Thinking of buying a puma.

[focichris]

I currently own a ford focus 1.6 and the handling is immense but im starting to like the pumas and trying to do as much research about them, firstly apparently there good handlers and does anyone know how they compare to the focus or any other good handling cars you have owned? Also about the handling is it true they are tail happy for a FWD or do they understeer bad like almost all FWD cars when pushed too hard, and ive seen rear axle handling upgrdes up to 20.5mm, do they improve the handling much?

Also when you have a standard 1.7 and get the FRP remap does it unlease 1 or 2 ponies or do you only get 'any' gains when combined with the FRP inlet, cams and exhaust

 

[Severio]

Hey I cant really say much about the FRP remap (i'll let someone else) but I bet its best if you combine it with cams/inlet/exhaust as you say..
As for the handling, try an test drive one or borrow a mates?, I bet you will love it!!
The focus is a good handling car but they just feel so much more bulky when throwing it through corners in my experience..
I havent had the back end out on mine yet, but maybe im not trying hard enough! :twisted:

 

[focichris]

shame i dont know anyone with a puma and ill not be testing, trying and buying till october when im back from my hols and get an extra year ncb and i know what ya mean about the focus being bulky but i think it gives you more confidence to chuck it around but i wouldnt mind a little flea how would u describe the handling can u give it some stick without understeering into a hedge?

 

[Puma Babe]

never lost the back end of mine either lol.

Have only driven a focus tdci estate so cant really compare as that obviously felt a lot less agile than the Puma

 

[MikB23]

I haven't had mine long but I'd suggest you'd have to be pushing it pretty hard, probably in the wet, to lose the back end. I've owned a lot of cars with similar handling ability to the Puma (205 GTi, Golf GTi mk 1 & 2, MG ZR160, MG ZS180 etc) and it feels as safe, if not safer, than most of them! To be frank, it's one of the sweetest handling cars I've ever driven, let alone owned.

 

[ScubaSteve]

my mothers focus handling is crap imo, puma is leaps and bounds ahead

 

[ScubaSteve]

its easy to get the back end out, you just need to induce a bit of lift off oversteer, go into a roundabout at pace, turn in, nail it then lif toff, back end will step out, easy to control aswell, just be ready for a bit of opposite lock, not too much though else you will over correct and get a tank slapper on

 

[ScubaSteve]

dont try it in the wet mind else you will end up the other way

 

[alex_89]

dont try it in the wet mind else you will end up the other way

You would have to be pushing very very hard in the dry to get the tail out! but you're right about the wet, I've just had to replace a nearside headlight and scuffed bumper due to a very wet roundabout and a tail happy Puma!

 

[hora]

I've just come from a very tidy 1.6 mk1 Focus. It oversteered like crazy and the brakes are just as wooden/powerless as the Puma's however the Puma has bags of character compared to the Focus.

 

[ScubaSteve]

dont try it in the wet mind else you will end up the other way

You would have to be pushing very very hard in the dry to get the tail out! but you're right about the wet, I've just had to replace a nearside headlight and scuffed bumper due to a very wet roundabout and a tail happy Puma!

i can do it easily lol, i think if you apply the correct technique it does it easily, just wanging it round a corner wont work, you need to perform a sort of scandinavian flick

 

[alex_89]

Sounds like you've perfected Tiff Needell's drifting lessons!

 

[ScubaSteve]

i have seen the vids lol but i perfected it years ago when i had my first 106 gti, they are also good for inducing over steer

 

[MikB23]

i have seen the vids lol but i perfected it years ago when i had my first 106 gti, they are also good for inducing over steer

Likewise with my 'widow-maker' 205 GTi!

 

[biggbn]

iv found the puma to be all i expected, its better handling car than mk1 and mk2 golfs in my opinion, much more tactile, much more intuitive....mine feels a bit 'pointy' ie, its all in the nose, point it where you want and watch the tail..iv had some lift off oversteer or flick induced oversteer on dry roundabouts/corners and its controllable, enjoyeable and huge fun....

my car seems a wee bit nervous in the wet, maybe its down to the tyres, they are all good but im not sure iof thye are matching, il have to check..maybve swap backs for fronts...

 

[yippeekiay]

Oversteer has never been a consideration to me even when I'm hooining around on the track as if it does happen (maybe twice in nearly 3 years) it's been because I haven't been driving properly or misread the conditions. I've had far worse cars for oversteer but none with as good overall handling. I worry far more (re-phrase that), I WOULD worry far more about understeer but that's not a real factor with the Puma either except in the wet.

I've had a Focus in the past too and it handled beautifully too imo but wasn't as 'flickable' through alternate corners as the Puma.

 

[badger_]

My Mum & Dad had a Focus and thought the handling was great, then Mum had a drive of my Puma and ended up with one of her own - Dad keeps borrowing it :lol:

i have seen the vids lol but i perfected it years ago when i had my first 106 gti, they are also good for inducing over steer

as you can see I didn't quite "perfect" over steer

 

[ScubaSteve]

nasty they can be lethal if they catch you out

 

[ScubaSteve]

Oversteer has never been a consideration to me even when I'm hooining around on the track as if it does happen (maybe twice in nearly 3 years) it's been because I haven't been driving properly or misread the conditions. I've had far worse cars for oversteer but none with as good overall handling. I worry far more (re-phrase that), I WOULD worry far more about understeer but that's not a real factor with the Puma either except in the wet.

I've had a Focus in the past too and it handled beautifully too imo but wasn't as 'flickable' through alternate corners as the Puma.

generally its something you probably should avoid on track, as is any loss of traction really, it does have use in some applications though, il use the ring as you are familiar with it, that first right hand hairpin on the gp track, impossible to go through there at pace you just get into and understeery mess, however you can go quicker if you turn in and lift off to give the back end a nudge, same goes for the left then right a little further on as its difficult to get the car back on the apex for the right hander without a bit of oversteer there

 

[badger_]

nasty they can be lethal if they catch you out

I think someone was watching over me that day Just a few cuts and bruises.

I still think the pug is a little better handling than the Puma but there's not much in it. My Minis were the best but obviously they didn't have the power to go with it :lol: