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Finally hit the track with my Focus ST

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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I didn't set any record times with it, but I also beat the magazine's times for the car very consistently so I'm happy with that.

Relatively, its not fast. But I can say that the transmission at the track was flawless. Never a missed shift, never hard to engage. I rowed the gears run after run without issue.

No external views, but I was lent a ContourHD camera that I attached to my helmet.

Car ran very consistently, but wheel hop is an issue. I'm in line for the Motor Mount TSB that fixes the marshmallow mounts that Ford built the car with. They are much sturdier. Several other owners have actually bent the lower trans mount slightly from how hard the car hits it.

Best ET was a 14.322, and the best Trap was a 98.3mph. Fastest I've ever seen was a 100mph trap speed, but that guy ran in 48*F weather so that likely contributed to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVS-E6a5qCU
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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Pretty slick for that car.
Well done!

If I had a better launch against that Mustang GT in the first race I might have made him sweat a little.

The car is in serious need of a tune. A few of the guys with nothing more than a Downpipe and 93 octane tune are putting down 104-106mph trap speeds. Probably about as fast as the stock turbo will let this car go, it really is tiny.

Fuel system seems to be limited to about 350whp currently based on the few turbo builds out there right now.

I would really like to throw a tune on it and see how much it wakes the car up.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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Congrats. Its as fast as my 9 year old stock wagon.

It was never meant to be the toy car. I looked at new WRXs, but I couldn't get any of them to budge on ridiculously low-balled trade in offers that left me upside down on the loan. The WRX Wagon was actually my first choice.

But in reality between the WRX and the ST, the ST was the better buy. It drives like no other FWD car I've ever driven, it rotates on command and stops on a dime. I rarely miss the AWD.

I wasn't interested in a used car so I considered only current year models when looking.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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I really like what ford is doing with the st line. I would probably never get a focus since I have already had a mazdaspeed 3. The fiesta definitely has my attention. Nice runs!

I had considered waiting for the Fiesta ST. I'm glad I didn't. Too Small.

Though I hear people love the way it handles more than the way they love way the Focus handles.

Go-Kart is the usual description for it.

The word is that Ford is bringing the Focus RS to the states, but I don't know how that will sell well.

Base price is estimated at 31-32k. Options will probably bring it to 38k. I think people will not flock to the RS at that price range being its only FWD unless it can absolutely smash the STi, and Evo's. So I think they will have a tough sell on the RS.

RS is supposed to get the 2.3L Ecoboost turbo that will be found in the new Stang's. Except messaged for more power. Between 330-350hp. Revoknuckle and an actual mechanical LSD will be standard I think. And its going to be a 4dr just like the current ST.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

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Pretty nice man!
Thanks, I was pretty nervous taking the loan on, I've always purchased used cars, and when I heard Ford was bringing the ST over I got interested. I always watched vids of Top Gear and Fifth Gear reviewing them and they loved them.

Nice! I really dig those cars. That would be an awesome little daily. Hell stock vs stock it's probably quicker than your TA was.

Stock to Stock comparing the Focus to a 1989 TransAm GTA? The ST is definitely quicker. I could definitely give an L98 a run for its money from a dig as long as it was a 1/4 mile race. And in a highway roll I'd walk a stock one.

I can't wait to see what the GTA will do now with the new combo, it should make this Focus feel like my old 91' Escort 1.9L in comparison. That escort only ran a 19.1 @ 71mph too. :ugh:

That 9 second drag car I ran up against in two of the runs certainly made me feel like I was sitting still.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

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you do know double bulbing someone is considered "rude" right?

never heard the term.

But after google searching it, I don't think its as big of a deal at a TnT because the track is not enforcing it, no one has ever said anything to me about it in the years I've been going to TnTs. I've never actually raced in a points series, pretty much the only people I've raced against were doing it for pure fun and they never said anything about. So they either didn't care enough to mention it, or were as ignorant about it as me.

If it was truly a big thing at a TnT I think the track, or some of my friends who are more into drag racing would have said something to me years ago.
 

Curless

Low buck car collector
Dec 5, 2012
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Thanks, I was pretty nervous taking the loan on, I've always purchased used cars, and when I heard Ford was bringing the ST over I got interested. I always watched vids of Top Gear and Fifth Gear reviewing them and they loved them.



Stock to Stock comparing the Focus to a 1989 TransAm GTA? The ST is definitely quicker. I could definitely give an L98 a run for its money from a dig as long as it was a 1/4 mile race. And in a highway roll I'd walk a stock one.

I can't wait to see what the GTA will do now with the new combo, it should make this Focus feel like my old 91' Escort 1.9L in comparison. That escort only ran a 19.1 @ 71mph too. :ugh:

That 9 second drag car I ran up against in two of the runs certainly made me feel like I was sitting still.

First of all, love the car...nice runs! Its hard to tell in your videos if you are really letting it have it....sooo quiet!

Second, take that thing to a road course and you'll see it real talent. Was at Gingerman last year for their end of the year bash and there were a couple of them out there FLYING!

Third, I have a stone stock 89 convertible, 6 speed, Vette....so L98 ZF six speed...4 weeks ago, 75 degrees and no humidity (perfect), 13.98 @ 99.91...your T/A should have been a great run for your new ride in stock form! It would have made a great video of fender to fender runs!
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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First of all, love the car...nice runs! Its hard to tell in your videos if you are really letting it have it....sooo quiet!

Second, take that thing to a road course and you'll see it real talent. Was at Gingerman last year for their end of the year bash and there were a couple of them out there FLYING!

Third, I have a stone stock 89 convertible, 6 speed, Vette....so L98 ZF six speed...4 weeks ago, 75 degrees and no humidity (perfect), 13.98 @ 99.91...your T/A should have been a great run for your new ride in stock form! It would have made a great video of fender to fender runs!

Yep, thats full power there. By the time I hit the top of 1st my foots on the floor.

If you think its quiet inside the car, its even quieter outside the car. People told me they couldn't even hear the car at all, only a little tire squeal. The reason its louder in the car is the "Sound Symposer" that basically connects the intake manifold to a box on the firewall. Above 2500rpm and at certain throttle positions it opens a valve and pipes induction noise into the cabin. Many don't like it, some do. I don't really care either way.

But it is nice because occasionally I've gotten on it a little too hard around a cop I didn't know was there. Since they can't hear the car they won't look. Or if they were looking at the car, they may not have thought i was actually on it.
 

10sec

I haz dat teddy bear smile.
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I agree, if you want to actually have fun with the car, take it out to a road course. Those are pretty quick too, good TQ and Ford always makes a really nice Chassis. If that was my car it would have 500+miles of track time already. Screw 1/4 mile times, means nothing and it's FWD.
 

Thirdgen89GTA

Aka "That Focus RS Guy"
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I agree, if you want to actually have fun with the car, take it out to a road course. Those are pretty quick too, good TQ and Ford always makes a really nice Chassis. If that was my car it would have 500+miles of track time already. Screw 1/4 mile times, means nothing and it's FWD.

I had it at Road America, I didn't track it. Stock brake pads and fluid weren't enough to handle the track. Rather than ruin the brakes and risk a 160 mile drive home on them I decided not to track it being that the only place I could get pads and rotors were from a ford dealer directly at the time.

They are only now just starting to release pad options and at the time they were $500 for a full set. Couldn't afford it.

It has 12.6" x 1" brakes up front. But the car uses the brakes for both chassis rotation and as an electronic differential. Others have overtaxed and ruined the brakes.

I've also been spending every weekend I wasn't working, working on my TransAm so it can be the track bitch.
 
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