RE: Ford Focus RS: PH Fleet
Discussion
Dal3D said:
Finally someone that thinks the same as I do. I've had friends sitting in mine and nobody has said they feel too high.
Maybe the trend is to sit with your bum next to the road but I don't like to drive just about peering over the steering wheel - I like to see where I'm going.
Some kind of lever to adjust the height would have been good to please everyone - I believe that there are CS seats in production cars with such an arrangement such as the Renault Megane RS275 Cup? I wonder if these are retrofit-able to help "low riders" out?
In Australia we have V8 Supercars, mainly with Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons ( both now extinct). Being a virtual space frame with hang on panels allows the race teams considerable freedoms as to driver location etc.The street going version of a V8 Supercar is generally a $AUD 400 snotbox of the same brand, with a welded diff, a P plate on the window to warn other drivers that the car is being driven by a pimply yoof, baseball cap on backwards, seat back layed back a long way and driver crouching down as low as possible looking "cool", with the doof doof stereo up on 25 with the sub woofer bouncing around loose on back seat.Maybe the trend is to sit with your bum next to the road but I don't like to drive just about peering over the steering wheel - I like to see where I'm going.
Some kind of lever to adjust the height would have been good to please everyone - I believe that there are CS seats in production cars with such an arrangement such as the Renault Megane RS275 Cup? I wonder if these are retrofit-able to help "low riders" out?
Obviously Ford did not do the market research properly when setting the seat height. BTW, sat in the passenger seat for the first time a while ago, not sure if my imagination but it felt lower than the drivers side! All the above is just the cynical opinion of a 65 year old rambling away on his park bench , so no flames OK?
HJMS123 said:
It's not just basket ball players complaining though is it? everey journo has mentioned it and they all seem to be under 6ft.
Also using the excuse that seat adjustability is designed for average height is drivel ... how come VAG and BMW don't have an issue accomodating people of all heights?
Where did you see that all journalists are under 6ft? It seems to me that most people in this thread that have them of have driven them don't find it a problem at all. If you have plenty of head height and can see and use all of the controls properly I don't see the need to be sat on the floor of a car.Also using the excuse that seat adjustability is designed for average height is drivel ... how come VAG and BMW don't have an issue accomodating people of all heights?
Height adjustability would indeed be useful for the taller driver. Also Can and BMW cars don't come with these seats as far as I know.
Watched Matt Farah's review of his RS 300 miles into ownership last night, which is near identical spec to the one PH has and he did mention the seat thing. However, he said he preferred that over the lower position in the Golf R due to his bad back, so I guess if you have similar issues then the RS is the one to go for 
I actually like the relative subtlety of the RS though when compared to the Civic for example, plus the practicality of the 5-door isn't actually that badly integrated into the shape in my opinion. I do miss the sound of the older 5-cylinder whenever I've heard one go past but the older mk2s I've seen always seem to be driven by complete tossers who think they're on a rally stage. In a town centre. Usually after 11pm.
The optional blue though, I'm not convinced by it. I see one in this met grey colour a lot near my work and have to say it works better in my eyes and doesn't have a 'look at me' impression the blue does. Of course some people want that when they buy a car like this. Usually at 11pm in a town centre...
As for what PH should do with this one, I think just enjoy it and explore the Mountune catalogue
I actually like the relative subtlety of the RS though when compared to the Civic for example, plus the practicality of the 5-door isn't actually that badly integrated into the shape in my opinion. I do miss the sound of the older 5-cylinder whenever I've heard one go past but the older mk2s I've seen always seem to be driven by complete tossers who think they're on a rally stage. In a town centre. Usually after 11pm.
The optional blue though, I'm not convinced by it. I see one in this met grey colour a lot near my work and have to say it works better in my eyes and doesn't have a 'look at me' impression the blue does. Of course some people want that when they buy a car like this. Usually at 11pm in a town centre...
As for what PH should do with this one, I think just enjoy it and explore the Mountune catalogue
Edited by muppet42 on Wednesday 12th October 13:41
Ahbefive said:
I have had a mk2 focus ST and driven the new RS and also never felt that the seats are too high. It does seem odd that anyone normal finds this an issue. Maybe it's an issue if you Re 6ft+ but I'm not and I'm pretty sure they set the seats at a height relative to the average height person rather than to please basketball players.
