Test/Drive Fiesta ST

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
01/29/2014 at 23:36 • Filed to: Fiesta ST, DRIVE, Test

Mine was ordered today. Now after watching this, 8 weeks feels like a long time :( On the plus side, it's nice to know I'm getting the EXACT one I want. People of west michigan should look out this summer. I'm going hunting in G-stock SCCA autocross >:)

DISCUSSION (13)

GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/29/2014 at 23:40

How wide is the stock wheel and what size are the stock tires? With stock going to 200 treadwear street tires I wonder what options will be available. I would get one, its just that I cant do it - I need the 2 door!!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt
01/29/2014 at 23:44

A) 205mm width

B) The 5-door seems to be just as fun as the 3-door. If you seriously won't buy the car that you love because you don't like the extra doors, then it's just your loss. More parts for me :P

C) Seriously, I'm pretty sure with how well the 5-door is selling that the 3-door won't come here for a while, if it does at all. Very few stay in stock for long.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/29/2014 at 23:57

cool! good luck with it when you get it! that means you'll get yours about 4 months before I get mine!
What color are you going for?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
01/30/2014 at 00:00

Performance blue. My options are the smoke gray recaro package and the moonroof. No painted wheels or nav.

GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/30/2014 at 00:01

I like it, I don't love it - I already have a fast fwd car that has taken more than one D Stock natl. championship (not that it was in my hands) - its just that it doesn't do enough for me. And 6.7 seconds to 60? I feel it should be quicker for being such a small car with 200 hp. I know shunt isn't the point of this car, but I already have a car that exhibits very similar driving characteristics but hits 60 in 5.5 and will be tucking 255's for STX this season. The two door looks great, but the 4 door is just passable. I'm not arguing that it isn't a great car - it is - and it's a testament to Ford's dedication to improving quality and building things enthusiasts want. But with a push for global platforms, leaving us without the two door just seems like a poor move. They may have sold a lot, but they definitely sold 2 or 3 less as everyone I know who is in the market feels the same way. As good as this car is, no one can argue that the 2 door would be better, especially if your goal is to race it competitively.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt
01/30/2014 at 00:04

What's funny is in Europe, the opposite is true - more people wish they got the 4-door to be more practical. The point of these cars is to be practical first but be fun and fast to drive tied for a very close second. I think the 5-door helps out a ton in that regard. It looks almost identical with 5 doors due to body lines so I'll take the ease of access to the rear seats. Yes it's a bit heavier, but I don't mind. I think the 6.7 second 0-60 might be conservative and with some mild upgades, 6.0 seconds flat could be possible.

GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/30/2014 at 00:12

I'm not arguing which is more practical, certainly the 4 door will appeal to more people, but as someone interested in tracking the car it is not ideal. Certainly it is hard to please everyone and I'm sure they had many many meetings before making the decision to only sell the 4 door here. Will the 2 door be noticeably faster than the 2 door? Probably not, it will be negligible enough that a drivers skill can easily offset it, but to me I just want the choice. Also the lack of a factory LSD bothers me, but that is another topic all together. Have you decided on a tire? I think the Rivals will be the hot ticket in stock - (dont laugh) I'll be running the Federal 595 RSR first until they cook (I'll be doing one or two HDPE's on them as well) since I'm having to go to custom spec'd team dynamics 17x9's for my stupid 5x110 bolt pattern and that is eating my whole wheel/tire budget and 255 40 17's are only 108 per tire, but I'll probably be going to Rivals or the Direzzas once those are gone.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt
01/30/2014 at 00:41

I'm going to run stock tire and wheel this season to learn the car. This is my first "performance" car I will have consistently owned and competed with. My old competition car was a 1997 monte carlo on all seasons with a stripped interior. I need to re-learn a few things in the fiesta. I'll find the weakpoints this year and then get a new tire for next seasons to try and counter those weaknesses.

GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/30/2014 at 00:55

That's right you're the Monte Carlo guy! I've been out of the Jalop game for a while. I'm actually getting pretty involved in rally cross now as well and that Monte sounds like it might be a hoot for that. That's my mentality with getting the Federal 595RSR's - they say not to go too sticky too fast. I ran last season on a set of GT Radial 280 treadwear summer tires and they were pretty meh-ish but not bad. I figure I'll cook these 140utog tires by the end of the season and then step up to something serious after that. I doubt my car will be very competitive in STX but I'm going to give it a try at a few natl. tours this year.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > GRIVLET - Proud of Cobalt
01/30/2014 at 01:21

One of the few lessons the monte taught me that few others would have is this - ignore what the numbers or figures suggest your car is capable of. Reach down deep, find some balls, and go at it with full force. I was able to get some surprising results when I was fearing for my life that I was going to hit a barrier. Apparently the course workers and observers thought the same was going to happen. But sheer determination is more important than any part or upgrade you can think of.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/30/2014 at 01:34

cool! Mine's going to be either "Green envy" or "Molten orange"
And I won't have any options on mine, to keep the price within budget

JACU - I've got bonifides. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
01/30/2014 at 07:34

I'm not sure about some of the newer platforms, but it used to be that some of the four-door versions of vehicles had greater torsional rigidity than the two door versions.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > JACU - I've got bonifides.
01/30/2014 at 08:29

I wouldn't be surprised. I know the 5-door fiesta ST isn't noticeably slower or behaves too differently from 3-door STs.