2016 Ford Focus ST2?

Henry Ford III

Looking at one of these for January. Drove one last week. It's good with decent comfort and very strong performance.

There's a lot of money off under the 2016 sales incentive, which helps.

Running costs will increase over the Fiesta ST, but not enormously.

The spec. is very good, and I think it'll need nothing added.

In white maybe?

Henry Ford III

afatbollix

A friend had one. Great car, Sales haven't been great so Ford are giving a good discount. ( My mate went in for a ST1 but got a ST3 for the same price)

Has to be in Ford blue tho!

Henry Ford III

Indeed. The Fiesta ST has outdone it's bigger brother to a large degree sales wise, and is much keener value, so a major realignment was required on the pricing of the Focus ST.

Colour wise €600 or more for metallic paint doesn't make a lot of sense for me.

There's an interesting (different) colour called "stealth" which is a solid grey as below. Might have a look at that instead?

dar83

Stealth looks like primer, I think it looks pretty awful on it to be honest.

I know your aversion to spending any extra money on options so I'm not going to go into it much, but if you're keeping the 600 in your pocket then I'd go for the red, it actually looks well on it. For me it would be the blue all day long (the extra 600 again for tangerine scream is just a step too far).

I nearly bought one when I changed car in September but the GTI package and offer I got overall was too good to pass up. Really like the facelift though, looks properly mean again now which is a must for an ST. One thing I would say to spec are the Xenons though, they make a huge difference to the front end and the non Xenons make the front look rather soft. As odd as it is to say it, the lack of sharpness in the halogen lights actually detract from the overall lines and angles of the car, sounds very weird in type, but you'll see what I mean if you look at the difference in them.

GavRedKing

Before I went for the Fiesta I was seriously tempted by the Focus and was in the 141 ST2 down in CAB.

Lovely car and in a 2 or 3 years, if family life dictates it, i'll definitely be thinking about the Focus ST.

If I was chosen a colour, my preference would be Blue, White, Silver, Stealth & Orange, in that order.

Henry Ford III

dar83 wrote:

I know your aversion to spending any extra money on options so I'm not going to go into it much, but if you're keeping the 600 in your pocket then I'd go for the red, it actually looks well on it. For me it would be the blue all day long (the extra 600 again for tangerine scream is just a step too far).

It's not available in race red.

dar83

Wow, didn't realise they got rid of that for the Irish market, that sucks. Is is a Diesel only ST option now? Blue all the way so!

Edit: not even available in Red in Diesel either on these shores... weird.

Henry Ford III

Diesel is an option ok, but just not for me I think.

JoeA3

Are xenons not standard? Crazy if that's the case, but it'd be the first option I'd tick. A car in that bracket just looks wrong with puny halogens.

That grey is doom / battleship grey. VW do a similar flat grey on the base Golfs too (Urano grey I think) and it's awful tbh. The car needs one of the sharper metallics or if you must stay flat, then red or white.

dar83

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Diesel is an option ok, but just not for me I think.

Sorry, was just talking about the colour option, thought it might only be a diesel possibility, but turns out Ford Ireland have just removed red altogether.

The ST2 comes with Halogen's as standard, only the ST3 comes with Xenon's, but you can't even get that trim level here so the Xenon's are an optional extra here... They make a huge difference to the front end (and visibility!).

Henry Ford III

Must say xenons aren't worth the expense for me at least. The lights in the current Fiesta ST are so bright that I have to dip them when approaching a white road sign otherwise it's too bright.

Range is more than adequate too.

dar83

I would have been in the same bracket as you Henry, until I got them in the Golf. Now I'm converted, they're absolutely brilliant and especially on country roads/lanes without any other lighting aid. They are also much more focused so the problem you are having with the white road signs will probably actually be reduced by Xenons. Worth a thought...

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Must say xenons aren't worth the expense for me at least. The lights in the current Fiesta ST are so bright that I have to dip them when approaching a white road sign otherwise it's too bright.

Range is more than adequate too.

It's not so much the brightness they excel at (and they're very good in that department), but it's how focused and sharp the light is and most xenons are directional now too - swivelling left/right as you turn into corners... and of course they auto-level too. You'd also get LED DRL's. My father has a Focus Titanium with xenons and they really do finish the car off properly.

And aside from the functionality aspect, they look great. Halogens look so very bargain basement on new cars.

Henry Ford III

Two more things on this:

1/. Resale. I tend to move cars on pretty quickly and the market simply won't pay any premium for "extras". For that reason alone I'd not be inclined invest any extra money.

