So I am selling my 3.2 TT as my commute has just got a little bit longer (50 miles a day on the motorway as opposed to 15 miles stop/start in the city), and I will be car sharing with 2 colleagues, so I need something a little bigger to fit everyone in.

I've always wanted an Mk2 Focus ST, preferably in electric orange, but I am not sure on how the specs differ from each one. Is it simply a case of halogen lights and cloth for ST, xenons and half leather for ST2 and full leather for ST3? I'm not fussed about bluetooth capability etc as I'd likely swap the headunit out. Are these a reliable unit? I've read some horror stories about the RS having engine troubles, but is that a newer engine?

If anyone can help, that would be greatly received. I have a budget of around £4k

 

50 miles a day, I probably wouldn't get a Mk2 ST as the fuel economy is rubbish. I get 20mpg around town.

Don't bother with an ST1, that's usually ex-police. Easy to spot as the headlights are halogen and don't have headlight washers. ST2 has cloth and 5 seats (option of 4) and the ST3 has leather and 6 disk Sony CD and 4 seats as standard (no 5 seat option). Older spec Mk2's had chrome headlights then Ford gave them black ones around '07' onwards.

look out for clutch issues if remaped, if there are some, get an RS clutch. Drive shafts & water ingress in the boot & footwells.

 

biggest thing with these cars is history, if you buy one thats modded you must see proof or you have to treat it as bollocks tuners in the scene know proof is everything so supply it to their customers, as above shafts,clutches and boost leaks most common sources or aggro, and st1 is poverty spec and would pass, but for 4k with prices on these cars all over the place seen them as low as 2k or upto 7k for a prefacelift, and facelifts now start around 3k upwards, all comes down to condition history and spec and mileage

 

I forgot boost leaks, but that's usually the symposer which can be deleted with a bung for about £5. It just pumps fake engine noise into the cabin.