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Prospective buyer in need of opinions

Lefty11

New Member
Messages
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Location
Erie, PA, USA
#1
Hey everyone,
I’m Garrett from Pennsylvania but go to college in South Carolina and I’ve been looking into the Fiesta ST for a bit now. I drove a buddies 2018 just today and I absolutely loved it. I currently drive a 2000 Subaru Legacy GT Limited. After driving my fathers 2017 Subaru STI and the 2018 FiST, i think I’m leaning towards moving towards finding myself a Fiesta. Before I tie myself down financially to a car my senior year of college, I wanted to get some feedback on the reliability of the Fiesta ST. Is the jump from the 1.6L in 2017 to the 1.5L in 2018 that noticeable? Are Recaro seats comfortable enough to sit in for a 13 hour drive? I just want to hear thoughts before I drop what I’ve been saving by driving my current beater.
 


gtx3076

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US
#3
Hey everyone,
I’m Garrett from Pennsylvania but go to college in South Carolina and I’ve been looking into the Fiesta ST for a bit now. I drove a buddies 2018 just today and I absolutely loved it. I currently drive a 2000 Subaru Legacy GT Limited. After driving my fathers 2017 Subaru STI and the 2018 FiST, i think I’m leaning towards moving towards finding myself a Fiesta. Before I tie myself down financially to a car my senior year of college, I wanted to get some feedback on the reliability of the Fiesta ST. Is the jump from the 1.6L in 2017 to the 1.5L in 2018 that noticeable? Are Recaro seats comfortable enough to sit in for a 13 hour drive? I just want to hear thoughts before I drop what I’ve been saving by driving my current beater.
The United States does not have the 1.5EB.

I bought my car with 100k miles on it. I put on another 10k and the only issue I've had so far is leaking axle seals which were replaced free of charge under warranty. The car as been reliable so far.

As far as the recaros, I seem to be an outlier, but I HATED them. I am 5'5, so shorter than probably most guys, and the seats squeezed my legs, and my chest, and forced my shoulders and head forward. I couldn't even rest my arms at my side because the bolsters came so far forward. I almost traded the car in until I found a local that I swapped seats with. The base seats are much more comfortable for cruising long distances. My balls don't get squished anymore.
 


M-Sport fan

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Princeton, N.J.
#4
^^^That.
ALL years USDM FiSTs that were ever produced for the North American market, and sold here are the 1.6 liter, 4 pot, direct injection only, Ecoboost, we never got the Mk8 FiST, nor it's 3 banger, port AND direct injected, 1.5 EB.

I have the base seats (ordered the car this way, since I flat out refused to pay $2K for those optional seats [nono]), and have taken them on 10+ hour road trips without ANY pain/discomfort/etc.
Others with the Recaros will have to chime in on their opinions.
 


Messages
246
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290
Location
San Antonio
#5
Not sure of your body type, but I'm 6'1 about 160 and the recaros are perfect for me. For a 13 hour drive I would probably need a lumbar pillow or something, but my lower back has always been that way no matter the seat. I love the recaros in mine, and the 1.6 seems pretty reliable. Mine only has 43k miles on it and no issues except the notorious AC blend door actuator. I know one member on here has well over 100k miles with no issues. Like 150+ I think. Hope that helps.
 


Flaco

2000 Post Club
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Location
Ellijay, GA, USA
#6
Welcome ! I've had 2 FiST one with Recaro's one without. There are advantages to both. I enjoy the Recaro's more. Everyone will have there preference. Reliability for either of mine has been a non issue.
 


Messages
445
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519
Location
Metro Detroit
#7
A 2019 owner here and I chose the base model specifically to avoid the Recaro seats after seeing reviews stating they were cramping. Don't regret that choice at all but I won't be doing any endurance racing, if you plan on doing 3 or 4 hours of driving at Mid Ohio the Recaro"s do make good sense. BTW, one Nephew has a FoST with Recaro seats and at 5'10" inches I was sort of peeking over the steering wheel. With the base level seats you can adjust the height enough get a nice comfortable seating position.

Another thing you can do is change from the standard 17 inch rims to 16 inch rims. The extra sidewall height provided by 205-50x16 inch tires makes for a much less jarring ride and you won't have to have your wheels repaired every month or two due to pothole damage. I will also note that a LOT of Autocross drivers are using 16 inch rims, so it's obvious that a 50 profile tire is perfectly suitable for some really aggressive driving. To be blunt I think that 35 and 40 profile tires are DUMB and a really foolish fashion statement.

As for long distance driving Metro Detroit to Lake George, NY is a 720 mile drive. Did that drive a year ago without any problems at all in terms of comfort. Also did the entire drive with only one gas stop, averaged 39.2 mpg for the trip. Also drove to Charlotte, NC for Christmas last year and it was a nice easy drive but only averaged 34 mpg on that run. It seems that mountains and a LOT of curves does burn more fuel than a boring straight drive.

