[TheAceFox]

*** BEFORE READING ANY FURTHER ***

I have decided to take the plunge and go for an RS. I will keep this build thread open to show my progression from stock to bolt-on to stock again to RS, and then RS to bolt-on.

The ST community has been the best automotive community I've been a part of, so thank you guys for all the help and knowledge you've provided me.​

Thanks for dropping by guys!

This is my second thread I've started on this forum. I joined, became a lurker and never had the urge to post anything. Well now I do.

http://www.focusst.org/forum/introductions/49108-jdm-no-longer.html

Above is the first post I made, mostly just me giving a rundown on who I am, my car history and the fact that I bought a new car like so many others have done. Well it's been almost a year since I've bought the car, and after some very insightful advice from a long time friend of mine (Wait a year until you mod the car). His reasoning behind me not modding the car? Give me ample time to break the car in and make sure there are no factory defects as well as allow me to further grow a bond between myself and the car, get to know the ins and outs, every single detail about the car. One year and 14k miles later, after numerous parts lists, build ideas, temptations to switch to a Subaru or go with an RS, I've stuck with my little white hatchback because she's never done anything to let me down. Wise advice? I'd say so.

Well now I know everything I need to know about the car, everything it can and can't do, every limitation the car may have (might I also say that Ford did an amazing job with this car?) and I've decided to celebrate my 1 year anniversary of buying the car. Developed a parts list and have a general idea of a build I'd like to do but my problem was figuring out where to start first. The car is a very well rounded and balanced car from the factory. Ample power, plenty of handling ability, decent fuel economy, I never had a single complaint about it at all in my first year of ownership. So where was I going to start?

My goal for the car isn't to chase numbers or to beat a particular car on the street or to set records. This car is my daily and I love everything about it, so my goal is to make the car more or less mine and not one of many mass produced cars. I want to have a smooth, linear powerband with no crazy peaky boost or lag. I want it to be useable power, it's not fun if you can't hook and FWD cars don't look cool spinning all day (sorry not sorry). Ideally I'd like a nice conservative tune, maybe 290 or 300 or so but like I said, numbers mean nothing to me.

Anyways, if you've read this far I thank you. If this build interests you, stick around! I look forward to making this list be completed and seeing the car become a reality. I've got about $500 every paycheck I can toss at this list, so it won't be done particularly in order so much as what's available and if it's within budget as well as where I'm at during the build (i.e. pointless for me to do coilovers on stock wheels IMO)

POWER

Injen short ram intake - $277 Edge Autosport - Ordered 30 Mar 17 - Installed 4 Apr 17
Airtec FMIC
Damond oil catch can - $151 Edge Autosport - Ordered 13 Apr 17
GReddy Sp Supreme exhaust - $675 THmotorsports - Ordered 14 Mar 17 - Installed 8 Apr 17
GReddy MX downpipe
SCT Handheld tuner - $400 Unleashed Tuning - Ordered 13 Apr 17 - Installed 20 Apr 17
91 Octane tune - Unleashed Tuning / Torrie - Ordered 13 Apr 17 - Installed 20 Apr 17

HANDLING

CP-E Stage 1 rear motor mount - $131 Edge Autosport - Ordered 7 Apr 17 - Installed 14 Apr 17
Bilstein B14 coilovers
Strano swaybar
Whiteline endlinks
DBA Pads / Rotors
Stoptech braided brake lines

