hey people im new i am 24m and have had my black st since last october. i bought it brand new for 10000 i got 30% off becuase i used to work for aston martin as a paint sprayer! i have recently started my own mobile valeting business so my car has to be kept immaculate.
if anyone wants any advice on bodywork issues dont hesitate to ask.

i love my st before it i had a 172 clio that i managed to kill in about 7 months but the st feels so much better it handles better and you just feel like your behind the wheel of a really nice solid car, a feeling i never had with the clio.

i would love to get 200 bhp out of it has anyone got any suggestions?

Welcome to the site first of all. Your best bet with the quest for power is with the exhaust system and air induction. Bog standard thing are ready to buy and fit exhaust systems like Milltek & Piper and induction kits like Pipercross Viper or K&N 57i. I have the K&N, Milltek flexi pipe and cat back and I've got her up to 168 bhp so far. Things like cams, the Cosworth kit etc are a bit off really... seems the car is still too new plus the ECU is impossible to crack (& therefore remap). Bluefin is available but I've heard many conflicting results so I'm leaving that.

168 sounds cool a good start just need to go and make some money!!

Hello RugbyST and welcome to the site.
Since you were proposing to give some advice I'll take the opportunity for a question... Actually maybe Pink might me interested too as we had a similar mishap on our cars:
A while back I had my back bumper removed and resprayed after my car reversed itself (minus its dumb driver) into a wall. Since I got her back from the shop there is a small (about 4-5 mm) gap between the bumper and the rear wings and it annoys me as I remember when I got the car there was no gap - the two parts practically touched each other. Now the chap at the bodywork shop tells me that it is not possible to adjust it tighter and that it is better to have a small gap so that the parts don't rub. I know the rubbing part of the story is rubbish but I wonder if it is true about the adjusting part - i.e. can you really not get them to fit like when the car was new and if so why can Ford do it when they build the car?

I cant get mine to meet up. I think it might have something more to do with the fact my rear bumper actually has a broken clip but its "on there good" (in the words of my body work guy), so one day I will get a new one and see if this closes the gap. Its tiny but I know what you mean Nick.

RugbyST - I have a question then! I have a fair few paint chips on my bonnet and bumper. Some are quite deep (down to the plastic or metal work). I also have a few (!) swirl marks from cleaning it (guilty as charged I think), am I just gonna be better off getting the bonnet & bumper resprayed than using some sort of "Chips Away" company?

(the pic shows the gaps on my rear bumper & the arrow points to where the broken clip is)

Hi there RugbyST, welcome to the site.
Looks like we're putting you to good use already

Hi there

Welcome to the forum mate.

Nice of you to be able to offer to help out any bodywork isssues that people may have on here, can see that some people have already taken you up on that!!

Similarly, if you have any questions feel free to ask, we're a friendly lot on here, someone will know the answer.

Take care
ChrisC

with regard to chips away they are fine if your tarting up your car to sell it i.e. you dont really care about the finish. i mean they are alright but they will never match respraying in a controlled environment(bodyshop spraybooth), but you must choose a good bodyshop and expect to pay up to 350 to 400 to have the front end de-chipped properly.maybe more for pealescent.

the rear bumper story. the bodyshop should have fitted new clips but some wont as the insurance companys sometimes instruct them to re-use old clips this is more then likely a faulty clip that is causing the gap, however the new bumper may have been inproperly stored at the bodyshop or the dealership and warped this is not uncommon and could well be the cause of the problem.

Mine bonnet and bumper needs de-cratering!!!

Welcome to the site and forum!!!

Nice to have you with us!!!

Enjoy the site.

Scotty

Hello RugbyST, welcome to the site

Hi RugbyST, welcome to the site, hope you enjoy it!

You can have a little green 'o' for your trouble

Hello RugbyST, I like your comments about the 172! I was VERY close to buying a 2005 clio 182 when I chose the fiesta ST (which i should recieve next month) because of constant horror stories about the clio build quality!

Now I know that the clio is fast, but as you have driven both I wonder if you could let me know how the fiesta rates in speed compared to the clio!?
I still love the clio but I know I have made the right choice with the ST! Just want abit of an idea of the difference! Any comments from anyone would be welcome!

Welcome to the site btw! I am fairly new myself and I love the forum, just hearing everybodies views is great! Thankyou.

hi all nice little community you have on here i am very impressed.

yeah the clio is quicker mine was rapid and great fun,however almost as if it had a built in clock that told i to f*ck up as soon as it was out of warrenty! almost overnight it developed a huge knocking coming from the near side front wheel area. when i took it to the garage they told me it was because i drove it too hard and i was accelerating too fast? i said "if the car cant handle the power its got what good is it as a sports car" renault dealership response "its not a sports car"

so it was time to sell and working for ford at the time i looked into getting a focus but for the money i had available 10,500 i could get a 1.6 or 1.8 if i was lucky not a problem if i was 50 years old with three babies to think of. but i'm not im 23 wit a need for speed and fun so the fiesta st was a car i liked the look of and with my discount was affordable and the rest is history.
Drivin the fiesta for the first time i thought s**t what have i done this is so slow compared to the clio but then i thought abot the quality of what i was driving and was pleased with what i bought. then 1000 miles on the clock and oh my god what a difference, more responsive better handling and just as fast as the clio.
i have been bitten by the st bug and now the only car that culd replace this is the focus st or an rs.

sorry bout spelling my keyboard misses out a letter from time to tim.

Yes mate it's great on here! I have ordered my st bout 2 weeks ago, also black with no stripes (not very common) but for me this is the best colour although i have heard people say it looks like just another fiesta! Not to me how can you mistake that, Its beautiful!!!!!!
The clio was gunna be bout £10500, second hand and required a bank loan
The fiesta £10500 (privalige), brand new and paying buy ford options I can chuck it in for a focus ST after 2/3 years!
Lot of people say the engine loosens up after 1000 miles, does it really that much?
Cant wait to get back into a fiesta! I used to own a 2003 zetec and that was great fun with only 70bhp!!

yeah the difference once the engine is broken in is immense it was a fun weekend when i discovered mine was.
and black is a great colur cause people think they can beat you away from the lights...........then you leave em in your wake.
i'm thinking about putting the side stripes on mine but realy dont know?

Seen these on a black ST and think they look *so* nice if white doesnt tickle your whatnot

WOW i like them stripes pink, is it just plain grey or silver?

Very 80's colours but doesnt it work well! i dont know who came up with putting a red ST on the side stripes but i bet its becoming less exclusive than they intended! good idea though

They look to be silver. He's getting the OTT stripes fitted on Thursday if memory serves. Yes the guy who came up with the idea is regretting it I think but what counts is he was first!

yes i do like those i dont suppose you know where they came from?

Yeah grey stripes look cool and I like the red st, go well with the red seats too!
Still not that sure bout stipes on the black though!

cheers but i dont think stripes would look right im so bloody indecisive!

Pinky, those stripes are ace, want some want some!!
Help!!