BTW I have to question that 13 hour drive of yours. I generally do the Lake George drive in about 11 hours. Looked up an Erie, PA to Clemson, SC drive and it showed up at 684 miles. Granted you may be going much further south in SC but you may want to look into improving the efficiency of your drive. The biggest time saver on any long drive isn't speed, it's limiting bathroom breaks, so cut back on fluids and you'll save significant time. Note, I combat drowsiness on a long drive by literally using my mind. I'll do stuff like math in my head or even designing an engine.
 


jmrtsus

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Ooltewah
#8
Change the oil frequently with a full syn oil with Titanium and it will last for many, many miles. Ford Motorcraft Full Syn is Kendall GT-1 with Titanium supplied by ConocoPhillips in the USA but impossible to get except with a Ford dealer oil change. The Kendall GT 1 is almost exclusively online and can be had for $55 delivered per case of 12 quarts. The Castrol Edge now has the Titanium and is also a good choice and available everywhere. The Titanium oil additive was tested by NIST, our national lab. They do not disclose brand names but the test was on the Titanium oil, Kendall held the patent and was the only one to use it at the time of testing. It showed the highest wear rating in motor oils, reduced friction and temps and increase in mileage. Once the patent ran out other oils are now using it. So get one with Titanium for long engine life and change it often. I love the online delivery as I leave the garage door open and the driver puts it on the garage floor. Comes to $4.60 a quart delivered. The Castrol Edge is currently about $25 w/tax at Wally World. But I have to go buy it at the store and lug it home. Your choice, I believe Mobil 1 now has Titanium and probably others. Use the Motorcraft FL- 400S filter or your pet filter equivalent, a little longer than stock it provides a larger filter area. Warm the engine up and change the oil frequently with a good quality oil and the FiST will give you a long life, reliable engine.
 


Messages
306
Likes
338
Location
Virginia
#9
Hey everyone,
I’m Garrett from Pennsylvania but go to college in South Carolina and I’ve been looking into the Fiesta ST for a bit now. I drove a buddies 2018 just today and I absolutely loved it. I currently drive a 2000 Subaru Legacy GT Limited. After driving my fathers 2017 Subaru STI and the 2018 FiST, i think I’m leaning towards moving towards finding myself a Fiesta. Before I tie myself down financially to a car my senior year of college, I wanted to get some feedback on the reliability of the Fiesta ST. Is the jump from the 1.6L in 2017 to the 1.5L in 2018 that noticeable? Are Recaro seats comfortable enough to sit in for a 13 hour drive? I just want to hear thoughts before I drop what I’ve been saving by driving my current beater.
A person after my own heart. I tried to rebuild an '05 Legacy GT wagon a while back, but I definitely got in over my head on that one. Owned three Subarus in the past, and I likely will try again some day.

As previously mentioned, the 2018-19 cars are the same as the 2016-17 cars here in the US. There are a couple of minor differences with 2014-15 cars (Sync 2, a different evap line on the intake), but we never got the mk8 Fiestas. The USDM 1.6 Ecoboost has been quite reliable in my experience, and I'm definitely not alone. There have been some outliers here and there, but you definitely don't have to worry about major problems like Subaru's head gasket woes. Some 2014 and early 2015 models had a head casting issue which causes coolant loss, but that's really it.

As to the Recaro seats, they were well worth the $2k option cost, if you fit in them. I'm a small-ish guy (5' 9", 150 pounds), and they fit me great. I've done long trips in them (800 miles through the Sierra Valley in California, and 1600 miles back and forth to Florida from Virginia) and I never had an issue with them. I really like them better than flat/more open seats because it means I'm using less energy to keep myself in place. I'd never buy a Fiesta ST without them.
 


OP
L

Lefty11

New Member
Messages
4
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Location
Erie, PA, USA
Thread Starter #11
A 2019 owner here and I chose the base model specifically to avoid the Recaro seats after seeing reviews stating they were cramping. Don't regret that choice at all but I won't be doing any endurance racing, if you plan on doing 3 or 4 hours of driving at Mid Ohio the Recaro"s do make good sense. BTW, one Nephew has a FoST with Recaro seats and at 5'10" inches I was sort of peeking over the steering wheel. With the base level seats you can adjust the height enough get a nice comfortable seating position.

Another thing you can do is change from the standard 17 inch rims to 16 inch rims. The extra sidewall height provided by 205-50x16 inch tires makes for a much less jarring ride and you won't have to have your wheels repaired every month or two due to pothole damage. I will also note that a LOT of Autocross drivers are using 16 inch rims, so it's obvious that a 50 profile tire is perfectly suitable for some really aggressive driving. To be blunt I think that 35 and 40 profile tires are DUMB and a really foolish fashion statement.

As for long distance driving Metro Detroit to Lake George, NY is a 720 mile drive. Did that drive a year ago without any problems at all in terms of comfort. Also did the entire drive with only one gas stop, averaged 39.2 mpg for the trip. Also drove to Charlotte, NC for Christmas last year and it was a nice easy drive but only averaged 34 mpg on that run. It seems that mountains and a LOT of curves does burn more fuel than a boring straight drive.

