Heinously Unreliable Used Car Battle of the Week: Early 2000s Hot Hatches

"The Common Gearhead" (thecommongearhead) 03/14/2014 at 16:15 • Filed to: HUUCBOTW

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Welcome to another installment of HUUCBOTW, which I'm pretty sure translates to something highly insulting in Finnish based on several strongly-worded emails I have received. This week, we turn our attention to a perennial automotive favorite: the hot hatchback. And as a bonus, we get to revisit the early 2000s, which we all remember was a great time for everyone!

Hot hatchbacks are revered throughout the world for their spunkiness, practicality, fuel economy, and low price. To many people, they are all you ever need from a car. I say this wholly from experience, because I am the proud owner of a 2007 GTI which I lovingly dubbed "Broomhilda," and it is the most perfect and wonderful vehicle ever designed and manufactured by Germans in white lab coats on a diet of strictly sauerkraut and bratwurst (I assume).

The early 2000s, however, were an awful time for cars. American automakers were churning out cheap plastic and low-grade steel turds and Europe wasn't doing much better at all. The industry-wide official slogan may as well have been "eh, whatever" because the cars certainly exemplified that mindset. How else do you explain the existence of the Pontiac Aztek?

So, in honor of this wonderful automotive genre during this horrible, terrible decade, let's take a look at two of the best that America and Germany had to offer. Which one would you have?

2002 Ford Focus SVT - $6,890

The introduction of the Focus is widely regarded as a turning point for Ford. It was their entry into the global marketplace with a safely-styled, cheap, and widely acceptable economy car. However, being a Ford from the turn of the millennium, it's about as reliable as, oh I don't know, intelligence regarding Iraq's stock of WMDs.

The Focus SVT, however, seemed to right all the wrongs that the base Focus suffered from with one simple solution: MOAR POWAR. SVT and Cosworth improved the Focus's 2.0 L 4-cylinder with aluminum cylinder heads, enlarged intake ports, and many other go-fast goodies that boosted the output from 140 to 170 hp. Those improvements, coupled with the 6 speed manual from a Mini Cooper S meant this ugly little puppy had some bite to match its bark.

SVT's wizardry turned this dreary little econobox into a truly exciting little hot hatch, but is all that enough to overlook the fact that it's still a cheap-as-dirt Focus deep down? That's for you to decide.

To see the cars.com ad for this car, click !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

2004 Volkswagen GTI 1.8T - $5,995

Anybody who knows me, or has actually bothered to read the introduction to this article, is well aware that I am a big GTI fanboy. I firmly believe that there are is no better car to own every single day in terms of being an all-rounder than VW's econo-car masterpiece.

That being said, the MKIV GTI is horse shit. It weighed too much, it wasn't powerful enough, and it handled like the suspension was made of boiled potatoes. Couple that with the fact that something (or everything) on the car is bound to fall off, leak profusely, or just plain declare a blitzkrieg on you for looking at it the wrong way, and you've got a recipe for a pretty miserable time.

However, in terms of appearance, fit and finish, and overall build quality, the MKIV is certainly a step up from Ford's teenage daughter special. The GTI certainly has a more buttoned-up appearance than the SVT, which screams "Step off bro! I went to Juvie once!" So if sophistication means more to you than boy racer fenders and rims, das German might be the way to go.

To see the cars.com ad for this car, click !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Which one would you have? Take the poll and let us know!

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Cyrus > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:21

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SVT Focus would be substantially more reliable and cheaper to fix.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:22

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The SVT is one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced. It really is just sublime. And as a total package, there really hasn't been much that is as good out-of-the-box until Ford gave us the Fiesta ST.

I adore my 2002 Sonic Blue SVT. It's number 85 ever produced, and has 101k miles and still runs like a champ. Despite my occasional neglect.

daender > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:23

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Having seen what a stock SVT Focus can do at an autocross, and the fact no one has brought a MkIV GTI (only MKIs and V+), it's the Focus. If the interior/bodypanels falls apart, then just raid another Focus for bits.

pfftballer > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:26

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I have no idea which one I just voted for.

Textured Soy Protein > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:31

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Definitely the Focus, but that's also because I just want nothing to do with driving a VW and the stereotypical VW people. I say this even though I also hate stereotypical BMW people and managed to talk myself into driving one. Ugh.

The Common Gearhead > pfftballer 03/14/2014 at 16:31

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Sorry for the confusion. The joke refers to the actual car. "A-Ford-able" is the Focus.

The Common Gearhead > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/14/2014 at 16:32

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I've always admired them, and I hope I get the chance to drive one some day. They really do seem like fantastic cars.

pfftballer > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:38

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Yeah, that much I get, but by voting for "A-Ford-able" am I saying I'd rather have the GTI? ITS ALL SO DAMN CONFUSING!

The Common Gearhead > pfftballer 03/14/2014 at 16:42

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Haha if you vote for "A-Ford-able" you're voting for the Ford. And subsequently admitting that you have a sense of humor about the car you just voted for. I'll make the options clearer next time!

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > The Common Gearhead 03/14/2014 at 16:54

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You near Dayton, Ohio?

The Common Gearhead > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/14/2014 at 18:43

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I'm not, actually. I live in Boston. For this post I just found cars from all over the country.

Renescent > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/14/2014 at 21:58

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Oooh, you're in Dayton, I live in Lebanon! Was thinking of hitting up Cars and Coffee tomorrow AM if the weather is decent, ever been?

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Renescent 03/15/2014 at 08:14

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No, had no idea there was even one around. Where is this going down?

Renescent > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/15/2014 at 14:50

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It was cold this morning so I slept in; there's a Cars and Coffee at Fuel down along the river in Cincinnati. I had heard there was another one at or near the mall in Beavercreek? Should at least get together for a beer sometime.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Renescent 03/15/2014 at 19:30

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I have to work Saturdays, so I wouldn't have been able to go anyway. And thats too damn early. Cars and brunch is more my style.

I'm good for meeting up sometime. You have an SVT Focus as well, or just close by? Either is cool.

Renescent > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/16/2014 at 09:21

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I live close by, Lebanon; don't have an SVT Focus, C55.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Renescent 03/16/2014 at 11:37

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Oooohhhhh an AMG, nice.

Renescent > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/16/2014 at 19:59

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Yeah, really fun car ;-)