How many Focus ST owners on here

[Soulja]

Yep if I had that type of money I'd of gone for the rs. I'm more than happy with my pre face it st, at 32k now and not had any problems other than your regular things that need doing, change battery, brake pads etc....

 

[muon]

I would advise you to avoid the 2012 ST, it's been riddled with problems. The STOC is full of threads with owners having problem after problem.

There's a reason the 2012 ST has fell £5k and the previous ST has actually remained the same price despite a brand new ST being out.

Thanks I'll have a read through the threads.

As for the RS, I plan on keeping the car a while and so a few of the negatives do factor in.

 

[Tute]

Well the budget for an almost new Mk.3 ST would get you a very nice low mileage Mk.2 RS (probably with both Lux Packs) and as I said, once you get past only having three doors it's just a much better car in just about every conceivable way.

I've just bought a car, but I spent months begging the missus to let me extend the budget to cover an RS. Sadly all to no avail, so I got the next best thing.

 

[batfink]

I would advise you to avoid the 2012 ST, it's been riddled with problems. The STOC is full of threads with owners having problem after problem.

There's a reason the 2012 ST has fell £5k and the previous ST has actually remained the same price despite a brand new ST being out.

Have I been looking at the "wrong" STOC (focusstoc.com) - I can't see the Mk3 forum being littered with problem posts. Most of the owners seem very happy with their purchase.

I'm thinking the same - get a 1 year old Mk3 ST estate (3 doors is a no go for me - family and bikes to carry, plus the RS looks are a bit too "in yer face" for my liking).

However, all the 1 year old models with either be ex-dem or ex Ford Fleet so are likely to had led a hard life from the start so not sure they will be a good buy (although my current Mk5 Golf GTI was ex VW Fleet and hasn't given me a single problem in 4 years).

 

[rossk26]

Have I been looking at the "wrong" STOC (focusstoc.com) - I can't see the Mk3 forum being littered with problem posts. Most of the owners seem very happy with their purchase.

It's just what I heard when I was getting work done on my ST by the North East Oracle (Johnst3). My membership has ran out so I rarely go on the forum except for the North East section.

 

[Mucky_Pup]

One of the many things stopping me, had a sit and play about in a few the other day when the GF was looking for a new car, liked them, strangely drawn to the estate version, even though I have no concernable need for an estate car. But news of people having problems with them, plus the price, list was around £27-28k, although I think they did have £2k off list price stuck on the window, but I've just done a configurator one online and the spec I would want would be £29.5k, hmmm no. I think I'd probabley be happier sitting in a Mk.2 FRS for £19-20k, and spend the rest on modding it.

 

[Stormster]

Looking at 2006-2007 Focus ST's at the moment...

I have saved loads of info from this thread a while ago so will organise it and post up to make sure I'm not missing anything when I collate a sort of buying checklist but in the mean time, which forums are best to find info about the cars buying guide stylee and good classifieds with cars for sale?

Thanks all

 

[Happy]

Get yourself over to FSTOC

 

[rossk26]

Getting 2 new tyres fitted today and Hunter wheel alignment done too.

Hoping it transforms the car

 

[Stormster]

Cheers Happy, will take a look.

Really just trying to justify the fuel costs at the mo, I've always really fancied an ST but if I can stomach the costs then now is the time to do it before it's too late and more serious stuff takes financial precedence.

Are these cars safe to run on 95 ron? What about when mapped?

What do these cars ride like on lowered eibach springs? I have to say I'm tempted to leave alone after how stiff and rough my Civic sometimes feels on our roads since I lowered it and fitted polybushes, I certainly won't be fitting them again but may well refresh the bushes for OEM ones if I get a Focus.

Otherwise a nice turboback exhaust with 200 cell sports cat, induction kit, stage one map and I'm done, long gone are the days of wasting loads of money on mods!

 

[Tute]

I've had mine a week now, it's a 2010 ST3 in white with the Mountune MP265 kit. I got it for £12000. Toys include heated leather, 6 CD changer, keyless entry and start, bi-xenons, and of course that fabulous noise.

This is it before I took the stripe off:

So far I've gotten 22MPG from it, and i'm running it exclusively on Momentum99 at the moment. I'm not sure if I have to but it can't hurt.

Things I hate - the attention I get from every irritating little chav in their crappy old Civics and the like. As soon as they see me they come right up my backside with their horrid aftermarket lights and follow me wherever I go. :/

Still, so far i'm delighted with it. Mods planned? - I want to install the Ford Bluetooth module at some point so I can use my phone in there, and i'm very tempted to get some kind of limited slip differential to curb the torque steer, which is considerable.

