mk2 focus ST-3
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm toying with the idea of changing from my current car (mk1 skoda fabia vrs) to a 2006/2007 focus ST-3.
I realise that going from a 45+mpg diesel into a 2.5L 5pot turbo will increase my fuel costs somewhat, but I can cope with that!
Anything else that I should look out for/anything specific to look at on a test drive?
Cheers!
I'm toying with the idea of changing from my current car (mk1 skoda fabia vrs) to a 2006/2007 focus ST-3.
I realise that going from a 45+mpg diesel into a 2.5L 5pot turbo will increase my fuel costs somewhat, but I can cope with that!
Anything else that I should look out for/anything specific to look at on a test drive?
Cheers!
brockovrs said:
Hi all,
I'm toying with the idea of changing from my current car (mk1 skoda fabia vrs) to a 2006/2007 focus ST-3.
I realise that going from a 45+mpg diesel into a 2.5L 5pot turbo will increase my fuel costs somewhat, but I can cope with that!
Anything else that I should look out for/anything specific to look at on a test drive?
Cheers!
Do it! I went from a 1.8 MG ZS to my 06 Focus ST3 - such a nice change and I had always wanted one from when I saw Clarkson hooning one round on Top Gear all them years ago!I'm toying with the idea of changing from my current car (mk1 skoda fabia vrs) to a 2006/2007 focus ST-3.
I realise that going from a 45+mpg diesel into a 2.5L 5pot turbo will increase my fuel costs somewhat, but I can cope with that!
Anything else that I should look out for/anything specific to look at on a test drive?
Cheers!
First thing you'll notice and soon fall in love with is the noise - they do sound great, bit muted from inside, but if you wanna hear them from the outside, stand behind one and get someone to give a quick prod on the throttle or ask them to pull away nice and quick! - That's what I did when I first got mine and its always stick with me! A proper iconic noise from the ol Volvo T5 lump! Can't beat a nice burbly, growls 5 pot on full chat!
Then as you say the fuel consumption is a bit scary, you'll soon notice that, especially if doing mega mileage! Expect about 27mpg average, but this time of year I'm averaging 24.2 on the commutes to work and back, perhaps not helped by having heated screens on, heated leather seats on and headlights on every time I'm using it! But yeah you'll soon be visiting the petrol station a fair but more often and be on first name terms with the pump attendant sooner or later! However drive carefully you'll see around 30mpg.. Best I could ever get was 33mpg... Was so boring though! It's an ST, not a milk float! They're meant to be driven hard!
Issues I've had with mine since owning are:
Crappy bonnet lock thing, have removed this and now open my bonnet with a huge screwdriver replacing the Bowden cable!
Air con needed a freshen up/ Regas
Boost solenoid valve played up - didn't boost much over 1/3 - replaced by myself and not too expensive!
Wishbone bushes are prone to wearing - had mine replaced on the warrenty I got sold with the car
Also they have a nasty habit of using front tires, especially if a bit heavy footed!
Apart from that, one of the best cars I have owned, its still a Ford Focus at the end of the day so will always be a good medium sized, practical hatch under all that bodykit, parts are cheap and the engine is a reliable unit from Volvo with a decent enough amount of power for everyday!
A nice bonus I got with mine was that I discovered it had had a remap! - easy to spot on test drive, boost will go up to full on gauge on full throttle, shift light may be activated around 6k rpm oh and it'll pull like a train!
That's it really I can think off! More of a review than I guide! Best thing to do is just go and look at a few and try them out! That's the best way to look at it really and get a feel for one!
Cheers, Rik
Edited by RikST on Friday 3rd January 21:07
same as what rikst said.
I am selling mine but its gonna be going for around 15k - top model, top spec,etc etc so probably out of ur budget - however the mechanics are all the same.
rik just reminded me of when i 1st test drove one. the guy took me out. to start of with i was really impressed driving it below 10mph just from how comfy and smooth it was! it was noticable right away and id just got out of my old focus which i thought was a nice ride.
out of the garage he told me to floor it. I couldnt get it to 8k revs because i just wasnt used to it but it was so much fun and sounded immense. The 5pot is brilliant. I bought the car when we got back (i had been looking at one for ages).
Had no problems what so ever from mine except a funny noise coming from the turbo which went away after half a day (still dont know what it was???)
I am getting 22mpg. 32mpg was my best but you have to stay of the turbo and it is harder than it sounds...but me and the wife love the comfy leather heated seats on high and dual climate control. I think all ST3s come with ipod connectivity etc - it has nearly everything.
Tax is 135quid for 6 months, 155 a year (i think?)
i replaced all tyres at once with mich pilot sport 3s.. that was about 500quid.
Overall i have to say it is a superb car - im sorry to see mine go but i can see myself buying another maybe a few years down the line.
If you know you can afford one and wont be worrying about petrol prices then get one. you'll love it.
