Know there are a few of you on here, so what they like to live with as everyday motors?

Are running costs as high as some make out?

MPG? General Performance? How do they go round corners? As happy as pootleing along at 30mph as when being given a good work out? Refined motorway cruisers or a tad on the noisey side?

Any general views on build quality etc.... ?

fuel consumption , you will be very lucky to get over 25mpg , more like 20mpg

speaking as a Ford Tech , they are generally reliable, Volvo engine is bullet proof

seen a few turbo sensors go faulty , also starter motors aswell

only seen 1 clutch go , tyre wear can be an issue especially if thrashed

fuel consumption , you will be very lucky to get over 25mpg , more like 20mpg

speaking as a Ford Tech , they are generally reliable, Volvo engine is bullet proof

seen a few turbo sensors go faulty , also starter motors aswell

only seen 1 clutch go , tyre wear can be an issue especially if thrashed

do you own one or are you guessing?

One of the owners on here got 25mpg average to and back from the ring trip including the laps on the ring, so it can't be that bad.

do you own one or are you guessing?

He's a ford tech.

He's a ford tech.

but soon to be a Volvo tech

My long term average (over 5600Miles) is 25mpg, I mainly commute 20 miles a day across town. On the trip back from the 'Ring to Rotterdam (230miles) I managed 32mpg thats with some 100+mph stints on the Autobahn as well, so with some conservative motorway driving this can only get better. Servicing is every 12 months or 12500 miles.

Day to day to live with I've found that it's a pretty good comprise of performance, comfort and taxi for the kids. It's just as at home trundling along through traffic or being thrown around on the twisties. I am more than impressed with the handling even more so after a few laps of the 'Ring. It's great on the motorway, I thought the Fabia vRS was good but this is even better, it's just as at home on country roads as well, doesn't feel anywhere near as crashy as my Fabia vRS did.

Head on over to the focusstoc forum for some more unbiased opinions:rolleyes: you may even spot some familiar faces.

Oh and lets not forget... the noise that 5 pot makes.. :cool:

It's the noise that keeps me wanting one!

It's the noise that keeps me wanting one!

You should hear the tuned ones!

I can imagine!

Do they suffer adversly with economy once tuned? Like remap, intake + exhaust?

With just a map the economy around town actually improves, obviously once you start to cain it the economy will be lower than a standard car though.

Not sure what it's like once you mod it further.

That's not too bad then... I'm trying to justify one....

That's not too bad then... I'm trying to justify one....

I've seen some nice used ones around the £10-11k mark now...

I must say a facelift one does look tempting.

I'm really impressed with mine even more so after taking it round the 'Ring and can't wait to take it back.

Yeah... I'd like an ST-3 in Blue, White or Orange lol... and the face-lifted ones look really nice! But I'm not stupid enough to buy a brand new Ford!

Sound is nice, but I think if i was going to do a petrol car I really want to do a supercharged V8. That noise is amazing

It is! As demonstrated by that lovely Monaro

Yeah... I'd like an ST-3 in Blue, White or Orange lol... and the face-lifted ones look really nice! But I'm not stupid enough to buy a brand new Ford!

Blue's a good choice

Just seen an orange 3dr at a local dealers with tiger stripes... Looks like something Tony the tiger would drive...

Sound is nice, but I think if i was going to do a petrol car I really want to do a supercharged V8. That noise is amazing

If your doing that then you might as well go old skool and get a 1970 Dodge, and give to Mr Brown

The Blue is a bit stubtle, but I love blue cars, and the white and orange are really nice on it. The orange looks really nice when clean and in bright sunshine.

Ford Direct can't seem to find any Mk2 pre-facelift Focuses (Foci?) though...

The Blue is a bit stubtle, but I love blue cars, and the white and orange are really nice on it. The orange looks really nice when clean and in bright sunshine.

Ford Direct can't seem to find any Mk2 pre-facelift Focuses (Foci?) though...

Blue is not quite as subtle as the sea grey ones... I nearly got one in Orange but didn't want to wait and miss the deal I had negotiated.

Odd I've got 3 pages worth of ST-3's and they're all in Hull.

i have too admit,when one tipped up at work,i hated it,and after doing lots of miles in it i still hate it,but after going round the ring in martins with the code red re map,i love it,that map is a must for any st owner,it proper transforms the car:thumbup:

Speaking as a 'newly-converted ST owner' (I've had it 2 days) I traded in my beloved Octavia VRS into the stealers. The octavia had Revo Stge 2, supersprint system, bmc air filter, full Koni whiteline front and rear set-ups and to be honest the focus standard, is just as quick round the corners (if not better), and sounds just as amazing with that 5-pot up front. Obviously I'm not used to chucking it into the corners as much, but I feel it would probably be more stable than a heavily modified octy, and after mods they've got no chance. Average mpg is 25, and definitely not used to that yet, altho I understood this was going to be much less than the octavia. The car is also a lot smoother in all situations and the brakes are amazing. As for reliability, I checked lots of ford forums before I bought, likewise with VXRs and VW forums. The Fords seemed to have a lot less problems than the other 3 main hot-hatch makes especially Vauxhall, which is why I didn't chose one!!! As for noise levels for normal driving, very quiet. The 5 cylinder really only roars above 4k and really roars above 5. Tuning one of these was also a factor when I was buying, just like the new 2 litre FSI Turbo, re-maps alone are above 270bhp and an exhaust relieves about another 30 with no reliability problems.

I would advise going to a couple of garages and test driving more than once as I found this etremely useful in making my decision. As regards finding one, I didn't find Fords own web-site very useful. Search out a couple of main dealers or trawl autotrader/ebay, there seems to be plenty there, especially in blue

neighbour has one that must have some mods done as it sounds much more growly when accelerating/changing gear driving past

one went by this morning that must have anti-lag fitted - popping and banging after each gearchange, even when driven sedately

I'd like a facelift in RED!!! :drool:

I detailed a brand new one with delivery miles on it on Saturday, what a cracking motor, I really like it and it sounds fantastic. Will post up a couple of pics when I get home.