Focus RS MK1 Buying Advice
Discussion
Looking into purchasing a MK1 Focus RS at present, seen a few i like the look of but just wondering on what you all would advise? Im looking to potentially buy one around the 60k mark, aside all the usual bits and pieces is there anything i should be looking out for? all advice much appreciated! Cheers
AC
AC
Thanks for all your help and advice, ive got to sort out my scirocco first but hopefully before the end of the month i can start properly looking and viewing potential examples. Thanks for all your help chaps! will have to get on auto trader and have a look around. With regards to mods, what are the favorite ones aside bluefin/chips im assuming many go with the cat back and induction?
Cheers
AC
Cheers
AC
ALY77 said:
Popular mods are;
Engine management though there are many options available from live maps to handset uploads (bluefin, Dreamscience etc).
Exhausts from cat back are common, oe one is stainless anyway so these have only ever been put on for performance. De-cats offer a notable increase in response but carry the need for a friendly MOT tester. Manifolds are an additional progression on the exhaust front but a decent one is £600 upwards new before you start trying to contain the heat they give off so not everyone takes the plunge there.
Suspension - H&R are the only spring only option for the model & until late were £200 upwards, though a trawl on Uk or german e-bay can get you them for about £160ish.
Next step tends to be coilovers which are usually four figures. KW's are popular but cira £1300 for the best ones.
With sachs dampers as standard fit & there only ever being 4501 of the them, the mainstream aftermarket manufacturers didn't bother with shocks for them.
Brakes - Brembo oe discs can be sourced for about £160 if you ask in the correct place, these with DS2500 are the most popular standard set up. Two piece discs are available as track work can warp one piece ones, for about £400. AP conversions are also popular but again in four figure territory on a car that can be had for under ten grand these days.
Breathing - K&N do a gen 2 filter which give the expected noise and flow but also costs £200 and live under the battery in front of the n/s wheel so comes with a waterproof sock and has a habit of falling off from time to time. Panel options are available too, from about £35.
Dump valves - If its running an atmospheric valve it'll likely cut out. The cars are set up to recirculate the air post turbo. There is usually a pipe missing if its running an atmospheric up at the intercooler (really a charge cooler) box to inlet. This runs from the filter to turbo pipe to the intercooler box and will be bunged at each join point. Bailey and Forge replacement valves are common and down under the battery almost but visable from above.
Turbos - An actuator change is usually needed by now due to age and many go Forge for this. The amal valve plugged electronically to the ECU controls the actuator still unless this has been removed from play (but still plugged in). Instead it can run "direct" where the vaccum for the actuator comes from the inlet and the position of the actuator (when fitted with an adjustable rod) decides the maximum boost which delivers up to the red line. This has the benefit of allowing higher boost peak and lets it build up slowly rather than the spike that the ecu will give which strains the drive train and tails off at 5500rpm. An on car adjustable rod is available through the right channels meaning boost can be set by turning two 10mm nuts on the modified rod without taking it off the car and melting your hands in the process.
Hybrids are the next step with various specs available. I'll guess you don't need the obvious mentioned, big turbo do what you'd expect.
Clutches are AP ones as standard but may have been replaced with an uprated one. Standard one is strong and should last for 60k no worries. The pedal feels normal so any heavy pedals on the left point to uprated ones.
Gauges. Buy a Scangauge 2 at the very least. The cars dont have water temp gauges and you do want to know what that is doing. The scan gauge will let you monitor the inlet temp too which is also handy for seeing if your chargecooler pump has decided it doesn't want to play any more.
A decent boost gauge doesn't go a miss either, since the one where the water temp is in every other Focus is run by what the ecu reckons the turbo is doing and is as accurate as me texting you the boost pressure from home.
Thanks for all your help and advice, i like the latter regarding gauges if i do decide to go with an RS looks like this would be a must!Engine management though there are many options available from live maps to handset uploads (bluefin, Dreamscience etc).
Exhausts from cat back are common, oe one is stainless anyway so these have only ever been put on for performance. De-cats offer a notable increase in response but carry the need for a friendly MOT tester. Manifolds are an additional progression on the exhaust front but a decent one is £600 upwards new before you start trying to contain the heat they give off so not everyone takes the plunge there.
Suspension - H&R are the only spring only option for the model & until late were £200 upwards, though a trawl on Uk or german e-bay can get you them for about £160ish.
Next step tends to be coilovers which are usually four figures. KW's are popular but cira £1300 for the best ones.
With sachs dampers as standard fit & there only ever being 4501 of the them, the mainstream aftermarket manufacturers didn't bother with shocks for them.
Brakes - Brembo oe discs can be sourced for about £160 if you ask in the correct place, these with DS2500 are the most popular standard set up. Two piece discs are available as track work can warp one piece ones, for about £400. AP conversions are also popular but again in four figure territory on a car that can be had for under ten grand these days.
Breathing - K&N do a gen 2 filter which give the expected noise and flow but also costs £200 and live under the battery in front of the n/s wheel so comes with a waterproof sock and has a habit of falling off from time to time. Panel options are available too, from about £35.
Dump valves - If its running an atmospheric valve it'll likely cut out. The cars are set up to recirculate the air post turbo. There is usually a pipe missing if its running an atmospheric up at the intercooler (really a charge cooler) box to inlet. This runs from the filter to turbo pipe to the intercooler box and will be bunged at each join point. Bailey and Forge replacement valves are common and down under the battery almost but visable from above.
Turbos - An actuator change is usually needed by now due to age and many go Forge for this. The amal valve plugged electronically to the ECU controls the actuator still unless this has been removed from play (but still plugged in). Instead it can run "direct" where the vaccum for the actuator comes from the inlet and the position of the actuator (when fitted with an adjustable rod) decides the maximum boost which delivers up to the red line. This has the benefit of allowing higher boost peak and lets it build up slowly rather than the spike that the ecu will give which strains the drive train and tails off at 5500rpm. An on car adjustable rod is available through the right channels meaning boost can be set by turning two 10mm nuts on the modified rod without taking it off the car and melting your hands in the process.
Hybrids are the next step with various specs available. I'll guess you don't need the obvious mentioned, big turbo do what you'd expect.
Clutches are AP ones as standard but may have been replaced with an uprated one. Standard one is strong and should last for 60k no worries. The pedal feels normal so any heavy pedals on the left point to uprated ones.
Gauges. Buy a Scangauge 2 at the very least. The cars dont have water temp gauges and you do want to know what that is doing. The scan gauge will let you monitor the inlet temp too which is also handy for seeing if your chargecooler pump has decided it doesn't want to play any more.
A decent boost gauge doesn't go a miss either, since the one where the water temp is in every other Focus is run by what the ecu reckons the turbo is doing and is as accurate as me texting you the boost pressure from home.
Edited by ALY77 on Wednesday 20th April 14:48
Gassing Station | Ford | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff