? Wut.

An SVT EAP does have a nice interior, as well as all the modern amenities I like. I'll have to drive one before I decide though.

A large part of this is that it needs to be interesting to readers, too. We need to do a focus project.

Swank Force One wrote: Focus svt gearing is seriously dumb without forced induction. Srsly. Celica GTS. Drive them back to back and I dare you to say with a straight face the focus is better. You want upmarket but you're ok with a focus interior? Wut.

I'm with SwankForce on this one. Make sure you try out a launch from a dead stop. My old SVT was a Euro option car and it was a great driver, but it fell on its face off the line. I hear a tune may be able to help with that now. Also for a small engine and 6spd I rarely broke 30mpg. Just make sure you test drive some other cars, they've all got pros and cons.

Shut it and buy that Viggen.

Proton Satria?, can you get on of those 'round here?

Tom Suddard wrote: Hmm, I think I'm sold on a Focus SVT EAP. But I can't find the classifieds on SVT Performance or FocalJet. Thoughts?

The EAP cars include the following: Multi-spoke wheels (standard SVT was only five-spoke for 02-03 and six spoke for 04), HID lights, Recaro solid black seats, the premium sound package, cold weather package (heated seats, block heater, and traction control), and two other color options, orange and yellow. The HID lights and stereo options could be had with the standard SVT; I know, because my car included these options. Don't forget about ebay; there are usually a few SVT foci listed on there.

Just putting these out there:

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/3745855863.html

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/3734935193.html

pres589 wrote: In reply to Vigo: Doesn't change the fact that dealers do not want to see these cars in their service departments (this per a friend that audits & assists Chrysler dealership service departments). Techs don't understand them, dealerships don't want to pay for costly tools that at this point aren't very useful across the model range, etc. I think they're pretty if you squint and I like the size but they seem overly complicated bas***d children like the Dodge Stealth was.

Well, sure, but since im a professional auto tech and own a 3000gt its just sort of funny how little that reasoning applies to me personally.

I guess what you're referring to generally, i agree with. There is sort of no such thing as a 'cheap' car if it started out 'expensive'. I know a lot of people who have been tempted to buy, and some who have bought, 'premium'/'high end' vehicles with low purchase prices on the used market. Unfortunately, if you're not doing your own work, it usually costs just as much to get those cars worked on now as it did when they were new, and they break more often as they get older. Thus, there are lots of 'cheap' cars out there that people can afford to buy but cant afford to own. If someone is really stretching financially to buy a $7k car and cant do their own work, i would avoid 'premium brands' and just buy the Focus.