2/. On the configurator I can't see any option for xenons - maybe they are standard? If they are an extra it'll be a special order and 12+ weeks.

JoeA3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Two more things on this:

1/. Resale. I tend to move cars on pretty quickly and the market simply won't pay any premium for "extras". For that reason alone I'd not be inclined invest any extra money.

2/. On the configurator I can't see any option for xenons - maybe they are standard? If they are an extra it'll be a special order and 12+ weeks.

Actually... you might be in luck. It would appear they're standard, if I'm reading this correctly: http://www.ford.ie/Cars/NewFocusST/Features

(look under the "safety and security" tab, about half way down).

dar83

Not standard anyway...

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/focus/used-2015-152-ford-focus-st2-250bhp-dublin-fpa-200914467238621520

Photo 16/20, but you can tell they aren't there anyway based on the lack of washers.

Henry Ford III

Thanks JoeA3 - I think you're right.

p.s. Stealth paint finish is like Marmite - I kind of like it.

Henry Ford III

dar83 wrote: »

Not standard anyway...

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/focus/used-2015-152-ford-focus-st2-250bhp-dublin-fpa-200914467238621520

Photo 16/20, but you can tell they aren't there anyway based on the lack of washers.

Not on that car anyhow. I'll ring Ford in Cork I think.

dar83

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Not on that car anyhow. I'll ring Ford in Cork I think.

They weren't on the one I test drove and nearly bought also. But they may have updated the standard spec since a recent build week in the gear up for 2016 orders, so don't lose hope for now!

Also if you are thinking mainly of resale, then I would probably steer away from marmite colours, but then again I would go Stealth over white!

Henry Ford III

dar83 wrote: »

They weren't on the one I test drove and nearly bought also. But they may have updated the standard spec since a recent build week in the gear up for 2016 orders, so don't lose hope for now!

Also if you are thinking mainly of resale, then I would probably steer away from marmite colours, but then again I would go Stealth over white!

It's unique to the ST I think so will be quite rare. I can also get it for nowt!

dar83

Henry Ford III wrote: »

It's unique to the ST I think so will be quite rare. I can also get it for nowt!

Well that is the appeal and also the problem though. If you have someone looking for an ST in a year or two and it's a choice for them between a blue one or your Stealth one, same price and spec otherwise, if they're not a marmite fan then you're out of luck.

Same could also be said for the other colour involved in the scenario though, so it's all swings and roundabouts at the end of the day.

Does it not cost €150 extra though? Or is there a deal for it at the moment?

Henry Ford III

dar83 wrote: »

Well that is the appeal and also the problem though. If you have someone looking for an ST in a year or two and it's a choice for them between a blue one or your Stealth one, same price and spec otherwise, if they're not a marmite fan then you're out of luck.

Same could also be said for the other colour involved in the scenario though, so it's all swings and roundabouts at the end of the day.

Does it not cost €150 extra though? Or is there a deal for it at the moment?

I have special powers

Paddy Buyer won't pay €600 extra for metallic - his primary concern is price. Believe me I've plenty of experience in all this.

dar83

Personally I would be very hard pushed to buy a car without metallic, but then again I'm only interested in hot hatches and things a bit more off the regular path as it is, so an added 600 quid into the price isn't something I'd be too fussed over.

I do have a pet hate of this country having a raft of base spec cars though, even in the upper end performance model bracket, so you are right in what the majority seem to be interested in.

JoeA3

dar83 wrote: »

I do have a pet hate of this country having a raft of base spec cars though, even in the upper end performance model bracket, so you are right in what the majority seem to be interested in.

Not necessarily, not in this class of car at least. People in the market for a car at this end tend to know their stuff and can be discerning enough!

Personally if I were in the market for a used ST / Golf GTI / R, I would have a certain ideal spec in mind and I would dismiss anything that doesn't have what I would consider essentials in a performance hatch - such as xenons, the right wheels, colour, etc.

Henry Ford III

Each to their own I suppose.

Ultimately I'll buy whatever colour and spec. I like though

dar83

I agree Joe, but I've had this conversation with Henry before, so I know how it goes and that's why I'm not pushing my own beliefs too hard. :P

I personally will always look for the best spec possible when buying, just like you. Hence the pet hate comment as I can't comprehend why you'd spend €35k+ on a car and not spec something like parking sensors for an added €250/350 should it not be on there as standard. It's a bit different when you start talking about leather, upgraded Nav/sound etc... as they go into the €1000+ bracket, but the simple stuff. is a no brainer to me (such as the door protectors on a Focus)

carsfan

Just had a look at the ford website
That is some car for 31k!
I quite like the grey too but would check with the dealer before ordering that it's a colour he would be glad to see when the car comes to trade in time.
I presume Henry ford you get some special ford discounts as you seem to change your ford very regularly!