AESTHETICS

Boomba BOV - $135 Edge Autosport - Ordered 3 Apr 17 - Installed 8 Apr 17
Boomba symposer delete - $39 Edge Autosport - Ordered 30 Mar 17 - Installed 5 Apr 17
Boomba quick shift
Cobb polyurethane exhaust hangers
Advan Racing RZII Indigo Blue - 18x9 +38 - Ordered 5 Jul 17
Advan Racing center caps - Ordered 5 July 17
Advan Racing black lugnuts - Ordered 5 Jul 17
Muteki SR48 locking lugnuts - Ordered 5 Jul 17
Maxton Design front lip
Maxton Design side skirt extensions
Maxton Design rear diffuser
Maxton Design spoiler extension
Yellow foglight overlays - $21 Headlight Armor - Ordered 15 Mar 17 - Installed 18 Mar 17
Yellow foglight H8 bulbs
Mountune shift knob
Mountune shift boot
"Mugen Style" Rain guards - $40 Amazon - Ordered 7 Apr 17 - Installed 12 Apr 17
Rock guards - $70 Amazon - Ordered 13 Apr 17 - Installed 14 Apr 17
Window tint
Black roof wrap
LED light swap
Breedt engine cover
Upgrade factory speakers
True 3 gauge pod upgrade
Spec-D Tuning LED tail lights
ST Octane Academy "black" badges - Free - Received 17 Apr 17 - Installed 6 Jun 17

 

[TheAceFox]

Started out with a GReddy Supreme catback I found on THMotorsport for $675 and free shipping. (Use code "greddy" if interested https://thmotorsports.com/greddy/greddy-exhaust-supreme-sp/10148203/i-2018595.aspx). Not doing this for power but to give the car a bit more character and sound, the power is an added benefit.

Should also mention, I just bought the exhaust today, 14 March. Should be here within a week or so, apparently coming from GReddy themselves.

*edited to include photo from GReddy of the exhaust*

 

[7th District]

Subscribed :Rally:

 

[Instigator24]

Sounds like you are on your way to your goal!

 

[Chief_ST]

Subscribed to this one!

 

[ddfred]

Ideally I'd like a nice conservative tune, maybe 290 or 300 or so but like I said, numbers mean nothing to me.

Looking at your parts list I don't see this as achievable, especially with a "conservative tune"; you could come close to those numbers going with an e30 blend of fuel if you wanted to go that route. But, as you said, the numbers mean nothing. What's important is that you make the car your own and enjoy it.

 

[LockeLamora33]

Looks good and nice part list. My question is why do you say new suspension isn't worth it on stock wheels? And like @ddfred said, 290ish seems to be the max without going BT and that isn't on a easy tune. More 270-280 should be realistic, and that would be a big change over stock so I am sure you'd be happy.

 

[lx_2nv]

Can't wait to see your progress! I have the Greddy DP on order - I am torn between the Greddy CBE of the Thermal R&D. Decisions decisions...

 

[bDubFL]

Your goals sound very similar to mine! I look forward to this progressing!

 

[TheAceFox]

Looks good and nice part list. My question is why do you say new suspension isn't worth it on stock wheels? And like @ddfred said, 290ish seems to be the max without going BT and that isn't on a easy tune. More 270-280 should be realistic, and that would be a big change over stock so I am sure you'd be happy.

So a few things to answer in reply.

1 - The suspension on stock wheels. It's a personal taste thing in terms of appearance. If you do wheels and tires but do nothing to adjust the ride height, the car looks a bit off. Same goes for if you lower the car on stock wheels, just looks a bit off. Like you did half the job and gave up for what ever reason. In the past I've done both of those, lowering a car on stock wheels and also ran stock suspension on aftermarket wheels, just doesn't appeal to me anymore. I'd rather do both at the same time so I don't have to do it again or make any adjustments once I do the other. Again, personal taste.

2 - like you and @ddfred said, the numbers are a bit high but they're not completely unobtainable. Mountune makes the MR300 kit which gets you 300hp and 350tq to the wheels on pump gas alone. I'm more or less doing the same modifications, just not with Mountune's name on the parts but I may go through them to get a tune. At the end of the day though, I'm going to be satisfied with what ever numbers I end up receiving, I'm fairly easy to please so long as the overall feel of the car doesn't dramatically change. Hopeless optimism most likely, hah.

Thanks for the comments, stick around.

 

[TheAceFox]

Can't wait to see your progress! I have the Greddy DP on order

Lemme know how you like the DP. I've only done some light research and reading into it, it's got a cat, yeah?

