Focus St Or Corolla Compressor?

[K19NE G]

I was mighty impressed by the Focus ST when I test drove one earlier this year and was dead set on buying one in the new year, but the prices are still high for the ST3 spec (I really want leather)

Recently though, I've been a bit tempted by the Corolla Compressor, and having been the proud owner of a facelfit T Sport previously I know what they're about, so when I spotted one in black with full leather/alcantara and lots of extras I'm feeling verrry tempted! It's alot of money though (high side of £17k) but is it worth it for the exclusivity and advantages over the T Sport???

What do you guys think??? Is the Corolla too old and is the ST too common???

[Jones~32]

GT4 or Supra TT :P

[PaulT]

What do you guys think??? Is the Corolla too old and is the ST too common???

I had a look at at chrisio's Compressor at Santa Pod on Sunday. It does look very nice and as well as having plenty of go there's got to be some tuning potential there too.

However, I bet it depreciates as badly or worse than the CTS so you would need to be not too bothered about the money to buy one.

As for the Focus, all my friends who have had the common or garden version or the ST170 have had serious problems with their cars. I would never consider spending my own money on one, but perhaps if your company was picking up the bill then it would be fun to drive.

Paul.

[215 compressor]

I was mighty impressed by the Focus ST when I test drove one earlier this year and was dead set on buying one in the new year, but the prices are still high for the ST3 spec (I really want leather)

Recently though, I've been a bit tempted by the Corolla Compressor, and having been the proud owner of a facelfit T Sport previously I know what they're about, so when I spotted one in black with full leather/alcantara and lots of extras I'm feeling verrry tempted! It's alot of money though (high side of £17k) but is it worth it for the exclusivity and advantages over the T Sport???

What do you guys think??? Is the Corolla too old and is the ST too common???

i to was in the same predicament you were in i had a look at the new focus st and then the compressor and decided the focus would become ,well just another focus .i have yet to see another compressor on the road in my area or yet seen one anyware else yet!i love my compressor think its great fun and you do get a lot of people looking at the car sat in a restraunt the other day a group got out of the car and went over to have good look round the car that to me says it all.but the choice is yours.but i recommend the compressor with out a dought

[rolley]

The compressor is a very very nice car.

But....

They aren't keeping the value, and neither is the normal T Sport. If losing a bit of money isn't a problem then i'd go for the compressor. You've got reliability on your side, plus my dad has the tdci titanium and I think its like sitting in a plastic play pen. No offence!!! Tacky Tacky Plastic!!!

Sooo.

You can pick up a compressor on a 55 plate for 15k click autotrader here

Considering the car is 20k new thats 5k lost in the first year. I know you loose a lot on a brand new car in the 1st year however if thats the depreciation of it. A rough estimate for next next year i reacon about 2.5 to 3k more lost on it and then about 1k a year after that.

I've lost 1.5k on my 03 T sport in the last 10 months, I bought it for 8K and i'd probably be lucky to get 7k for it now more realistically 6,500.

Sorry for the realistic pov!!!

[chrisio]

When I bought my Compressor I had been looking at other cars but set myself a maximum of £16k as I didn't want a lot of finance any more.

I paid £15850 for mine, three months old on an '06 plate with 3300 miles and it came with full leather and the optional T-Sport mats.

I reckon it was a bargain for the power and fun aspect

It's quicker than most similarly sized cars on the road and quite rare.

A Focus by any name or model is still a common old Focus ;)

[215 compressor]

When I bought my Compressor I had been looking at other cars but set myself a maximum of £16k as I didn't want a lot of finance any more.

I paid £15850 for mine, three months old on an '06 plate with 3300 miles and it came with full leather and the optional T-Sport mats.

I reckon it was a bargain for the power and fun aspect

It's quicker than most similarly sized cars on the road and quite rare.

A Focus by any name or model is still a common old Focus ;)

got to agree with chrisio on all points .when you actually have a compressor you then realise what a good car you have and great fun .how much is the focus going to loose value not to mention the compressor started at 20k but whos buying them at that now their at a good price considering what your getting and like chrisio says theirs not much on the road thats the compressor cant keep up to considering its a 1800 cc engine i get some right pi!!ed off drivers in their bmw,s when they cant keep oh and the golf gti,s not to mention the good old type honda r,s

[K19NE G]

Lots of good replies guys! I think depreciation will be a problem anyway with any top end hot hatch, so I'd have to live with that...

The one thing that bugs me is that the Corolla will be quite a dated car come 2007... you don't have some of the creature comforts you get with newer cars... then again you do get the fun factor!

I'm just gonna keep trawling the Autotrader etc. and hold out for as high a spec as possible and hope the prices drop even futher!

Any more opinions are much appreciated though! :D

[chrisio]

you don't have some of the creature comforts you get with newer cars...

Not sure what more you expect!

We have things like climate control while a lot of cars still have simple A/C.

Electric windows, central locking, ABS, traction control, ISC, discs all round..........

[Rinko]

you don't have some of the creature comforts you get with newer cars...

Not sure what more you expect!

We have things like climate control while a lot of cars still have simple A/C.

Electric windows, central locking, ABS, traction control, ISC, discs all round..........

Yeah - pick one up with leather and sat nav and I can't think of many more things I would be particularly interested in?

[linty264]

Id be goin for the compressor, too many St's about. Go for a really nice red one. I know a guy who had an r32 golf and he wished he hadnt sold it to buy the ST i think hes goin back to volkswagen next time round.

[K19NE G]

Id be goin for the compressor, too many St's about. Go for a really nice red one. I know a guy who had an r32 golf and he wished he hadnt sold it to buy the ST i think hes goin back to volkswagen next time round.

