Daily Driver Mod Recommendations

[FiSTY]

Hello all!

As the title suggests, I want more out of my FiST (2019 USDM) with the caveat that it will remain my daily driver. Hoping you'll be kind enough to make some recommendations.

As of this writing, she's bone stock aside from wheels... opted for 16x7 Sparco Assetto Garas after losing three tires and a rim on stock configuration (potholes on my commute can be brutal).

High side of my budget is $2,000 USD installed (don't have the equipment/capability to wrench much myself... but should be able to secure professional install ~$100/hr).

Improved sound (exhaust/bov) is a must... closely followed by as much (reliable) hp/torque as I can afford. Zero concerns regarding warranty or emissions.

What would you suggest in my position?

Thanks in advance!

​

 

[dhoffman]

Cobb Accessport would easily be the first thing you should buy. For the potential you unlock with it, it's a no brainier plus any other hardware mods you will not see gains without a tune.

Step 2 is potentially an intercooler, it's the main bottleneck stopping you from higher levels of tune. I know how much they cost but installation plus all the parts in this post may bring you above $2k

Then I'd go with a pro tune which will get you better power and drivability, even if you're stock.

If you can happen to get the intercooler done with low labor, chassis bracing is helpful.

Camber bolts for the front are also super cheap, easy to install and often overlooked. I could be wrong but I think you'd actually see more handling gains with these than a $1k+ coilover kit.

In my opinion the chassis/brakes of the FiST are pretty great stock and the easiest gains are to be made with tuning.

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[XR650R]

What he said.^ An intercooler and a strong tune that accounts for the intercooler are your best bang for the buck.
If you use the holiday code right away, you can buy this tune, intake, intercooler and rear motor mount for $1275. https://www.mountuneusa.com/Cobb-V3-Accessport-Ecu-Flasher-Fiesta-St-p/ap3-fst-001b5.htm
That leaves you almost enough money to cover this exhaust. https://www.mountuneusa.com/mountune-High-Flow-Exhaust-Fiesta-ST-p/2364-cbe-ab.htm
You'll be $14 over budget, before labor.
No, I don't work for mountune! That's just a good package deal on some very nice parts that work well.
The intercooler is something you can do with a ramp and some tools, but the exhaust probably isn't.

 

[Zormecteon]

An RMM and a Quick Shift. For a daily driver these two simple things will give you most improvement in how you perceive your car.

 

[Ford ST]

You say sound is a must I understand this sound improvement is what I did first.

For the exhaust system I recommend fswerks. It sounds decent fits well and is priced fairly in the competition. Overall the most recommended exhaust is the thermal system it is the most expensive but is a high quality item.

https://www.fswerks.com/collections...ealth-exhaust-system-ford-fiesta-st-1-6l-2014

https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopify.com/products/thermal-r-d-3-fiesta-st-cat-back-exhaust-2014

Next on to blow off valves. I am personally running this one and I have no issues with it. So many options for this modification.

https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...esta-st-2014-2018?_pos=8&_sid=7fa7a00ca&_ss=r

I'm trying to keep your budget in mind.
You want more power so you will need a cobb accessport. You can save some money buying a used if they pop up. If you buy from these guys you can get a flash tune for free as long as you don't add any options to the tune.
https://www.stratifiedauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_121&products_id=300.

A intercooler would be a good upgrade but this may throw you over your budget if you're paying someone to install everything, so I will finish off recommending a rear motor mount.
https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...014-2019-fiesta-st-rear-motor-mount-pre-order


Now down the road for upgrades.
The ST200 air box is a great intake it is actually a Ford part. https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopif...ucts/fiesta-st200-airbox-w-cold-air-feed-hose.
I have a video on this if you would like to know the differences between the OEM air box and the ST200 air box.

Now on to intercoolers I believe the mountune is the best intercooler to get if you're keeping the stock turbo it offers the best fitment. If you care about fitment like I do it is the one you want. Buy from mountune when they are offering a discount code/when they are having a sale. They do sales and discounts often the intercooler is actually marked down $180 today.
https://www.mountuneusa.com/mountune-Fiesta-St-Intercooler-Upgrade-Black-p/2364-ic-ba1.htm

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[RubenZZZ]

Hunt down a used UNLOCKED/UNMARRIED Cobb accessport for a Focus ST (same as a Fiesta ST and easier to find... NOT FOCUS RS!) and buy a $50 tune.

Most bang for the buck horsepower-wise.


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[FiSTY]

What he said.^ An intercooler and a strong tune that accounts for the intercooler are your best bang for the buck.
If you use the holiday code right away, you can buy this tune, intake, intercooler and rear motor mount for $1275. https://www.mountuneusa.com/Cobb-V3-Accessport-Ecu-Flasher-Fiesta-St-p/ap3-fst-001b5.htm
That leaves you almost enough money to cover this exhaust. https://www.mountuneusa.com/mountune-High-Flow-Exhaust-Fiesta-ST-p/2364-cbe-ab.htm
You'll be $14 over budget, before labor.
No, I don't work for mountune! That's just a good package deal on some very nice parts that work well.
The intercooler is something you can do with a ramp and some tools, but the exhaust probably isn't.

Sounds like there's a consensus on the mods in that package... and part of me really wants an excuse to slap a mountune badge on. Assuming I go with that, their catback and bov... I'm pretty close to budget on parts. Read: might just have to save/wait a little for install... but can see the value in nabbing all at once.

Tyty!

 

[XR650R]

Sounds like there's a consensus on the mods in that package... and part of me really wants an excuse to slap a mountune badge on. Assuming I go with that, their catback and bov... I'm pretty close to budget on parts. Read: might just have to save/wait a little for install... but can see the value in nabbing all at once.