I am selling mine but its gonna be going for around 15k - top model, top spec,etc etc so probably out of ur budget - however the mechanics are all the same.
rik just reminded me of when i 1st test drove one. the guy took me out. to start of with i was really impressed driving it below 10mph just from how comfy and smooth it was! it was noticable right away and id just got out of my old focus which i thought was a nice ride.
out of the garage he told me to floor it. I couldnt get it to 8k revs because i just wasnt used to it but it was so much fun and sounded immense. The 5pot is brilliant. I bought the car when we got back (i had been looking at one for ages).
Had no problems what so ever from mine except a funny noise coming from the turbo which went away after half a day (still dont know what it was???)
I am getting 22mpg. 32mpg was my best but you have to stay of the turbo and it is harder than it sounds...but me and the wife love the comfy leather heated seats on high and dual climate control. I think all ST3s come with ipod connectivity etc - it has nearly everything.
Tax is 135quid for 6 months, 155 a year (i think?)
i replaced all tyres at once with mich pilot sport 3s.. that was about 500quid.
Overall i have to say it is a superb car - im sorry to see mine go but i can see myself buying another maybe a few years down the line.
If you know you can afford one and wont be worrying about petrol prices then get one. you'll love it.
Ask if the oil filter diaphragm housing has been changed, if it hasn't it likely will need done at some point, ask if the wishbone bushes have been changed, if not, they will need changing so budget for that or get a car with a warranty.
Thinking about stripping mine back to standard with the idea to get rid of it eventually, love it, just having too many problems with it as of late.
Thinking about stripping mine back to standard with the idea to get rid of it eventually, love it, just having too many problems with it as of late.
dowsett said:
I am selling mine but its gonna be going for around 15k - top model, top spec
Good luck with that. Only dealers have them advertised at that price and they sit around for months when marked up too high so certainly dont sell for that. I bought my ST3 for £16.5k brand new.
Check for rust, back arches where it meets the bumper down each side pull the bumper away slighty and look up, i've had a MK2 ST and a MK2 RS both just over 3 years old rusty, i had the ST repainted and traded it in for an RS but was sickened when i found out the RS had went the same way and sold it.
Thanks for all the advice! I got a quote to change my insurance & it wasn't as painful as I expected, I've spotted a couple of cars I like - just need to get my car ready for sale/part ex!
KingNothing said:
Ask if the oil filter diaphragm housing has been changed, if it hasn't it likely will need done at some point, ask if the wishbone bushes have been changed, if not, they will need changing so budget for that
How much are those things likely to cost?brockovrs said:
How much are those things likely to cost?
Oil filter diaphragm is about £150 from volvo last I knew, and a few hours garage labour to fit. I don't know how much the bushes would be, I think ford would try and flog you whole new arms rather than press out teh old bushes and press new ones in, I had mine replaced with powerflex polybushes, which just for the front wishbones costs about £100, my mate fit them for me, so didn't cost me much, but would probabley be another couple of hours garage labour for a garage to do.rb5er said:
Good luck with that. Only dealers have them advertised at that price and they sit around for months when marked up too high so certainly dont sell for that.
I bought my ST3 for £16.5k brand new.
Private sellers are going for 13k for st2's .... at least 14k i should i get next month-ish. At least i hope anywayI bought my ST3 for £16.5k brand new.
dowsett said:
rb5er said:
Good luck with that. Only dealers have them advertised at that price and they sit around for months when marked up too high so certainly dont sell for that.
I bought my ST3 for £16.5k brand new.
Private sellers are going for 13k for st2's .... at least 14k i should i get next month-ish. At least i hope anywayI bought my ST3 for £16.5k brand new.
60 plate ST2 5 door with 17k it's up for £13.000 from a Ford Main dealer.
Turbofocus said:
Look on eBay.
60 plate ST2 5 door with 17k it's up for £13.000 from a Ford Main dealer.
Maybe everyone is right, but i will be trying.60 plate ST2 5 door with 17k it's up for £13.000 from a Ford Main dealer.
I was looking for an ST for at least a couple of years. Seen loads. researched loads. In the end i believe i got a stonker.
Im quite hopeful of selling for around 14k as ive not seen one like mine.
I know people buy the lower ST and ST2 models as the mechanics are the same but some people want the top model with all the extras. and for an extra grand?
Dont mean for any of that to come across in wrong way
Its a pivotal car. RS's are coming down to under 20k now, so people would probably stoke another few k to get one of those. Also people don't want cars with £280 a year road tax and 24 mpg. Dealers wont want them (so they say) and then they punt them out for big money, knowing they will have to drop them to move them and make the new owner feel like he has a bargain. I parked my ST next to a brand new one recently and the said to the sales guy at Ford, ' new one or old one?' He said old one every time. Says a lot about the new car then. I don't expect the Rs or ST will ever have more than 4 cyl from now on. Who knows, we may end up with 3 !!. So the ST and RS are the end of an era. This 'in time' may reflect in values later on. We all hope our cars are worth more than they are, myself included, as depreciation is a killer.