Like my old red one lol!!! I'd LOVE a red Compressor with TTE front bumper, leather/alcantara interior, sat nav, factory tints and K&N Typhoon kit... in an ideal world!

you don't have some of the creature comforts you get with newer cars...

Not sure what more you expect!

We have things like climate control while a lot of cars still have simple A/C.

Electric windows, central locking, ABS, traction control, ISC, discs all round..........

Yeah - pick one up with leather and sat nav and I can't think of many more things I would be particularly interested in?

Well I'm driving a loan car from work at the mo' - a 56 reg Peugeot 407. Don't laugh!!! It's a great motorway cruiser and has all the toys... it's the little things on newer cars (bluetooth and MP3 through sound system, keyless entry & engine start, split climate control, remote boot, nice digital display etc etc) that the Corolla doesn't have, but then again, the joy may be in it's simplicity???

[linty264]

Saw your rolla the other night K19NE G looks brilliant in red mate bet u wish you had never sold it.

[Ian S]

After looking at that autotrader link, I'd DEFINITELY go for a Compressor. They're beautiful machines...better than Astra VXR's, ST's, etc...the only thing I'd consider holding out for is the new Civic Type R. But they'll be a common as muck given a few months, so for me, without fail, the Compressor. :D

[St3ve]

For what it's worth, I changed my CTS a couple of months ago.

I was looking to get something different, but could not find anything at a sensible cost, cheap to insure and that had the toys of the CTS...Like having a choccy digestive, you dont go back to the plain afterwards...

Ended up going for another CTS. If you are in a position to be able to get a Compressor, then go for it. Only thing I would say is get your loans, finance, etc sorted before, so you have cash to pay there and then or the following day with a bankers draft; they will be more likely to do a deal :D

[MJG]

I was mighty impressed by the Focus ST when I test drove one earlier this year and was dead set on buying one in the new year, but the prices are still high for the ST3 spec (I really want leather)

Recently though, I've been a bit tempted by the Corolla Compressor, and having been the proud owner of a facelfit T Sport previously I know what they're about, so when I spotted one in black with full leather/alcantara and lots of extras I'm feeling verrry tempted! It's alot of money though (high side of £17k) but is it worth it for the exclusivity and advantages over the T Sport???

What do you guys think??? Is the Corolla too old and is the ST too common???

Problem with asking a question like this in a marque specific forum is that almost inevitably you are going to be told CC rather than ST.

Ask the same question in a Ford Focus ST Forum and I'd wager they would say ST!!

For my two cents worth - I would give the Focus ST a serious look. I sat in one (though haven't driven one) the other night in a dealer and it is very very nice.

It has an excellent drving position, yes there is a lot of plastic BUT it is that 'grained' effect stuff and looks very classy inside. Oh and the radio head unit fits properly ;) Have Toyota licked this in the CC

If it's exclusivity your after as your main concern then to be honest you neeed to take into account that a CC just looks like a CTS, until you get very very close. You will probably just blend in to thhe CTS owning brigade. Now if you want exclusivity try an ST in that bright orange colour - very few people in our neck of the woods have had the guts to go for one in that colour.......

[R6TH M]

I wouldnt mind driving a new ST to compare with the rolla but the ST that was on the rollers a few months back was underpowered which didnt impress me alot, the ST side repeater badges look a little tacky and the standard interior aint much to right home about but on the other hand if i was buying one i would definitely get the metallic orange one its amazing looking in the sun.

Linty264

[MJG]

the ST side repeater badges look a little tacky a

Linty264

I do have to agree on that - I think that's about the only bit I didn't like though. They look well er just a bit cheap and nasty.

That said it may be poss do get it debaged or at least remove these side ones....they do look pants.

[Rinko]

Just FYI - there are 2 orange Focii (not sure on the plural ;)) around here and I'm yet to see a compressor (although there are a couple of newish CTS's about - who never wave back ... miserable buggers).

[MJG]

Just FYI - there are 2 orange Focii (not sure on the plural ;)) around here and I'm yet to see a compressor (although there are a couple of newish CTS's about - who never wave back ... miserable buggers).

FTR how would you know the newish CTS's you have seen are not CC's.

Which is my point.

A CC looks like a CTS, a CTS looks like a CC.

An Orange Focus St looks like...........you've been tango'ed.........

[StevenM]

FTR how would you know the newish CTS's you have seen are not CC's.

Which is my point.

A CC looks like a CTS, a CTS looks like a CC.

the compressor has different wheels and a different rear bumper. easy to spot the difference :P

[Rinko]

FTR how would you know the newish CTS's you have seen are not CC's.

Which is my point.

A CC looks like a CTS, a CTS looks like a CC.

An Orange Focus St looks like...........you've been tango'ed.........

Just because i'm an enthisiast and because the difference between the E12, E12 facelift and Compressor is fairly noticable when you spend too much time staring at pictures of them. :D

I'm sure to your average man on the street he probbaly doesn't even know what a CTS is ... let alone the difference between a CTS and a CC.

[215 compressor]

FTR how would you know the newish CTS's you have seen are not CC's.

Which is my point.

A CC looks like a CTS, a CTS looks like a CC.

the compressor has different wheels and a different rear bumper. easy to spot the difference :P

their may not be a big difference in external looks but that supercharger under the bonnet makes a big difference between a t-sport and a compressor i had a t sport before the compressor so i know what im talking about .do you think theirs a pattern forming here. people who actually own a CC can see and feel there is a big difference not knocking the t-sport because i loved my t-sport.do you think theres a bit of green eyed monster surfacing

[Chris.S]

Had my Compressor 3 weeks now and im loving it

[215 compressor]

Had my Compressor 3 weeks now and im loving it

glad to hear it chris.s feeling is mutual