The Focus ST has dropped in price but so has a number of other vehicles.What's worth the money in 2024? Follow me: / rileypaynestewart Business inquiries: contact.rileystewart@gmail.com
@@remissiveslave I've seen a lot of them past 200 k miles, and lots of big turbo ones living happily around 350-400 whp. I think the biggest issue with mileage is wear and tear, suspension, etc. Then the big ticket items for preventative maintenance. Head gasket and timing chain.
As a former Mk7 GTI owner, I can say that you can make a LOT of HP with literally just a stage 1 tune. $1500 can certainly get you to 300 WHP if not, very close. I love the Focus ST too though. The one thing you didn't mention when looking for one of these is if you drive in heavy traffic. If you need an automatic for that reason or you prefer auto trans, then go with the GTI. That DSG is a lot of fun, and a good compromise if you can't have manual.
Man, I would absolutely buy mine all over again! I really wanted one and haven't been disappointed. I got into it just a little on the freeway with a Hemi Charger recently, he couldn't pull past me. That's what I'm taking about! Nice video. . . .
I just put new wheels on my car which were rally white fifteen 52 turbomacs and man my car looks amazing now the focus st will forever hold a special place in my heart
Got a 2016 ST2. 205,000 miles with 80k of it on a built motor big turbo on 93. Making only 350 wheel but I smoke 5.0s and scat packs all day everyday. Other than regular maintenance and a few hiccups along the way (alignment issues due to some undercarriage rust, pcv hose taking a crap, clutch getting toasted around 150k miles, master cylinder leaking, battery grounding issues, O2 sensor going bad, thermostat going bad, and fuel pump dying) that’s about all the issues I’ve had. Granted it’s going to cost you money to repair some of those issues, but a lot of them were due to the install of the motor at a fairly crappy shop just being careless. Other than that, it’s THE best driving car I’ve ever been in. I’ve driven plenty of sports cars but there’s nothing quite like that rigid build and direct driving experience. Even after so many miles on the body , it still handles close to brand new. It’s a solid solid car that if I have the money, I’ll continue to put replacement motors into 😂
Bought my ST last year in June for a good price. 2015 ST3, 97 k miles, clean title. Paid $8250 for it. Had a couple goodies on it like intercooler, and a bov. Had it for about a month and got a Strat e30 tune on it and did full bolt ons. Recently redid some of my suspension including shocks(oem) and front endlinks and falling in love with the handling again. Bought a big turbo too and installing that next week. Gonna keep stock fuel for now to not glaze my clutch.
Yeah, I just bought one yesterday and I paid just under $16k for it. It’s a 2014 with only 58k rounds on it. It’s in real nice shape. I would take to a car show today! That’s how nice it is I mean it has a few paint blemishes but still a solid 15 footer! I’m just gonna daily drive it! I think I did pretty good cuz the ones I was looking at in that shape and miles they were all 18 to $20! I’ll be posting some vids on it!!
I've had my ST for about 2 years now. Going on 3 this June and I never fall out of love with the car. Hoping to buy another one in the future. They're just Great cars
Awesome! Had mine for almost 4 years now and I’m surprised I haven’t started looking at something else yet. With any other car I probably would’ve gotten tired of it by now but with the ST I’m just getting started!
I love my ST. It's a 2018 ST1, I bought brand new right before college and I just crossed 38k miles on the odo like 3 weeks ago. There is an upgrade kit for the ST1 radio by 4Dtech, which converts the radio from sync to sync 3. It's very pricey but all the reviews I've seen for are positive.
I'm in the same boat. Original owner of an 18 MM ST1. I've only invested in performance upgrades along with paint wrap. The 4D Tech gets my vote ever since I saw it a few years ago. Hope to get it by the following summer. Have to get my LSD installed first. Wish I had you're mileage. I'm at 68k
I have a '13 ST3...was considering selling and getting something a bit larger...but then you get in, drive it hard and it just puts a smile on your face. You're pretty spot on with the pricing too, a solid ST3 should go for $15K give or take, and the 1's and 2's for less. Don't buy an uber-modded one. Find an owner that gave a shit about it when they owned it, have paperwork for maintenance and mods, etc. Steer clear of R titles or salvages...they significantly lower the cost. Any owner who debates you on that...do yourself a favor and just walk away.
