Mk3 RS price watch

[mattyc69]

Getting the itch to get into one of these,

Test drove one when new and loved it but then decided to get Mrs Mattyc up the spout,

Anyways good year at work etc and thinking about taking the plunge,

Looking at prices a good 2016 / 2017 can be had for £23-£26k depending on mileage.

What did this list at new around £30k off the top of my head?

So now massive depreciation hit over 2 / 3 years.

What was fords warranty on the engine after all the head gaskets issues?

Do you think they will hold onto their money like the Mk2 has?

What are the must have options?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Matt

[neil-1323bolts]

Hi , I've just sold my mk3 RS , had it for a year , good car but has a few issues most of which are well documented on the owners club website , probably advise not to go on there as you will read about loads of problems ! Mostly nice bunch of people though . I had a mk2 RS personally I think that was a better car . The 5 cylinder engine amazing . the good news for you is there are loads available to choose from , seems like people getting rid before the 3 year warranty runs out , some have a 5 year , from reports ford dealers seem pretty poor when carrying out warranty work , some better than others . I had the mountune 375 on my car which it defo needs , and keeps warranty . It's a fair bit of cash to sink into a focus , not sure I could recommend it 100% but everyone is different , my advice if you can live with a dated interior go for a mk2 , they still look amazing !

[Ron240]

mattyc69 said:

Looking at prices a good 2016 / 2017 can be had for £23-£26k depending on mileage.
What did this list at new around £30k off the top of my head?

Basic list prices for 2017 which highlights price rises...
Feb - £31,765
Apr - £32,265
Dec - £32,765

The model was introduced in 2016 but unfortunately I do not have a price list at launch.

Makes you think when a current Mk.4 ST retails at £31995 basic.

[RPJEssex]

I currently own a Mk3 RS, 2018 model so correct headgasket installed. I’d say with the early cars to make sure the field service action has been carried out & ensure the correct sealant has been used as a handful of owners are experiencing further issues. Personally I’d suggest getting a new one if finances allow, only the higher mileage older models are there for sub 25K, most are holding their value to high 20s / low 30s, and the edition models are almost worth what the original owner paid for.
I don’t have the upgraded shell seats in mine as I quite like the fact mine are heated. I’d also say get a car that has sync 3 as it’s a vast improvement over sync 2.
If you’ve got any other questions I’d be happy to answer them for you!

[Dal3D]

mattyc69 said:

Getting the itch to get into one of these,

Test drove one when new and loved it but then decided to get Mrs Mattyc up the spout,

Anyways good year at work etc and thinking about taking the plunge,

Looking at prices a good 2016 / 2017 can be had for £23-£26k depending on mileage.

What did this list at new around £30k off the top of my head?

So now massive depreciation hit over 2 / 3 years.

What was fords warranty on the engine after all the head gaskets issues?

Do you think they will hold onto their money like the Mk2 has?

What are the must have options?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Matt

Price on launch was £28,940 before options. That's what I paid.

I bought the extra 2 years warranty when I bought it so still got a year and a half left. That stays with the car when sold so might be worth finding one of those for a little bit extra peace of mind. There wasn't any extra warranty after the HG issue.

I had all the option except door protectors (more trouble than they're worth IMO) and a sunroof. The CS seats hold you better but are trickier to get in and out of compared to the rebadged ST ones that come as standard. Not sure any of the options are "must haves" really.

[Ron240]

Dal3D said:

Price on launch was £28,940 before options.

Yes this was the launch price, but this is where it gets a little confusing...
You would only get it at this price if you placed your order prior to a specific date in Oct 2015, which was at least 6 months before first deliveries began.
Place your order one day after this date and the price had jumped up a full £1000.
The price jumped a further £1000 in May 2016 to £31,000 and I'm not sure if any cars had actually been delivered at this point.

[Dal3D]

Yup - they upped the price every 6 months or so if memory serves me correctly.

Edited by Dal3D on Tuesday 29th October 13:15

[mikeouk]

i cant see mk3 prices plummeting now, it will be a slow decline until they level off . I often check out whats on offer on AT, and the number for sale jumped significantly when 16 plate cars hit the 3 year old mark, it didnt seem to hugely effect asking prices though.
I bought mine new march 2017 and paid around £34000 with options, i could probably get £26000 for it now selling privately , i guess thats pretty slow depreciation for a brand new car, ill be keeping it though so doesnt bother me what its losing. Still love the car, puts a smile on my face when i drive it.

[Belle427]

Just wondered what people’s opinions were on the St/Rs debate.
I have a Tvr which I’m reluctant to sell as I’ve spent a lot of time and money on it but I fancied a change to a Mk 3 Rs next year, the Tvr would have to go to buy one.
I could just about scrape into a 3 year old St and keep the Tvr which is why my mind is working overtime.
The Rs/St would become a daily doing most of its work on crappy B roads.
The St looks a lot sharper in certain colours.
£25k is a lot to shell out on a focus Rs but it will probably hold its value.
Difficult decision when you throw something like a Golf R into the mix.

[mikeouk]

Belle427 said:

Just wondered what people’s opinions were on the St/Rs debate.
I have a Tvr which I’m reluctant to sell as I’ve spent a lot of time and money on it but I fancied a change to a Mk 3 Rs next year, the Tvr would have to go to buy one.
I could just about scrape into a 3 year old St and keep the Tvr which is why my mind is working overtime.
The Rs/St would become a daily doing most of its work on crappy B roads.
The St looks a lot sharper in certain colours.
£25k is a lot to shell out on a focus Rs but it will probably hold its value.
Difficult decision when you throw something like a Golf R into the mix.

the RS and ST mk3 look similar to the untrained eye, but they are very different under the skin. The RS will undoubtedly hold its value far better than the ST.
If your after a daily driver, an ST is probably a better option (more boot space, better economy) .
Golf R would be a good daily ,but rather boring in my opinion, and id guess will depreciate more than a ford.
The ST has the benefit of values being bolstered somewhat by the RS because they look similar, people who aspire to an RS but cant afford one will buy an ST, the VW will just end up as scrap value eventually.

[Driver101]

mikeouk said:

the RS and ST mk3 look similar to the untrained eye, but they are very different under the skin. The RS will undoubtedly hold its value far better than the ST.
If your after a daily driver, an ST is probably a better option (more boot space, better economy) .
Golf R would be a good daily ,but rather boring in my opinion, and id guess will depreciate more than a ford.
The ST has the benefit of values being bolstered somewhat by the RS because they look similar, people who aspire to an RS but cant afford one will buy an ST, the VW will just end up as scrap value eventually.

When do you think the Golf R will be worth scrap money? Even I would buy one then.