2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Estate with Mountune
Discussion
This is my 4th Focus, first one was a 57-plate TDCI:
When I bought it:
Crawley 1 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
Just before I traded it in:
IMG_1801_edited-1 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
I traded that in for a 2010 Skoda Octavia vRS:
When I bought it:
Skoda Octavia on Collection Day! by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
Just before I traded it in:
Skoda Octavia VRS 20-03-2012 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
The Octavia vRS was then traded in for my 2nd Focus, a 2011 Mk2 Focus RS:
My New Focus RS 05-05-2012 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
I don't have many pics of my RS, I only owned it for 6'ish months. The above picture was taken outside the place where I bought it, RS Direct in Bristol. Although I loved the performance I picked the wrong car (bought in haste, car had problems that proved difficult to resolve) so it was sold to webuyanycar a few days before my brand-new Focus arrived. My private plate (which I've had for probably 16 or 17 years now) never went on to my RS.
Due to the ongoing issues with my RS I decided to order a brand-new MK3 Focus ST. I went for red ST-3 hatchback with a few factory options, car took 8'ish weeks to arrive at the dealers.
This is it on collection day at the dealers:
Inside Showroom 27-09-2012_2 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
This is it a couple of years later after it was professionally detailed by RGK Detailing:
RGK-ST-30092014-0026 by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
This car had a few issues during my ownership, it broke down twice (and had to be recovered back to the supplying dealer both times on the back of a flat-bed) and the dealer were ABSOLUTELY useless. Eventually diagnosed as a wire in a loom in the engine bay rubbing off the gearbox casing, wore through the insulation resulting in the bare conductor earthing itself on the gearbox when cornering and blowing a fuse.
The car was then rumped up the erse by an eejit not paying attention on the way to work one morning, it needed a new rear bumper bar + bumper, and the panel behind the bumper pulled back out. Other minor issues were the illuminated ST-branded scuff plates on the sills shorting and blowing the fuse that also protects the circuit covering most of the interior lights (handy!) and having to pull the fuse for the stereo every couple of months in order to reset the Ford SYNC system so that it would recognise my phone was plugged into it.
Despite the issues with the car I felt it was a reasonably comfortable reasonably fast & practical vehicle that, apart from the large gap between the bonnet and front bumper (they are all like that, sir), is/was an attractive car. Not quite the level of 'theater' of the green MK2 RS, but a decent mode of transport nonetheless.
So, when it came time to start thinking about a new car, the new facelifted ST was worth considering!
When I bought it:
Crawley 1 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrJust before I traded it in:
IMG_1801_edited-1 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrI traded that in for a 2010 Skoda Octavia vRS:
When I bought it:
Skoda Octavia on Collection Day! by Andy McMillan, on FlickrJust before I traded it in:
Skoda Octavia VRS 20-03-2012 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrThe Octavia vRS was then traded in for my 2nd Focus, a 2011 Mk2 Focus RS:
My New Focus RS 05-05-2012 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrI don't have many pics of my RS, I only owned it for 6'ish months. The above picture was taken outside the place where I bought it, RS Direct in Bristol. Although I loved the performance I picked the wrong car (bought in haste, car had problems that proved difficult to resolve) so it was sold to webuyanycar a few days before my brand-new Focus arrived. My private plate (which I've had for probably 16 or 17 years now) never went on to my RS.
Due to the ongoing issues with my RS I decided to order a brand-new MK3 Focus ST. I went for red ST-3 hatchback with a few factory options, car took 8'ish weeks to arrive at the dealers.
This is it on collection day at the dealers:
Inside Showroom 27-09-2012_2 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrThis is it a couple of years later after it was professionally detailed by RGK Detailing:
RGK-ST-30092014-0026 by Andy McMillan, on FlickrThis car had a few issues during my ownership, it broke down twice (and had to be recovered back to the supplying dealer both times on the back of a flat-bed) and the dealer were ABSOLUTELY useless. Eventually diagnosed as a wire in a loom in the engine bay rubbing off the gearbox casing, wore through the insulation resulting in the bare conductor earthing itself on the gearbox when cornering and blowing a fuse.
The car was then rumped up the erse by an eejit not paying attention on the way to work one morning, it needed a new rear bumper bar + bumper, and the panel behind the bumper pulled back out. Other minor issues were the illuminated ST-branded scuff plates on the sills shorting and blowing the fuse that also protects the circuit covering most of the interior lights (handy!) and having to pull the fuse for the stereo every couple of months in order to reset the Ford SYNC system so that it would recognise my phone was plugged into it.
