[Thehubster]

Hello all,
My name is John, I just bought a 2016 Ingot Silver ST. I've only had it for two days and I love it. I am not new to the Focus, I had a 2002 SVT Focus back when I first joined the Airforce, but I am new to Boost and it is amazing!! Any tips for a first time Turbo owner would be much appreciated. I recently moved back to the states from over seas and while I would have loved to get another mustang, a 2004 Mach 1 was my last car, I figured something with better gas millage was probably the way to go, besides the GT 350 is still a little out of my price range. So I went with what I knew. I had my SVT when the ST first came out and I loved them but at the time I couldn't afford one. Fast forward 10 years and its the perfect car for me right now. Its stock other then the wheels and I plan to use it as a daily but I also want to have some fun with it. I am in the Little Rock area and they have an SCCA Autocross club here that I plan to join and get some seat time pushing it through the cones. I have already learned a lot about these cars from this site and plan to use it extensively going forward. One of my first mods though will be a roof rack for my bikes, I am an avid mountain biker and I need a way to easily move my bikes, I had a Peugeot in Germany with a roof rack and fell in love with it as a means of transporting my bikes so I am going to get one for this car. Right now I am leaning towards the Rhino Rack or a Thule but we will see. Can't wait to get to know everyone. I'm always open to advice so if anyone had suggestions or things to watch out for with these cars I'm all years.

 

[TurboGT]

Welcome! So your car is actually Magnetic Metallic in color.

As far as being new to turbo. Make sure to avoid LSPi. There are a few threads here covering what it is and how to avoid it. Also make sure you wait until the oil temp gauge has risen some before getting heavily into boost. The oil temp gauge has no sensor, it's all programmed based on multiple temperatures and engine conditions, but is fairly accurate when everything on the car is running as it should be.

As for these engines. They EAT spark plugs. Replace them every 20k miles if you drive aggressively or are tuned. There's also a fantastic spark plug sticky here.

Also along those lines. These engines misfire, especially on cold start. Don't obsess over it, you're just going to add grey hairs to your head. Learn to live with it.

The single most important modification to do to this car is an aftermarket intercooler. Even if you never plan to tune. The factory unit heatsoaks as you go through the gears and causes the engine to make less and less power as you carry your way through the pull. Any of the aftermarket units out there will keep temps steady and you will make the same power through every gear. Installing a better intercooler also removes the active grille shutters (AGS) which is another problematic system.


Enjoy the ride!

 

[Skykri]

Welcome!
Make sure to check out yakima for the rack. I personally feel like their system is superior. Looks cleaner, and is built better.

 

[WNYFocusST]

welcome and congrats on the whip. IS is pretty nice color and I'm digging those wheelz.

I also avid road/mt biker and was able to throw my pre-existing thule rr on the ST. yakima makes a sturdy rack as well. If I'm being honest, had I to do over again from scratch I'd have installed a 1 1/4 " hitch and went with a hitch rack. A little more $ but way easier than lifting the bike over the top of the car. and no wind noise. even with a wind deflector, the rr is still noisy. good luck and enjoy your hot hatch

 

[STallion18]

Welcome, I have the Sea Sucker bike carrier. Tested to 90, no noise.

SeaSucker

Easy-to-use bike racks and marine accessories, all made in the USA.

www.seasucker.com

 

[Sobro]

Welcome aboard. Soon you'll be enjoying the drive to the trails more than the biking on the trails.

You should be filling your car with Premium Top Tier fuel, keeping in mind that Shell additives don't play well with the ST.

TOP TIER™ Gasoline Brands

toptiergas.com

It looks like you have an ST1, the base model, like mine is. If you hate the stereo you're in luck. Our model is the easiest to upgrade.

 

[Seethesvt]

I have a contour svt. The focus svts big brother.

 

[Kyio]

Welcome!!

Those wheels are NIIIICE, I don't think I've seen them before?

 

[Thehubster]

@TurboGT Thanks for the tip on LSPI, I watched a couple videos about it. thats a good one to know about. I have also started a small list of things to take care of right away. I am taking it to ford to get a couple recalls done and new spark plugs, perhaps a catch can, are at the top of the list of small things to get done quickly. Ya I have to look into intercoolers but its on the list as well!

@Skykri Thanks for the heads up. I'll take a look at them.

@WNYFocusST is yours very loud without the bike on it? I know it will be loud with a bike and I'm ok with that but if its really loud without the bike that sucks.

@Sobro It is the ST1 and so far its not to bad. but that is good to know.

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I'm really excited to have this car and I'm really looking forward to get to know it.

 

[Thehubster]

Welcome!!

Those wheels are NIIIICE, I don't think I've seen them before?

They are Enkei wheels. The dealership actually put them on before i bought it. The original wheels where just to beat up so they replaced them. I was happy with it, they look great with the black on grey.

 

[SSgtjrobertson]

Cough, purge valve, Cough Cough

 

[Machspeed]

Welcome and thank you for your service! Ex AF guy here too. I think you'll really like your ST. Enjoy!

 

[sttwoton]

Welcome from an English Bruva 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, catch can is pretty much essential imho, I had both the U.K. versions of the Focus and Contour SVT, the Focus ST170 and the Mondeo ST200.

 

[Royhesketh]

Welcome to the club. These cars represent tremendous value. I have always stayed away from roof racks, because I know it would just be a matter of time before a clearance tragedy would strike due to absent mindedness. For that reason, my bike always goes in the car or previously on a hitch mount rack.

 

[rob99rt]

@TurboGT Thanks for the tip on LSPI, I watched a couple videos about it. thats a good one to know about. I have also started a small list of things to take care of right away. I am taking it to ford to get a couple recalls done and new spark plugs, perhaps a catch can, are at the top of the list of small things to get done quickly. Ya I have to look into intercoolers but its on the list as well!

[snip]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I'm really excited to have this car and I'm really looking forward to get to know it.

Welcome aboard. Love the magnetic gray (have a 2017 Escape in that color) and that's the color I was looking to get when I started my search for an ST.. just couldn't find one, so you got lucky.

Just so you know, another excellent way to alleviate the dangers of LSPI is to install a larger, more efficient turbo (2860/2867/etc.) which will spool a little slower and take you out of the LSPI danger zone for the most part. It also has other side effects, though... induces way more grinning thanks to loads more power at the top of the rpm range, tires spinning in 3rd gear sometimes, and it actually helps mileage if you keep your foot out of it due to efficiency gains. All you really need is an intercooler (ESP, Whoosh, Depo are good, but inexpensive choices), downpipe (CVF catted with a defouler), and an AccessPort for the tuning of it to run a larger turbo.

See... just tell your significant other the new ST needs a more efficient turbo to help it live a long, happy life and to increase your mileage while gas is so expensive. Consider it a green initiative. Everybody is into those, right?