Frozen White Mk8.5 Ford Fiesta ST-3
Discussion
I've owned a Mk7 Fiesta ST-2 as my daily for the last 6 years. It's such a good car that I decided if if I wanted a Fiesta ST as a keeper, now was the last chance to get a nearly new one. So 2 weeks ago I picked up this ex-demo Frozen White Mk8.5 ST-3:
Because it was registered in September 2023, more than 2 months after Fiesta production stopped, I enquired with Ford about its build date. It turns out this one was built on July 4th, 2023 - just 3 days before production stopped. So one of the very last then!
It's perhaps not quite a raw as the Mk7, but the LSD that came as standard on the final ST-3s is really good at getting the extra torque down. The valved exhaust sounds great too. This one also has the Winter Pack.
Ford actually gave it a really good valet before collection (!), but I've now replaced their wax with Gtechniq Ceramic Sealant, ready for the autumn:
The plan is to keep it totally standard. It won't be going on track as I have a Caterham Seven 310R for that.
Because it was registered in September 2023, more than 2 months after Fiesta production stopped, I enquired with Ford about its build date. It turns out this one was built on July 4th, 2023 - just 3 days before production stopped. So one of the very last then!
It's perhaps not quite a raw as the Mk7, but the LSD that came as standard on the final ST-3s is really good at getting the extra torque down. The valved exhaust sounds great too. This one also has the Winter Pack.
Ford actually gave it a really good valet before collection (!), but I've now replaced their wax with Gtechniq Ceramic Sealant, ready for the autumn:
The plan is to keep it totally standard. It won't be going on track as I have a Caterham Seven 310R for that.
Edited by Gulf7 on Friday 24th January 19:34
Yes I've heard good things about the i20N, but for me it had to be another Fiesta ST.
The Mean Green was the most expensive colour I believe. Not to my taste personally though. My Mk7 was black, and I did consider another black one before buying this white one. AFAIK all the Ford demonstrators were white.
The Mean Green was the most expensive colour I believe. Not to my taste personally though. My Mk7 was black, and I did consider another black one before buying this white one. AFAIK all the Ford demonstrators were white.
Edited by Gulf7 on Sunday 29th September 05:29
Well I've now done 1,500 miles since I bought it and I'm really impressed. Especially with the matrix headlights. The winter pack is also appreciated. Winter's never a good time for washing cars, but with the ceramic sealant, pressure washing seems to turn it white again 
I did have a faint click when turning the steering wheel so took it into the dealership for them to check. They ended up replacing the whole steering column under warranty! Apparently it was a fault with the steering column adjuster, and it's all a single assembly.
Roll on spring. I've already bought a G3 clay mitt and some SRP so as soon as the weather improves I can give the paint some TLC.
I did have a faint click when turning the steering wheel so took it into the dealership for them to check. They ended up replacing the whole steering column under warranty! Apparently it was a fault with the steering column adjuster, and it's all a single assembly.
Roll on spring. I've already bought a G3 clay mitt and some SRP so as soon as the weather improves I can give the paint some TLC.
What is SRP? Super Resin Polish, as in autoglym? Do you rate it? And do you add their sealant or whatever it is on the top?
Lovely car, wanted the missus to have one, but she went back to a new shape M135i.. Suspect your residuals could be better given what it is, I tracked them at around 20k on the "will car prices crash" thread, only because AT was dynamically pricing one or two which flitted up and down like a yo-yo!
Lovely car, wanted the missus to have one, but she went back to a new shape M135i.. Suspect your residuals could be better given what it is, I tracked them at around 20k on the "will car prices crash" thread, only because AT was dynamically pricing one or two which flitted up and down like a yo-yo!
Yes, Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I've not used it before, but I've read that it's good to use after claying because it's a very gentle polish. I swear by Gtechnic Ceramic Sealant, so I've not used the Autoglym equivalent.
Even though the car was less than a year old when I bought it, there was a slight roughness to the paint. In comparison, my 2020 Caterham that I've owned from new has totally smooth paint. I guess the difference is that the Caterham is garaged and I've used ceramic sealant from the word go. Hopefully claying then continuing to use ceramic sealant will keep the ST paint the same.