Despite the issues with the car I felt it was a reasonably comfortable reasonably fast & practical vehicle that, apart from the large gap between the bonnet and front bumper (they are all like that, sir), is/was an attractive car. Not quite the level of 'theater' of the green MK2 RS, but a decent mode of transport nonetheless.
So, when it came time to start thinking about a new car, the new facelifted ST was worth considering!
So onto my present car, a 2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Estate (Petrol) in Stealth Grey:
2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Stealth Estate by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Stealth Estate by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Stealth Estate by Andy McMillan, on Flickr2015 Ford Focus ST-3 Stealth Estate by Andy McMillan, on Flickr
I went through a few options before I finally decided to go with a new Focus ST. I considered the new Honda Civic Type R, the preview/spy shots were tempting but when the final 'ready to order' car was unveiled I felt it was a little flash for my tastes, perhaps suited to a slightly younger 20's-30's man (I am 44). I then considered the new Focus RS but at the time of ordering my ST the RS specification hadn't been finalised and the car itself seemed a long way off.
The new Mustang was also a consideration, but if I was going to go for the Mustang it would HAVE to be the 5.0 V8 and while I could probably afford to buy one I almost definitely couldn't afford to run it so that option was oot the window!
I then looked at the possibility of going for a slightly older vehicle, I've always loved how the TVR Cerbera looks and sounds but reliability worried me, plus the daily running costs so next up for consideration was a used Audi S8. I looked at several but again the running costs and potential bork-factor worried me.
I eventually decided I would go for the newly-facelifted Focus ST so an order went in via DriveTheDeal. I picked some factory options again this time, the ST Style Pack (19" alloys and tinted rear windows), the NAV option with premium sound (Sony speakers with subwoofer in the boot) and the door-edge protectors. Another option I went for this time was the heated steering wheel (to go along with the standard heated seats in the ST-3) which I thought would be a bit of a gimmick. Not so! We've had a couple of cold mornings up here in Scotland already and the heated steering wheel is VERY nice!
Upon deciding to go for another ST I though that if I was going to go for the same again I would go for something different, hence the Estate option this time. I don't NEED an estate, but I like the shape. The only bugbear is that you can't specify the tilt and slide sunroof option on the estate (I had this on my red ST hatchback) which is nice for the couple of sunny days we get per year, also handy for letting out the trouser-cough smells on the way to work in the morning!
So.... the order went in for the new ST-3 Estate on the 9th of April this year and the long wait began.
Drive The Deal selected Lifestyle Ford in Horsham as the supplying dealer and the car eventually turned up at the end of July, an early-morning flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick on Friday 24th July ensued & a 9-hour trip back home was then endured (through pouring rain for most of the trip).
The new Mustang was also a consideration, but if I was going to go for the Mustang it would HAVE to be the 5.0 V8 and while I could probably afford to buy one I almost definitely couldn't afford to run it so that option was oot the window!
I then looked at the possibility of going for a slightly older vehicle, I've always loved how the TVR Cerbera looks and sounds but reliability worried me, plus the daily running costs so next up for consideration was a used Audi S8. I looked at several but again the running costs and potential bork-factor worried me.
I eventually decided I would go for the newly-facelifted Focus ST so an order went in via DriveTheDeal. I picked some factory options again this time, the ST Style Pack (19" alloys and tinted rear windows), the NAV option with premium sound (Sony speakers with subwoofer in the boot) and the door-edge protectors. Another option I went for this time was the heated steering wheel (to go along with the standard heated seats in the ST-3) which I thought would be a bit of a gimmick. Not so! We've had a couple of cold mornings up here in Scotland already and the heated steering wheel is VERY nice!
Upon deciding to go for another ST I though that if I was going to go for the same again I would go for something different, hence the Estate option this time. I don't NEED an estate, but I like the shape. The only bugbear is that you can't specify the tilt and slide sunroof option on the estate (I had this on my red ST hatchback) which is nice for the couple of sunny days we get per year, also handy for letting out the trouser-cough smells on the way to work in the morning!
So.... the order went in for the new ST-3 Estate on the 9th of April this year and the long wait began.
Drive The Deal selected Lifestyle Ford in Horsham as the supplying dealer and the car eventually turned up at the end of July, an early-morning flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick on Friday 24th July ensued & a 9-hour trip back home was then endured (through pouring rain for most of the trip).
Once back home the (mostly minor to begin with) modifications began. I had hoped to have the Mountune MP275 kit fitted to the car by the supplying dealer before I collected it but Mountune didn't have the hardware/software for the facelifted ST available at the time. So modifications were limited to a set of performance creation mudflaps, climair window wind deflectors and some gel badges to cover up the blue ford ovals.
