RE: The best used fast Fords to buy in 2021

[ric p]

rwindmill said:

Interesting that scanning through the replies to this point, there's not much love nor mention of the Sierra Cosworth in the list.

I'm wondering if its because, dynamically speaking, its beaten hands down by pretty much everything else on the list (bar the Capri) by a long long way.

Its inclusion in the list, seems to rest solely on its massive iconic Fast Ford status, and nothing else. Where as the other cars offer both cache and a good drive.

I find that a bit odd as well, being a teenager of the ‘80’s. I’m not at Ford fan despite growing up in Essex. However one experience does stick in my head.

Very late ‘80’s or very early 90’s, my younger sister temp-ed at a start up car magazine, GTI Magazine, long since defunked. They ran a competition to visit BBR (Brodie Brittain Racing) at Brackley. This was in the glory days of the Ford Cosworths running in the British Touring Cars Champs. My sister blagged a free pass to also attend the day. So I headed up there in my Dolly Sprint, UUM681T, and we all got hosted by BBR.

They showed us the race cars and the modded road cars, running around 440bhp, which was a lot in those days from 2L and. 1200kg car. They explained at the time there was an unofficial challenge to get a Sierra to pass 200mph. However the law of dismissing returns / aerodynamics played out and about 185+ seemed the limit even at 600+ bhp.

Anyway after lunch out for a ride (but not a drive!) around the dual carriageway, roundabout to roundabout for those that know the area.

As a 18 or 19 year old it was pretty impressive to see 150+ on the clock and still pulling hard. The abiding memory is passing a Fiat Panda, who was probably doing 50 odd, with a passing speed in 3 figures.

Asked if the BiB were overly interested, answer no as they used to entertain them as well. Happy days.

Think how cheap Cossies were 20 years ago.

[Legacywr]

I have no brand loyalty as such, but currently own 1150cc’s of Fords...

[cerb4.5lee]

ric p said:

Think how cheap Cossies were 20 years ago.

It always fascinates me how cheap they were versus what they are now for sure.

[Uncle John]

Here’s mine. Probably the best all round car I’ve had. A 360 hp remap made it the complete car.

Edit to add my sons got an 09 Fiesta Zetec S & it drives superbly. Ford do know how to build a good drivers car.

Edited by Uncle John on Friday 5th March 18:31

Edited by Uncle John on Friday 5th March 18:32

[benzinbob]

Mk3 Focus ST or BMW m135i?

[Don1]

Olivera said:

Don1 said:

LBW2020 said:

No Escort RS Cosworth.....how dare you !

That's because despite the amazing looks, reputation, motorsport pedigree, they were..... Crap.

I purchased mine at under £15k about 10 years ago. It was moved on fairly quickly.

I think we can attribute that to your cluelessness and the fact you barely drove it, or you just had a dud. There are recent youtube vids where Jason Plato and Henry Catchpole drove one, and they loved it.

I was going to say run along child, but then I noticed you have been here over 200 months. Therefore I'm going to attribute your behaviour to these strange times and just laugh at you.

I tend to keep my cars a long time, so 'moving on quickly' was about a year.

[paul13]

I always wanted one on these in the 1980s, but couldn't afford one.

Ford Fiesta Mark 1 1.3 Supersport.



I would quite like one now, maybe tuned. Seen a couple previously at the NEC classic car show. One of them had a 1.7 Burton tuned engine.

[HazzaT]

The ST250 is a very good car, I never quite gelled with it though. I preferred my old Mk7 Fiesta Metal and much prefer my Mk8 ST
The Metal was a brilliant little car, not fast but lovely engine and sounded great

[Blakeatron]

Surprised the mk1 Rs focus didn’t make the list, gaining value quickly the last few years

[Sub5]

s m said:

I loved the seats in those - often used to swap with my friend who had one and he got to try my car. Only Ford nuts used to recognise it generally

ASS Bucket seats IIRC

[99t]

Ran a mk1 Focus RS for four years and about 30k miles when they were new and have had a mk3 facelift ST for almost two years now (but less than 10k miles due to wfh etc)

I wasn't seriously considering the ST, but I test drove it on a whim and ended up buying it simply because it put a smile on my face within the first couple of miles, in exactly the same way the RS did when I test drove that some fourteen years earlier..

There is a certain rawness to the handling, yes it tramlines a bit and torque steers under power so it will play the hooligan very readily. However it does reward finesse and so fast, smooth progress can be made but it needs to be worked for and earned, its not a given, much like the mk1 RS...

[Neil1323bolts]

Rat_Fink_67 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

MX-6 said:

I've considered buying a Mondeo ST24 or ST220 before, those quite appeal at the bargain prices they've been at for the last few years.

