Fiesta ST stage 3 build

[fiesta_STage3]

been interesting reading this thread. i’ve (also) got an X48R with various bits, that i drive as a daily. my first ever modified car.

[Dylanaledhall]

fiesta_STage3 said:

been interesting reading this thread. i’ve (also) got an X48R with various bits, that i drive as a daily. my first ever modified car.

You enjoying it? How you finding the X48? I know it's a relatively new hybrid so doubt it's sold as vastly as the X47 has.
I know power isn't the be all end all in these cars but so many X47R powered cars read well lower than what Pumaspeed advertised. I guess it's down to what mods you've put on but some barely cracking 300bhp when it's a "340bhp proven turbo" is a bit misleading.

I digress, hopefully the X48R is a stronger contender against the likes of the Rt330, S280 and the much less common BB-04.

[fiesta_STage3]

I’m thrilled with it, really. completely a normal fiesta under 4k revs, then plenty of go above it. i haven’t dyno’d it because i don’t really care about absolute numbers but i was told that it showed 229 g/s maf on a tank of fuel that was mostly 97 RON, which should be 320bhp+)

i live out in the east anglian fens so my roads are insanely poor - more like wobbly tarmac’d fields. On that basis i would love to investigate something like the yellowspeed gravel spec dampers to see if i can improve the ride for my needs. (if someone is reading this thinking “i will post to tell him that oem spec dampers have had millions spent on them and cannot be improved upon” do kindly sod off)

Spec list for mine in case it sparks discussion:
X48R Hybrid
MaxD 3R software
Forge Recirc
Turbosmart actuator
Milltek sports cat
Milltek non res cat back
Ramair crossover
Black silicone induction hose
ST200 airbox and feed
Airtec 50mm hotside
Airtec Stage 3 intercooler
Airtec quick shift
Airtec purple RMM
RTS c hook discs
EBC Bluestuff pads
Goodridge braided lines
Painted brakes calipers from red to black
Stern performance rear seat delete
Side skirts removed and sill holes welded & sprayed
ST spoiler replaced with Zetec spoiler
6.5x16 ford steel wheels

(soon to come: zetec front & rear bumper and remove tips from exhaust)

[fiesta_STage3]

this is how she currently looks on her winter wheels (with still the front & rear bumper to replace)

[braddo]

fiesta_STage3 said:

this is how she currently looks on her winter wheels (with still the front & rear bumper to replace)

Sounds like it's nearly ready for the sleeper thread.

[fiesta_STage3]

braddo said:

Sounds like it's nearly ready for the sleeper thread.

no chance: the steel wheels are 6.5x16 which is not an official fiesta steel wheel size and therefore that thread would laugh me out of town.

[WCZ]

Dylanaledhall said:

Did you have any attempted burglaries? Or just people coming up to the car and looking inside etc?

several, mainly young people but a couple of smack heads too

[Dylanaledhall]

fiesta_STage3 said:

this is how she currently looks on her winter wheels (with still the front & rear bumper to replace)

I sometimes massively regret not getting a white one. I was also dead against the black too until I saw some really clean-looking builds.

[Dylanaledhall]

WCZ said:

several, mainly young people but a couple of smack heads too

Not nice I bet. To my knowledge I haven't had any attempted burglaries. But again that hasn't really "put me off" of the car. I've been brought up to realise if someone really wants your car they'll take it. I'd rather them take it than a) attempt to take it but fail and just leave me with a car that's been vandalised or b) breaking into my house to try and get the keys. At the end of the day, it's just a car and it's insured. Sure it's definitely not pleasant and it's a pain in the arse if it happens but it's one of those unfortunate things in life that happens and we can't do much about it.

[anonymous-user]

Scobblelotcher said:

I’ve owner a M135i (and driven several M140i’s) and it’s a decent car with an amazing motor. It is what I’d term an 8/10ths car. Once you go over that you find it’s flaws and they tend to become unhinged which is why many have unexpectedly left the road, I’ve always viewed this as it’s more of a GT car with the thumping engine and auto box (which most have) than an all out performance car. Don’t get me wrong in performance terms, the Fiesta isn’t a match but the ST is designed to be a drivers car whereas the M135i/40i cars are designed to be a compromise of performance and comfort which they do very well.