Once the Mountune kit became available for the facelifted ST my car was booked into Harrisons of Peebles (my local Mountune PRO dealer) to have the MP275 kit fitted, along with the Mountune short-shifter arm for the gear selector. These items were fitted on Monday 21st September when the car had done approx. 1,700 miles.
The MP275 kit compromises of an upgraded intercooler, air filter & cast cross-over ducting and a revised engine map. All carried out in roughly 3 hours.
I haven't had much opportunity for hooning since the Mountune kit was fitted (just back and forward to work during the rush hours) due to a bout of man-flu but I can really feel the difference with the kit fitted, the car pulls much harder and for longer & it is quite addictive when road conditions allow! There is an increased induction noise with the kit fitted which I don't know if I am entirely keen on but we'll see if it grows on me as time passes.
My red 2012 ST hatch didn't have the Mountune kit fitted to it but by the time I got rid of it it had done approx. 25K miles. I really felt the car loosen-up during that time and now my new Mountune ST estate feels like my old ST in terms of performance/power delivery and it's only done 2K miles. I am hoping that the estate will loosen-up like the old one did and that is when I (hope to) feel the really significant benefit of the Mountune upgrade.
Future plans for the car are limited. I may get the 19" wheels painted in the Spring next year, Ford now allow buyers to specify the same 19" wheels I have in gloss black as well as the standard silver so I might go for that. However I may decide to go a bit mental and have the wheels painted a really lairy in-your-face colour like a bright vibrant purple or something. We'll see.
I just hope this new one is reliable.
Once the Mountune kit became available for the facelifted ST my car was booked into Harrisons of Peebles (my local Mountune PRO dealer) to have the MP275 kit fitted, along with the Mountune short-shifter arm for the gear selector. These items were fitted on Monday 21st September when the car had done approx. 1,700 miles.
The MP275 kit compromises of an upgraded intercooler, air filter & cast cross-over ducting and a revised engine map. All carried out in roughly 3 hours.
I haven't had much opportunity for hooning since the Mountune kit was fitted (just back and forward to work during the rush hours) due to a bout of man-flu but I can really feel the difference with the kit fitted, the car pulls much harder and for longer & it is quite addictive when road conditions allow! There is an increased induction noise with the kit fitted which I don't know if I am entirely keen on but we'll see if it grows on me as time passes.
My red 2012 ST hatch didn't have the Mountune kit fitted to it but by the time I got rid of it it had done approx. 25K miles. I really felt the car loosen-up during that time and now my new Mountune ST estate feels like my old ST in terms of performance/power delivery and it's only done 2K miles. I am hoping that the estate will loosen-up like the old one did and that is when I (hope to) feel the really significant benefit of the Mountune upgrade.
Future plans for the car are limited. I may get the 19" wheels painted in the Spring next year, Ford now allow buyers to specify the same 19" wheels I have in gloss black as well as the standard silver so I might go for that. However I may decide to go a bit mental and have the wheels painted a really lairy in-your-face colour like a bright vibrant purple or something. We'll see.
I just hope this new one is reliable.
Thats ok Otis, it would be a boring life if we all liked the same things!
The thing with the wheel colour is, and the pic of the hatch above with the black wheels shows it slightly, is that the tyre sidewalls can end up looking brown when the wheels are black. Thats why I fancied going for a lairy colour like purple or orange. Especially with the stealth grey body, it would be a nice contrast (i think).
Got a while to decide, I am not getting the wheels done until next Spring.
I know no-one has asked (so far) but I am getting low-30's mpg.
The thing with the wheel colour is, and the pic of the hatch above with the black wheels shows it slightly, is that the tyre sidewalls can end up looking brown when the wheels are black. Thats why I fancied going for a lairy colour like purple or orange. Especially with the stealth grey body, it would be a nice contrast (i think).
Got a while to decide, I am not getting the wheels done until next Spring.
I know no-one has asked (so far) but I am getting low-30's mpg.
Nice. Like the colour, though I think it will be a popular choice.
The estates are rare. I've only seen two others on the road, and mine (blue pre facelift) gets positive comments but also "I didn't know they did an estate ST".
I suppose you didn't have it unmodified for long enough to notice many differences in the way the facelift drives. Does it handle the power any better for example?
The estates are rare. I've only seen two others on the road, and mine (blue pre facelift) gets positive comments but also "I didn't know they did an estate ST".
I suppose you didn't have it unmodified for long enough to notice many differences in the way the facelift drives. Does it handle the power any better for example?
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