I also am not a fan of riding low, I like to be able to see as much of the bonnet and scenery as possible.
I'm 5'10/11 and I'm one of the complainers. I also am not a fan of riding low, I like to be able to see as much of the bonnet and scenery as possible.
Funnily, I can't remember having the same feeling in my MK2 RS which had the CS seats fitted?
Ahbefive said:
So what about the position feels too high for you? Do you have an exceptionally long body and not enough headroom?
Headroom isn't a problem, its more the sensation that there isn't a lot of headroom and the cabin is made to feel much narrower because your sitting higher.I have not driven a car with normal seats, but jumping into my R straight after driving the Focus felt like jumping into a Murcielago, it just felt much lower and much wider/spacious. It was one of the first things I noticed when I drove the RS, in fact when I was asked about driving it at the start of the year one of my first comments was "The interior was a real disappointment for me too, also, the Recaro shell seats sat too high for me, I would have preferred them an inch or two lower, it felt much higher and almost van like compared to my Golf R, I suppose the narrow cabin you mention may be adding to this feeling.", therefore I'm definitley not jumping on the band wagon for the sake of it
On the other hand, I do have my Golf seat lowered all the way and when I drove a brand new 5 series Gran Turismo (which is an absolute tank) a few days ago I put the seat all the way down on that too
Dal3D said:
If I was ordering again, I'd probably go for Magnetic Grey - it's stunning when you see it in the flesh and a bit classier than the "in your face" Essex boy blue.
I pass one parked up at a place near my work and have to agree, the grey is smashing IMO. The blue is nice, but I'd look at it six months after purchase and probably wish I'd gone for the grey, the novelty would soon wear off, for me anyway.Can anyone at pistonheads find the answers to why the RS has a waiting list of over a year, leading to many customers losing patience and cancelling their orders.. do we know any other companies that you have to wait for over a year for a 30K car ???? When you ask the dealers the reason for the delays, you will get 5 different answers from 5 different dealers..Ford produce a car which the can sell times over but they can't produce enough in time to supply the demand...I challenge Pistonheads to try and get the real answers from Ford HQ for these serious hold ups 😡😡😡
lpowell9 said:
Can anyone at pistonheads find the answers to why the RS has a waiting list of over a year, leading to many customers losing patience and cancelling their orders.. do we know any other companies that you have to wait for over a year for a 30K car ???? When you ask the dealers the reason for the delays, you will get 5 different answers from 5 different dealers..Ford produce a car which the can sell times over but they can't produce enough in time to supply the demand...I challenge Pistonheads to try and get the real answers from Ford HQ for these serious hold ups ??????
Pretty simply answer really. They can only make about 50 RS's a day which includes USA, Europe and UK. Limit is down to the fact they have to rework the cars to fit the RS bumpers. Not much of a conspiracy I'm afraid....Just pay a few grand more and buy one that's owned by a dealer - there are cars on Autotrader for the £32,000 mark and they are hardly going to kill you with depreciation so paying a grand or two over the odds is surely no biggy?
Come to think of it is £32,000 - £33,000 even that far over the odds? Doesn't seem that outrageous to me.
I'd have the Civic (also in grey) but I wouldn't blame you if you chose this instead, both are great IMO, the hot/mad hatch sector is spoiled for choice these days, what a time to be alive.
Come to think of it is £32,000 - £33,000 even that far over the odds? Doesn't seem that outrageous to me.
I'd have the Civic (also in grey) but I wouldn't blame you if you chose this instead, both are great IMO, the hot/mad hatch sector is spoiled for choice these days, what a time to be alive.
Dal3D said:
Personally I find the CS seats to be the perfect height. I'm your average 6ft, but I prefer to see the road ahead rather than peering over the steering wheel with my bum on the floorpan like a "yoof" lol
+1 I cant stand the stupid obsession with the seat virtually as low to the floorpan as possible and under the wheel as though you were steering a Harley Davidson or some other drag bike.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff