Can this car handle?
 

1st post.

I'm looking at the... get ready... Ford Focus ST and the Mazdaspeed 3, both new. Honestly, I've drooled over the MS3 since gen 2 first arrived back in 2009. For whatever reasons, I've ended up in a Mini and a VDub and never committed to a MS3. I still LOVE the aggressive looks and its disruptive nature, but the same issues that were plaguing me then are plaguing me now.

This car really pushes! Once you turn in, it simply wants to slide on the front wheels without a crispy connection and surely without rotation.

The Focus ST turns with precision and rotates like my old Bimmers.

I'd like to know how well the MS3 can handle once the suspension is lightly modded. Springs, shocks, CO's, sways, tires, etc.

Can it handle well on the cheap?

Will it stick like there's no tomorrow and do it's job as a sports car?

Thanks for the feedback.

:popcorn:

Jesus tap dancing Christ....

One of my auto x friends says that if you run more air pressure in tires it helps the car rotate more. He runs 45 psi and said it made a huge difference. Plus the stock tires are junk. The st's tires are way better. I've not messed with sway bars yet but I know it would have to make a huge difference to upgrade those. I've ran my car on super tight technical switch backs and super sharp curves and had a blast. The stock ms3 handles really well for a front drive car.

Oh and atleast your first post wasn't about if you need internals with a rear motor mount.

This as a first post is just as bad as a bov/loud exhaust/internals first post. It reads like it was written by some asshole 20 something who says swag and yolo every other word.

sent with smiles and mouth hugs

Did you just read a bunch of magazine articles and hit copy and paste? Have you actually rotated a focus ST?

Do you even lift bro?

Sent from my mobile device

Where?

I appreciate your sincere response.

So these are the friendly folk who drive MS3's? Thanks for the introspective heads up into this "Swaggy club yolo."

I don't believe this truly answers my question.

Keep the thread classy. It only helps others.

If you spent 5 min searching, you'd find that rear sway bars makes a big difference on the car.

But back to my original question, have you actually rotated the Focus ST?
Have you actually caused the MS3 to understeer?

These are helpful questions bc if you have done neither of these, no amount of suspension mods will help you perceive the improvement.

How's that for classy.

Sent from my mobile device

I have autocrossed my 2012 since it was box stock last year with 1500 on the odometer and always have fun. Sure it pushes and sure you have wheelspin but part of the fun of a bonkers fwd car is learning to utilize it. Just did my springs and tires are on deck for next year.

Welcome to the forum. The ms3 is a ton of fun and though I haven't driven one yet, the ST is probably fun as hell too. But since the mazda has been on the market longer, there is more the aftermarket has to offer. Read read read is always the best recommendation, lots of great info on here

Who the fuck said there are friendly folks here?

sent with smiles and mouth hugs

I drift mine.

Troll?

inb4Ipostgapingvagina

I for one really like this guy's first post. It has all the makings of someone who is well educated and can write complete sentences.

In order to answer your question let me first tell you a story.

So the other day I was swimming along the sidewalk and I came upon a yellow flower. Now usually I would have stepped on it but, being in a good mood I ate it.

The elephants were flying by my house around dusk again and there was the smell of rotten corn in the air. With that vivid imagery in my mind I ran over to the local brewhaha. There I was hit with an overwhelmingly smelly ball of snow and there came a clattering from the roof. Looking up I saw that the crazy rhino had once again seen fit to land on the mattress.

'Fuck!' I said with an air of superiority.

Anyway, the next day there was a stupid rain of brown poop all over the brewhaha and I just went crazy.

LOL I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it would be if there was sea water in the pond.

Wow glad I got that off my chest.



I wonder how many of you will remember this...

@Manny; I don't get it ^

Did a google search on user name,lol @Raider;

Is the answer 12?

^^^ No it is the grocery store.

Was your 2nd post on here REALLY giving us orders on how we should act?!?!

Have fun with your St because you sure as fuck won't make it here...


Sent from my iBro 5 using tapatalk, Bro!

Maybe you should clarify what you don't like about the stock suspension setup. Too much roll? Too much understeer? "Good" handling is somewhat subjective.

As was already posted, the OEM Dunlops aren't that great, so upgrading those will help with the grip.

Classy.

I searched this forum and have been on the ST forums for a couple of months already. Considering I'm buying a new car, I have yet to flog these cars on the test drives. I ready about this car's tendencies to understeer. And why should I not trust reviews I read, especially from the editors I parallel in terms of mechanical-dynamics.

Also, from racing the Mini, I've got a pretty good idea on FWD car rotation and why I enjoy it.

Look, understanding my audience is key to getting a succinct point across. My bad. It seems like the audience here is at the maturity level of my daughter's friends. Perhaps I need to rephrase my question to get the answer I'm looking for.

I'm looking for a balanced car with neutral handling. Generally, that won't be found in a FWD car in the first place, but for now, it fits my needs.

What do you think of the James Barone sways (F&R), KW V3's, and some rear camber plates?

Would that neutralize the understeer?

Could I inhibit some oversteer with a stiffer bar/setting in the rear?

I'd also like to get a set of PSS's and get rid of the stock Dunlops.

Am I looking at 1G+?

Feedback is appreciated!

I'll be mature...my only handling upgrades are a corksport RSB and PSS's...the car is quite neutral (not much under or over steer) and plenty grippy now. So yes the understeering issues can be sorted out.

*edit* the bulk of the idiots on here are pansy ass keyboard warriors btw such a shame, because there is a ton of good information kicking around this site.

If you actually searched, you'd see that the JBR rear sways are exactly what you're looking for.

Sent from my mobile device

you guys are actually entertaining this?

I have something for you.... wait for it...............wait for it......








































Nope, i had to fart

I love it when bitches start with the maturity level bullshit. They come in here with an air of superiority. I'll gladly act how I want here because its all fun. If you want to look down on us because of the way we act, have at it. Your nose up in the air isn't going to change shit.



Get some sway bars. That is all.

sent with smiles and mouth hugs

How the fuck would you know? You haven't been around enough to know what this forum is or isn't about. It's called ball busting. Sounds like you and OP need to get off each others nuts and search some more. God damn sheeple. You are regurgitating dr. Phil bullshit and OP is regurgitating car and driver.



Sent from my iBro 5 using tapatalk, Bro!

I handed my keys to a dude I know that gets to drive every kind of car... he lives in LA, works at a dealership x the street from laborghini, next to Aston Martin etc... so he's got friends at all these dealerships, so he gets a spin once in a while and gets to play track day once in a while, etc...Since he's had experience with many nmore cars than most of us, I figured his opinion counts.

So he puts my car on a smooth and curvy piece of surface street and proceeded to really mistreat my speed3...scared the piss out of me. Showed no respect for my car. Did'nt hold back.

His words:

"this is good... wow... this is really good. I don't think people know how good this car can be. It doesn't understeer any more than like...an s4. And it pulls like my mustang (GT_CS 5.0) It "feels" more too"

Also, Refer to the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST division, 2012. Won by a Speed3. In the rain. Against SIs, RX8s, Caymans, BMW 128s, 328s, GTis, MX5s. So yeah, this car can handle.

Rear sway bar and the car rotates fine.

/thread

and info on daughters friends?

or put overinflated shitty tires in the back. Then it can be swung around.

Or set rear tires on lunch trays. Quality counts here though. Cheap trays wear out too quick.

Compare our join dates you fucktard, I've been around longer than you.

Who's being a keyboard warrior? I don't see any posts that say "I'm gonna kick your ass" or "I bench 5000 lbs you pussy." or "I fucked your wife" or the like. That's keyboard warrior bullshit. That's something that none of us do, minus the usual new guy that thinks he's gods gift to whatever. We bust balls. That's what this is.

If you come in here with dumb ass threads, such as this one, you will get flamed. Oddly enough, the ones who bust the balls are the ones who are generally first in line to help a member in need.

Take me for instance; I don't post in technical threads because sadly enough, I couldn't explain how a turbo's flow rate is compared to another turbo's flow rate. What I do instead is lend out my hands and tools and time.

I've gone out and worked on people's cars that I never met but I saw that they needed help and I did my best to lend them that help.

Don't come in here saying we're a bunch of keyboard warriors when more often than not we put ourselves out to make sure a member's car is in good working condition.

Holy shit, 2 months before him. You are clearly a senior member.

I probably shouldn't be putting my 2 cents in here, but I will. Keep in mind that I still like the MS3 and would recommend buying either cars.

I've owned 7 FWD Hondas and autocrossed 4 of those. My 09' si had Koni Yellow inserts with Ground Control coilovers that used custom spring rates, an aggressive alignment, a 22mm rear swaybar, and Dunlop Direzza SS. That car was the only one that remotely was able to rotate like the FST I own now. It's actually crazy how easy the focus is to drive fast out of the box... but it's only due to the torque vectoring brakes. Next time you go on a test drive, dive into a corner and quickly let off the throttle. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Been around as long as him, so his statement of not being around long enough is clearly retarded.

"...and have been on the ST forums for a couple of months already.."

lol - this is part of your problem. This place is nothing at all like that forum... I'm over there when I need a good chuckle, never to actually learn anything. :wink:

@EricM; what exactly did you do over there to get the boot? rofl

@jseams That forum is a motherfucking joke. I'm still on there incognito, but only to see a couple member/company's updates on BT stuff.

Apparently the admins didn't think that photoshopping a dildo into a member's shirtless pic was funny...

http://i580.photobucket.com/albums/s...ome_smiley.png

Can this car handle?
 

OP should just go buy an ST. He clearly has not searched and read up on the several ST threads here otherwise he would know how inferior a fwd car without a proper mechanical diff is. Enjoy replacing your rear pads/rotors after tracking OP.

I don't take kindly to people who don't take kindly.

No dumbass read my post. I said you haven't been around enough. Yes you have 2 whole months on me. Woo Hoo! But you haven't been AROUND. I have how many thousands of posts on you? How many donation threads participated in? How many relief funds? You have what, a 1.7 post per month average? I know how this place operates and I LOVE it. You obviously still don't get it...


Sent from my iBro 5 using tapatalk, Bro!

Neutral my asshole, from the factory this car handles like shit..... more to it than bars and tires.

I've been fucking with my alignment for almost a year for MY driving style. Add struts, shocks, springs, tires, bars etc... and a PROPER alignment and you should be golden..... I've replaced more suspension components than I care to admit. But once you get it done.... She tracks like a mofo.

chatta..... before you fall down and make yourself look like a weirdo.

Then donate and give back.

Gen 2's suspension is a bit different to begin with, you have a gen 1? I can turn in harder than I care to do most of the time and it will hold on for ages. I'm quite happy with how it handles with just an RSB and on PSS's, especially because it's a daily driver and not a track car.

This is where I stopped reading.

Keep your Mini & Vdub and GTFO.