Discussion
Think I've just struck gold.
My OH Mother has just offered me a grand loan, meaning I don't need debt as there is a fair few nice examples for sale at 6k ATM
Also, just done a quote on an ST-2 and it was £1480 compared to £1800.
With the money I'll save in debt, I might as well get one.
My OH Mother has just offered me a grand loan, meaning I don't need debt as there is a fair few nice examples for sale at 6k ATM
Also, just done a quote on an ST-2 and it was £1480 compared to £1800.
With the money I'll save in debt, I might as well get one.
Jimmy No Hands said:
Be cheeky and ask for a minimum of 3 months warranty. Or more! I managed an extra few months warranty on mine, knocked off a few hundred quid and managed to get 3/4 tank on pick up out of them too. There's plenty of them out there so shop around and don't be scared to haggle or even walk away. It's winter, your financing some of the monies, and it's not a cheap car so be as cheeky as you want.
Head over to the STOC and post a topic, they'll tell you everything you need to know. I personally think the electric orange ST3s are probably your best bet if you want better residuals, as they seem the most sought after.
Hi mate, missed your post before.Head over to the STOC and post a topic, they'll tell you everything you need to know. I personally think the electric orange ST3s are probably your best bet if you want better residuals, as they seem the most sought after.
I dislike the leather seats in the ST-3, is that in all models?
Funk said:
ST-3 comes with leather and is a 4-seater. You can have it with cloth, but no-one I ever knew of specced it thus. The 3 also comes with a 6-CD multichanger.
The ST-2 has all the same bits as the ST-3 but with cloth seats and is a 5-seater.
Thanks mate.The ST-2 has all the same bits as the ST-3 but with cloth seats and is a 5-seater.
Does the ST-2 still have 6 CD multichanger, auto xenons, heated windscreen etc..?
Assuming you're looking at an 06-07 plate car, it won't have the multichanger. It will have a single-disc Sony unit that plays MP3 discs.
ST-2 standard spec includes xenons, 18s, QuickClear heated screen and ESP. ST-1 had no xenons or ESP. They're very, very rare to find as the ST-2 was only £1k more than the ST-1 new.
The ST is VERY susceptible to tyre choice. Check that whatever the one you're looking at has on it, they're 'XL' rated (extra load). Non-XL tyres make the handling a little squidgy. It's important to put good tyres on, although this doesn't necessarily mean 'expensive'. Many folks have reported great results with Falken 452s, Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas and Goodyear Eagle F1 Assys. I ran Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, although they're a chunk dearer. Make sure they're all 225/40/18.
Things to look out for:
Other than the above, I can't really think of any major issues with the car. They're pretty robust engine-wise. Expect the boost gauge to climb and fall back to around halfway with a normal map. The oil temperature isn't actually TRUE oil temperature, it's a 'calculation'... Still worth letting it warm up fully before giving it stick though.
There are three steering settings - Comfort, Normal and Sport. These are accessed through the menu on the indicator stalk. You can also alter things like miles/km, Celsius/Fahrenheit etc.
Head over to www.focusstoc.com for more info. I was site admin there for three years and the info there is worth the membership. You'll also probably get a discount on insurance as we had schemes in place with brokers and insurers for younger drivers, as well as those of modified cars. There's loads of member discounts on mods as well. The place is a little dull and anal now; value-wise the car has dropped into the reaches of the 'chav' element and I had to get out of there before they did my head in. If you can deal with the mouth-breathing and chavification of the car then it's worth sifting through for the useful info.
ST-2 standard spec includes xenons, 18s, QuickClear heated screen and ESP. ST-1 had no xenons or ESP. They're very, very rare to find as the ST-2 was only £1k more than the ST-1 new.
The ST is VERY susceptible to tyre choice. Check that whatever the one you're looking at has on it, they're 'XL' rated (extra load). Non-XL tyres make the handling a little squidgy. It's important to put good tyres on, although this doesn't necessarily mean 'expensive'. Many folks have reported great results with Falken 452s, Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas and Goodyear Eagle F1 Assys. I ran Michelin Pilot Sport 2s, although they're a chunk dearer. Make sure they're all 225/40/18.
Things to look out for:
- 'Clunking' driveshafts; this was fixed under a Ford TSB. It's noticeable when putting the car in reverse and bringing the clutch up, stopping and then putting it into first and pulling forward (much like any parking manoeuvre).
- Oil separator diaphragm; the OSD on earlier cars was from the TDCi and could split under the sorts of boost levels the ST achieved - it simply wasn't really designed for it. It was sorted on later cars and mine was done under warranty. It's not an expensive thing to rectify. If the car starts whistling like a kettle, drops the boost off and tries to suck the dipstick back in when you pull it out, the OSD is the fault.
- Wheels - check for cracks or dings in the rims, they're not the strongest of items. As mentioned already, the ST is very sensitive to tyres/wheels/balancing. I had mine 4-wheel aligned on a Hunter laser system and it transformed the handling. Poor alignment will cause horrendously uneven wear, and the alignment was the best £100 I spent on the car. It'll make your tyres last longer, saving you money in the long run.
- Headlight stepper motors; these can cause the headlight beam to 'waver' up and down. It's fixed electronically through Ford's IDS system.
- Clicking driver's seat; there's a mounting that can shear which allows the whole seat to move very slightly. Very annoying, and mine was done by the dealer under warranty.
- The interior is prone to creaks and rattles, especially next to the rear seats and the driver's door seal. A friend of mine makes rear strut braces that stiffen the whole shell noticeably, and this will solve the creaky driver's door issue. It's basically the door flexing in the bodyshell. The 3dr is worse for this.
Other than the above, I can't really think of any major issues with the car. They're pretty robust engine-wise. Expect the boost gauge to climb and fall back to around halfway with a normal map. The oil temperature isn't actually TRUE oil temperature, it's a 'calculation'... Still worth letting it warm up fully before giving it stick though.
There are three steering settings - Comfort, Normal and Sport. These are accessed through the menu on the indicator stalk. You can also alter things like miles/km, Celsius/Fahrenheit etc.
Head over to www.focusstoc.com for more info. I was site admin there for three years and the info there is worth the membership. You'll also probably get a discount on insurance as we had schemes in place with brokers and insurers for younger drivers, as well as those of modified cars. There's loads of member discounts on mods as well. The place is a little dull and anal now; value-wise the car has dropped into the reaches of the 'chav' element and I had to get out of there before they did my head in. If you can deal with the mouth-breathing and chavification of the car then it's worth sifting through for the useful info.
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