• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Fiesta ST Forum and Fiesta ST community dedicated to Fiesta ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Fiesta ST Forum today!


A Ball's Oxford White Fiesta ST Journal

Messages
129
Likes
23
Location
Philadelphia
#1


This thread comes a little late. Ok, close to a year late.

I bought my Fiesta ST in May... Errr, let's call it June(Purchased May 31st).

I had been in the market for a new car for a while. I've had a bunch of different cars, mainly BMWs. But I had honestly grown tired of astronomical maintenance costs, as well as performance mods. My most recent line up was a 2000 BMW 323it Sport Wagon. This was my car since college, I bought it from some polite old lady in Central PA with 60k on the clock. It was a great car, but at 190k, it was in dire need of major service. needless to say, it was time for it go.

I had always loved Hot hatches, and when I saw the Focus ST, I was in love, but when I saw the Fiesta ST. I know then which car I needed - it covered all the bases. It was fun, handsome, athletic. It was much like my first car, my 1987 E30 325is. Except it wouldn't need as much maintenance. So the stage was set. Just needed to find one.

I knew I wanted white, and I knew I had to have the Recaro seats.



I found one, I drove it, I scared the piss out of the salesmen, and I bought it.

Here it is, at my parents house hours after buying it. I had them leave all the delivery tape on it so I could unwrap it and detail it myself(the dealership fought me on this, they actually seemed insulted[rofl]).





Pictured again parked near my apartment in Philadelphia. I know, street parking! Yikes! Sadly, my M3 still occupied my garage spot. Off Street spots for three cars was a little rich for my blood





The first real photoshoot.

I did this quick shoot one afternoon about 2 weeks after getting the car.







------------------------------------------


I'd like to pretend I made a trek to Reading, PA's famous Pagoda Hill Climb Course just for the driving pleasure, but I actually was here for a wedding (though I skipped brunch to drive the hill).








-----------------------------------------

Removed the front plate. I dont seem to have pictures of it after I put the bumper plugs in. Sadly I will have to put the front plate on again, as I bought a house in NJ... [V]




Got a pedal spacer from my friends at ModBargains





Fast forward almost a year. I have put some winter tires and wheels on the car. I got some General Altimax Arctic tires on 15" steel wheels.





I will continue to update this, as spring comes I plan to get a few more things done.
 


OP
aballphoto
Messages
129
Likes
23
Location
Philadelphia
Thread Starter #2
This is the real reason I got off my ass and made this thread.

The other day, we had a decent snow storm here and I was out for a day with the fiance and she was cool enough to let me have some fun. The FiST is great in the snow.

Sorry for so many pics.





















This was the most fun I've had in the car. Such a great day.
 


Messages
469
Likes
143
Location
Chicago
#3
Nice photos! I wanted an E90 M3 so bad but same parking problem as you. 2 car garage + 3 cars + truck + motorcycle + wife = Chicago street parking.
 


Messages
273
Likes
17
Location
Philadelphia
#4
Nice Pagoda and snow shots!! I've been slacking on snow tires. Idk how I've managed without them so far.
 


Messages
126
Likes
35
Location
...
#5
Great photos and a good story so far! How many miles on it now? Always nice to see someone enjoying their FiST!
 


OP
aballphoto
Messages
129
Likes
23
Location
Philadelphia
Thread Starter #7
Small update, I have been absent for a while but I will play catch up over the coming few days. Some big reviews coming.

Exhaust
I had purchased a Magnaflow system from a member here to try out an exhaust... and I hated it. The drone was so bad that I scrambled to get it off the car, so much that I did a poor job putting my stock system back on (hangs a little low in the rear).

To find out more about how bad this was I made a full review, scope it here, ttp://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/4511-REVIEW-Magnaflow-Exhaust-(AKA-The-Drone-Box).

Journey to middle earth
After that fiasco, Spring came, I exchanged salt and cinders for pollen and bugs, an evil combination for the anal retentive detailer in me. Warmer air meant the Winter tires had to come off, and on went the summers. Well the roads are (still) worse than a teenagers face, and after dodging probably close 2,000 potholes since winter began in 2014, I finally met my maker. Like an idiot, I followed an SUV a little too close on a road I haven't driven since last summer, and sure enough the Dodge Durango (please excuse the irony) suddenly revealed a bottomless pit. A hole the size of a small dog or a large burrito just lay there waiting for me, as I cringed, quickly looking for an escape route, I realized I was done for. As I fell into the pothole, I couldn't help but think if I was going to capsize or not. As fast as it happened it was over. I didn't land in North Korea, or kill any children (yet), but I immediately put down the windows, and turned off the radio - listening for the tell tale signs of the destruction I was certain of. I drove a few miles, no feeling of pressure loss, and then I hit smooth road and I felt it. That shake, that wobble, the bent wheel. I got to work and had one of the techs look at it, yup bent to shit. So I have a new wheel on order -- once I get that one I will have this one straightened and keep it for next time.

