Buying mountune focus st or avoid?

Buying mountune focus st or avoid?

Author
Discussion

MylesK

Original Poster:

7 posts

46 months

Saturday 11th March 2023
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Hey, after some opinions. I have found the perfect Focus ST for me, 2019, good mileage, bit below average for mileage, but there is one issue. It has mountune remap.

I'm unsure if it's a good idea to buy a remapped car. If I was to buy I would probably like to remove the map, also not sure how possible that is.

Would you stay clear from the car or is a mountune map reliable and reputable? Cheers

GVK

810 posts

244 months

Saturday 11th March 2023
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I would say out of all the remaps the Mountune would be the most reliable as they had input from the Ford engineers during development.

All depends how the car has been driven of course.

Ford dealer would be able to revert to a stock map I would presume. If a Ford has the Mountune map ,on the Ford system they have a link to the Mountune software should it need to be re-uploaded, if the ECU needs replacing for instance.

Edited by GVK on Saturday 11th March 23:58

Belle427

9,140 posts

235 months

Sunday 12th March 2023
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Would in all honesty make the car better so it’s up to you if you want to take the risk.
Most cars of this nature are driven fairly hard anyway so it’s a bit of a minefield.
If you do plan to remove it then I’d look for another car personally, I’m led to believe it’s not easy to reverse a remap.

Jamescrs

4,555 posts

67 months

Sunday 12th March 2023
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I used to 9wn a Mk3 Focus ST and took it to Mountune a few times for work.

Very good company and very reputable, I wouldnt have concerns about it causing any damage to the car or engine.
Mountune if anything are quite conservative in the way they do maps so in terms of reliability should be one of the best.

All that said if you don't want a tuned car I'd say just look elsewhere for a standard one.

AllyBee

314 posts

156 months

Sunday 12th March 2023
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I had a 2013 Focus ST with a Mountune map. It was added at a Ford main dealer and had no effect on the cars warranty, so I assume if Ford are happy to still honour the warranty then they must be happy with it.

Also not sure if its still the case, but the Mountune mapped ST was at the time on the insurance database, so no issues with insurance either.

ZX10R NIN

27,777 posts

127 months

Sunday 12th March 2023
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I'd see that as a bonus some of their maps don't even affect the warranty.

Terry Tibbs

186 posts

51 months

Monday 13th March 2023
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Mountune maps are pretty tame to be honest, as said they worked with Ford so I wouldn’t worry.
I bought my Fiesta ST with a mountune map on it, and I have no concerns with reliability.

In my case, it feels a bit quicker than stock but there’s not a huge difference.

If the focus you were looking at had a lairy map with pops and bangs it would be a different story but Mountune are reputable company.

steveo3002

10,563 posts

176 months

Monday 13th March 2023
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judge the seller , has it been sat up mcdonalds bouncing off the rev limiter every night , or sensible enthusiast wanting a bit more grunt

the tune wouldnt scare me , just has it been owned by a knob , which i guess applies to all of them for sale

MylesK

Original Poster:

7 posts

46 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies so far.

I believe the Mountune OBD is included which speaking to Mountune means I can put back to stock if I choose to but everyone's comments have made me think twice.

How the previous driver drove the car is always a concern but no real way to tell as it's sold by a dealer as a trade in. Only other things done to the car are badges swapped to black and red ones and also front window wind deflectors. Not sure how much that says about previous owner?

Dealer has also lowered the price now due to not much interest.

hebangsthedrums

86 posts

173 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
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MylesK said:
Thanks for all the replies so far.

I believe the Mountune OBD is included which speaking to Mountune means I can put back to stock if I choose to but everyone's comments have made me think twice.

How the previous driver drove the car is always a concern but no real way to tell as it's sold by a dealer as a trade in. Only other things done to the car are badges swapped to black and red ones and also front window wind deflectors. Not sure how much that says about previous owner?

Dealer has also lowered the price now due to not much interest.
Judgemental perhaps, but for me the external tweaks would say move on to the next one...

LightningBlue

537 posts

43 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
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Is it the one at the Kia dealer? The Mountune mod should be a good thing if you can get insured easily with it, it was probably an upgrade performed at a Ford dealer, but the other mods look a bit tacky and it hints at a past life at car meets but the 'upgrades' can easily be removed. There's plenty of choice around though and I'd rather buy from a Ford dealer so you get a proper used car warranty etc

MylesK

Original Poster:

7 posts

46 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
quotequote all
hebangsthedrums said:
Judgemental perhaps, but for me the external tweaks would say move on to the next one...
Also feel bit put off by them

MylesK

Original Poster:

7 posts

46 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
quotequote all
LightningBlue said:
Is it the one at the Kia dealer? The Mountune mod should be a good thing if you can get insured easily with it, it was probably an upgrade performed at a Ford dealer, but the other mods look a bit tacky and it hints at a past life at car meets but the 'upgrades' can easily be removed. There's plenty of choice around though and I'd rather buy from a Ford dealer so you get a proper used car warranty etc
It is indeed. I also feel the same regarding the other mods. Thanks for the suggestion

GVK

810 posts

244 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
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I hate wind deflefctors... bin!

Derek182

131 posts

82 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
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I recently bought a 2015 Fiesta ST with wind deflectors (binned as soon as I got home), red Ford badges, a chameleon tinted windscreen (don't ask!) and a variety of mods, lots from Mountune, remapped by Pumaspeed from a lad who openly admitted going to car shows!
Possibly a recipe for disaster but I wanted a quick Fiesta for trackdays and sprinting and paid standard car money for it despite it having over £3000 worth of tuning parts on it so even if it needs money spending I still see it as a bargain for what I want it for.
So far, so good!

the-norseman

12,607 posts

173 months

Tuesday 14th March 2023
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I was under the impression that Mountune used to be warranty friendly a bit like Polestar, Hirsch etc.

I'd happily buy a car that had documented "factory" remap.

JS2808

194 posts

87 months

Wednesday 15th March 2023
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If anything I’d say Mountune makes a Ford more desirable

Their stage 1 maps I think were warranty friendly and dealers sold Mountune kits, they certainly did on the RS

Also Mountune stuff isn’t cheap, so if it is definitely a Mountune one I would assume the previous owner didn’t mind spending money on it

Jamescrs

4,555 posts

67 months

Wednesday 15th March 2023
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Just as an additional point. MOUNTUNE ARE NO LONGER Ford approved/ warranty friendly, they gave up working together in that way a few years ago, I dont think it reflects on Mountune but the story at the time were Ford intended going their own way with the Ford Racing brand, im not sure that ever took off though.

GreatGranny

9,181 posts

228 months

Wednesday 15th March 2023
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The add ons wouldn't bother me.

It's just a few badges and wind deflectors. Easy to replace/take off.

It's looks really good in that grey and I would jump at it personally if it's a good price.

Do you know what tune it's got on it?
Can you check with Mountune?

GVK

810 posts

244 months

Wednesday 15th March 2023
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Jamescrs said:
Just as an additional point. MOUNTUNE ARE NO LONGER Ford approved/ warranty friendly, they gave up working together in that way a few years ago, I dont think it reflects on Mountune but the story at the time were Ford intended going their own way with the Ford Racing brand, im not sure that ever took off though.
I didn't know that but been out of the loop 6 years or so!


Edited by GVK on Wednesday 15th March 21:58