fabia limited edition? or a focus rs???

[vrsturbodenzil]

im in a bother, got a deposit down on the vrs(refundable), but had a look at insurance on a focus rs, and its rather resonable. i travel 40 miles a day, total, and i need advise, or help making my mind up. 14000 ill be spending. i do have the option that if i do purchase a focus rs, ill buy a run around for the daily comute. 500 pound run around. what you all think???? i love the rs, but ive had a fabia vrs for a year and i do love her! just think i want a change?!

[Sam Tan]

Focus is a magnet for scroats is one for the against. Im thinking of coming back to a VRS

[Snoopie]

Focus every single day! It's not even a good comparisons...

[53FabiaVRS]

I used to have a FRS and owned mine for 2 years. I changed it for a Fabia VRS due to cost of running. You can get about 220 to 240 miles a tank. I too do 40 miles a day and found myself at a Shell forecourt every 4 or 5 days! That was £50 a tank full! i averaged between 10 to 25 mpg on a good day! Plus you can only use 98+Ron fuel in it! Running costs are expensive. If you buy the brembo pads for the front, they are £300 and the same price for brembo discs. Everything about the RS is expensive because Ford bump the price up of parts purely cause it say RS.
To be honest, there is not much difference between the mid range acceleration of a re mapped VRS to that of my old 300bhp FRS. No doubt that top speed and getting there, it will be quicker than the VRS. But real world driving i.e overtaking. There is no real difference! I can overtake just as quick in my re mapped VRS than I could in my modified FRS.
Handling wise the FRS is in a totally different league and corners like its on rails because of the same tarmac setup it has from the WRC Focus and Quaife ATB diff in the gear box.
It all depends on how much you have to spend as the most expensive cost will be fuel. I cut my expenses down from £350 a month on fuel to just over £80 in diesel.
Both are very nice cars and personally, I prefer my VRS as its so cheap to run and I dont feel like im working to give all my money to Shell! Also, i never had any problems with my VRS and my FRS had been back to the garage loads of times with small niggly faults!
I wish in some ways Id have bought a VRS to begin with instead of the FRS!! But that is my own opinion!

[Johnwg]

If you can aford to run it - the Focus RS.

[Loz]

why have a new car and then use a £500 sh!tter for the daily run to work? Surely defeats the object? I hate cr@p cars and personally wouldn't want to have to use a cheap run around just because I would be spending too much on fuel if I was to run my new car...

[corradoboy]

Another option at around £14k CLICKY

BOT - The FRS will always be the better drivers choice, faster, better handling etc; and it wins on practicality being a bit bigger. Certainly got the style issue covered too. The Fabia vRS only wins these races on the economy versus speed arguement, but if you don't need to consider that then get something better, which the FRS certainly is, and my other suggestion is better than both

[veeaReSS]

two completely different cars to compare. I'm sure the RS would b a better drivers car!

If you can afford to run an RS then go for it!

As said above, running costs are gunna be alot higher.

I looked at type-r's but they were too much on insurance and running costs. The fabia vrs was the sensible choice for me

[farky77]

Originally Posted by Snoopie

Focus every single day! It's not even a good comparisons...

Like he said, not even worth comparing, Focus RS without a doubt

[stopan1j]

Need to think carefully what 53FabiaVRS has said for sure.

If money was not an option I would go for the Focus RS, however
even f I couldn't afford it really I would probably still go ahead and maybe regret it!!!

- However the Focus RS is a real raw drivers car in my mind, a normal hatch shoehorned with enthusiasts goodies that just about fit, a real one off.

The Fabia special edition is a upspeced Fabia RS - a great well put together reasonaly priced reliable fun car with good performance, handling and economy, howver it will never turn as many heads in my opinion than a Focus RS, but that element will by the sound of it not come cheap to maintain over time


BTW My nethew has a Focus RS and loves it.

