St170's
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21-10-2005, 03:41 PM
#8
............
Considering you can pick up a 30k miler for as little as 7k privately, they're pretty bargainous, lots of car for the money if you get a specced up one with leather, xenons and the nice stereo
21-10-2005, 03:49 PM
#9
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I've got the US version (SVT) and to be honest it is a little boring to drive. However the handling and brakes make up for a lot. The mapping of the ECU is appalling making progress sometimes a little jerky. 6 speed box is nice although first & second ratio's are too high and yes you do have to thrash it to get the best from it.
You can't get the RS out here so this was the closest I could get to something fun - its hard to find a car out here not on leaf springs with a thirst that Oliver Reed would have been proud of.
You can't get the RS out here so this was the closest I could get to something fun - its hard to find a car out here not on leaf springs with a thirst that Oliver Reed would have been proud of.
21-10-2005, 03:54 PM
#10
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yeah they do need to be ragged to get the best out of em, but otherwise a good handling car..
bluefin it will help with the ragging issue as our members helped with the development of the 170 maps
bluefin it will help with the ragging issue as our members helped with the development of the 170 maps
21-10-2005, 04:09 PM
#12
Professional Waffler
Mate has one and although no road going missile it's not a bad little performer. Need to rev it to get the best from it but he wanted something fun and nippy that wasn't embarrassing to park in the office car park. He was starting to feel a bit of a tit getting out of his Paxo VTS in a suit at the ripe old age of 30 
HIs has the full options list so has the upgraded stereo and full leather etc
HIs has the full options list so has the upgraded stereo and full leather etc
21-10-2005, 04:54 PM
#13
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People say its boring due to the power delivery. Its totally linear. totally. No rush to the red line and if you're coming from anything with the 'kick' of a turbo you may be disappointed.
The variable inlet geometry kicks in jsut before 6k and makes a bit more noise upto the limiter jsut past 7k which is nice.
The variable inlet geometry kicks in jsut before 6k and makes a bit more noise upto the limiter jsut past 7k which is nice.
21-10-2005, 05:23 PM
#14
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he he
Right well im prob gonna get a slap here BUT i found it a bit slack on the old power slide! Altho when its there it loved staying there just took too long... about insurance well for me being a bird i cant really say what you guys would pay that all depends on ya age n stuff really! :-D
21-10-2005, 06:48 PM
#16
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Its defo not the fastest car in the world...
...but then again who needs the fastest car in the world?
Boring compared to my old RST but then again, it is smooth, comfortable, handles well, and has got the poke if you get the revs right. IMHO for the price of a secondhand one [Ł6-Ł10k] you get quite alot of newish car/spec.
My insurance is under Ł300 fully comp on my 53plate 5dr, with cover for commuting and my missus on it aswell (actually this makes it cheaper?)
Best bits... the xenons and 6 speed box, and beating higher spec/powered cars round the corners. The torque when you get the gears right.
Worst bits.. sounds like a quiet diesel on tickover! Cleaning the alloys. Being outpaced on the straights by higher spec cars. Diesels keeping up when you get the gears wrong.
My Complaints/Warranty claims from ford: Rain Leaking into cabin through pollen filter (common to all foci - tis a fitting fault), rattling exhaust - this is a badly designed bracket to the CAT and was replaced by ford under warranty. Hego sensor replaced.
Other than that and normal servicing thats it for the 38,000 miles i've done for new - not too bad i suppose.
...but then again who needs the fastest car in the world?
Boring compared to my old RST but then again, it is smooth, comfortable, handles well, and has got the poke if you get the revs right. IMHO for the price of a secondhand one [Ł6-Ł10k] you get quite alot of newish car/spec.
My insurance is under Ł300 fully comp on my 53plate 5dr, with cover for commuting and my missus on it aswell (actually this makes it cheaper?)
Best bits... the xenons and 6 speed box, and beating higher spec/powered cars round the corners. The torque when you get the gears right.
