Yeah, it's been 15 months which was enough for me!
How many Focus ST owners on here
- Thread starter Sparky
- Start date
Yeah, it's been 15 months which was enough for me!
Soldato
I wonder why it was resprayed.
Associate
Must have been 2 or 3 years mine wasn't entirely happy, coming back from a trip to Scotland could feel it letting go a bit more than usual. Bit the bullet in the end and got a diff put in at same time. Least I'd had time to help save up for it all!
Soldato
I'm at a loss with the answer to that one. The car is very straight and no obvious signs of crash damage etc. Had it checked by a couple of mechanics, one being a motorsport company I use regularly and nothing untoward bodywise has been spotted, nor mechanically really bar a wheel bearing now replaced. Two bodyshops have also looked at it and said there's no obvious dent repairs just this awful paint. There are no dents on the car at all. So weird.
The last owner is adament he's never seen these bubbles before and it's never had paint but clearly he is a liar and just wanted to take my money. But lesson learnt rushing due to lack of time and not going back on a better day weather wise.
From the hassle of selling it at a loss, buying yet another hot hatch etc, I may as well sink some money into this to get it mint inside and out and then it'll look as good as the milage and 2 previous owners, FSH etc suggests.
Which may stand me in good stead when it's time to sell in a couple of years
As this is most definitely the last hot hatch I'll be having for a while as the money needs to be invested sensibly into property instead of petrol after this car has run it's course.I'm at a loss with the answer to that one. The car is very straight and no obvious signs of crash damage etc. Had it checked by a couple of mechanics, one being a motorsport company I use regularly and nothing untoward bodywise has been spotted, nor mechanically really bar a wheel bearing now replaced. Two bodyshops have also looked at it and said there's no obvious dent repairs just this awful paint. There are no dents on the car at all. So weird.
The last owner is adament he's never seen these bubbles before and it's never had paint but clearly he is a liar and just wanted to take my money. But lesson learnt rushing due to lack of time and not going back on a better day weather wise.
From the hassle of selling it at a loss, buying yet another hot hatch etc, I may as well sink some money into this to get it mint inside and out and then it'll look as good as the milage and 2 previous owners, FSH etc suggests.
Which may stand me in good stead when it's time to sell in a couple of years
Do u mind me asking where u got the car from? Was it not far from Merseyside? As I said in a previous post I'm sure it got relisted 3 times on AT as I was tempted myself as it was only 25 miles from me in Liverpool and a good price considering the remap etc. The pics were in the same place as the one in your sig and it has rear tinted lights?
If you have had the car fully checked then there shouldn't be anything to worry about. I'm sure you could re sell for same price.
Did u HPI check it?
Soldato
Yeah it's HPI clear, I got it from Warrington. I aren't sure how many times it was listed but I'd been looking properly for a few days before I saw this pop up on the Autotrader
Wasn't listed elsewhere such as ebay etc. It does have tinted rear lights. But if it was listed over and over, then the paint is definitely why. Mechanically it's sound and I've got thousands of pounds of receipts. Doesn't make sense with this paint. Oh well, my problem to put right now lol
As for wheel colour... what do you guys think to a colour likened to the same as the new Fiesta ST's slightly smoked alloys you get with the style pack?
Hopefully D3lirious won't mind me borrowing his pic from the Fiesta ST thread for the colour example:
Wasn't listed elsewhere such as ebay etc. It does have tinted rear lights. But if it was listed over and over, then the paint is definitely why. Mechanically it's sound and I've got thousands of pounds of receipts. Doesn't make sense with this paint. Oh well, my problem to put right now lol
As for wheel colour... what do you guys think to a colour likened to the same as the new Fiesta ST's slightly smoked alloys you get with the style pack?
Hopefully D3lirious won't mind me borrowing his pic from the Fiesta ST thread for the colour example:
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Yeah it's HPI clear, I got it from Warrington. I aren't sure how many times it was listed but I'd been looking properly for a few days before I saw this pop up on the Autotrader
Wasn't listed elsewhere such as ebay etc. It does have tinted rear lights. But if it was listed over and over, then the paint is definitely why. Mechanically it's sound and I've got thousands of pounds of receipts. Doesn't make sense with this paint. Oh well, my problem to put right now lol
As for wheel colour... what do you guys think to a colour likened to the same as the new Fiesta ST's slightly smoked alloys you get with the style pack?
Hopefully D3lirious won't mind me borrowing his pic from the Fiesta ST thread for the colour example:
Yeh that will be the one as Warrington is bang on 25 miles from me and the pics are the same. The AT ad's are 2 weeks a time and it went off for a week or so then came back on a few times. I was looking every week for a few months at the Focus ST's keeping an eye on the prices etc as I hope to get one soon. Sounds spot on with all the receipts etc and mods he's had done so should be worth keeping if u get the paint sorted. Is it the whole car that the paints damaged on?
