Convince me to go with my head rather than my heart.

GordyR · 12 Apr 2006 at 19:52

Oracle said:
Gordy you complete FAG Puma!??? Please, unless your female, get the Focus D

LOL mate... I'm not concerned about the 'hairdresser' aspect. Couldn't care less if people think it's a bit girly. I like them.

As much as I love the deal on the Focus, they do feel a bit bland to me. Nothing really 'excites' me. Not that the Puma is that special or anything but it just has a different feel to it that I cant explain.

However, i'm still having a hard time justifying turning down the Focus to be honest. I'm gonna have to put some more thought in to this and hopefully a few more opinions either way might sway me.

EDIT: From the comments here I would be sure to get a 1.7 Puma if I decide not to get the Focus.

Enfield · 12 Apr 2006 at 19:53

Try them both out before you make your mind up mate

Scottland · 12 Apr 2006 at 19:57

Enfield said:
Try them both out before you make your mind up mate

Words of truth, until you drive both you'll never know.

[TW]Fox · 12 Apr 2006 at 19:58

And do drive them properly, none of this take it around the block once rubbish, impossible to get a feel for a car like that.

Fr0dders · 12 Apr 2006 at 21:15

as above really

the focus is no slouch to drive

with its control blade rear suspension its a very good handling car. you need to drive the two to see what improvements the puma provides. only then can you decide if its worth sacrificing interior space etc..

GordyR · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:17

Right, I have been giving it some more thought...

Unfortunately I seem to be right back to where I started. Head says Focus, heart says Puma.

I will admit that a huge part of my attraction to the Puma is based on asthetics. I think the later models with the 9-spoke alloys look fantastic. Also the interior pushes my buttons far more then the Focus, having sat in both briefly earlier. I would love to dart around in one of these babies for the next year or so.

Having said this I just can't get the "bargain" factor out of my head with regards to the Focus. If I were to choose the Focus I know I would technically be getting 'more' for my money. Looking around, similarly specced Focus' of a similar age are between £5200-£6000. 4k makes it an absolutely cracking deal. Also I know this car has been looked after, having had two owners one of which is an MP who is possibly the most organised and particular person on the face of this planet. Also it was MOT'd and serviced less than a month ago.

I will of course be test driving both before making a final decision.... I think i'm going to have to sleep on this. Any more opinions are more than welcome. Thanks for all the input so far, you've been most helpful in pointing out a few factors I hadn't considered before.

Replicant · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:23

Dont buy cars from friends or family, their friends etc, simply because if it goes wrong you'll be left feeling a bit awkward, easpecially on something mainstream like a focus.

GSXRMovistar · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:25

Not sure of current prices but would your budget allow you to get a Puma Black? Leather interior and LUX pack as standard may swing your decision.

Morba · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:30

has anyone mentioned that he could get a ST170 for under the price of the focus in the original post?

[TW]Fox · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:30

Morba said:
has anyone mentioned that he could get a ST170 for under the price of the focus in the original post?

What, £4k?

Not a chance.

Morba · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:32

[TW]Fox said:
What, £4k?

Not a chance.

ahh poop, took too much notice of the car in the link :/

timbob · 12 Apr 2006 at 22:50

My initial response would be to go with the Focus.

The reason is the Puma that you're looking at is only the 1.6. The problem with that is they'll lose their value rather quickly, as they're not the more desireable 1.7vvt.

With the Focus, you get a car that you know the history of, you know whether they've looked after it (or if they haven't!), so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises coming.

If I was in your situation though - I'd stick it out a bit longer, and hunt around for a good 1.7 Puma. Not only are they a good deal faster than the 1.6 (which was a replacement for the 1.4 as the "slow" Puma in the range), but they hold their value lots better.

The running costs and insurance aren't a killer in the Puma, especially for someone like yourself who's not 17 with no NCB anymore - so I'd look for a good 1.7. It might take a while - me and dad had to look at 6 or 8 different cars before we found the right one for my mum, but there are some good cars out there.