Worst bits.. sounds like a quiet diesel on tickover! Cleaning the alloys. Being outpaced on the straights by higher spec cars. Diesels keeping up when you get the gears wrong.
My Complaints/Warranty claims from ford: Rain Leaking into cabin through pollen filter (common to all foci - tis a fitting fault), rattling exhaust - this is a badly designed bracket to the CAT and was replaced by ford under warranty. Hego sensor replaced.
Other than that and normal servicing thats it for the 38,000 miles i've done for new - not too bad i suppose.
21-10-2005, 07:20 PM
#18
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I have got a 53 plate Imperial Blue ST170. (3dr)
Good things:
*Like Exeter J said the Xenons are great and the 6 speed box
Climate Pack is good
Bad things:
*Mine also sounds like a diesel on tickover.
Have to rev to get it going.
Paint scratches easy.
I love my ST
Paid extra for Climate Pack (Xenons, Climate)
Spoiler.
Good things:
*Like Exeter J said the Xenons are great and the 6 speed box
Climate Pack is good
Bad things:
*Mine also sounds like a diesel on tickover.
Have to rev to get it going.
Paint scratches easy.
I love my ST
Paid extra for Climate Pack (Xenons, Climate)
Spoiler.
21-10-2005, 07:52 PM
#19
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Enough can't be said about the incredible handling - Jsut when you think the front is going to wash wide the back end helps out jsut a little to tuck the front end in that little bit further. Exploitable, grippy and it doesnt bite when you overcook it
21-10-2005, 10:30 PM
#20
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I got one
53 plate 04 car, Imp blue and its ok. My wife drives it every day as the baby seat is in it and i drive her KA
back and forwards to the office. The handling is A1 and you can really push the thing but as said in the posts above you have really got to work that engine to get the best out of it. Fuel economy is not good on mine at all 
53 plate 04 car, Imp blue and its ok. My wife drives it every day as the baby seat is in it and i drive her KA
back and forwards to the office. The handling is A1 and you can really push the thing but as said in the posts above you have really got to work that engine to get the best out of it. Fuel economy is not good on mine at all
22-10-2005, 09:39 AM
#22
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Well where do i start
ST170 have excellent spec inside them, you get all the usual air con, 6 disc CD player, remote locking with cat1 alarm as std, deadlocking, remote boot realse etc but if you get one with the comfort pack fitted you get climate control, heated front screen, HID Xeon lights (which are a MUST IMO), heated washer jets and all for around the same price as one without that lot.
The engine has VVTI it means to make it go you have to rev it high, very high, the red line on the engine is a massive 7200rpm and it has steel roads as std so it wont dismantle itself at that rpm. It also has self adjusting inlet which provides good low down torque without losing out high up. The only down side i find is theres a massive dead area in the rev range between 3500rpm to 5000rpm and the engine doesnt feel the same power every day. Some days it pulls really well and supprises me and other days it just feels slower. Having said that it will hold its own against any other std 2.0l 16v.
The Gearbox is a Getrag 6-speed one, and im told a very good unit. It feels a bit clonky to me but it does have a fast gearchange and a short shift as std. The ratios are close together on gears 3, 4 and 5 making it rev a bit faster at mid range speeds. The clutch is Hydraulic but still a little heavy and IMO is weak, i can get mine to slip after a couple of launches.
The suspension is really good for a road car, it has a normal ride height but feels like its lowered and stiffened but still smooth over the bumps. Once you get it on track its a different matter, the suspension is not ideal for track use, the turn in to a corner is fantastic but at the apex of the corner theres loads of understeer. I think for track use its too soft and needs lowering the ride height and stiffening up.
The steering has an excellent feel to it and is very precise, with some power steering they tend to feel light and give no feed back but this just works so well. The turns lock to lock is 2.89 which is perfect, means you dont have to turn the wheel too much to take corners or roundabouts.
The brakes are 300mm discs at the front and 280mm discs at the rear, there ok and work well when you stamp on them. I wish i has of put Ferodo DS2000 pads in mine. i think that would make the brakes even better.