These cars respond very well to tunning but again suffer limitations of the chassis/suspension.

Just read the whole thread and completely agree with this. I owned an M135i for a couple of years running Stage 1 and gearbox map and it was insane in a straight line but came unstuck in the corners with standard suspension. The M-Diff did make a difference and probably the only reason I never properly lost control of the car but the steering was far too 'floaty' and vague at higher speeds.

I remember saying I think on this forum that I would have been quicker hustling my old Focus ST down a B-road than the M135i. Turns out there must be something in that as I've bought another Focus ST a few weeks ago.

The BMWs do sound lovely with an M-Performance box and res-delete but if you have looking for twisty fun, it can be had elsewhere in better 'sorted' cars.

[J4CKO]

fiesta_STage3 said:

I’m thrilled with it, really. completely a normal fiesta under 4k revs, then plenty of go above it. i haven’t dyno’d it because i don’t really care about absolute numbers but i was told that it showed 229 g/s maf on a tank of fuel that was mostly 97 RON, which should be 320bhp+)

i live out in the east anglian fens so my roads are insanely poor - more like wobbly tarmac’d fields. On that basis i would love to investigate something like the yellowspeed gravel spec dampers to see if i can improve the ride for my needs. (if someone is reading this thinking “i will post to tell him that oem spec dampers have had millions spent on them and cannot be improved upon” do kindly sod off)

Spec list for mine in case it sparks discussion:
X48R Hybrid
MaxD 3R software
Forge Recirc
Turbosmart actuator
Milltek sports cat
Milltek non res cat back
Ramair crossover
Black silicone induction hose
ST200 airbox and feed
Airtec 50mm hotside
Airtec Stage 3 intercooler
Airtec quick shift
Airtec purple RMM
RTS c hook discs
EBC Bluestuff pads
Goodridge braided lines
Painted brakes calipers from red to black
Stern performance rear seat delete
Side skirts removed and sill holes welded & sprayed
ST spoiler replaced with Zetec spoiler
6.5x16 ford steel wheels

(soon to come: zetec front & rear bumper and remove tips from exhaust)

The OEM Spec dampers did have a lot spent on development, but to a price and they are way too harsh.

I went Bilstein B8 and it calmed it down a lot, still jiggly by any standards but took the sting out of it somewhat, they have other options, would look at some different springs as well, the Mountue/Eibach ones are meant to be a bit less harsh as well.

Intrigued by the Steel wheels, never thought of that, but a slightly smaller wheel and a 5 percent bigger sidewall may help, wouldnt mind a set myself so I can take the original ones off to refurb them, get new tyres etc.

Maybe look into an LSD, I got the MFactory one done a month or so back, was expensive but it makes a big difference.

[fiesta_STage3]

J4CKO said:

Intrigued by the Steel wheels, never thought of that, but a slightly smaller wheel and a 5 percent bigger sidewall may help, wouldnt mind a set myself so I can take the original ones off to refurb them, get new tyres etc.

Maybe look into an LSD, I got the MFactory one done a month or so back, was expensive but it makes a big difference.

The wheels are from a ford ecosport (the little suv thing), higher sidewall does help.

yes, i definitely want a diff - i was thinking wavetrac. …am also considering lower final drive (the st200 one). As “on boost” in 3rd is 60-105 (indicated) which means that you’re in ban territory for one squirt…

any opinions on those

[J4CKO]

fiesta_STage3 said:

J4CKO said:

Intrigued by the Steel wheels, never thought of that, but a slightly smaller wheel and a 5 percent bigger sidewall may help, wouldnt mind a set myself so I can take the original ones off to refurb them, get new tyres etc.

Maybe look into an LSD, I got the MFactory one done a month or so back, was expensive but it makes a big difference.

The wheels are from a ford ecosport (the little suv thing), higher sidewall does help.

yes, i definitely want a diff - i was thinking wavetrac. …am also considering lower final drive (the st200 one). As “on boost” in 3rd is 60-105 (indicated) which means that you’re in ban territory for one squirt…

any opinions on those

Yeah, did consider the final drive change myself.