Well yer,.. there not being made any more.
I was just trying to say that ive not seen a car the same as mine. I think its only missing the rear view camera. Low miles etc. So if you were looking for one with everything...
But isnt the RS in the same tax band? Ive spoken to some people who pref the ST over the RS.
Anyway, OP. They are a really good car. Mine is used as a family car but ofc, i open her up when im in the car on my own, its nuts! so much fun, so direct. smile every time i drive it. comfortable and a lot of car for your money.
EDIT: yes, elec sunroof is a beast. so underrated. They are great in the summer.
I was just trying to say that ive not seen a car the same as mine. I think its only missing the rear view camera. Low miles etc. So if you were looking for one with everything...
But isnt the RS in the same tax band? Ive spoken to some people who pref the ST over the RS.
Anyway, OP. They are a really good car. Mine is used as a family car but ofc, i open her up when im in the car on my own, its nuts! so much fun, so direct. smile every time i drive it. comfortable and a lot of car for your money.
EDIT: yes, elec sunroof is a beast. so underrated. They are great in the summer.
Edited by dowsett on Sunday 5th January 16:29
A rare post from me.
Just sold mine today - needed to change for a bigger car. 2009 ST2 with Mountune with 89k miles. Bought it at 6 months old with 12k miles. Literally nothing mechanical went wrong at all, most reliable car I've had and the nicest all round - BMW's etc included. A few odd issues but nothing that should put you off buying:-
- Had to uprate clutch to RS spec after Mountune fitted at 30k miles - std clutch couldn't take torque and slipped.
- Satnav lost GPS signal. Never bothered getting that fixed.
- One rear suspension link replaced, discs & pads that's it. serviced properly, driven with respect but booted when the mood took.
Go for it - they are great cars and I agree with the guy who said it's last of an era.
Just sold mine today - needed to change for a bigger car. 2009 ST2 with Mountune with 89k miles. Bought it at 6 months old with 12k miles. Literally nothing mechanical went wrong at all, most reliable car I've had and the nicest all round - BMW's etc included. A few odd issues but nothing that should put you off buying:-
- Had to uprate clutch to RS spec after Mountune fitted at 30k miles - std clutch couldn't take torque and slipped.
- Satnav lost GPS signal. Never bothered getting that fixed.
- One rear suspension link replaced, discs & pads that's it. serviced properly, driven with respect but booted when the mood took.
Go for it - they are great cars and I agree with the guy who said it's last of an era.
69.9mph said:
A rare post from me.
Just sold mine today - needed to change for a bigger car. 2009 ST2 with Mountune with 89k miles. Bought it at 6 months old with 12k miles. Literally nothing mechanical went wrong at all, most reliable car I've had and the nicest all round - BMW's etc included. A few odd issues but nothing that should put you off buying:-
- Had to uprate clutch to RS spec after Mountune fitted at 30k miles - std clutch couldn't take torque and slipped.
- Satnav lost GPS signal. Never bothered getting that fixed.
- One rear suspension link replaced, discs & pads that's it. serviced properly, driven with respect but booted when the mood took.
Go for it - they are great cars and I agree with the guy who said it's last of an era.
Second this. Remapped mine in August and within 2 weeks the standard clutch started slipping. £850 for a full RS kit to replace. Also on mine, both front bearings went within 50k (I bought it in Dec 11 with 14k on it). This is unusual apparently. But hey ho. Other common issues are driveshafts, bonnet catches, and oil filter housings.Just sold mine today - needed to change for a bigger car. 2009 ST2 with Mountune with 89k miles. Bought it at 6 months old with 12k miles. Literally nothing mechanical went wrong at all, most reliable car I've had and the nicest all round - BMW's etc included. A few odd issues but nothing that should put you off buying:-
- Had to uprate clutch to RS spec after Mountune fitted at 30k miles - std clutch couldn't take torque and slipped.
- Satnav lost GPS signal. Never bothered getting that fixed.
- One rear suspension link replaced, discs & pads that's it. serviced properly, driven with respect but booted when the mood took.
Go for it - they are great cars and I agree with the guy who said it's last of an era.
Something that has reared its ugly head recently, and seems to be happening more and more, are cylinder liners cracking. Noone has put their finger on how or why, but if they start to go, it could be a new engine required. See FocusSTOC for more info. Again, very rare, but you can get the liners strengthened by various tuners as a preventative measure, again, around the £7-800 mark.
Tax is £280, tyres are about £110 a corner (I use Goodyear Eagle F1's and they're fantastic), fuel consumption ranges between 20-25 mpg for town and spirited driving, 30-35mpg for mway and A road cruising.
Aside from that, servicing is fairly cheap, and I must say I don't regret buying the car, it's been fantastic.
That said, it really does encourage you to drive like a loony, the sound is so addictive and so is the shove in 3rd and 4th at around 2500k with the map.
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