Dreadhead

FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCK GOT IT HOME AND THE COOLANT IS SPRAYED ALL OVER THE FUCKING ENGINE BAY. Dealership sending a tow truck. Hopefully fixed tomorrow

Happy Birthday!

Should be at the dealer this morning and will be ready for pickup this afternoon. Hopefully I can close the deal this evening but I'm not sure yet. If not that then tomorrow morning. Edit: all arranged for tonight

I won't hear from Brent for a while win win.

Coming in from somewhere in Maryland and should be here tomorrow or Saturday. I would love to be able to drive it to work on Monday.....

Well that's not my actual car but that is the configuration I am getting. I am excited about seeing her in the flesh soon. Calling the dealer in a few to see how long it will take him to get me one but should be fast.

^ I don't follow. Please explain.

Thanks all for the advice but I've decided on the ST even if the RS is a superior car. If I really start making cars a "hobby" then I can justify paying $25+k more when I replace it in a few years but right now that's not guaranteed. Also we have a 10 year anniversary coming up next year and I want a nice watch and the ability to buy my wife one too. (Also add a 2nd bathroom to the lake house) I took the ST out over the weekend and had a good time. Nothing about it drove me nuts. Though the backseat room is an issue but I don't expect to keep it long enough for that to be an issue. Panty-waist here. Hopefully I can re-earn what little cred I had here through other feats of purchasing in the near future in the watches thread. I also received separate legal counsel from my in-house counsel. Does that mean I will not be perma-banned? I think the 2016 ST is quite a looker too: The ST also has the advantage that it's a known quantity in both SCCA Rallycross and Autocross and is competitive in both classes. In closing while I am compromising which isn't allowed here I hope you all can forgive me.

I actually had that conversation with her earlier today. I explained that at a given speed the RS is a safer car and as long as that speed isn't crazy (which I have no plans to do). Also that our kids aren't even 5 and we have in state College paid for we may deserve a few splurges.... Now it's down to me.

Dealer has decided to be nice matched a good price from a different dealer and is willing to put the deposit towards it with no loss. Decision time tonight.

Well you won't be here for much longer. Not sure what it's like in Illinois. My wife came forward with a lot of safety concerns in a talk last night and while she won't stop me isn't really on board anymore. I'm trying to see if it is even possible to just downgrade to the ST at the same dealer and not lose my deposit for months until the car sells. I considered the WRX but the ST shifter and cockpit are lots of fun for me (which is why I want(ed?) the RS).

Fair enough for you but your use case and mine are very different because of where you're driving to and when. For my work I drive the GW parkway at 50-60+ most days (lightly policed) all the way to work and I am often getting passed when I'm doing that. My drive home is also often a lot of 50-60 except for the last 15 minutes which is stop and go in sections and 30-50 in the rest. My single biggest concern is potholes with 19" rims with summers on them.

My plan is for it to be my daily driver on most days. I figured it will be fun at 0530 when I'm on my way to work and there is no traffic and very few police. My driveway apron is pretty steep so that's a concern but there is also a lot of street parking, other RS have been reasonable for clearance height. She'll be sitting outdoors too (my garage is for bikes and strollers). I really doubt I will not enjoy it as a DD but if it does start to feel that way I will probably just sell it (and take the kick in the teeth), there's a local guy who DD's an STI and has car seats in the back, he's my inspiration (though I don't know him). I'm years away from being able to rally cross or autocross on a regular basis.

I frankly hope it doesn't feel that way for me....

Oh and I at least got $500 off the dealer markup to "close the deal". Crazy amount of money for a Ford Focus but it's an insane car.

I got the 19" forged for the summers and 18" winters I believe

No I am OK with just high performance summers for now.

On order. White, black interior, summer (non track) tires and winter tire package

I think I've come up with a good solution for the short term: Put down refundable deposit on RS and go drive ST, STI again at my leisure and make up my mind over the next couple weeks. No real harm on that path and I will have an assured RS spot if I decide it's worth being crazy.

None of this is make or break as you say (though I'm not paying cash with rates where they are). I can afford any of the options but I am looking at smiles/dollar.

With the options I wanted it's like $42K for the RS and they want another $5k markup (if I can even find one to buy) I got a quote from one dealer excluding tax and tags (but including fees) for $48.5K. Compared to the Limited STI it's still well within the boundaries of 20% but it also has less back seat room than the STI which is concern area (well not really as the kids are still small and will be for some time). Also I probably wouldn't see the car until September or later. The ST is well south of 30K even after taxes (Regardless of what that dick told me): http://www.koonsfallschurchford.com/new-inventory/details.htm?vehicleId=62f509e30a0e0adf484d5bd1403827a2&locale=en_US

Actually looking at the results it looks like at least if I'm going for a newer car that the Focus ST is more competitive than the WRX (or STI) in their respective classes. Maybe just spending under $30K and flogging the crap out of the car will be enough to put a smile on my face. Probably actually it's enough.

I didn't play with any modes on the Golf so maybe there were more fun ones and it was a DCC car so I guess I could/should have set that to sport. That said I didn't enjoy it and this purchase is about that. The STI Limited interior was at least as nice as the golf in my opinion. Which either means it's pretty nice or I don't give a shit about interiors. The point about boy racers is perfectly valid but again I can't give a fuck at this stage as I want the car that 16 year old me wanted, hence the boy racers....

I drove it without the wing. I want the wing. I am a small child.