[bwilson]

Just got a 2014 Focus ST, i am on a very tight budget but would love to make small improvements to the performance and the handling i have taken it to autocross and i was super impressed with the car and could not be happier with it. I was thinking to start with front and rear strut tower braces for the handling. Any suggestions on where to start with performance? this is also my first turbo'd car so i am still getting used to all of it. Also what are your guy's opinion on lowering kits and tunes?

 

[wheelhopper]

Bette places to spend your money than strut/shock tower bars. All they do is stiffen the chassis and the ST is a pretty good chassis to start. If you were fixing up a fox body Mustang I may say go with the chassis supports first.

Rear sway bar is a good bang for the buck and easy to install. A set of lowering springs is a pretty good idea as well. Only problem with the springs is that the factory struts/shocks only last about 20K miles and the cost of conventional springs and dampers are almost as much as a coil over kit. If you have $1100-1200 to spend now I would just do the coil over kit.

Power wise I would say an Access Port and motor mount.

 

[ddfred]

Just got a 2014 Focus ST, i am on a very tight budget but would love to make small improvements to the performance and the handling i have taken it to autocross and i was super impressed with the car and could not be happier with it. I was thinking to start with front and rear strut tower braces for the handling. Any suggestions on where to start with performance? this is also my first turbo'd car so i am still getting used to all of it. Also what are your guy's opinion on lowering kits and tunes?

No need for bracing, the chassis is pretty stiff. Coil overs or struts/shocks/springs are good for handling as well as a rear sway bar. Tunes are great and will really wake up the car; get an AccessPort from a custom tuner for best off the shelf tunes and support for future custom tuning...check here...http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-performance/40655-who-s-best-tuner-cobb-apv3.html...And, an intercooler is a must for happy charge air temps. Good luck and enjoy.