MK7 GTI vs Focus ST

[CardinalCorrections]

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I know this is a MK7 Forum "What else were you expecting but for me to say that you should get a MK7 Golf GTI over a focus well I'm not so much looking for advice but a few more general performance and tuning answers that you all could give me which would give me reason to believe that the GTI is better than the ST in terms of tuning.

Forewarning: I know VERY little (which is unusual for vehicles) about this platform is almost anything it all, (I know it is a 4cylinder turbocharged) that being said I do actually know Quite a bit about vehicles I do all my own work on all the vehicles I have ever had as well as any performance modifications.

I really just wanna know a few things:

How do mods like a big turbo (Golf R turbo for example) and tuning and etc effect the reliability
I know this has dampers that can be set to different settings, so how do you go about changing suspension sway bars and will that affect the settings of the dampers.
You guys have all the experience so if you could all tell me WHY you chose the mk7 over different cars that would be great (specifically the ST if that was something that you were looking into)

And yeah, appreciate all the input.

 

[Diggs24]

Everything about the Ficus is inferior.

 

[SnailPower]

Everything about the Ficus is inferior.

This.

Well thought and precise. /endthread

 

[Luva]

I wanted a car that could be used as: a daily driver, furniture hauler, grocery getter, and an occasional track toy. Oh, and I wanted something that was easy on the eyes both inside and out. Lastly, I figured I should at least give the GTI a chance since auto journalists that I respect always gave it high marks.

Yeah, I wasn't cross-shopping against a Focus. Why? Because I know better.

And to the OP - Duluth is beautiful in the summertime.

 

[CardinalCorrections]

I wanted a car that could be used as: a daily driver, furniture hauler, grocery getter, and an occasional track toy. Oh, and I wanted something that was easy on the eyes both inside and out. Lastly, I figured I should at least give the GTI a chance since auto journalists that I respect always gave it high marks.

Yeah, I wasn't cross-shopping against a Focus. Why? Because I know better.

And to the OP - Duluth is beautiful in the summertime.

Correct, Duluth is beautiful in the summertime

Can I ask what you did cross shop with?

Everything about the Ficus is inferior.

Except always losing stock vs stock....
And the price....
And the replacement parts cost....
And Volkswagongate.... (Lmao)

And I'm fully willing to admit that the GTI is amazing and all that goes along with it but your argument seems weaker than my 4 year old niece trying to convince me that she should be able to drive my car.

 

[Diggs24]

Losing at what? Pretty much a drivers race unless it’s a DSG, won’t keep up then.
Yes, junk cars are cheaper. My wife has an escape, it has the same interior. It’s cheap.
What needs replacing? Outside the water pump they are pretty reliable.
Dieselgate was great. Made it even cheaper than a ficus. Driving them back to back it was a no brainer.

 

[CardinalCorrections]

Losing at what? Pretty much a drivers race unless it’s a DSG, won’t keep up then.
Yes, junk cars are cheaper. My wife has an escape, it has the same interior. It’s cheap.
What needs replacing? Outside the water pump they are pretty reliable.
Dieselgate was great. Made it even cheaper than a ficus. Driving them back to back it was a no brainer.

0-60 quarter miles highway pulls and to anyone who knows how to shift a manual
True, junk cars are cheaper, why do you think Volkswagens for so cheap?
Replacement parts are more expensive, and neither the GTI or Focus ST are the pinnacle of reliability, not terrible, but more expensive.
Dieselgate was hilarious, I try not to buy from automakers that actively get caught lying to their consumers.

I'm not entirely sure why you are on my thread....

 

[Diggs24]

Go magazine race elsewhere. No one wants to hash out GTI vs ST for the five thousandth time. It’s twenty fucking twenty two.

 

[CardinalCorrections]

Go magazine race elsewhere. No one wants to hash out GTI vs ST for the five thousandth time. It’s twenty fucking twenty two.

So nice that you are the ambassador of GTI so I can stay away from your community.

 

[SnailPower]

0-60 quarter miles highway pulls and to anyone who knows how to shift a manual
True, junk cars are cheaper, why do you think Volkswagens for so cheap?
Replacement parts are more expensive, and neither the GTI or Focus ST are the pinnacle of reliability, not terrible, but more expensive.
Dieselgate was hilarious, I try not to buy from automakers that actively get caught lying to their consumers.

I'm not entirely sure why you are on my thread....

The GTI stock is slooooow. Though I think everyone knows that. Once they have a tune, they're potent. So I would say, a quick tune with zero additional hardware gets you respectable power. From there, it is really up to you what else you want to do.

I'm sure every car company has their own tunes similar such as a Honda Civic using their Hondata tool. Though nobody here cares. We prefer this car for some of the said reasons above such as looks/interior and the overall package. The Honda guys would say why they prefer the Civic over the GTI all day long. It's just a preference thing at the end of the day.

I'm not entirely sure why you specifically picked out the ST, but personally, ST interior is yuck, as is the exterior. Though that's my own opinion. What I may see as a turd, you see as a golden nugget. That's the beauty of everyone's own mind and vision.

You mentioned Dieselgate, what about Ford's dry clutch on the autos Focus? That was preeeeeeetty shady. Personally, the Dieselgate issue wouldn't have bothered me as much as the dry clutch issue.

