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Performance and Practicality in mid/upper $20k?

5K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  scott7278 
#1 ·
I'm new to the forum, but you all have a great resource here and I'd love to get the input of the masses. And yes, I fully realize the folly of asking for car opinions on a forum dedicated to one model of car... but here it goes:

If you had a budget of say, mid to upper $20k, would you get a ST (or for those who have one, would you buy it again)?

I'm driving my wife's Hyundai Santa Fe (AWD) as she got a minivan for our growing family. I had to sell my '05 Saab 9-2X Aero (Subaru WRX w/ Saab badges). I thought I could handle driving the Santa Fe to and from work but I'm slowly going insane.

I have two young kids, so a backseat is highly desired (though w/ a 3rd on the way, my car will never shuttle the entire family). I have to have a manual transmission as well. I love gadgets and gizmos and MFT doesn't scare me. And again, my budget is under $30k.

I test drove a Tangerine Scream w/ ST2, Nav and moon roof. Loved everything about the car except I'm not sold on the color. I don't think it's a BAD color, just not my personality. I'm also not sold on FWD having come from an AWD vehicle and before that a '05 Pontiac GTO, '06 Dodge Charger R/T, and assorted 4WD trucks and Jeeps.

Again, I enjoyed the test drive, as short as it was, but seeing as how I could get a BRZ/FR-S, Subaru WRX, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, a 5.0 Mustang or even a used '05 or '06 C6 Corvette... I'm struggling to convince myself that a loaded out ST w/ FWD is really worth the $25-28k.

So where would your money go? Obviously most of you have a Focus or are considering one, so you'll be biased, but I'm interested to hear what some current ST owners would do if given a do-over.

- Rob
 
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#2 ·
I'll agree with you on the Tangerine Scream, a little out there for me.

And I'll go so far as to say I agree with you on the FWD aspect. Before my '03 zx3, and now '03 SVTf, I drove v8 mustangs. I miss them. Badly. I love the focus, but its missing something. And this reason alone is why I'm having a hard time thinking about a new car. No RWD sports sedans offered by Ford, its either Mustang, or SHO, and the sho is too big and Mustang has more or less useless backseats. The RWD sedan platform from Australia (Falcon) would fit the bill (4.0 i6 turbo please!) but we won't ever see that here.

Thought about a used Pontiac G8? RWD, LS7, etc. May not have the MFT and other tech the ST would have, but it is RWD. While the BRZ, et al, interest me, they are on the smaller side, and from all the reviews state under powered. They will out handle a 5.0 Mustang.
Do you have a gas mileage requirement??
 
#3 ·
I looked for Pontiac G8 GXPs, which are the only ones w/ the V8 and manual transmission. They are about as common as unicorns.

I think I could sacrifice much of the tech found in new cars for the right car (say a base C6 Corvette).

I don't have a MPG requirement - my commute is 10 miles each way of city driving, but that's it. I put 100 miles on my car a week, so just over 5k a year - every other trip we are in the minivan because it holds the kids and the dog.

That said, I wouldn't mind getting 30mpg...

I'm in Virginia Beach, VA, so snow really isn't an issue. We do get plenty of rain though, so I appreciated having AWD when the roads were slick. Then again, a FWD vehicle would likely do a bit better in rain over RWD.

Not saying I can't do FWD but good to know someone else out there understands my hesitancy.
 
#4 ·
I agree that the ST looks amazing on paper. But if you feel unsure, keep looking. This is something that you are going to have for a while. I am completley sold on it on paper, but until I get to sit in one and drive one, I will never know if I am going to be truly happy. If you feel as though the ST isn't right, keep looking until you find one that suits you. :)
 
#5 ·
Good advice.

I wouldn't say it didn't feel right, because I thoroughly enjoyed the test drive.

Just wanted to see if others had regretted the decision, particularly if they came from RWD or AWD.

I'm close to deciding, and if I could find a dealer to get me a decent price on my trade-in (or if I sold it myself) then I'd be there.
 
#6 ·
I have a 2011 genesis coupe 2.0T at the moment and that car has been nothing but problems. I used the lemon law to have Hyundai repurchase the vehicle. I'm just now waiting for Hyundai to contact me to arrange the buy back transaction. Stay as far away from the genesis coupe as you can.
 
#7 ·
WOW! That bad??

Other than a bad hood gap, our 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe has been flawless. (And yes, I realize the irony that I'm now considering a ST w/ it's own hood gap issues).

I can't find a Genesis Coupe w/ manual transmission for 100 miles in any direction so that looks like it is out.

The more I think about my test drive and the reviews I'm reading, the more convinced I am that this will be the right choice.
 
#8 ·
Well I have the new st and have been driving a focus’s for 10years now. The st is the best one yet by far. I get a new car about every 5 years typically I put 20 to 25K a year on a car, so I drive a good bit. Mileage is important to me being I do drive so much, my original though for a car was a TDI wagon can’t really beat the MPG it gets and over all it can be equipped very similar to the st. However I’m also a driving enthusiast, I have been driving on track for 8 years and instructing students for 3 so I do enjoy a good handling car, and this had made me consider a BRZ. A BRZ would have to be a toy it’s just not practical it’s hard to fit the kids in I can’t fit my dog in it either.

So why is the st the car I chose it does many things well, I can fit 2 kids in the back and my very large dog 120+ lbs in the hatch. I can get 32mpg or if it want to I can drive it fast and get 12mpg. The seats and ride are very sporty but not punishing like my race car. I like all the convinces it has auto headlight’s the navigation system, hands free phone, and all the little touches ford has but into the car. By far the st is the nicest car I have .
 
#9 ·
WRX hatch has all weather traction and alot of room insiode with the seats folded flat and is an awesome road trip car and you can get the optional Yakima load warrior roof rack which really adds usefulness and frees up interior room and very easy to add horses with just a little more boost.
 
#10 ·
WRX's get terrible mpg.

The ST sounds like your best choice, but also consider (as weird as it sounds) an '07 Cadillac CTS-V.
V8 in the front, six speed in the middle, kids in the back... Just sayin. It's no mileage queen but it isn't terrible for having a corvette engine.
 
#12 ·
I get 20 city and 29hwy with my STI which isn't bad for having the capabilities to go with it and with well over 300hp helps me not worry about the MPGs. Around town it is a bit much tho' and one noisey car.
 
#13 ·
29hwy with your STI?? I get like 25 max in my nearly stock wrx...

As far as the ST, I say go for it. I don't know if there are any big advantages of AWD given where you live and hatches are definitely friendly for hauling kids/dogs/oversized stuff. But if a hatch isn't necessary, what about a used G35 sedan? I'm not sure how often they came with a manual though...
 
#14 ·
Yes,I have gotten 29hwy but it is closer to 26 indicated and for all the uphill driving we do we also have the downhills too which really helps out the MPGs depending on the routes I take.
 
#16 ·
I have a '12 hatchback, and if my budget was $30,000 without needing maximum mpg, I'd be all over it. In fact, I came dangerously close to buying one as a companion to the other.

My commute is 70 miles daily, so it's not right for me, but if that commute ever changed, I'd try to avoid the dealership so as not to wind up with two cars (I'm single).
 
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