Conanius · 12 Apr 2006 at 23:08

id say im better placed than most to comment here.

i've just traded in my 2003 Focus TDCi 115 Zetec for my 2002 Puma 1.7.

Opinions...

Road noise, the puma isnt noticably louder until your high speed cruising, and when you are driving at speed, its more... involved than the focus (im on about motorway now.. I find I drive the puma slower than I used to drive the focus due to the fact that 100-110 mph in the puma is quite load due to the engine.

Comfort, the puma has what the focus had, cloth sports seats, air con, cd player (abit no steerwheel controls) and sadly, no heated front screen... however, its quite nice not to get 'crazy eyes'

Cost, can only go on fuel so far, I managed to get 250 miles from a tank of optimax, which, considering the way it was driven for those miles, IMO is bloody incredible. I used to get about 400 miles from the focus, but that did cost another 20 quid to fill. Insurance difference is not worth commenting on

Fun factor - puma puma puma. Mainly as the focus was a diesel, and it didnt enjoy corners as much as the petrol ones id driven, but wow, the puma really is a go kart, and the engine note in the 1.7 is fantastic at revs... sounds comparable to a vtec imo when your near to 6k.

In honesty, if you gonna get a puma, get a 1.7... if you want to get the focus, get a 1.8 ....

Slam62 · 12 Apr 2006 at 23:09

slightly on a tangent guys, are fords reliable now (relative to jap cars)the last for i had was a g reg escort ghia (fairly new at the time) and it was a pain in the proverbials, auto choke was useless and the gearbox leaked oil.

Are they dependable now

thanks chaps

[TW]Fox · 12 Apr 2006 at 23:10

Slam62 said:
Are they dependable now

Yes. The Focus, for example, was the most reliable 3 year old used car in Germany when the TUV did a big investigation into reliability.

Yup, thats more than the Volkswagens.

Conanius · 12 Apr 2006 at 23:12

[TW]Fox said:
Yes. The Focus, for example, was the most reliable 3 year old used car in Germany when the TUV did a big investigation into reliability.

Yup, thats more than the Volkswagens.

Id agree with fox there... the focus in the time I had it (december 2003 to last thursday only had 3 problems... electric window failures, drivers side once, and passenger side twice... all fixed for free under the warentee

GSXRMovistar · 12 Apr 2006 at 23:22

Slam62 said:
Are they dependable now

I had Pumas from 99 through to 04 and never ever had an issues.

Oakesy2001uk · 13 Apr 2006 at 07:35

focus! I have one and its great. the 1.6 engine is a peach (for a 1.6) obviously no civic VTi, but decent on fuel, flat torque curve and chases the redline franticly when provoked (which is great). Whoever said the 1.7 was better coz it was yamaha, the 1.4/1.6 and 1.7 all have yamaha heads and are basically the same engine bar the displacement and VCT on the 1.7. All fully aluminium and very light hence the amazing handleing on my focus and decent turn of speed for 100bhp.
Go with the focus its a great deal, insurance will be miles less than the 1.7 puma, you can fit people in the back (trust me the back seats in the puma are a joke), and there wont be much in it in terms of fun. (plus you wont look like a hairdresser/poof/girl etc........)

Oh and I dont want to tempt fate but you probably wont have to fix the focus, ever! they really are that reliable. had mine 2 years, done nothing but changed the oil and pads.

volospian · 13 Apr 2006 at 08:31

Personally, I'd have to go with the Focus. Like Fox said, there's not really that much between the cars, it's not like saying "shall I buy a Focus or an MX-5?".

Sure the Puma is a little nicer looking, may handle a little better and, if you can get a 1.7, pull a little quicker, but the differences are just that, little.

In your original examples, the Puma is a year older and has done 20k more miles and more expensive.

Buy the Focus for a good deal and then buy a "proper" sports car when you can afford it.

D4VE · 13 Apr 2006 at 09:12

Sam said:
The Focus is IMO horid inside

Glad Im not the only person who thinks that!