How does the power feel with the remap compared to that modded Astra u had
Yeh them colour wheels look great IMO
Soldato
Most panels dude yeah 
The bonnet is SHOCKING! I daren't post a proper picture of how bad it is. Feel so stupid but nevermind, getting over it now
It's quite a powerful car. The Astra was a bit more old school and in your face with it's power delivery but this is quite smooth and strong, 3rd/4th are brilliant gears, it properly shifts then, so it's quite fast and feels quite a bit more powerful than the Astra. The ST vs. VXR kinda power delivery is loads different. The Focus is fantastic at pootling round, minimal throttle input and it just pulls itself around, the Astra's don't do that.
Only downside is MPG I guess but that doesn't really fuss me too much yet.
The bonnet is SHOCKING! I daren't post a proper picture of how bad it is. Feel so stupid but nevermind, getting over it now It's quite a powerful car. The Astra was a bit more old school and in your face with it's power delivery but this is quite smooth and strong, 3rd/4th are brilliant gears, it properly shifts then, so it's quite fast and feels quite a bit more powerful than the Astra. The ST vs. VXR kinda power delivery is loads different. The Focus is fantastic at pootling round, minimal throttle input and it just pulls itself around, the Astra's don't do that.
Only downside is MPG I guess but that doesn't really fuss me too much yet.
Soldato
Anyone got a detailed list on the latest focus st pre-facelift and facelift differences?
Associate
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- 3 Mar 2009
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Most panels dude yeah
It's quite a powerful car. The Astra was a bit more old school and in your face with it's power delivery but this is quite smooth and strong, 3rd/4th are brilliant gears, it properly shifts then, so it's quite fast and feels quite a bit more powerful than the Astra. The ST vs. VXR kinda power delivery is loads different. The Focus is fantastic at pootling round, minimal throttle input and it just pulls itself around, the Astra's don't do that.
Only downside is MPG I guess but that doesn't really fuss me too much yet.
That's really quite something, could the car have been left somewhere where the environmental conditions could have bubbled up the paint ? That's some really odd paintwork. Might be a silly question to ask, but have you checked what the original paint colour should be with an online check ?
Associate
I was going to query myself if the paint has gotten contaminated in any way, think if a car had had so many panels resprayed there'd be some tell-tale signs somewhere of where it was masked off or similar?
To check original colour just have a look at the plastic slam panel at front of engine bay - it should have black overspray on it rather than being completely unpainted plastic. Unpainted plastic means it's been replaced at some point, course if it's say blue or orange that tells it's own story
To check original colour just have a look at the plastic slam panel at front of engine bay - it should have black overspray on it rather than being completely unpainted plastic. Unpainted plastic means it's been replaced at some point, course if it's say blue or orange that tells it's own story
Soldato
I'll have a look at some point in the next day or two when I get a min.
I read online that cheap nasty car covers can do this to paint also... not sure if he ever used one. He owned it since 2010 so it's mad he has all these receipts for mechanical stuff and yet the paint is as good as shafted lol. Oh well soon be fresh and up to scratch (excusing any puns)
I read online that cheap nasty car covers can do this to paint also... not sure if he ever used one. He owned it since 2010 so it's mad he has all these receipts for mechanical stuff and yet the paint is as good as shafted lol. Oh well soon be fresh and up to scratch (excusing any puns
)
Soldato
Haven't got a detailed list, but this is it as I recall:
Different bumpers/bodykit
LED daytime running lights available on ST3
Slightly different colour grey wheels on ST3
* 19" wheels an option with style pack
Springs and dampers tweaked
EPAS tweaks
Torque Vectoring tweaks
New centre console with Sync2 (ST2/ST3)
Associate
Pretty much this, but the LED DRLs are standard on my ST2.
I think the 19" wheels with the style pack also come with privacy glass.
The sound symphoser has also been changed with the facelift as well to take into account the possible STD variant...
Associate
Had my exhaust and lowering springs fitted, car sounds and looks much better now. Discovered I need a new radiator due to a leak though, so ordered one today
Heard of the rad going on another RS, don't know if it's a massively widespread issue though.
Seeing quite a few facelift mk3 ST's at work now - liking the style of the front end more but the rear bumper design lets it down with the full width styling slats. Hybrid with the earlier version bumper would be better imho as it emphasises the exhaust outlet more. Still won't tempt me out of my facelift mk2 though and the new RS hasn't changed that either.
Pretty common problem apparently.
Ordered an airtec radiator, and thought while it's off may as well change the hoses as well, so ordered a set of samco's
Also got some kaylan mudflaps delivered yesterday
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Associate
That airtec radiator will be tasty bit of kit then
Living on an unadopted road mudflaps area must on my ST though I've only used the PVC versions, which usually last for years. Had to get a bit creative with fitting the front ones as I wasn't prepared to drill holes in the sill end cap etc.
Living on an unadopted road mudflaps area must on my ST though I've only used the PVC versions, which usually last for years. Had to get a bit creative with fitting the front ones as I wasn't prepared to drill holes in the sill end cap etc.
Soldato
Did you go for Velcro to avoid having to drill the sill? I've got a set of Kaylan flaps for my RS and should really get around to fitting them sometime