BTW I have to question that 13 hour drive of yours. I generally do the Lake George drive in about 11 hours. Looked up an Erie, PA to Clemson, SC drive and it showed up at 684 miles. Granted you may be going much further south in SC but you may want to look into improving the efficiency of your drive. The biggest time saver on any long drive isn't speed, it's limiting bathroom breaks, so cut back on fluids and you'll save significant time. Note, I combat drowsiness on a long drive by literally using my mind. I'll do stuff like math in my head or even designing an engine.
That 13 hour drive is in my AWD Subaru Legacy with 25mpg at best traveling from Erie, PA to Charleston, SC where I attend The Citadel. I travel straight down I-79 then I-77 to I-26. I graduate this year with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and I'm hoping to stay somewhere south so I don't have to fight the rust anymore.
 


Capri to ST

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CHAPEL HILL, NC, USA
#12
These cars have proven quite reliable. A number of people are pushing 300 plus horsepower with them reliably. The motors are also used virtually stock in the Formula Ford series. Both of these things gave me a good comfort level about the reliability of the car.
There's also a fun video I like to send to new or prospective owners of a guy beating the crap out of the car on a rally course, and the car holding up to it. I will post that below.
I have the Recaros, and love them. When I first sat in them I thought they were pretty extreme, but now I wouldn't trade them for anything. I am kind of skinny, 6' and 168 lb, but people with a variety of body types have liked them. Some don't like them, I would definitely find a way to sit in them before you decide.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1nkR8pkX4&list=FLur65YQuzud3gXqwZTZTrxQ&index=23&t=35s
 


Dpro

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Los Feliz (In the City of Angels)
#13
A 2019 owner here and I chose the base model specifically to avoid the Recaro seats after seeing reviews stating they were cramping. Don't regret that choice at all but I won't be doing any endurance racing, if you plan on doing 3 or 4 hours of driving at Mid Ohio the Recaro"s do make good sense. BTW, one Nephew has a FoST with Recaro seats and at 5'10" inches I was sort of peeking over the steering wheel. With the base level seats you can adjust the height enough get a nice comfortable seating position.

Another thing you can do is change from the standard 17 inch rims to 16 inch rims. The extra sidewall height provided by 205-50x16 inch tires makes for a much less jarring ride and you won't have to have your wheels repaired every month or two due to pothole damage. I will also note that a LOT of Autocross drivers are using 16 inch rims, so it's obvious that a 50 profile tire is perfectly suitable for some really aggressive driving. To be blunt I think that 35 and 40 profile tires are DUMB and a really foolish fashion statement.

As for long distance driving Metro Detroit to Lake George, NY is a 720 mile drive. Did that drive a year ago without any problems at all in terms of comfort. Also did the entire drive with only one gas stop, averaged 39.2 mpg for the trip. Also drove to Charlotte, NC for Christmas last year and it was a nice easy drive but only averaged 34 mpg on that run. It seems that mountains and a LOT of curves does burn more fuel than a boring straight drive.

BTW I have to question that 13 hour drive of yours. I generally do the Lake George drive in about 11 hours. Looked up an Erie, PA to Clemson, SC drive and it showed up at 684 miles. Granted you may be going much further south in SC but you may want to look into improving the efficiency of your drive. The biggest time saver on any long drive isn't speed, it's limiting bathroom breaks, so cut back on fluids and you'll save significant time. Note, I combat drowsiness on a long drive by literally using my mind. I'll do stuff like math in my head or even designing an engine.
I own a 2018 that I ordered with Recaro‘s I am the exact opposite of you. I specifically opted for the Recaro’s I am 5’7 165 and they are totally comfortable. They do not squeeze me. They are glove like though which is what I love about them. The stock seats actually sit around 1/2-1 inch lower due to larger seat bolsters on the Recaro’s. So no your FoST experience was a FoST and all FoST seats and Focus seats can be adjusted lower than FiST seats but stock FiST seats do feel right as far as seating position in the car goes. Whereas the Recaro sit a bit high due to bolsters.
As far as wheel size goes if you are running 17’s you pretty much do not have a choice of running larger than 40 series its why they came with the car and do help turn in.
on 16’s a 45 series is great and I feel it looks good as well 50 series gets a little tall for our cars in 16 IMO but might be advisable on a 15. Its all about maintaining a close to stock rolling diameter as to not mess mileage and odometer up.
 


flbchbm

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Sterling, VA, USA
#14
Welcome to the machine.
Gotta be skinny (width) for the Recaros. You must try them before you start searching for one. Find a local owner with them.
Ultra-reliable - one of the reasons I bought one. Cost to buy, upgrade, maintain and insure is so low compare to many other cars is the other. I bought many used items for mine and would have bought everything used if I had been more patient. (see sig below)
CPe is in Spartanburg SC. https://cp-e.com/
 


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Location
Wisconsin
#15
2019 owner here. Bought with 50miles on it. I’ve had mine 11-1/2 months and put on 13,000 miles
Only had an electrical gremlin with the blower motor/HVAC control fixed under warranty

my mpg has slowly gotten better over time. I regularly get 32.5mpg 75%highway/25%city
Best I’ve gotten on a tank was 35.9mpg all highway
 


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