I didnt think about how the Stage 3 affects the gearing, you kind of think it will mean the original ratios are too short, but the reverse is true as you have another 1000 rpm or more versus standard as the hybrids and bigger turbos keep producing boost longer, where the original runs out of puff.

So third gear is indeed 100 mph or so, in a bloody Fiesta ! who would have thought that, still got three to go. Wonder what they would do flat out, must be 160 or so, not that I intend finding out.


Cheers for the Ecosport wheels tip !

[fiesta_STage3]

J4CKO said:

not that I intend finding out.

i’m with you, brother. In my world of single lane roads with agri vehicles doing 30-50mph, as much as i love having overtake opportunities, that the filth could see me doing >100 during it scares the bejeebies out of me.

in normal routes and driving i spend most of my time driving her on the steering wheel XY pad. Sure you guys must be the same… it’s so easy.

[Dylanaledhall]

Not really relevant in any way but my ST just passed it's MOT with no advisories. Happy days

[fiesta_STage3]

fiesta_STage3 said:

this is how she currently looks on her winter wheels (with still the front & rear bumper to replace)

and FWIW this is the 6.5x16 ford ecosport steel wheels with 215/45 pilotsport 3. (makes potholed roads more pleasant!)

[fiesta_STage3]

This week i had fitted BC racing coilovers. i was slightly skeptical, worrying that it might be too track focused for the road - the opposite of what i ideally want (a gravel set-up). Its jacked up to the highest setting, so it’s about the stock height at the front and an inch lower at the back. it’s currently set on the mid point (16 clicks)…

what a difference!

Secondary ride is somewhat better (the higher frequency stuff is better damped), which helps for longer journeys. Turn in/ change of direction is a thousand times better. The slack in steering has gone. and it’s all very much more stable & predictable on the way into stuff, and progressive gently oversteering on the way out. Because of the stability/ confidence it carries speed with ease.

[Dylanaledhall]

fiesta_STage3 said:

This week i had fitted BC racing coilovers. i was slightly skeptical, worrying that it might be too track focused for the road - the opposite of what i ideally want (a gravel set-up). Its jacked up to the highest setting, so it’s about the stock height at the front and an inch lower at the back. it’s currently set on the mid point (16 clicks)…

what a difference!

Secondary ride is somewhat better (the higher frequency stuff is better damped), which helps for longer journeys. Turn in/ change of direction is a thousand times better. The slack in steering has gone. and it’s all very much more stable & predictable on the way into stuff, and progressive gently oversteering on the way out. Because of the stability/ confidence it carries speed with ease.

I only hear good things regarding BC coilovers. Glad to hear you rate them

[Dylanaledhall]

So the ST has gone, but didn't go how I expected it to. To make a long story short it got stolen overnight while I was staying at my partner's house. It's unfortunate but these things happen and we hear about it all the time with STs.

Yes, it did have a Disk lock on it and yes I still had both keys in my possession. Silver lining is that they didn't brake into the house which was a massive relief.

I am disappointed that's how I've ended my time with that car, I was so gutted I have actually thought about getting another and actually completing what I set out to do, but having had the car for 3 years and wanting to avoid another dissapearance from outside my home, I think I'll go for something else.

I've got a few of the typical options (Golf R, M135i, M140i, S3 etc). There was a Civic advertised nearby that was running 606bhp which tickled my fancy but I just think it's a bit too impractical for what I need, plus it's £13,000.
As for the natural progression from an ST, I've disregarded the M135 and 140 because so many have been backflipped over hedges and plowed through bus stops faster than Leo DiCaprio plows through supermodels that the insurance premiums are insane. The Golf R isn't much better (I assume for similar reasons).


A car I have been contemplating massively is the Cupra 280 as it seems a car that's up my alley. Good power, tuning capability and a decent chassis. Hopefully I'll have better luck with the next car

[RC1807]

That sucks.

How long has it been gone? Long enough for insurance to pay out?
Chance of recovery?