Even though the car was less than a year old when I bought it, there was a slight roughness to the paint. In comparison, my 2020 Caterham that I've owned from new has totally smooth paint. I guess the difference is that the Caterham is garaged and I've used ceramic sealant from the word go. Hopefully claying then continuing to use ceramic sealant will keep the ST paint the same.
Edited by Gulf7 on Saturday 25th January 06:26
mooseracer said:
How are you getting on with it?
I also had a black mk7 ST-2 from new for 5 years, and am taking delivery of a white, Sep 23 registered ST-3, from Trust Ford, a week today. Mean Green wasn't to my taste either!
I really rated the previous version and am looking forward to this one
Sorry, only just seen this. Yes - getting on great. Absolutely love it!I also had a black mk7 ST-2 from new for 5 years, and am taking delivery of a white, Sep 23 registered ST-3, from Trust Ford, a week today. Mean Green wasn't to my taste either!
I really rated the previous version and am looking forward to this one
This weekend's weather means I'm currently half way through detailing it. So far the front bumper, wings, bonnet and roof are done. About to start on the rest of the car now. The clay mitt is magic - all of the little pollen dots come off and it leaves the paint feeling like glass. SRP and C2 are quick to apply afterwards and the finish looks good, so I can recommend that combination of products.
How are you liking yours?
Edited by Gulf7 on Sunday 16th March 08:14
Gulf7 said:
I did have a faint click when turning the steering wheel so took it into the dealership for them to check. They ended up replacing the whole steering column under warranty! Apparently it was a fault with the steering column adjuster, and it's all a single assembly.
Had the same on our Puma ST, all done under warranty.Love these late ST's..
Picked one up for a dealer recently, got 58mpg on gentle drive back.
Gulf7 said:
mooseracer said:
How are you getting on with it?
I also had a black mk7 ST-2 from new for 5 years, and am taking delivery of a white, Sep 23 registered ST-3, from Trust Ford, a week today. Mean Green wasn't to my taste either!
I really rated the previous version and am looking forward to this one
Sorry, only just seen this. Yes - getting on great. Absolutely love it!I also had a black mk7 ST-2 from new for 5 years, and am taking delivery of a white, Sep 23 registered ST-3, from Trust Ford, a week today. Mean Green wasn't to my taste either!
I really rated the previous version and am looking forward to this one
This weekend's weather means I'm currently half way through detailing it. So far the front bumper, wings, bonnet and roof are done. About to start on the rest of the car now. The clay mitt is magic - all of the little pollen dots come off and it leaves the paint feeling like glass. SRP and C2 are quick to apply afterwards and the finish looks good, so I can recommend that combination of products.
How are you liking yours?
Edited by Gulf7 on Sunday 16th March 08:14
Yes I'm enjoying it very much
It doesn't have quite the immediacy of response in the chassis that my mk7 had - but I have to remember the suspension in that was quite extensively modified.This one will be staying standard at the very least until the warranty is up!
I spent 4 years in a 2017 ST3 mk7 and it was a very hard car to replace. Fantastic things these Fiestas and really good at doing it all for very reasonable costs.
I was tempted by the mk8.5 and did test drive one at my local dealership. I liked it a lot. In many ways it felt familiar after the mk7 but it also felt a fair bit quicker to me. The low down grunt was incredible. I also thought long and hard about the i20N but never got round to trying one. Prices just weren't budging for them last year. In the end I bought an mx5 ND2 as I had the opportunity to go 2 seats and it was a completely different car to the ST so I wasn't going to compare them. Still miss the Ford though and there have been times during the winter when I questioned my decision.
I was tempted by the mk8.5 and did test drive one at my local dealership. I liked it a lot. In many ways it felt familiar after the mk7 but it also felt a fair bit quicker to me. The low down grunt was incredible. I also thought long and hard about the i20N but never got round to trying one. Prices just weren't budging for them last year. In the end I bought an mx5 ND2 as I had the opportunity to go 2 seats and it was a completely different car to the ST so I wasn't going to compare them. Still miss the Ford though and there have been times during the winter when I questioned my decision.
Len Clifton said:
I love Fords and am really tempted by one of these as a last hurrah to hot hatches, before they disappear completely. I went in my nephew’s and was a bit disappointed by the crashy ride. Did they ever have options for suspension?
If you get the ST Edition or Performance Edition they came with KW V3s which are still firm but a lot less crashyGassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff