[pumaSV650S]

Unfortunately my Puma has been having problem after problem and it is going to be scrapped as the ebay values are very low.
I am after either a focus st170 or a fabia vrs mk1
Anyone got one they'd like to sell?
Let me know all the relevant details such as mileage, tax, mot, advisories, exterior condition, interior condition, spec, service history, recent work, colour, reg, anything else relevant, your location too, I am in Liverpool but will consider anything within reasonable travelling distance

[melinamotor]

Steer clear of ST170s mate, your fabia idea sounds better. I have a lupo gti for sale but unfortunately its probably to small and I live to far from you anyway. Good luck in your search

[pumaSV650S]

melinamotor said:

1381289292[/url]' post='929757']
Steer clear of ST170s mate, your fabia idea sounds better. I have a lupo gti for sale but unfortunately its probably to small and I live to far from you anyway. Good luck in your search

Used to have a mk1 focus as a company car and it handled superbly, much better than all the cars I've driven since through work such as newer focus, astra, corsa, fiesta, Hyundai i30. St170 has good performance and looks great even in 5door. Fabia vrs is a backup plan really, much more expensive but a lot more economical so in the long run makes sense.
Any particular reason you say steer (no pun intended) clear of st170? Civic tyre r does same mpg and prices have dropped dramatically recently but finding one that hasn't been driven by a stig wannabe would be difficult me thinks! Plus the civic is double the insurance surprisingly, perhaps an indication of the sort of diver?

[ally frp364]

I have driven a st170 and felt it was very refined.

It was a very good example to be honest and had a small fortune flung at it. But was mint.

Astonishingly cheap to buy. Maybe expensive on fuel if you do high miles.

Cheers

Ally

[pumaSV650S]

Today I put down a deposit on a 2005 ST170, picking it up Monday after it has had a service and new 12 month mot and a full tank of fuel!57k, 1 [ONE] owner from new (in their 50's apparently), 3 door, factory spoiler, immaculate interior, very good condition bodywork and underneath.Needs tax in Jan and cambelt doing soon but only £2,500.Drove superbly, really revs just like my Puma and defo quicker without being daft; this will be my daily driver and is what I will be transporting my 2yr daughter round in so sensible-ish just don't mention the fuel economy.Glad I didn't go for oh so boring Fabia VRS which would cost less after a couple of years of ownership despite the much higher purchase price.Can't wait to explore the ST's handling but will miss my Puma, it is just having problem after problem and the numerous garages I have tried just don't seem to be able to work out the issues. Very good chance I will get mother Puma one day for sure, maybe a FRP, maybe a nice top spec 123bhp Puma but in the mean time I will have 5yrs of mostly absolute driving pleasure... KF51 YPK is down to the scrap heap, feels like hitting your pet over the head with a baseball bat to be honest. Will feel very guilty when I do it next week

[pumaSV650S]

Good news and bad news... Last night put an ad on gumtree (http://www.gumtree.c...ocus/1035163505) on the off chance someone wanted buy my 1.7 before scrapping it on Tuesday. Pointed out in the ad the fault it has and price it at just £250 after reviewing 'completed listings' on ebay for cars with engine problems which seemed reasonable as they go for not very much money at all especially with problems even when they have a decent amount of tax and mot left and mine only had about 3 months of each. Had 10 replies within hours and some couple from Wrexham have just collected it with the intention of trying to fix it. They arrived in another Moondust silver puma with a big puma logo down the side and a twin exhaust system fitted. Now I am £120 better off than if I had scrapped it (£130 as scrap) and it is good to know my pride and joy may live on! Best car I have ever owned or driven, picked up my daughter from hospital when she was born in this car, took it to Cornwall for a week on our first family holiday, took it out on driving blasts just for the sake of it unlike any other car I have owned so would have been sad to see it crushed Only bad news is wish I could have kept it myself. Hopefully my new ST 170 will keep me entertained until I inevitably get another puma in the future. Still got my puma book though, think it was an official gift when the car was bought new? Maybe I'll get an FRP next? Maybe a SE puma fully loaded, one though for sure....

[pumaSV650S]

When I decided my 2001 Moondust silver 1.7 Puma had to go I was really worried that the replacement would not keep me as entertained. Now that I have done a few hundred miles in my new car, a 2005 Focus ST170 I thought it would be a good idea to do a short review...

Styling and ergonomics:
Obviously this is subjective but there is no denying the ST170 looks really smart, there are not many cars that age as well as a standard Focus and my ST in Imperial Blue with 15 spoke 17" alloys looks fantastic.
The interior is a really nice place to sit too, not as cosy as the Puma but still very good. Half leather half Imperial blue seats grip well and the leather steering wheel is a pleasure to use. There are no nasty plastics, it is refined and plenty of cubby holes and organising pockets. It has a lovely green glow too like the Puma which is a nice touch

Steering and handling:
I chose the ST over the Civic Type R (EP3) as it steers fantastically, just like a Puma, really direct and with loads of feedback. Although you can detect the extra weight compared to the Puma, the handling is marginally better I feel, the suspension is more composed and there is much more grip on offer especially in the wet.

Performance:
I always found the Puma to be very rev hungry, it had very little torque. The ST whooshes forward wish ease at low RPM, if you choose to use the revs it really flies! By the time you reach the 7,000 redline you are going plenty fast! Not as quick as an EP3 but I rate driver involvement above outright acceleration and anyway I am used to motorcycle acceleration so no affordable car can ever compete with that. The ST loves to be thrashed like the Puma which is great but crucially the brakes on the ST are very powerful and consistent, I found the Puma brakes quickly over heated which was a big disappointment.

Practicality and economy:
The Puma was a great family car IMO but it was very awkward putting my toddler in her car seat, shopping trips often meant bags were packed in every available space as the boot was small and a family camping holiday to Cornwall was cosy to say the least during the 7hr drive down there. My 3 door ST is in a different league even though it is just a hatchback. Even with the baby seat fitted on the 60% portion of the rear seats there is space to mine and my girlfriends mountain bikes in the car once the 40% seat section is lowered and still room for the baby bike seat and all our other gear (the front wheels have to go in the boot).
With my style of driving I used to get about 280 miles from a full tank in the Puma so about 32mpg, my first full tank in the ST got my 310 miles which equates to about 30mpg and I am yet to experiment with high octane fuel which the ST apparently is better suited to.

Other:
I also seriously considered a Fabia VRS but the ST won in the end as the Fabia isn't as good value on the second hand market, probably due to the excellent economy.
The downsides of the ST are that the exhaust note is a bit too quiet but I plan to fit a Cat-back Milltek system, the economy is not that good but that is offset by the fact the cars are reasonably priced, the alloy wheel finish is definitely not as good as the Puma and you need mudflats or crud gets flicked all down the side of the car so I plan to get some black ones which are going to set me back £100!
I miss my Puma lots and when I can justify a 2nd car, I will have another for sure. I'll have to have a read of my Puma book to decide which, the Millennium or the Thunder; I seem to remember one of those was the last of the Pumas and came with all the accessories such as leather and air con etc. So until then I will have to call it a day here at pumapeople.com "I'll be back!"

[happy-kat]

£100 for mudlfaps gosh that is an ouch.
The Thunder was last edition and model but I think the Milly has more going for it. Proper leather Recaro seats and a distinct colour Good t have happy memories.
It reads like you are very happy with your replacement and it is that bit roomier which your are appreaciating.