Tyty!

I bought all that stuff piece-by-piece, more or less. This is considerably cheaper. I should have waited!
I haven't installed the intercooler, yet, because it's freakin' cold out, but I'm getting some good power.
Everybody's probably sick of me posting this pic, but the mountune tunes are solid. Good numbers for a stage 2. I don't know what those numbers are at the wheels, but they sure will spin. It's entertaining, for sure.

 

[Ecmdrw5]

Sounds like there's a consensus on the mods in that package... and part of me really wants an excuse to slap a mountune badge on. Assuming I go with that, their catback and bov... I'm pretty close to budget on parts. Read: might just have to save/wait a little for install... but can see the value in nabbing all at once.

Tyty!

The induction hose and air box can be installed pretty easy. I think you just need a torx, screw driver, and a 10mm? Socket. The Accessport just plugs into the OBD. The motor mount requires getting under the car and a couple of sockets but it’s easy. Took about an hour including watching a how to on YouTube. The hardest one would be the intercooler and thats just removing half the front body panels to get to it.


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[XR650R]

The induction hose and air box can be installed pretty easy. I think you just need a torx, screw driver, and a 10mm? Socket. The Accessport just plugs into the OBD. The motor mount requires getting under the car and a couple of sockets but it’s easy. Took about an hour including watching a how to on YouTube. The hardest one would be the intercooler and thats just removing half the front body panels to get to it.

It's really pretty easy. There are how-to vids on installing the intercooler, too. It's a one person job.

 

[RubenZZZ]

Go to Harbor Freight and purchase a $50 tool set. You'll be amazed at how much you can do yourself with some ratchets, YouTube videos and a little time.


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[FiSTY]

Go to Harbor Freight and purchase a $50 tool set. You'll be amazed at how much you can do yourself with some ratchets, YouTube videos and a little time.


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I appreciate everyone's confidence in me... my initial post, I said I lacked "equipment/capability" but suppose I meant "interest/desire" 🤣

Probably going to lose some bro cred admitting it, but I absolutely hate working on cars.

 

[XR650R]

I appreciate everyone's confidence in me... my initial post, I said I lacked "equipment/capability" but suppose I meant "interest/desire" 🤣

Probably going to lose some bro cred admitting it, but I absolutely hate working on cars.

I don't really enjoy it. I just remember when I was young and broke, and couldn't afford to pay someone to do it for me. Now, I pay people to do the jobs I just don't want to do, but I can do the easy stuff.

Anyway, I get your reluctance to dig into your car. The good news is that changing the intake and intercooler isn't that hard, so any competent mechanic will have the tools and should be able to do it for you for not a lot of money.

 

[B_hix]

I don't really enjoy it. I just remember when I was young and broke, and couldn't afford to pay someone to do it for me. Now, I pay people to do the jobs I just don't want to do, but I can do the easy stuff.

This is a privilege I enjoy as well, benefit of being older.
Could I crawl around the shop floor for two days and install my S280 and downpipe? Yep. Do I want to? Nope. So will I? Nope, lol.
Panda is getting the job.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I appreciate everyone's confidence in me... my initial post, I said I lacked "equipment/capability" but suppose I meant "interest/desire" 🤣

Probably going to lose some bro cred admitting it, but I absolutely hate working on cars.

I don't blame you at all for that, as I'm heading towards 70 years of age, it is becoming a most royal pain to work on a car, especially in the cold (since I don't have a nice warm garage to work in, like most on here).

Also because I must keep looking over my shoulder for the HOA Gestapo goons looking to fine me (more coin than it would co$t me to just get get the work done by a shop!) for working on my own car in MY OWN driveway!!

 

[XR650R]

This is a privilege I enjoy as well, benefit of being older.
Could I crawl around the shop floor for two days and install my S280 and downpipe? Yep. Do I want to? Nope. So will I? Nope, lol.
Panda is getting the job.

I don't blame you at all for that, as I'm heading towards 70 years of age, it is becoming a most royal pain to work on a car, especially in the cold (since I don't have a nice warm garage to work in, like most on here).

Also because I must keep looking over my shoulder for the HOA Gestapo goons looking to fine me (more coin than it would co$t me to just get get the work done by a shop!) for working on my own car in MY OWN driveway!!

And, we're keeping people employed in this struggling economy. We're patriots!

 

[FiSTNorway]

• RMM - mainly to reduce engine knock and wheelhop on a tune, but even stock (Recommend Mountune, not to stiff and not to soft, but pretty expensive compared to other cheaper brands)
• Quickshift 25% reduce gear trow
• Powerflex rear spring isolators (the OEM ones don't stand much wear)
• Powerflex front upper engine mount and upper gearbox mount (much tighter gear shifts)
  
  After spending alot of cash on my 2013 ST3 i would reconsider a lot of it if i was modding the car all over again..
  All the mentioned Powerflex mods is in my eyes a very cheap and easy way to do your self mod, to make the car better as it is and will prolly never need changing.

 

[Jabbit]

Why don't people say "buy a shift knob" more often? I spent a lot of time looking for exactly what I wanted, you use it constantly and it can be so cool to row through the gears with a weighted, textured knob. Plus you can get wacky colors/patterns to add some pop to the gray abyss of a cabin we have.

 

[FiSTNorway]

Why don't people say "buy a shift knob" more often? I spent a lot of time looking for exactly what I wanted, you use it constantly and it can be so cool to row through the gears with a weighted, textured knob. Plus you can get wacky colors/patterns to add some pop to the gray abyss of a cabin we have.

AliExpress sell theese, seen it few times and it looks as good as the orginal for 1/2 the price.