So I currently drive a 14 Ford Focus Titanium but I’m looking for something different. I’m stuck between a paid off Chevy C10 that I could put a bigger built motor in over time, or I wanted to go finance a 17 Focus ST because it’s turbocharged and a stick shift but I would have monthly payments, any suggestions?
It’s a debate between a more performance oriented version of what you already drive VS a truck that you’d eventually put more power into. If you’re not interested in a Fiesta ST or moving into a VW GTI as examples.
If you’re comfortable financing then get the the ST, you could build the C10 into something entertaining but I’d want to upgrade suspension and brakes to go with the power.
That’s what I was thinking. The ST is nice and all and I’d love to drive one but I also have a full turbo kit minus the headers for a small block and I will always have a chance to get another ST in the future.
We can’t make intelligent suggestions without knowing your financial picture. If you can handle the financing without being pinched, then get what you want. If you can’t, then you shouldn’t make any changes.
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I would not consider a used Turbo Charged vehicle that was for sale this soon . As for payments only you can answer that . If you are going to have payments then new with warranty is the best move if you can afford it. And if money is tight then the truck modification is probably not a good idea as these things always cost a lot more then a person thinks it will.
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If the 2014 has the dual clutch transmission then I can see where you would want to unload it. Assuming you own it free and clear and it has average miles and is in good condition you can probably get around $6k on trade in for it, or a bit over $7k if you sell it yourself. A 2017 Focus ST should go for around $17k-ish. So you’ll end up having finance about $10k-$12k depending on the local taxes and fees. I don’t know what your finances are, but that’s something that a person of average means could knock out in two or three years without too much trouble.
My hot take on it is that If you have to think twice about financing a car, then you probably shouldn’t do it. And if you can’t comfortably pay off the car in four years or less, then the car you’re looking it is likely too much. Personally, I’ve never made a car payment in my life (with the exception of my 2019 F-150, which I initially financed in order to get some extra incentives, and then promptly paid off when the first payment was due).
I would not rely on a project car/truck for primary transportation. As these things tend to go massively over projected cost and don’t tend to be the most reliable vehicles out there. For a hobby they’re great, for something that you need to rely on every day, they’re not so great.
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Let’s answer a few simple questions, please . . .
Would you be selling or trading in the 2014 Ford Focus Titanium . . . ?!
Are you planning on using either the Chevy C10 or the 2017 Ford Focus ST as the daily driver?
Would the C10 or Focus ST be your only means of transportation?
I don’t think the C10 is a good choice for a daily driver, no matter how many upgrades you do
It simply won’t have modern safety features, such as airbags, stability control and so forth
there’s plenty of other shortcomings, as well, but I’m not getting into those
The C10 would be a good weekend warrior, though 
My idea was to keep my current car and I would either have two focuses so when the conditions gets bad I wouldn’t have to run the ST and it I wanted something to do on the side I would have a C10 to build up
I wouldn’t trade or sell the Titanium
If I get the ST that will be my daily driver until the roads get bad then I’ll use the Titanium
And those trucks are tanks if it ever were to get hit moderately by somebody it wouldn’t do much but dent the body and I can always fix that as for the ST if it ever got Hit then it would more then likely crumble
You’re showing a very common misconception about how crashes work. You’re right that your truck is a tank, and if someone hit it, it wouldn’t hurt the truck much.
And that means that the energy of the crash gets dissipated by you, not the truck. In other words, a modern car will suffer more damage because it’s designed to. The more damage the car takes, the less damage you take.
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This is the perfect question for my new meme.
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Can I add a possible response from the OP, based on a LOT of threads that have been posted over the past decade or so?
How about something along the lines of… Harshly criticize anyone who makes a recommendation other than the one that you want to see…
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There you go again, posting fact-based physics, rather than simply seconding invalid opinions.
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What year is the C10?
One of the safety problems with older pickup trucks is that they bend in the middle between the cab and the bed. Unless the energy is absorbed in a way that the modern pickups do, the bend can crush the cab from the rear. Now you have injuries coming at you from the front, the sides and the rear in a way that doesn’t happen with other vehicles. Odds are you’ll never get into a serious accident, but you should know what happens so that you can make an informed choice.
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I wouldn’t recommend either for a daily driver. If required to pick of the two, I’d choose the C10. Better to accept an older truck w/a bumpy ride than the complexities and reliability & expensive repair issues of a turbo. And only the C10 can you can fit an 8’ X 4’ sheet of plywood.
To be brutally honest, I would not want to own or drive any of the vehicles you mentioned. However, I am really struggling to see how the 2017 Ford Focus is enough of an “upgrade” from a 2014 Focus to merit spending $10,000 or more once you trade it in. Even if you were rolling in dough, and could pay cash, it would be foolish. However, you don’t have the money, and are thinking of financing it? Don’t be silly!
I suspect because it’s got to be quite a thrill to drive a Ford Focus with 350 hp.
The ST has around 250 HP. The rarer AWD Focus RS has close to 350 HP. I wouldn’t kick either out of my garage.
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Thanks for the correction. I’m with you; my 2015 Cherokee V6 is the first vehicle I’ve ever owned with over 250 hp (I’m 68). Having that kind of horsepower in a car that light had got to be an e-ticket ride.