 

[CardinalCorrections]

The GTI stock is slooooow. Though I think everyone knows that. Once they have a tune, they're potent. So I would say, a quick tune with zero additional hardware gets you respectable power. From there, it is really up to you what else you want to do.

I'm sure every car company has their own tunes similar such as a Honda Civic using their Hondata tool. Though nobody here cares. We prefer this car for some of the said reasons above such as looks/interior and the overall package. The Honda guys would say why they prefer the Civic over the GTI all day long. It's just a preference thing at the end of the day.

I'm not entirely sure why you specifically picked out the ST, but personally, ST interior is yuck, as is the exterior. Though that's my own opinion. What I may see as a turd, you see as a golden nugget. That's the beauty of everyone's own mind and vision.

You mentioned Dieselgate, what about Ford's dry clutch on the autos Focus? That was preeeeeeetty shady. Personally, the Dieselgate issue wouldn't have bothered me as much as the dry clutch issue.

True, I have heard that a tune gets you very nice power upgrades, I am curious how much (imma google it quick)

God yeah I have been in multiples ST's and the interior is less than amazing, a reason I initially looked into the GTI, I don't mind the exterior looks especially the kits they have for widebody (they look amazing to me) But I don't mind the relaxed look of the GTI either.

(specifically picked out the ST because of general hatchback common competition, there is a lot of rivalry where I live between these two groups)

Ford's dry clutch was pretty messed up, I'm not discounting that but it merely had not come up, I do not, nor do I claim to have owned a VW OR a Ford, not just for those reasons but because up till now my JDM roots have left me happy where I am. Except now I'm giving my JDM car to my wife when we move, and will be in need of a new car, hence my hunt, I also don't want to be a OTP JDM. I like all cars, (almost all f*** Prius) I like the rest, and Duluth won't let me have a RWD car for more than 6 comfortable months in a year.

I JUST today saw a very nice looking MK7 GTI with a pop in the exhaust looking super chill and super fun. I also see ST's zoom out of nowhere with a Big Turbo kit, I see those 350's with a widebody kit and a gorgeous exhaust note.

I am trying to expand my horizons, and as my dad says, seek wise council, despite Diggs24's best attempts.

 

[SnailPower]

True, I have heard that a tune gets you very nice power upgrades, I am curious how much (imma google it quick)

God yeah I have been in multiples ST's and the interior is less than amazing, a reason I initially looked into the GTI, I don't mind the exterior looks especially the kits they have for widebody (they look amazing to me) But I don't mind the relaxed look of the GTI either.

(specifically picked out the ST because of general hatchback common competition, there is a lot of rivalry where I live between these two groups)

Ford's dry clutch was pretty messed up, I'm not discounting that but it merely had not come up, I do not, nor do I claim to have owned a VW OR a Ford, not just for those reasons but because up till now my JDM roots have left me happy where I am. Except now I'm giving my JDM car to my wife when we move, and will be in need of a new car, hence my hunt, I also don't want to be a OTP JDM. I like all cars, (almost all f*** Prius) I like the rest, and Duluth won't let me have a RWD car for more than 6 comfortable months in a year.

I JUST today saw a very nice looking MK7 GTI with a pop in the exhaust looking super chill and super fun. I also see ST's zoom out of nowhere with a Big Turbo kit, I see those 350's with a widebody kit and a gorgeous exhaust note.

I am trying to expand my horizons, and as my dad says, seek wise council, despite Diggs24's best attempts.

Stg1 APR which is an over the shelf tune claims to get you to around 320hp with no additional hardware. More than enough for me!

 

[CardinalCorrections]

Stg1 APR which is an over the shelf tune claims to get you to around 320hp with no additional hardware. More than enough for me!

Well see now that is quite a respectable amount, when I had been doing research on Audi's (went from B8 interest to B5 interest) I heard often times Audi and VW merely needed tunes to unlock a large amount of HP, this seems to ring true. Do you know if any sort of mechanical issues arise from the large amount of power increase on stock internals and transmission?

 

[JerseyDrew77]

Well see now that is quite a respectable amount, when I had been doing research on Audi's (went from B8 interest to B5 interest) I heard often times Audi and VW merely needed tunes to unlock a large amount of HP, this seems to ring true. Do you know if any sort of mechanical issues arise from the large amount of power increase on stock internals and transmission?

That's not a large amount of power increase. The stock internals can handle a lot more. You're very behind in your research and the power potential of the MK7 platform. Your best bet is to use the search function on this forum. This stupid comparison between the two cars has come up one too many times on here so the shit gets old and annoying.

 

[CardinalCorrections]

That's not a large amount of power increase. The stock internals can handle a lot more. You're very behind in your research and the power potential of the MK7 platform. Your best bet is to use the search function on this forum. This stupid comparison between the two cars has come up one too many times on here so the shit gets old and annoying.

FROM MY ORIGINAL POST v
"Forewarning: I know VERY little (which is unusual for vehicles) about this platform if almost anything it all, (I know it is a 4cylinder turbocharged) that being said I do actually know Quite a bit about vehicles I do all my own work on all the vehicles I have ever had as well as any performance modifications."

I'm really not being all the impressed with this community... did you even read my post? I'm asking 2 things totally unrelated to the comparison and then why you chose your MK7 GTI over other cars you might have cross shopped them with.