[andypandypoos]

FRS and £500 car for the commute or a Fabia vRS? if you can comfortably afford the first option, the second option is pretty much non-existant

[P.G]

The ltd vRS is limited in colour only. Nothing special at all imo whereas the FRS is a truely niche car.
It all depends what you want to get out of ownership.
If you are considering the RS and a runabout then the cost of running wouldn't appear to be a priority.
If the RS is on the shortlist then you must like drivers cars and there are few out there that are as good or rewarding.
My cousin had an RS from new, ran it for a year, put 10k on it and lost £600 when he moved it on! A very quick A-B car indeed.
I like my vRS however if it met my needs I'd have the RS out of the 2, no doubt about it.

[mat-vrs]

Go for the Focus RS. But buy a minter, keep it mint and dont skimp on the servicing.
If/when you came to sell it I cant see you loosing much. They are destined to become a classic car.

[SteVRs]

Originally Posted by mat-vrs

Go for the Focus RS. But buy a minter, keep it mint and dont skimp on the servicing.
If/when you came to sell it I cant see you loosing much. They are destined to become a classic car.

Whilst the cost aspect might be correct, not sure they'll be a future classic. I've heard that said about so many cars that perhaps should be but nerver quite make it. Lets be honest the RS is about to be replaced with a newer, better RS and the ST is a better car overall. I think the FRS I will fade into obscurity... I certainly wouldn't approach one as an investment anyway!

[P.G]

There are folks on here that see the ltd edition vRS as a future collectable
Classic; hero; celebrity......all words that have been cheapened and have lost all meaning.

[VRSquiche]

If your going to spend that amount of money I wouldn't go for either!

Fabia VRS is the ultimate car for the price, but within the price range you are talking I would never contemplate the Focus

Its poor quality build and asbo orange just screams ch@v. I'd personally go for something a little more tasteful, and theres a plethora of options available.

At the end of the day we all have our opinions so go with what you prefer and feel happy with.

If you do go for the focus get an Aquascutum cap and do it properly!

[vrsturbodenzil]

Originally Posted by VRSquiche

If your going to spend that amount of money I wouldn't go for either!

Fabia VRS is the ultimate car for the price, but within the price range you are talking I would never contemplate the Focus

Its poor quality build and asbo orange just screams ch@v. I'd personally go for something a little more tasteful, and theres a plethora of options available.

At the end of the day we all have our opinions so go with what you prefer and feel happy with.

If you do go for the focus get an Aquascutum cap and do it properly!

im guessing your old, or posh mate, if you had read the orginal post, i said a focus rs not st, i do agree that the st in orange is a litle asbo attractive, b its not what im after, focus rs, fabia vrs?? that is the question!

[Blade404]

I'm in the "If you can afford it then go for it" camp

At the end of the day it's only money.. not like you can take it with you in the end... and at least in the years to come you can look back with (hopefully) fond memories of your FRS ownership.

EDIT: Is the diff on the FRS really as bad as Clarkson makes out?

[SteVRs]

Guess I should answer the question rather than comment on collectability etc. The RS is the better drivers car in every respect. Faster, handles a million times better, rarer, etc. If you enjoy driving and you can afford to, then buy the Focus. It's not a choice that even requires thought IMHO.

[P.G]

Originally Posted by Blade404

EDIT: Is the diff on the FRS really as bad as Clarkson makes out?

IMO no.
It can put up a fight at times under hard acceleration and does kick in at times on uneven surfaces but as per usual Clarkson used his usual artistic licence. The number of cars the guy has reviewed and tried to put down with all his witty comments and been proved wrong really does undermine his valid points.
If you are buying a FRS then you are looking for a honed drivers car and there are certain things to expect.
The one I had a shot of on several occasions in both standard form and Bluefin'd was one hell of a car. Pi$$ed on my modded Impreza and was a lot more fun than the Ralliart'd 330 VIII. You have to drive it. It doesn't do everything for you.