Idk where your located but here in the US, we don’t get the Mercedes hatchback, The Gla45 is classified as an SUV with 375hp, but it does look like a hatchback, & would look dope with some coil overs.
Veloster is a really nice car indeed. When I was looking at cars before buying my ST, the vellostar was also on my list. I did feel a little cramped when sitting in the car. The mazda speed 3 is a rare car in the Netherlands, non on the used market when I was looking. The Focus is a lovely car, been driving it with a big smile every time
Mazdaspeed 3 seems to be somewhat rare in the US even. Probably not to the extent in the Netherlands but you don’t see them very often. Yes veloster is very nice, such a nice interior. Ford needs to take notes on that interior haha!
@@rileypaynestewartford needs to take notes on the Veloster turbo lol? My cousin has one & my ST interior is 20x nicer then his ugly ass no bolstered seats lol I love my Recaro’s, I think Hyundai needs to take some notes from ford if anything lol Veloster turbo didn’t have much tuning potential but The Veloster N is a dope car for the money, & I would take one over a Type R honestly if I’m paying for it, Same performance for $12k cheaper even though I love my k series.
Thanks for the video! Planning on buying an ST in the next month or so and what you said at the end about getting at least an ST2 is for me🤣 I’m not buying one unless i can get a 2 or 3 cuz leather seats and fancy headlights
From experience, the ST1 seats are more comfortable. Unless you’re slimmer it’s going to bother your back on longer drives. Now you can always swap in the ST1 seats if you buy an ST2/3
There is always something better but that depends on how you look at it. Ive had my st since November 2012 and in my opinion i wouldn't want anything else because these cars are so easy to mod and maintain/ work on.
I lost mine a year and a half ago to a bad driver. Had a girl pull out while I was going 50 (speed limit) and couldn't avoid her. She never looked left and I had 1 second to react. I had a black 13' ST3 that only had 55k on it. Bought it in 2014. This friday, I am finally completing a purchase on a 13' ST3 with 21k miles! Im so excited to have an ST again. You literally cannot find the bang for the buck fun on any other car imo.
Former 2014 ST3 owner who upgraded to a RS2 after 5 years with the ST and I have to say I miss my ST. Love the RS but it’s a headache more than the ST ever was.
@@rileypaynestewart the usual RS stuff, leaks lol. Turbo oil return line, seal leaks, blah blah. Car only had 19k miles when I bought it in March this year so I got one of those 3rd party warranties and let them pay Ford the $3.3k for all the repairs and now she’s fine…so far😅
A nice middle ground to get the nice interior and not have the more expensive car is the st2 package leather with cloth seats, all the audio equipment as the st3 and the sunroof
@@rileypaynestewartnot the original commenter, but I’m just rolling over to 150k. I’ve literally had not a single major issue during my ownership and I’m still on the FACTORY CLUTCH. It’s finally get worn to the point I’m considering a new one, but it’s still perfectly functional.
Kinda new to hatches but the 6 months I've has my 14', I just say it's been fun thus far. 14k vs 50k+ for ctr, gr corolla, golf r, or the lesser models. Hopefully upgrading turbo, fmi, and dp before summers up fir 350+ whp. Not trying to go past 400 though, truly unnecessary, also would need better clutch, just put a new one on, and want a lsd.
These cars shine with a bigger turbo and added fuel, then u can get a built motor and it can handle up to 600+. And everything is reasonably cheap compared to other platforms. Once I pay my car off I can literally just order a stage 1 motor and bigger turbo slap it in with aux fuel.. bam u have a death trap that’ll smoke literally almost anything for like 8k less than 4-5k if u build ur own.
idk i paid $4,000 cash for my 2000 gt mustang some bolt ons i pulled 3 cars on a 2015 st with cobb port some bolt ons and he was using launch control. he posted it for sale next day to buy a car like mine get same performance or more for a fraction but everyone says 2v mustangs are slow 😅
Can be hard to find one. I live in vt and these are rare. There's lots of cars that can be easily beefed up, just a matter if finding one that's not in shifty condition.
You really can’t go wrong man but I’d try to stick with under 80k miles and just try to get the highest trim level you can afford. If it’s under $16k that’s ideal
That’s a tough decision. Very low miles but I’d say that’s more than I paid I got mine for about $16k with 25k miles. But it’s hard to say if you’ll regret it bc I love this car
I just want Ford to bring the latest ST to the US but they just want to keep selling SUVs. If something happens to my ST, I will have to look at other hothatches like the GTi.
I think the Benz would have much higher maintenance costs. Also, the focus rs and st especially are fairly reliable. Unfortunately, my RS is not, and it is currently having its headgasket replaced. If you have the opportunity to throw the RS into a corner and play with its various drive modes, you will understand why it costs $30k. It ain't no subaru, it is a machine.
Yeah, right now i got a Subaru Impreza wagon absolutely hate it. 😅 Here in this year im going to trade it in for either a wrx or a ford focus st. Only thing i worry about for the st is all-wheel drive considering I live in Colorado. But I really do love the look of them! And where I live there are about the same price wrx and the st's around 18,000 with 80,000 miles on both of them. But the WRX last up to 300,000 and the st's only last up to 150,000 miles so idk man lol
I’d put up a focus st over the wrx in terms of engine longevity. Although for you I’d probably recommend going WRX bc AWD would be really nice to have In Colorado
@@rileypaynestewart oh really? I've been heard the engine they put in the St are garbage compared to the WRX. But I do know I got to be careful with a used WRX. I know some owners abuse the shit out of them. Then trade them in at low miles.
My problem with the Focus and Fiesta ST has always been the ecoboost. Head gaskets are hanging on for dear life in them. Ive seen sooo many with coolant intrusions. I want to say Fords "fix" during the massive recall was a new sensor. If memory serves there was a class action suite in the EU because of this motors design flaws. Sucks. I have really liked the Festiva ST. Was really considering one when Honda ditched the plan for a FIT Si. Then I read about the first recall and we started seeing blocks in the yard hand over fist. Family has an auto salvage business so I get to see what cars look like at the end of their lives. I have driven both the Focus and Fiesta ST. Have to say, the Fiesta was more fun. Planted little car even if it had rev hang for days.
The cost of maintanence on the AMG would be insane, it's a very expensive and difficult car to work on... I agree the RS is over priced but the AMG would easily cost another 10K over 10 years of ownership if it even lasts that long. Out of everything you've mentioned the mk7 gti, IMO, is the best alternative to the ST.
@mockemperor953 the seats are different. The st3 seats are known for being love or hate.. not everyone fits in them, the bolstering on the st1 seats are more forgiving
Had a se and did some mods as well as straight piped and it got hit not even a year later, now looking for a st, their asking 10,500 is that worth it? Interior is a 5/10 and paint is 4/10… you get the idea it has 165,000 and increasing because it’s their daily.
Depends on where you live. I can go on fb market place and find them with less miles and in better condition than what you described for $12,000-$16,000 and sub 40k miles ones for $20,000-$22,000. I would see if they will sell for $9,000-$9,500. Mileage is one thing but not keeping the interior in good condition and not so great paint is on the owner... Also, I would ask if the valves have been cleaned. These cars are direct injected so the only way to clean the valves is to remove them and clean them. Blow-by is another issue with turbo vehicles. Debris from the combustion process makes it passed the piston rings and collects at the bottom of the engine. A catch can fixes this. If they have cleaned the valves and have a catch can installed, it may be worth the asking price since whatever you'll save from asking for a lower price has been saved by the maintenance they did.
