Thanks!
Thanks!
Well, I may have made my decision. I emailed a salesman I test drove a car with at a nearby Ford dealer. I'm going to see if they can find me a Fiesta ST with the color and option package I want, and what the price would be. If they find one, and its priced right, I'll go for it.
Apparently we're in the time where its too late to order 2014 model Fiestas, and too early to order 2015 models Fiestas, but since most incentives are usually only valid on cars on the lot, thats not something I want to do anyway.
If what I want can't be found, I'll continue doing some test driving, and may hold off my decision until the 2015 GTI, WRX, and Mustang are available.
I can't even find a local Ford dealership with a Fiesta ST or Focus ST with the Recaros.
DaveEstey wrote: I can't even find a local Ford dealership with a Fiesta ST or Focus ST with the Recaros.
I have the opposite problem. Almost every ST near me has the Recaros, but also the moonroof, nav, protection package, expensive paint, etc...
Would probably accept it with some of those options, but the moonroof is non-negotiable. I don't want the extra weight, lost headroom, added mechanical complexity, and since I live in a wooded area, the added work of keeping the drains clean, especially on a feature I'm unlikely to use.
My local dealer has both in stock with the Recaros. I am CHOOSING not to go try one because then I will want one and I have already bought 4 vehicles this year... I have an addiction.
eastsidemav wrote: I have the opposite problem. Almost every ST near me has the Recaros, but also the moonroof, ... Would probably accept it with some of those options, but the moonroof is non-negotiable.
I'm in the same boat as you. I've yet to find one sitting on the lot that has Recaros but no moonroof.
I need the extra headroom... I technically fit with the moonroof, but it's too close for comfort (I'm 6'2")and I want helmet room which doesn't look feasible with the moonroof.
plus all the other disadvantages you mentioned.
It seems the real motorsport guy package in any of the Ford cars (Mustang/Focus/Fiesta) is hard to find without ordering. (Trackpack and/or Recaros without the sunroof/NAV).
At least they offer it independently, so props to Ford for that. It's the dealers that likely order the higher content package for higher resale (and I'm sure 90% of customers just want more for the sake of more).
Yeah, and the sad thing around here seems to be the first option added is the moonroof. Of the few around here without Recaros, they almost always still have the moonroof.
Here is a no sunroof model with recaros at my local dealer http://www.machens.com/used/Ford/2014-Ford-Fiesta-310105190a0a00645061b14961160d57.htm
I think it might be demo car. It has 3200 miles.
singleslammer wrote: Here is a no sunroof model with recaros at my local dealer http://www.machens.com/used/Ford/2014-Ford-Fiesta-310105190a0a00645061b14961160d57.htm I think it might be demo car. It has 3200 miles.
Dang, thats pretty much what I'm looking for. However, I can't imagine the kind of abuse those 3200 miles may have been if its a demo.
In reply to singleslammer:
Damn that seems like a Loy of fun for $22k. Sure wish they'd put a proper LSD in though.
petegossett wrote: In reply to singleslammer: Damn that seems like a Loy of fun for $22k. Sure wish they'd put a proper LSD in though.
A proper Quaiffe LSD is available for it
:
http://fiestast.net/threads/quaife-limited-slip-differentials-now-available.315/
Works just fine with the existing electric system supposedly, because the Fiesta ST uses the anti-lock brakes/electronic stability control hardware to individually brake the front wheels if the speed sensors show one spinning faster than another. Since the mechanical unit does it's job, less wheel spin occurs, and the electronic system has less need to intervene.
Have not heard back yet from the dealer. Between that, and more searches of the internet, I think its going to be a lost cause, at least for the 2014 model year.
If I have read correctly, orders for the 2015 model year open up in less than a week. I have no idea how long it would take to get the car, though. If it reaches the point of having to custom order, I probably will wait a few more months, and see if any of the new-for-2015 cars look even better. Seems like the WRX and the GTI are getting very good early reviews.
In reply to eastsidemav:
Just drove the new Abarth 1000 miles to and from the convention. The seats were amazingly comfy.
I purchased a 2014 Focus ST a few months ago. I have almost 3000 miles on it now. I got lucky and found a base model without a moonroof. The car is fun, practical, and good deals can be had right now.
petegossett wrote: In reply to singleslammer: Damn that seems like a Loy of fun for $22k. Sure wish they'd put a proper LSD in though.
Knowing this dealer, the online price isn't what they are actually asking, and that isn't what they will take for it. They are a HUGE volume dealer and to move a car, they will accept pretty good offers.
I don't KNOW it is a demo. It might be a trade. Some people buy a car, decide they don't like if for whatever reason, and trade. I got my Focus with 5k miles like that.
I picked up a no-options '14 Focus ST this past October after selling my '12 GTI. Got basically $3k off sticker thanks to negotiations and factory incentives and X-Plan pricing (which any resourceful person can get) so it was under $22k. At the time that was cheaper than any Fiesta ST I could find - because they were still so new, no deals were to be had on those anywhere. Hopefully things are different now or will be soon, because I agree that the FiST should cost less.
