My First ST with Mods 97K and I'm learning what I bought... The drive home was amazing!

[Vinnyzilla]

I got in the ST game with this 2017 with 97k miles. I'm still trying to gather what I bought because the seller didn't list but a few of the mods not all of them and he just verbally told me at the sale so I'm kind of going back to him and asking him some details. The clutch was purchased and installed from the owner before him and he's contacting him on the brand and manufacturer of the clutch but it was stupid expensive.

Mods:

Custom Racing Clutch - I'm getting data from old owner but he's contacting prior owner before him for details.

Turbo 2.0 It's not stock/OEM Snail Logo? What's with snail logo? 🤷‍♂️

Intake mod with RS sensor in it...🤷‍♂️

MSD coils.

Injectors mod - not sure what size or type🤷‍♂️

COBB motor mount kits.

Intercooler Mushimoto

Short Shifter Kit

Fancy catch can - looks nice

Spark plugs not sure yet range

I haven't gotten to the exhaust or looked at it yet I'm not even sure if I have a cat back system or not he never mentioned it sounds really good though.

This thing was so fun to drive home I can't tell you how fun... every time the blow off valve went off made me giggle every time. It's the funnest car I've driven since my GT500 Shelby or modified S2000s I've owned. I'm super excited to be in the ST game.

Keep ya posted on goodies when I find out more.

Anthony Ray

View: https://youtu.be/j5zVOcZYal0?si=pwBTWIskGLJscjKT

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Are you sure you dont want to join the Focus ST group?

 

[Grsemky]

Are you sure you dont want to join the Focus ST group?

Reading through the list I was damn somebody swapped a focus engine over...🥲

 

[atlantaM3]

that would be a riot - if it ever hooked...

 

[Grsemky]

that would be a riot - if it ever hooked...

Not sure if you've seen this, but one of them had the 2.3l shoehorned in

 

[atlantaM3]

yeah, seen that before. The red car looks nicely done. None of those can hook well, even on slicks...

Now my RS on the other hand...

 

[M-Sport fan]

Reading through the list I was damn somebody swapped a focus engine over...🥲

Yeah, I was a bit confused when I noticed the 2.0 intake manifold there, when I previously thought he had bought a FIESTA ST, not a FOCUS ST.

 

[Stubborn Approach]

Gets spoon fed info from AI about problems with the FiST & buys a FoST instead. Make that make sense.

 

[Vinnyzilla]

Reading through the list I was damn somebody swapped a focus engine over...🥲

I didn't know what I was buying really I thought it was a Fiesta but it's Focus ST 🤦. I love it, which one is better?

This one is a beast. I guess I got to switch over to the other Forum LOL...

Thank you.

Anthony Ray

 

[Vinnyzilla]

Gets spoon fed info from AI about problems with the FiST & buys a FoST instead. Make that make sense.

Yeah, I wz kinda lost in space.

What's the difference between STs besides 1.5l n 2.0l motor size? I thought all STs were Fiestas? Which one is more desirable?

Thanks

Anthony Ray

 

[Vinnyzilla]

Yeah, I was a bit confused when I noticed the 2.0 intake manifold there, when I previously thought he had bought a FIESTA ST, not a FOCUS ST.

Yeah, I'm a ST dumbass. I guess I bought the big brother of the Fiesta ST. I'm okay with it cz I already own a BRZ for that rear wheel drive go kart feel. As I read n learn that the Fiesta more resembles more a nimble version of the STs for that driver feel a bit more.

I'm glad I stumbled into the bigger ST car hatchback with the bigger motor so its more hotrod. It will get less gas mileage but I don't really care about that. I guess I dodged a bullet in my mind but we know thats flawed. I'm 61 trying to stay busy keep my brain occupied to see if I can prevent Alzheimer's. I think I did myself a favor for this is the funnest car I've driven since my stage II Shelby GT500. This mf is a super fun ride. 🤪

Anthony Ray

 

[Stubborn Approach]

Yeah, I wz kinda lost in space.