MuppetCheck

They're down to 31k?!?

dar83

MuppetCheck wrote: »

They're down to 31k?!?

With a "trade-in" offer/discount of €8750 yeah, it would seem...

Pretty damn tempting at that! :pac:

Edit: Here... http://www.ford.ie/Cars/NewFocusST/Promotions

carsfan

30450euro before delivery and options!
Makes golf gti look expensive now.

MuppetCheck

Tempting is right...add winter pack, HIDs, nav and its still not bad. Will ruin used prices but that's a bargain for what you're getting.

dar83

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Tempting is right...add winter pack, HIDs, nav and its still not bad. Will ruin used prices but that's a bargain for what you're getting.

They must have been aware of this when I was looking, as the GFV they were giving me was 12k on the ST2 I looked at. A decent chunk under the Golf's.

Henry Ford III

Ford are confirming specs. My man feels xenon lights are std btw. Back to you shortly......

p.s. Dealer said Ford are aggresively re-entering this market following the success of the Fiesta ST.

dar83

Shame they aren't aggressively entering it with the RS as well. They've priced that thing ridiculously over here.

Henry Ford III

That's down to VRT and VAT thereon. I'd love to own one though.

dar83

Henry Ford III wrote: »

That's down to VRT and VAT thereon. I'd love to own one though.

It's somewhat down to that, but we would have been saying the same about the ST when it came out for €42k a couple of year back as well and look at it now.

If they are going to push the Focus ST aggressively here Henry, then you might want to consider ticking a few options to make your own not one of many, should it take off!

MuppetCheck

I'm waiting in a Ford dealers right now to see what the craic is...no harm pricing it anyway...

Henry Ford III

Xenons are not standard - confirmed. €1300 extra. Oh well.

Ford have a reputation for producing good value blue collar performance cars and the Focus ST2 looks set to continue that.

dar83

They're a €1300 standard extra? Huh?

bazz26

What's the standard spec on the ST2 like now? I know spec isn't everything but going by the Ford calculator it looks a bit mean with the old high price. Will the MY16 one with a lower price have better standard spec?

MuppetCheck

Seems to be the same, brochure doesn't tell much tbh.

carsfan

Muppetcheck
Did you not just buy a vrs Octavia?!

MuppetCheck

carsfan wrote: »

Muppetcheck
Did you not just buy a vrs Octavia?!

That's like something my missus would say:p

Bigus

Have a look at this video and tell me the new grey is not the dogs

Ok this is an RS but you get the idea

http://youtu.be/JDrwJAxJYCs

Henry Ford III

Bigus wrote: »

Have a look at this video and tell me the new grey is not the dogs

Ok this is an RS but you get the idea

http://youtu.be/JDrwJAxJYCs

Apparently the new Focus RS begins life on the production line as an ST, but is then removed for custom fitting of the engine/box/transmission etc.

carsfan

That grey does look the business!
Go for it especially if it's free.

Casati

31k for a new Focus ST, thats a serious bargain. i honestly wouldn't load it up with extra's, buy it and enjoy the low price and big thrills

I also like that grey colour, Skoda do a similar one on the VRS and it looks great too and could become the new white

fletch

Casati wrote: »

31k for a new Focus ST

Except it's not? You have to have a car to trade in if I'm reading this correctly?
"This offer applies to trade-in vehicles aged up to 10 years which are taxed and insured at time of trade-in. Qualifying vehicles must also have a valid NCT certificate at time of trade in. "

Henry Ford III

fletch wrote: »

Except it's not? You have to have a car to trade in if I'm reading this correctly?
"This offer applies to trade-in vehicles aged up to 10 years which are taxed and insured at time of trade-in. Qualifying vehicles must also have a valid NCT certificate at time of trade in. "

Nah. It applies to a straight purchase too.

dar83

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Nah. It applies to a straight purchase too.

Seriously? They're just selling them for 31k now then?

If so, that's a ridiculously good deal and we should be seeing plenty of them about early next year!

Shame they didn't mention this at any point sooner, I might have waited a bit myself and gotten one...