Not too bad. I might be inclined to get a pre-purchase inspection just in case. I’m a big fan of doing that on high mileage cars when buying privately. Paint is going to be bad on any focus tbh the paint is pretty terrible but if you get a good deal on it you can use some money to wrap it!
That is because Ford gave us a turbo and intercooler that is nearly maxed out from the factory. You have three options with these cars. 1. Buy evey mod you can at it with stock turbo, spending over $3,000 with with tune included to make 290-300whp (stock turbo is maxed out) 2. Buy a simular, better direct swap turbo or hybrid turbo (same outside as factory turbo but better internals)($800-$1,200) and a better intercooler ($300-$600), get a tune and make 300-320whp. (These turbos max out around 330-340whp) 3. Buy a whole big turbo kit ($1,600-$2,400), intercooler ($300-$600), charge pipes ($300-$600) and make 320-380whp depending on tune and if you upgraded intake and exhaust. If you go big turbo, you will max out around 380whp until you upgrade fueling which is like $1,600. After that, you'll be in the 400s but also crossing your fingers for reliability since the issues start after 400whp on stock engine.
JUST BOUGHT A 2015 FORD FOCUS ST FOR 3,296 NEEDS SOME WORK BUT WAS RUNNING CHECK OUT THE CHANNEL THIS MY 3RD FORD FOCUS ST FIRST FACELIFT ST OTHER WERE 2013 - 2014
But also I’m talking competitors with the focus st. Most people in the market for this car won’t be looking at Audi S3’s for comparison. They’ll be looking at affordable hot hatches
The s3 8p was the mk2 of the s3 line up thay were maid from 2008 to 2012 thay cume standard with 265 bhp and heldex quattro system the same as the golf r the 0.60 mph was 5.1seconds considered as the first super hatch of its day Germany's attempt to take on the STI in the evo only more refined. I picked one up for £10500 in the 🇬🇧 think that would be about 13,339 in us sure the us got them to
I made the same mistake as you, except I bought my ST1 brand new. And it was only $3k to upgrade to the ST2. It's a lot better now though. I installed a Phoenix Automotive Tesla style head unit into it. You should get one yourself. I love my ST and plan on riding it until the wheels come off.
What did you think about the Phoenix automotive Tesla style head unit? I'm in the market for a new head unit since I have the ST1 and it's very bare Bones. Also which one did you get? There are a couple options to pick from? Thank you 🙂
Never buy a Mercedes unless you want to spend 15-20 Grand a year at the dealer / mechanic, Focus RS will eventually go down in price and it will always be a better car than any Mercedes
You lost 100% of your credibility as soon as you said the GTI can’t compete in terms of performance. While I prefer the ST, the GTI responds WAY BETTER and will be much faster when it comes to tuning.
Dollar for dollar it can’t compete. Yeah you can spend a boat load of money to make it really fast but you can do that with anything. Fact is, it’s cheaper to make the ST faster.
@@rileypaynestewartbuddy are you smoking crack??? A stage 1 tune for a GTI requires zero modifications, costs $500-$700, and its going to make more power than a FBO stock turbo Focus ST… heck an access port and a tune for the ST costs $600-$800 alone. like I said, I prefer the Focus, I’ve owned both cars and I like the ST more. But they are miles apart when it comes to the amount of power for your money…..
@danielpak3743 100% the gti better bang for the money when it comes to tuning. A simple stage 1 put you around if not more than a FBO focus st. Vw underestimates their cars from factory. The gti supposedly makes 220 crank hp but in reality that's how much they make to the wheels stock 😉
@@danielpak3743 accessport I got for $400 tune is $75. You’ll be making close to 300WHP for a little more than a grand bc you just need an innercooler and catlessdownpipe if you choose.
@@zerogravity2436it just sux the rs was given so much heat for being “unreliable” when it was just 1 bad batch with the wrong head gasket. If it never happened it’ll be legendary and favored amongst enthusiast today.