 

[sunny007]

I'm getting around 21-22mpg from just using normal shell fuel.

Nice car !

 

[cuke2u]

I would advise you to avoid the 2012 ST, it's been riddled with problems. The STOC is full of threads with owners having problem after problem.

There's a reason the 2012 ST has fell £5k and the previous ST has actually remained the same price despite a brand new ST being out.

Hi, I am thinking of buying a Mk3 ST as well, I've looked at that site and for some reason I couldn't find what you are referring to. Maybe you could specify what the 'riddled with problems' are. But it does seem rather strange that a car that is based upon the Mk2 should have anymore issues..

 

[ahenners]

Hi, I am thinking of buying a Mk3 ST as well, I've looked at that site and for some reason I couldn't find what you are referring to. Maybe you could specify what the 'riddled with problems' are. But it does seem rather strange that a car that is based upon the Mk2 should have anymore issues..

The MK3 isn't based on the MK2 at all. The only similarity is the ford and ST badges, unless I've misunderstood what you said.

I've been on STOC forums a fair bit lately too as I've been trying to get some information on what the new ST is like to live with. I could only find one topic in there where somebody had issues with power loss when turning and even that was fixed eventually.

It's a ford so probably has a few small niggles being a new-ish model, but it certainly doesn't appear to be "riddled" like previously suggested.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

The MK3 isn't based on the MK2 at all. The only similarity is the ford and ST badges, unless I've misunderstood what you said.

Easy to ignore the Ford C1 platform that is the underpinnings on both cars. Unless i missed what you were trying to say?

 

[ahenners]

Easy to ignore the Ford C1 platform that is the underpinnings on both cars. Unless i missed what you were trying to say?

New focus uses Global C platform which is new. mk2 used C1 platform. So yes I think you did miss what I was trying to say.

I just didn't understand the point he was making. The new focus st has a different engine, different interior, all sorts of new technology that wasn't on the previous one so there's plenty of stuff to cause problems that wouldn't have existed on the mk2

 

[Jonnycoupe]

I would expect Ford has just renamed it to cover that itention, the platform only really goes back as far as the front seats to provide commonality on the expensive parts.

It does seem to have a lot of initial run lemmings though! But then Ford have added a lot of feature into the Mk3.

 

[rossk26]

Cheers Happy, will take a look.

Really just trying to justify the fuel costs at the mo, I've always really fancied an ST but if I can stomach the costs then now is the time to do it before it's too late and more serious stuff takes financial precedence.

Are these cars safe to run on 95 ron? What about when mapped?

What do these cars ride like on lowered eibach springs? I have to say I'm tempted to leave alone after how stiff and rough my Civic sometimes feels on our roads since I lowered it and fitted polybushes, I certainly won't be fitting them again but may well refresh the bushes for OEM ones if I get a Focus.

Otherwise a nice turboback exhaust with 200 cell sports cat, induction kit, stage one map and I'm done, long gone are the days of wasting loads of money on mods!

Mine is lowered on eibach springs, and the ride is still very comfortable. I have just had polybushes fitted to the front wishbone as well, and haven't really noticed it become worse. Many people on STOC go for the bilstein set up, with the eibach springs, and say the ride is more comfortable.

I'm getting 28mpg average, not driving like a granny. These cars are only thirsty if you thrash them around in every gear tbh. On a motorway run I've had 33mpg average. Struggling to understand how people are getting low 20's, unless they drive them like they have just stolen them 24/7. I once used a full tank blasting around the countryside, and with a proper warm up and cool down on the way back I still got 24mpg.

The mods you have listed are all a must! I have a 200 cell sports cat, and the noise is fantastic, more pops and bangs than standard. You could always go de-cat for pure noise, I sometimes regret taking my de-cat pipe off!!! The best stage 1 remap is Collins, go higher than this and your looking at a £800 RS clutch...

 

[rossk26]

Getting 2 new tyres fitted today and Hunter wheel alignment done too.

Hoping it transforms the car

Car is transformed!!!

Anyone from the North East area I highly recommend using Revolution in Gateshead for your aligment. Top work and really happy with the service.

 

[DirtyJester]

Car is transformed!!!

Anyone from the North East area I highly recommend using Revolution in Gateshead for your aligment. Top work and really happy with the service.

In the market for two new tyres, what did you go with?