How many Focus ST owners on here

I'm struggling to think of a decent tangiable reason why anyone would buy the Mk3 over the Mk2, unless they had a thing for the way it looks.

It offers better tax and fuel economy, and that's really about it - and they're offset by the extra cost needed upfront.
 
cruise control is handy :)

but I see your point - mind you I saw my first one at a Ford dealer for sub 15k today so they are dropping in price

I agree that a decent 09-10 plate previous gen ST is a better bet at around 10k though
 
Pants said:
If buying again I'd be looking at the 2010.25 spec ST3. They get prey much every option thrown in as they were the last run of the 2.5. The spec list is huge but unfortunately include black windows and wheels.

Edit: this one. Nor sure if they go for 10k yet?
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I felt the same about the wheels and privacy glass when I saw the 2010.25 model.......then I stupidly traded in my 56 plate ST for a new ST3 complete with the black bits :rolleyes: but after a lot of little changes here and there plus a few major ones it looks a hell of a lot better now (imho) and that's with having to keep the privacy glass.

sunny007 said:
2.5 has the engine !! :D
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Oooh yes :p

I think Ford dropped the ball when they stuck with the 5-dr bodystyle of the Mk3. Instantly puts me off, irrespective of how good a car it actually is. And they kept the 4-dr while admitting they don't sell it in the UK due to the low numbers they'd sell.

But from Ford's point of view they also sell the mk3 ST in the US and for all the Ford fans out there who've had to put up with the garbage they've previously put ST badges on, they'll shift loads of the mk3 ST in comparison. Pity that seems to be at the expense of the european sales.

Mine after one of it's many baths, now it's nothing like the one which left the factory.

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Just a tad too much black for me, mainly the bit across the bonnet.

Got any other pictures? I really like the overall look. Those wheels really transform this car without making it look like too much of an RS copy cat. I want it :(
 
Few more photos here as requested.....

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No surprise I like the look of the black vinyl around the upper grille, just makes it a bit different looking at the front and easy peasy to remove if I ever feel the need.

But totally agree with your thoughts on the wheels, did swap the black ST wheels for a set of the silver ones but the OZ's really make a massive difference, fill the arches better plus the offset really improves the stance of the car. Plus the fact my mate was selling them and let me try them out really helped ;)

Never had a plan to go as far as I have with changing bits and pieces. Obvious ones were getting the grilles and diffuser painted satin black plus the stripes, it's just been ad-hoc/made up as I went along after that.
 
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Those 19's? I had 19's on mine, really made the arches look a lot better when it as lowered.

Thinking about getting rid of my ST again, there's a full spec RS for sale nearby which is really tempting me at the moment.
 
Mucky_Pup said:
Those 19's? I had 19's on mine, really made the arches look a lot better when it as lowered.

Thinking about getting rid of my ST again, there's a full spec RS for sale nearby which is really tempting me at the moment.
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Yes, they're the 19's - I'd say the offset helps a lot with the effect of how the car looks as they're 38mm compared to 52.5 for the original wheels and this brings them out wider but without coming out of the arches. Car is running eibach springs plus it seemed to sit lower again when we fitted the bilstein dampers.

The RS's still seem to be holding value quite well considering they're 4 or 5 years old now, but I'd wonder what will happen once Ford kick off their marketing machine for the mk3 version? just depends if the spec you want is still available by then.
 
getting so fed up with my ST again, no matter what I seem to do to it the dam chassis vibration/wobble seems to come back.

The car felt amazing when I changed the torque link to an uprated one, but I accelerated hard up a hill a few days ago and the vibration just came back between 50-60, now it is permanently there again.

The same thing happened when I changed the near side driveshaft a few months ago, the car felt great for a few weeks. but then went back to vibrating on hard acceleration.

Absolutely stumped, it seems every time the car goes in and is put up on the ramp and the weight is taken off the wheels it shifts something like a joint or a mount which fixes the problem, only for it to jolt back into a bad position which causes vibrations a week or two later. At which point the steering feels a bit more vague and less sharp as well.

In my current state of mind I'm probably going to wait till the new facelift ST is available and get myself a new one, it really is hacking me off that much now!
 
I had the vibra technics mount fitted, the car felt great for about 200 miles over a month (Went on holiday in between) and it was back to its shaky self.

I just don't get it, new mount was fitted, car felt amazing, the steering was sharp and everything felt solid, then it just went, the steering feels lighter and feels like there is less feedback. I would say it is better than it was on it's original mount where vibrations could be felt over a wide speed say 40-80mph, now it just happens between 50 and 60.

The turbo spools up, and once the wave of torque hits the whole chassis vibrates, starts off with small vibrations at 50mph and builds up to much more of a wobble at 60, then it's gone. Anything over 60 is smooth. It also seems the vibrations are much more obvious on smooth surfaces.

It's also much worse when the car is warmed up.

When accelerating slowly (i.e. not full boost), or maintaining speed the car is smooth, it's only when full power is down that it shakes, which really just detracts from the fun of the car.

I just can't work it out, it really dose seem like just putting it up on the ramp and taking the weight off the wheels is enough to allow the mounts/suspension/joints to settle enough to fix the problem temporarily. When I had two front tyres fitted, the car was up on the ramp and it drove amazingly for a few days afterwards, then it's like flicking a switch and it's awful again.

It's the same every time, I have been to several indies to see if they can diagnose it; it goes up on the ramp and everybody has a good look, nobody can see anything wrong, and then it drives great for a day or two!
 
Daz, with your vibration problem I'd point you in the direction of Gary at Collins Performance 01260 279604.

He's worked with ST's since the pre-facelift came out, knows loads and is a very helpful chap :D
 
Liquidfox said:
It was part of the Global Close optional extra. Some 3 doors will have it but you won't be able to tell unless you hold the lock or unlock button (the windows will open or close).
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did I hear that that extra was like a couple of hundred quid ?

if so I'm amazed more didn't go for it to ditch the rear manual winders
 
Expect it depends on how many people factory ordered their 5-dr ST's or were mainly buying what dealers had in stock without realising they needed to search for cars with Global Close.
 
I'd echo tl45, Gary is a genius and has been working on fast fords for over 30 years.

It literally could one of many things;
- torque mount bush perished (Vibra known to be hard and more vibrations)
- bushes worn on suspension components - can sometimes be non-obvious as contain internal fluid which leaks over time
- out of balance wheel or wheels, may be missing a weight or buckled

That's my thoughts. I'd also recommend joining Focus STOC :)
 
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