The exhaust is one of the good bits and park of the reason it makes the power. It has a 4-2-1 manifold into a larger than std exhaust and out through a 62mm rear silencer. Doesnt make alot of noise but with the window down it sounds alittler better than the std petrol focus.
Now problems and yes there are alot of them
Mines been back tot he Ford garage a few time to fix niggly little things like sqeaky drivers seat, exhaust heatsheilds rattling, cat heatshield broken and rattling. The heatshields under the car are a constant problem with rattling, make sure you have a good look to make sure they not been taken off and that they dont rattle when driving down the road with the window down at between 2000-3000rpm
I hear alot of people have had problems with the variable inlet not working and thats expensive to replace if not under warrenty.
Would i buy one, yes in the last 1yr and half its been good fun to drive and make a very nice everyday car. It doesnt pull like a turbo car does and if thats what your used to then your gonna be disapointed with its performance. Its no RS but is a good choice if you cant afford a RS
ST170 have excellent spec inside them, you get all the usual air con, 6 disc CD player, remote locking with cat1 alarm as std, deadlocking, remote boot realse etc but if you get one with the comfort pack fitted you get climate control, heated front screen, HID Xeon lights (which are a MUST IMO), heated washer jets and all for around the same price as one without that lot.
The engine has VVTI it means to make it go you have to rev it high, very high, the red line on the engine is a massive 7200rpm and it has steel roads as std so it wont dismantle itself at that rpm. It also has self adjusting inlet which provides good low down torque without losing out high up. The only down side i find is theres a massive dead area in the rev range between 3500rpm to 5000rpm and the engine doesnt feel the same power every day. Some days it pulls really well and supprises me and other days it just feels slower. Having said that it will hold its own against any other std 2.0l 16v.
The Gearbox is a Getrag 6-speed one, and im told a very good unit. It feels a bit clonky to me but it does have a fast gearchange and a short shift as std. The ratios are close together on gears 3, 4 and 5 making it rev a bit faster at mid range speeds. The clutch is Hydraulic but still a little heavy and IMO is weak, i can get mine to slip after a couple of launches.
The suspension is really good for a road car, it has a normal ride height but feels like its lowered and stiffened but still smooth over the bumps. Once you get it on track its a different matter, the suspension is not ideal for track use, the turn in to a corner is fantastic but at the apex of the corner theres loads of understeer. I think for track use its too soft and needs lowering the ride height and stiffening up.
The steering has an excellent feel to it and is very precise, with some power steering they tend to feel light and give no feed back but this just works so well. The turns lock to lock is 2.89 which is perfect, means you dont have to turn the wheel too much to take corners or roundabouts.
The brakes are 300mm discs at the front and 280mm discs at the rear, there ok and work well when you stamp on them. I wish i has of put Ferodo DS2000 pads in mine. i think that would make the brakes even better.
The exhaust is one of the good bits and park of the reason it makes the power. It has a 4-2-1 manifold into a larger than std exhaust and out through a 62mm rear silencer. Doesnt make alot of noise but with the window down it sounds alittler better than the std petrol focus.
Now problems and yes there are alot of them
Mines been back tot he Ford garage a few time to fix niggly little things like sqeaky drivers seat, exhaust heatsheilds rattling, cat heatshield broken and rattling. The heatshields under the car are a constant problem with rattling, make sure you have a good look to make sure they not been taken off and that they dont rattle when driving down the road with the window down at between 2000-3000rpm
I hear alot of people have had problems with the variable inlet not working and thats expensive to replace if not under warrenty.
Would i buy one, yes in the last 1yr and half its been good fun to drive and make a very nice everyday car. It doesnt pull like a turbo car does and if thats what your used to then your gonna be disapointed with its performance. Its no RS but is a good choice if you cant afford a RS
22-10-2005, 10:48 AM
#23
Advanced PassionFord User
Great all round car, I drive to Manchester and back in the same day for work once a month (450miles) and its very comfy, and get 37mpg 
Also very capable on track, good brakes and handling.
Also very capable on track, good brakes and handling.
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