2013 Ford Focus ST, anybody got one?

[cogitate]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

Finally looked at an ST in the flesh.....a red car that was being dealer traded, so I only got to sit in it. The math doesn't bother me.....a loaded GTI goes for $31k with zero-percent paper most of the year, so a Focus for a couple thou less and 2.9% financing isn't hugely different.

Exterior is stunning, it looks great.

Interior drove me nuts. That massive console, low roof, and small boot just makes the car feel claustrophobic compared to my GTI.

No one could tell me anything about it. I live in truck and SUV country and fart-can hotrods are outside the dealership's comfort zone.

I will wait to see some longer-term reliability data on Ford's direct injection solution, as this has been a huge achilles heel on Volkswagens and Audis with the 2.0T engine.

I did get to drive an SE Focus 5 speed at the dealer back during the summer. I really liked it, it felt more refined than my 02 Civic SI. I can see how a tall person would feel claustrophobic, I am 5.5, it was fine, but still.

That said, I was not over the charts that interested in it, I thought maybe the handling, 252 hp and recaros would spruce it up a bit.

RE: direct injection: my buddy is head tech at a Mini dealer. The S's are direct injected, the non S coopers are port injected. He told me that the problem with direct injection is that is washes a little bit of the oil away, so it is not unusual to have to add some every couple of tankfuls. He also told me most owners of Cooper S's don't check the oil, it drops, and they blow their motor.

It is fun to shop.

[Crocker]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

Interior drove me nuts. That massive console, low roof, and small boot just makes the car feel claustrophobic compared to my GTI.

Same exact thought I had coming from a GTI and driving the ST. For a daily driver the interior is important to me and the focus just didn't cut it. Small, cramp and a dash that looks like it came from a bad sci-fi movie. I really wanted to like it, but was underwhelmed.

Fun to drive, maybe not as stupid fun as the mazdaspeed 3 was, but definitely more mannered.

[cogitate]

Uh oh. The local dealer has a black one, and a tangerine screaming yellow one with leather recaros. Says they are having a sale, and while the don't usually discount special interest vehicles, these have been on the lot for a while and they want to move them.


If anybody has any more info, speak now or forever hold your peace

[A-Bone]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

Finally looked at an ST in the flesh.....a red car that was being dealer traded, so I only got to sit in it. The math doesn't bother me.....a loaded GTI goes for $31k with zero-percent paper most of the year, so a Focus for a couple thou less and 2.9% financing isn't hugely different.

Exterior is stunning, it looks great.

Interior drove me nuts. That massive console, low roof, and small boot just makes the car feel claustrophobic compared to my GTI.

No one could tell me anything about it. I live in truck and SUV country and fart-can hotrods are outside the dealership's comfort zone.

I will wait to see some longer-term reliability data on Ford's direct injection solution, as this has been a huge achilles heel on Volkswagens and Audis with the 2.0T engine.

ps- I don't know what kind of mileage you are expecting. My GTI is rated at 21/29 and it gets 28 in combined driving.

Good article recently in Automobile comparing the GTI to the Focus ST... the author does a nice job teasing out the differences that might not be so apparent looking at each vehicle's stats...

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...i/viewall.html

[cogitate]

Did a lot of reading last night in forums. Seems to have early build quality issues, and one site said you want to avoid buying a car built on a Monday or Friday. Shades of old time Detroit. Hoses not tightened, blow off, shooting coolant everywhere, and you have to be towed home.

A person or two had their car replaced.

[NDEBT]

I finally got around to driving one when I went to lunch the other day because the keys were on my desk. I was expecting it to be sluggy with a kick in the pants when it spooled up like the old Turbo coupes or XR4TI's. It was to a point but the pull was always there from stop to rev limiter.

I took it through a industrial park on the way with some open empty roads and tight switch offs. The one thing I was not impressed with was the shifter. It felt a little sloppy when compaired to say a Shelby I'm sure there is a fix for that. Neat little car all in all and it will get a third gear scratch.

[cogitate]

I started this thread when I was considering an ST.



I bought a BRZ