Focus ST 2.5L owners views and remapping difference
Discussion
I have been looking at sites that offer a remap service for the new Focus ST for around £350, and state that they will improve the bhp from around 220 up to close to 270bhp.
In reality what does this mean in terms of the expected improvement in the level of performance (in particular 0-60 times) and general performance?
I don't own an ST but am currently looking at a number of cars, with the ST being one of them.
Also any views of current ST owners about general ownership of their vehicles greatfully recieved! I am looking for a car which will mainly be for fun (only work a couple of miles away!) with a couple of track days each year also.
Cheers,
Paul
In reality what does this mean in terms of the expected improvement in the level of performance (in particular 0-60 times) and general performance?
I don't own an ST but am currently looking at a number of cars, with the ST being one of them.
Also any views of current ST owners about general ownership of their vehicles greatfully recieved! I am looking for a car which will mainly be for fun (only work a couple of miles away!) with a couple of track days each year also.
Cheers,
Paul
PompeyPaul said:
I have been looking at sites that offer a remap service for the new Focus ST for around £350, and state that they will improve the bhp from around 220 up to close to 270bhp.
In reality what does this mean in terms of the expected improvement in the level of performance (in particular 0-60 times) and general performance?
I don't own an ST but am currently looking at a number of cars, with the ST being one of them.
Also any views of current ST owners about general ownership of their vehicles greatfully recieved! I am looking for a car which will mainly be for fun (only work a couple of miles away!) with a couple of track days each year also.
Cheers,
Paul
Hi, I don't own an ST myself ( pipe dream ), but a good friend has an 06 ST2. He paid ~400 or so for a Bluefin handset and it was great. A lot more pull and torque in 5th and 6th. Never accurately did a 0-60 or RR but I think to expect 50bhp is a little optimistic, but it will definitely make a difference with torque and power delivery, he claimed it felt more responsive.In reality what does this mean in terms of the expected improvement in the level of performance (in particular 0-60 times) and general performance?
I don't own an ST but am currently looking at a number of cars, with the ST being one of them.
Also any views of current ST owners about general ownership of their vehicles greatfully recieved! I am looking for a car which will mainly be for fun (only work a couple of miles away!) with a couple of track days each year also.
Cheers,
Paul
It is certainly a very capable and fun car, the handling is sublime ( his had uprated antiroll bars and Eibachs/wheel spacers ).
Perfect if your a fast ford and a turbo fan
. I love them.I have a 06 plate ST2. As an overall car its great.
Its fairly cheap to run and service, not bad on tyres (12k from fronts, 30k rears),not that bad on fuel. Round town we are getting 20-24mpg and on a run into 30-32mpg with fairly spirited driving. The tank is small (~45litres iirc) so it can feel like your filling up quite often.
Ours is completely standard but i can imagine that it would be transformed if you fettled it.
We are looking to sell ours (06/34K/Perf Blue/FFSH) as GF is doing more miles for work (~200 miles a day).
If there is anything else that you would like to know, please get back in touch.
Cheers,
BMT.
Its fairly cheap to run and service, not bad on tyres (12k from fronts, 30k rears),not that bad on fuel. Round town we are getting 20-24mpg and on a run into 30-32mpg with fairly spirited driving. The tank is small (~45litres iirc) so it can feel like your filling up quite often.
Ours is completely standard but i can imagine that it would be transformed if you fettled it.
We are looking to sell ours (06/34K/Perf Blue/FFSH) as GF is doing more miles for work (~200 miles a day).
If there is anything else that you would like to know, please get back in touch.
Cheers,
BMT.
i have an st-3 and i love it, much prefer it to my friends astra vxr and anothers new shape civic type-r as an every day car. but as a track car i think you would be better off getting the mk1 focus rs, as it is much more track orientated.
if you drive long distances or drive the car a lot every day the st will be the better choice, but if you are mainly using it on track there are better cars out there.
although i am sure with a set of coilovers and bigger brakes it would easily be as good as any other similarly powered fwd car track car, i think as standard the suspension is too soft as it is set up much better for uk road use than track time.
i think the bread van shape civic type-r, and focus rs would be better on track in standard form (maybe not better at the nurburgring though).
if you drive long distances or drive the car a lot every day the st will be the better choice, but if you are mainly using it on track there are better cars out there.
although i am sure with a set of coilovers and bigger brakes it would easily be as good as any other similarly powered fwd car track car, i think as standard the suspension is too soft as it is set up much better for uk road use than track time.
i think the bread van shape civic type-r, and focus rs would be better on track in standard form (maybe not better at the nurburgring though).
Mine is a 56 plate ST2,
as standard the car is good but not what it can be the power delivery and boost level arent that great and the suspension is too soft. It is a very nice car to travel in comfy and spacious and having done 400 mile in one sitting without any backache i can say the seats are bvery supportive.
Spend Not alot of money at all and they become a different animal, add bluefin or dreamscience and you are looking at 250/260 BHP and much better response and delivery of that power.
Add sports suspension new I/C and sports exhaust better CAIS and you have a beast, mines running at just over 300 BHP on Eibach springs and I have to say I love it to bits i have run a 5.9 sec 0-60 with a bad start (spinning the wheels is far too easy) another member of the owners cub ran a 5.1 the same day. I have also done a 13.4 1/4 mile on a rolling road. But to be honest this isnt the beauty of the ST that is the mid range torque which make safe overtaking so very easy.
All in all IMHO the ST with a few mods is the best Hot Hatch available at the moment ( before someone starts the R26R has no back seats and is no good as a day to day family car the ST is)
as standard the car is good but not what it can be the power delivery and boost level arent that great and the suspension is too soft. It is a very nice car to travel in comfy and spacious and having done 400 mile in one sitting without any backache i can say the seats are bvery supportive.
Spend Not alot of money at all and they become a different animal, add bluefin or dreamscience and you are looking at 250/260 BHP and much better response and delivery of that power.
Add sports suspension new I/C and sports exhaust better CAIS and you have a beast, mines running at just over 300 BHP on Eibach springs and I have to say I love it to bits i have run a 5.9 sec 0-60 with a bad start (spinning the wheels is far too easy) another member of the owners cub ran a 5.1 the same day. I have also done a 13.4 1/4 mile on a rolling road. But to be honest this isnt the beauty of the ST that is the mid range torque which make safe overtaking so very easy.
All in all IMHO the ST with a few mods is the best Hot Hatch available at the moment ( before someone starts the R26R has no back seats and is no good as a day to day family car the ST is)
Have an ST500 (Limited run of the older model style - same car but with deep red leather seats, decals and stripes - all very Peter Stringfellow).
Other comments all true. The only exception is that I managed to comfortably eek out 17K on the front tyres and I'm far from being captain slow!
It is, quite simply, an excellent car doing everything it should exceptionally well.
As for remapping...I've looked at this and spoken to some that have done this. There's mixed opinions so do you're homework. Personally, I find the performance pretty good as it is.
StevieBee said:
Have an ST500 (Limited run of the older model style - same car but with deep red leather seats, decals and stripes - all very Peter Stringfellow).
Other comments all true. The only exception is that I managed to comfortably eek out 17K on the front tyres and I'm far from being captain slow!
It is, quite simply, an excellent car doing everything it should exceptionally well.
As for remapping...I've looked at this and spoken to some that have done this. There's mixed opinions so do you're homework. Personally, I find the performance pretty good as it is.
i guarantee you are the only one who has managed this if its true.
rsstman said:
17k miles on the front tyres? far from being captain slow? mine went after 8k and that was the running in period. were you running on bare alloy by the end of it?
i guarantee you are the only one who has managed this if its true.
I am kind of thinking I had a "special set" - if such a thing is possible - as the the current pair have about 4k and have worn a lot more than those that came with the car and I'll probably not see more than 12k with these ones.i guarantee you are the only one who has managed this if its true.
StevieBee said:
rsstman said:
17k miles on the front tyres? far from being captain slow? mine went after 8k and that was the running in period. were you running on bare alloy by the end of it?
i guarantee you are the only one who has managed this if its true.
I am kind of thinking I had a "special set" - if such a thing is possible - as the the current pair have about 4k and have worn a lot more than those that came with the car and I'll probably not see more than 12k with these ones.i guarantee you are the only one who has managed this if its true.
Have a look in my profile for the lowdown on my ST.
Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
MoonMonkey said:
Have a look in my profile for the lowdown on my ST.
Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
if you go on to focus st owners club websites you will see i am by far not the only one to get low miles from the stock continentals. the michelins i have on now seem to fare much better (so far).Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
rsstman said:
MoonMonkey said:
Have a look in my profile for the lowdown on my ST.
Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
if you go on to focus st owners club websites you will see i am by far not the only one to get low miles from the stock continentals. the michelins i have on now seem to fare much better (so far).Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
The problem is that tyre wear is wholly dependent on a number of external factors. Driving style, tyre pressures etc. I'll admit that my comment that something must be wrong to get 8k miles out of a set of fronts was probably unfair but it is possible to get a decent life out of the tyres dependent on a number of variables.
MoonMonkey said:
rsstman said:
MoonMonkey said:
Have a look in my profile for the lowdown on my ST.
Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
if you go on to focus st owners club websites you will see i am by far not the only one to get low miles from the stock continentals. the michelins i have on now seem to fare much better (so far).Regarding a remap it is a must have mod and is cheap enough that it would be rude not too. I have the dreamscience handheld with 5 maps. It really wakes the car up. The best way to describe it is it now pulls in 4th like it did in 3rd. Coupled to a sports exhaust it sounds awesome and pops nicely on the overrun.
Regarding the comment about tyres if you wore the fronts in 8k miles (imo) you're either nailing the car too hard or you need to get the setup checked. Mines on 15k from the fronts and not yet on the wear limiters.
Overall a very good package and good value although I'm sorely tempted to get an eibach spring kit as I hear this transforms the handling (slightly wallowy in stock for my liking) without affecting the ride too much.
The problem is that tyre wear is wholly dependent on a number of external factors. Driving style, tyre pressures etc. I'll admit that my comment that something must be wrong to get 8k miles out of a set of fronts was probably unfair but it is possible to get a decent life out of the tyres dependent on a number of variables.
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