So... 2600 miles so far, no issues with the FoST. It also put down 242/280 on the nearest Dynojet bone stock at 1010 miles, so it's under-rated from the factory. Looking forward to putting a bunch of miles on it this year. Would I have more fun in a FiST, probably. But the FoST is faster in a straight line and bigger inside therefore better for my own needs (i.e. a week on the road at a time.)
Oh and as for the Recaros - definitely test fit and go for a drive before you commit. Some of us simply don't fit, and think the base seats are better 
(I am 6' and 230# ... not a huge person, and the Recaros are too snug)
getfast wrote: I picked up a no-options '14 Focus ST this past October after selling my '12 GTI.
Since they're cross shopped by a lot of people can you tell us why you went from the GTI to the ST? Reviewers get all excited that the GTI is more refined and grown up but just as much fun.
I'm thinking about these two as a dad mobile with two kids that gets decent mileage and doesn't bore me to death. I've rented the Focus and Fiesta, while I was impressed by both I don't fit in the Fiesta very well. I've owned several VWs and lean toward German cars.
I had put probably 15k miles on Foci rental cars before I ever thought about owning the hooligan version. I thought it was a fine platform. And I'm very much a German car guy (over the last 10+ years of BMW and VW ownership - now the FoST is an appliance to keep the miles off both my E36 and E46 M3s.)
Anyway stock vs stock, my thoughts are that the GTI is nowhere near as fun to drive.
GTI had better quality interior, got better mpg's, was generally softer & more comfy especially on highway. Better base stereo too.
GTI was noticeably slower in a straight line (196/207 to the FoST's 242/280 - same Dynojet, similar conditions, both bone stock at or under 1200 miles.) Specifically it has much more turbo lag, and nowhere near as much 'get up and go' as the FoST.
GTI had much more understeer. Even after I added the biggest rear swaybar I could find. FoST doesn't really do that, it mostly oversteers especially in lift-throttle situations.
GTI had generally less grip (stock all season Pirellis vs summer Goodyears to blame for this perhaps?)
GTI had worse brakes. Well, worse feeling brakes, pedal and feedback wise.
FoST has much, much more torque steer. It's annoying at first but you get used to it.
Both cars need "a real diff" but the FoST is worse presumably due to all the torque. It'll light up a front tire in the first three gears depending on temp/conditions. And coming out of a corner, nope nope nope. Borderline useless power for FWD. (This is also why I think the car's 0-60 time is slow... traction problems. From a dig it feels much faster than a low-mid 6 second car...)
YMMV, IMHO, just one guy with an opinion, etc. Hope it helps.
Oh and my biggest FoST vs GTI gripe to date: worse mpg's + smaller gas tank = more stops. Getting maybe 200mi per tank in the FoST around town, hoping for 300-350 highway hopefully (find out soon, I'm putting 2k miles on it in a week later this month.) GTI would go 250+ around town and 400+ on the highway. Sounds stupid and certainly minor, but thought I would mention it.
Thank you for the perspective. The Focus sounds like the hatch version of my Passat after I modified it. I probably wouldn't mind the one wheel peel as much if I also had two of the best RWD cars ever made sitting in the garage next to it.
getfast wrote: Oh and as for the Recaros - definitely test fit and go for a drive before you commit. Some of us simply don't fit, and think the base seats are better
I'm 6' 180 lbs, and they were a bit snug for me, too, but not so bad that I was worried. From reading online, they tend to loosen up a bit as they break in.
If they offered they base seats with seat heaters, that would be an option for me, but thats one of my requirements for a new car after the winter we've had. Not to mention, I think thats the only way to get heated side mirrors.
Glad to hear you are liking the Focus. I could definitely feel the power difference, even without pushing the cars, of the bunch I test drove, the Focus seemed to have the most grunt.
"The most grunt" is the american way, I believe
I wanted to like the Recaros because they do look better and are generally awesome, but for me they were mostly too snug at the shoulders. So I thought it would've gotten annoying on those 600-highway-mile days of which I have more than a few each year. Plus I was looking for a no-options car anyway i.e. the cheapest FoST available... at $21,8xx before taxes the thing was easy to justify, at mid-upper 20's with some options I might've considered some other cars instead.
Although I do miss the heated seats in the GTI, and the '10 Golf TDI I had before that. Especially after a winter like the one I've just spent in VA, we had snow on the ground until yesterday. Interestingly my E46 doesn't have 'em, and my E36 doesn't either (but that one has a Sparco halo seat now anyway...)
I think that, as I get older, I would spec out the Focus ST as more of a GT car. No Recaro's, no NAV...but with a moonroof.
But, the Fiesta ST would be stripped down as much as possible with Recaro's. 
You might be stuck with ST1, ST2, ST3 packages etc. I mean I think the days of spec'ing any $25k car out a certain exact way might be over? They sure were when I tried to get a GTI with just the Dynaudio upgrade, it wasn't available by itself, only as a package with a bunch of other stuff I didn't want (I special ordered that car in fall '11 then waited nearly 3 months for it...)
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