What's the difference between STs besides 1.5l n 2.0l motor size? I thought all STs were Fiestas? Which one is more desirable?

Thanks

Anthony Ray

AI can help you find out why the name Ecoboom was coined for the 2L motors. I learned my
lesson way back on the 2.3L DISI MZR.

 

[Vinnyzilla]

AI can help you find out why the name Ecoboom was coined for the 2L motors. I learned my
lesson way back on the 2.3L DISI MZR.

I'm never gonna live this AI down am I? 🤦 Everybody said forget about AI on the Fiesta 🤣

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yeah, I'm a ST dumbass. I guess I bought the big brother of the Fiesta ST. I'm okay with it cz I already own a BRZ for that rear wheel drive go kart feel. As I read n learn that the Fiesta more resembles more a nimble version of the STs for that driver feel a bit more.

I'm glad I stumbled into the bigger ST car hatchback with the bigger motor so its more hotrod. It will get less gas mileage but I don't really care about that. I guess I dodged a bullet in my mind but we know thats flawed. I'm 61 trying to stay busy keep my brain occupied to see if I can prevent Alzheimer's. I think I did myself a favor for this is the funnest car I've driven since my stage II Shelby GT500. This mf is a super fun ride. 🤪

Anthony Ray

The Focus version is naturally quicker in a straight line right off of the showroom floor, and can be made to be even quicker yet with the proper mods/tuning, despite the increased weight vs, The Fiesta ST.
But as Stubborn Approach above mentioned, that engine has had it's share of problems, even more so than our open deck blocks have had (mainly when crazy big turbo boost volumes, and on the edge tunes are thrown at the factory long block).
The Fiesta ST IS a bunch more nimble than the Focus ST right off of the showroom floor, despite it having an independent rear suspension vs. our solid beam axle, but both cars can be made to handle exceptionally well, again with the carefully thought out, sensible suspension mods.

The Focus ST will probably never be as 'tossable' through tight turns/slaloms/etc. as the Focus ST, again due to it's increased size and heft.

70 here, and I love that no one expects a senior to be driving anything but a placid, sedate, milquetoast bland SUV, or Avalon or such, and they see me getting out of the little street rally rocket (but to them a 'shitbox' LOL) but then I always tend to totally buck any stereotypes and 'trends', and never choose 'the usual, go-to, popular thing', in general.

 

[killer5280]

Can we make him an honorary member?
This cracks me up.

I'm only 65, by the way.

 

[Stubborn Approach]

The Focus version is naturally quicker in a straight line right off of the showroom floor, and can be made to be even quicker yet with the proper mods/tuning, despite the increased weight vs, The Fiesta ST.

When they were both released, Ford set up an autocross course for folks to come test drive them and compete against each other for times. The owner of the Mazdaspeed forums brought me along that first year to make sure the Focus got driven to the limit & then compared against the MS3.

I set FTD in the FoST at Dodgers Stadium that year. The next year Ford released the FiST. I set FTD in the FoST again, this time at the Rose Bowl. I got to do a winner takes all run against the 2nd fastest guy that day in the FiST. I believe I was .5 slower in the FiST compared to my times in the FoST on that short autox course.

As an aside, I never understood why Ford didn’t put a mechanical LSD in the car despite all of the competitors having one at that time…. MS3, Si, etc

The FoST is the better performance vehicle & it’s not even close imo. The FiST is only tossable to a point, on the street. The moment you get out on a track where 10/10 is possible, the inadequacies of the FiSTs suspension & contact patch are immediately apparent.

The 1.6L is the FiSTs best feature. I still think ZX3s are the best handling FWD cars I’ve ever driven in anger. The FoST platform is just another evolution of that, just a shame about that 2L.

 

[killer5280]

I have no trouble believing/accepting any of that, but I'm still glad I have a Fiesta. Makes my commutes a blast and I have no intentions of going to the track.

I had been considering getting a Focus ST as well, but what are the issues with the 2.0?