POWERRRRR
I will only briefly touch on this, because this is deserving of its own post, but I purchased a Cobb AP. Initial reactions are, it's great, but it really makes you want some supporting mods.


Soundtrack: Part 2
In the coming weeks I will be revisiting this whole exhaust thing. I will be using some of my components to do a resonator delete and provide you guys with some proper video and photography of said process. I also am trying to get my hands on a Mountune system and do a proper review of that, though I fear that system may also be more aggressive than what I am looking for which is more OEM+.


Stay tuned! I'll deliver soon. Cheers!
 


OP
aballphoto
Messages
129
Likes
23
Location
Philadelphia
Thread Starter #10
I've always been very satisfied with the power output of the Fiesta, but I finally got tired of the variation in power levels on my daily commute-- partly due to heat soak, but mainly I feel like the overboost function does not work like they say it does. Long story short; I called the great guys over at R/T Tuning in Montgomeryville, PA (Greater Philadelphia) to get a Cobb Accessport for my Fiesta ST-- not surprisingly they had it there ready to go, so on my lunch break (because when you work for a performance company you buy car parts on lunch), I went and picked it up.

The Vendor: R/T Tuning

Before I go into the tuner I want to talk more about R/T Tuning; I've been working in the aftermarket automotive industry for a long time, I've dealt with many shops, and my friends have dealt with about the same. So listen up when I say that this is it. R/T Tuning not only has it together, they are killing it. Known throughout the Philadelphia area as your go to for Subaru and Evo work, but perhaps better known for their on point customer service, and knowledgable staff. So if you are in the Greater Philadelphia area-- do not hesitate to check these guys out. https://www.facebook.com/RTTuning

Cobb

Back to the Accessport. This thing is everything it should be-- it's easy to use, affordable, and incredibly well made (except for the mount, which is total crap). I've seen so many variations of flash tunes and piggybacks in my days cause more problems than they fix, that I've almost been turned off of them entirely.

My initial impressions were good, the product is properly packaged, it includes a protective travel case and all the accessories one might/will need to breath new life into their car (whatever it may be).

So what are the cons? Well nothing is perfect, and lucky for you I'm not above telling you what's wrong with a product (Cobb are you listening?).

Most of my gripes come from Cobb's marketing of the Accessport. They make definitive information about the product difficult to track down. Power figures in percentages and things like that. Without being a member here, I probably would have never purchased one. Thankfully I am a member here and you guys kick ass so I did buy one.

Also there are some wonky things that happen post-flash. My biggest note was the fuel range being wrong, and by wrong I mean way wrong! On 2/3rds of a tank it told me my range was 584 miles. One full tank later it's almost back to normal.

Outside of that it's a great product, the hardware short of the included mount is fantastic. Oh yeah, that mount... the one that comes with tape made of bubble gum and was so painfully obviously the same part they include with all Accessports since it literally does not fit inside a Fiesta... ANYWHERE. But I digress, and I will resolve it when I start caring again and stop driving around doing 2500-4500 rpm pulls; which may be a while.

Back to the good-- The Accessport does exactly what it says it will, it effortlessly loads performance software on to your car. Basically from the first time you plug it in, to the first time you put your foot down to feel what it did, is about 15 minutes-- not bad considering some cars require bench flashing that can take up to an hour or more!

The Power... I mean the Maps

Ahh yes, the real reason you're even reading this. So how is the power? It's intoxicating... It's like the first time your parents hand you the keys to a car. The power is so impressive, but once you have it, you want more, and now that you can just load tunes on to your car, you are a few hard parts away from really ruining your front tires in record time. I don't think I had it for a day before I was looking up intercoolers. Having the ability to unlock power so easily is a dangerous thing. So don't say I didn't warn you!

I am running the 93 Octane map because I live in New Jersey and 93 is about $2.60 a gallon. Though I've been really wanting to try the Eco Map, but as my car still hasn't normalized it's fuel range so I will wait till I can put it to the test. I have a couple hundred mile trip planned in July so you may have to wait till then.

Pros

There were a few unexpected pluses with the Cobb AccessPort, one was the car got a little more aggressive sounding; noted not only by me. The interior note is louder, the exhaust just a hair more aggressive, I'm not sure what it did to accomplish this, but it is certainly noticeable and welcomed.

Drivability

A concern when flashing any car is, how will it drive after the flash? I've driven cars ruined by flash tunes, and I've driven cars that seem like completely normal. This tune is the latter, it maintains OEM drivability while adding the power we all desire.

Conclusion

I don't know why I waited so long, but this is how the car should have been. It's lively, and the extra power suits it very well!

But Andrew, you didnt talk about the read outs or anything. Well there's a good reason for that, since the mount that was included is all but useless, unless you like leaving things on your floor to step on, I haven't done any data logging or monitoring of the read outs possible on the AccessPort. Mine is currently tucked away in my glovebox waiting for me to figure out a mounting solution. So stay tuned, I will have more on this soon!.

Thanks for reading!
 


Similar threads



Top