I am torn between the Greddy CBE of the Thermal R&D. Decisions decisions...

Personally I'd say stick with GReddy. You're already doing the DP with them, may as well do the exhaust with em too. I personally don't think any exhaust sounds good for this car except the Ford Racing exhaust, but I'm not about to shell out a grand just to have the sound. The GReddy doesn't sound bad, but it doesn't sound good either, so the lesser of two evils, I decided to go with a company I've used before and I know their parts are good quality. Plus telling the import guys you have GReddy parts will make them confused, and that's always fun. If you do decide to go with the GReddy, go through THMotorsports like I mentioned earlier. Used the promo code "greddy" and it will knock the price down to $675 with free shipping. Nothing else really comes close to that in the price range, was a no brainer for me.

 

[Chief_ST]

Mountune makes the MR300 kit which gets you 300hp and 350tq to the wheels on pump gas alone.

Most MR300 Kits I have seen get around 270-275 whp and 330ish Torque.

 

[Duece McCracken]

So a few things to answer in reply.



2 - like you and @ddfred said, the numbers are a bit high but they're not completely unobtainable. Mountune makes the MR300 kit which gets you 300hp and 350tq to the wheels on pump gas alone. I'm more or less doing the same modifications, just not with Mountune's name on the parts but I may go through them to get a tune. At the end of the day though, I'm going to be satisfied with what ever numbers I end up receiving, I'm fairly easy to please so long as the overall feel of the car doesn't dramatically change. Hopeless optimism most likely, hah.

Thanks for the comments, stick around.

Rofl, that MR300 kit may get those numbers crank, not wheel. It's a canned tune to boot.

An average stage three st, Fully tuned nets around 275-280 whp, 350-ish whtrq. Some don't even get that.

Regardless, Stage three is a noticeable upgrade, and tuning really wakes the car up. Your current goals will be met in feel.

 

[LockeLamora33]

Most MR300 Kits I have seen get around 270-275 whp and 330ish Torque.

Problem is Mountunes website claims the numbers OP gave. Which is probably misleading a lot of people.

 

[brian60]

Problem is Mountunes website claims the numbers OP gave. Which is probably misleading a lot of people.

Yeah...and Ford advertises our car as having 252hp. Is that any less misleading than what Mountune is doing? Which btw is a Ford affiliate so naturally they would do the same black magic haha

 

[TheAceFox]

Most MR300 Kits I have seen get around 270-275 whp and 330ish Torque.

So then me doing my mods, I should be about the same as an MR300 but the satisfaction of doing my own independent research and work?

 

[TheAceFox]

An average stage three st, Fully tuned nets around 275-280 whp, 350-ish whtrq. Some don't even get that.

Regardless, Stage three is a noticeable upgrade, and tuning really wakes the car up. Your current goals will be met in feel.

When I originally posted the numbers, that was honestly just a random number that to me, sounded relatively tame and conservative, something to give people a general idea of where I am and where I'd like to be. I personally don't get hung up on them, I just a car based on the butt dyno and the smile it gives me, which seems like the last part of your reply seems to confirm. Once the parts start coming in, we'll see where I'll be at.

Thanks for your input!

 

[TheAceFox]

Which is probably misleading a lot of people.

Point in case

 

[Chief_ST]

So then me doing my mods, I should be about the same as an MR300 but the satisfaction of doing my own independent research and work?

Yeah I agree on the own research. MR300 is a great kit but can be customized using your own style of parts to obtain the same end goal. Same goal I have. Add a little boost juice (E85) and I'll be set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LockeLamora33]

So then me doing my mods, I should be about the same as an MR300 but the satisfaction of doing my own independent research and work?

I was originally looking at that package too and the step lower. You can put together a very quality build getting the same/similar results for cheaper and pick which brands you want to support. Mountune makes great stuff, sometimes it's just not as pretty looking as some of the competition!