 

[Vinnyzilla]

The Focus version is naturally quicker in a straight line right off of the showroom floor, and can be made to be even quicker yet with the proper mods/tuning, despite the increased weight vs, The Fiesta ST.
But as Stubborn Approach above mentioned, that engine has had it's share of problems, even more so than our open deck blocks have had (mainly when crazy big turbo boost volumes, and on the edge tunes are thrown at the factory long block).
The Fiesta ST IS a bunch more nimble than the Focus ST right off of the showroom floor, despite it having an independent rear suspension vs. our solid beam axle, but both cars can be made to handle exceptionally well, again with the carefully thought out, sensible suspension mods.

The Focus ST will probably never be as 'tossable' through tight turns/slaloms/etc. as the Focus ST, again due to it's increased size and heft.

70 here, and I love that no one expects a senior to be driving anything but a placid, sedate, milquetoast bland SUV, or Avalon or such, and they see me getting out of the little street rally rocket (but to them a 'shitbox' LOL) but then I always tend to totally buck any stereotypes and 'trends', and never choose 'the usual, go-to, popular thing', in general.

Thank for your wisdom. What you wrote I read. I obsobed the post and I found it very well said to the differences between the STs. I've read many and some good ones and I like yours the best.

Anyways the story is, and why you responded to this thread is I went out to buy one of these two STs that day cash in hand met the FoST at 8am in Oakland CA. I was trying to get back home to Fairfield early enough to be able to watch some NFL football in the morning. Let me tell you make no mistake that I still thought at the time, the only thing that could be an ST was a Fiesta but my ADHD hyper focus (no pun intended) had 7500 cash from a sale of my Ford Sport Trac custom made rig. and I narrowed it down to 2015 Fi ST 135k full mods w proggy but no belt change and both buyers agreed in principle 7500. I've been talking to both sellers and others them for a few days and I was coming home with something from these were my top picks for my $ cash. I'm glad I went to go see the Focus ST first. I sold truck to get a hatchback again and I need space to haul my RC boats and bins to the pond with the toys or haul my custom GoPeds to the track or drag meets. My BRZ is fun AF but it's a small for any cargo. These FoST are heavy compared to my BRZ. I measure how much of my foot power it is to move my cars in garage on level pavement. BRZ easy, FoST way harder, and our other Lexus SUV in sedan you can barely move them with all your might in neutral AT. So the big brother of FiST is a little piggy I get that. I have my RWD BRZ that is feather 🪶 weight so I'm covered in that regard for track street fun.

Now, if I would have went to the Fiesta ST first I'm sure I would have bought it after talking to people here the night before in messaging posts. This guy really took care of that one had every trick in the book a super long list, plus the programmer and the heated Recaro seats. If his car drove anything like this Focus ST I would have bought it even with the timing belt not changed, maybe 🤷‍♂️. That did weight on my mind between the two because the FoST 97k and 2 years newer 🤷‍♂️.

Anyways, thanks to you and everybody else that chimed in with this thread. Am sure I'm the first to do this to go buy a Fiesta ST and think he's buying Fiesta ST and then come home with Focus ST. 😁

I fully deserve my "AI roast" I can take the heat. Let's bring in Sinatra and Dean and make it super funny Roast.

Anthony Ray

 

[Vinnyzilla]

I have no trouble believing/accepting any of that, but I'm still glad I have a Fiesta. Makes my commutes a blast and I have no intentions of going to the track.

I had been considering getting a Focus ST as well, but what are the issues with the 2.0?

I'll keep you posted but I think I'm going to have to post in the proper forms next time LOL

 

[M-Sport fan]

I'm glad I went to go see the Focus ST first. I sold truck to get a hatchback again and I need space to haul my RC boats and bins to the pond with the toys or haul my custom GoPeds to the track or drag meets. My BRZ is fun AF but it's a small for any cargo.

If you needed more cargo space to haul around small toys, YES, the FoST was a better choice.
It does not have twice the interior cargo space of a FiST, but it definitely has more room.
Also (especially if you do/did not plan to mod either choice), coming from higher powered rides, the power and straight line acceleration of the FoST would not be quite as much of a let down for you as the FiST.