I've had both a Mondeo ST24 and a Mondeo V6 Ghia X and it is a lovely engine to use. I've also always fancied a ST220 as well.

The sheddy ones are disappearing now, and I think the tidy ones may begin to start creeping up in price soon. If you see a nice low mileage one that's been looked after I'd say go for it, you won't regret it. Mine lacks the bells be whistles of new cars, but it drives great, sounds lovely and looks very "clean" amongst a sea of modern cars with all their dramatic angles and slashes everywhere.

|https://thumbsnap.com/fKdVCyJ9[/url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/cZFen7d8[/url]

Edited by Rat_Fink_67 on Friday 5th March 14:26

Looking lovely , I had one identical to this , even had the aftermarket exhaust, I forgot how nice these were , probably about 8 cars ago now mind !

[Neil1323bolts]

paul13 said:

I always wanted one on these in the 1980s, but couldn't afford one.

Ford Fiesta Mark 1 1.3 Supersport.



I would quite like one now, maybe tuned. Seen a couple previously at the NEC classic car show. One of them had a 1.7 Burton tuned engine.

I had one back in the day , quite a few fast fords actually, it was a fun car but very slow and the engine needed a rebuild, used a lot of oil , I moved onto a mk2 XR2 that was also good but much quicker.

[GreatScott2016]

Uncle John said:

Here’s mine. Probably the best all round car I’ve had. A 360 hp remap made it the complete car.

Edit to add my sons got an 09 Fiesta Zetec S & it drives superbly. Ford do know how to build a good drivers car.

Nice. Had the white and the blue but never the green .... yet! The only reason I had the second one was the fact that I sold the first and then realised I’d made a mistake! Brilliant car.

Edited by Uncle John on Friday 5th March 18:31

Edited by Uncle John on Friday 5th March 18:32

[apc321]

When I was in secondary school (40 years ago) my dad drove a black Ford Capri 2.8i.

He had it for a couple of years until it was stolen from outside our house. When the police found it pretty much every panel (and the glass) had been smashed in. Even the "Injection" stickers had been peeled off the car. Got written off.

I remember that the bonnet seemed to go on forever when sat in the car.

Sounded really good in a "woofly" sort of way.


My first Ford I bought three years ago. A Mondeo st220 estate (2005) in performance blue.

It took me three months to find one in that colour.

I got one where the clutch and dual mass flywheel has been done. I would be careful of ones on the original clutch as if that goes thats a big job.

Regarding fuel consumption I always get 26 to 28 mpg on the milage trip computer when reset and then averaged over about 500 miles.

The st220 estate is fun to drive, practical, and nice to drive something a bit different to most cars on the road, on a day to day basis.

[Ultrafunkula]

I went for the mk4 Focus ST over the mk3 RS, more comfortable for the boring stuff with most of the fun factor of the RS. There is some torque steer but the LSD eliminates a lot of the steering corruption which was present with my old mk2 ST, so much so that I'm going for the mp330 upgrade when things eventually go back to normal.

[FPC]

100% Puma for me.

God I miss my old Puma. Had it for 12 years but it rusted away. Been eyeing up low mileage £5k ones on eBay, if only I had a garage I'd get one to cherish and towel dry if it ever got wet.

Such a fantastic car. My lottery win extra Puma would be would be a restomod built by Retropower with 3 cylinder Mountune Fiesta ST engine and Racing Puma pastiche (but more subtle) body.

....but a Mustang V8 would lessen my craving. A bit.

[Fastdruid]

Much though I do like the Mondeo Mk3 ST220... I'd rather the Mondeo Mk4 2.5T which is an ST in all but name and has the same 5-pot Volvo engine as in the Focus ST225

[Mr Tidy]

Avdb said:

Ford is quite good at making interesting cars. They sold 5 to me (Escort, Capri, Fiesta, Mustang, Raptor).

Ford used to be quite good at making interesting cars.

I had a MK2 Cortina, MK2 Granada, MK2 Escort RS2000, Capri 2.8 Injection x2, Scorpio and Sierra Sapphire but then they all went FWD.

The only one I'd want now is a manual Mustang V8!

I definitely wouldn't want to pay £20K for a 2.8i Capri.

[Konan]

RacerMike said:

Plough wide on the way in?! Christ! How high was your entry speed? 300mph? Literally one of the main strengths (or weaknesses depending on how you see it) is the front end.....it's so on it's nose on turn in that it's hard to be smooth. Hell, it could do with some more understeer to make it easier to drive fast on track, not less.

Not quite 300. To be honest, it might turn in, but it feels like you're a fat kit in a primary school wheelbarrow raceand Usain Bolt has your ankles.

Driver obviously makes a big difference, but I'd never see one excell on a track day. Not compared to something like a Meg 250. But, again, it's more a novelty road car isn't it.