Thinking of getting a focus st, what's to look out for?
What's running costs like, tax, fuel

 

Ive had no issues in just over 3 years & 10k miles with mine.

MPG is crap. (I get about 21 mpg in short around town trips with traffic & hills).
Servicing is no more than a normal Focus.
Tax is £270 for the year.
Get a Dreamscience re-map, the car is sooooo much better with it.

 

As said mpg is its grind, but you can get 30 mpg on a careful run. Look out for the usual, accident damage, stonechips on the front can be good, as shows it hasnt been painted. Look out for plastics in the car, can be a bit fragile. Check discs for lips, alloys for kerbing. Clonking/ clicking from driveshafts on full lock. Watch out for insurance hikes from remaps. I went Mountune and got hardly any difference on my premiums. Be careful of bit modded cars, if thats the way you want to go. 300 bhp is a sort of safe margin from damaging block liners, but everyone has their own ideas of safe level of boost and power it can go to. Early clutches ( usually about 2007) are not good with increase in torque. Pressure plate cant take it, so will need an RS clutch to fix it.Enjoy, they are great cars.

 

What happened to 3door cossie idea?

 

Seat bases can snap as well, check for whining from the engine bay (oil diaphragm). Liqueur has a habit of peeling from stone chips and water ingress/pressure wash.

Only problem I had with mine 06 was the clutch slipped after a remap (RS one sorted that) and the gauges played up but they fixed them selves. (Sensors can play up)

I got about 19-24 around town and 30+ on a motorway run.
Best I ever got was 39

 

Have a read of this:

http://www.fastfordmag.co.uk/2011/08...-focus-st-225/

Direct link to PDF: http://www.fastfordmag.co.uk/files/2...268.buyer_.pdf

Some good pointers.

 

Jim? 3door for everyday, fuck that lol

 

I'd love a everyday cos!