Mazdaspeed Forums - No Love from ST Fanboys

Mazdaspeed Forums (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/)

- Gen2 MS3 General Discussion (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/f544/)

- - No Love from ST Fanboys (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/f544/no-love-st-fanboys-114941/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked (Post 1536913)

In regards to the fishy pic:

http://media.fakeposters.com/results...j8h4vsf4xb.jpg

Not a chance.
I do like the standard focus front end better than the ST even.

I can't hate on the ST. I'm really liking the interior. Now IF it can perform as well as the MS3 then I MIGHT be tempted... but I'd miss you assholes.

I would rather drive a ST over a Gen Pu even if it is inferior.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daafisch (Post 1537129)

I would rather drive a ST over a Gen Pu even if it is inferior.

DAAAAAAMN!!!

actually the Pu's have grown on me but I still like the looks of the ST more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elusivellama (Post 1534548)

http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/...-Bumper-v3.jpg

This looks exactly like thrilling 5 concept

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, I have a feeling that's what that is. People keep floating pictures of the thrilling 5 out there like it is the next speed concept when that shit was an NA 3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crochese (Post 1532608)

I will admit (while preparing my anus) that I'm on the fence between the ST and the MS3 right now. Publically, Ford's done a much better job marketing the ST than Mazda does with the mazdaspeed line, so the ST has grabbed my attention a little more. However, after lurking in here a while, you guys seem to do a better job selling MS3's than the stnation guys do (except for the anus part).

So far the MS3 is by far the most fun I've had on any test drive and it annoys the hell out of me that most Ford dealers tell me that I won't even be able to test drive one unless I preorder, so there's a lot of incentive to go the MS3 route. The downside is that a lot of things that make the MS3 fun are things that will make it a tough daily driver. It at least seems like the ST ride a little easier day to day and get a few more MPG's, but until I test drive it, I can't make up my mind. So much of these cars is how they feel, so it looks like I won't be picking for a few months.

I'll need to do some more digging in the forums to see how folks feel about MS3's as daily drivers. I also keep cars a long time, so I'll need to look into reliability.

I'll say what everyone else has been avoiding.

Although the MS3 does daily drive just fine, there is still one big issue that holds it back from being an absolutely fantastic do-everything car. The build quality, although nice initially, degrades very quickly and you're bound to get rattles, squeaks and clunks as the car gets older. Mine started all of this around 50k miles. I've addressed all the clunks, but the rattles are persistent and creep up everywhere. The radio plastic is the worst - it flexes with every little bump in the road and squeaks constantly. Just look at the amount of rattle related threads on this forum for an idea of how much noise this thing makes after a while.

Other than that, however, I thoroughly love my car.

Yeah, we're comparing it to a Ford though... so let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here, this isn't an Audi or some shit. My old Focus had an even worse interior build quality than my MS3. Everything you touched in that car either squeaked, rattled, or wanted to fall off. Then again, that one was built in Wayne, Mi, right down the road from where I grew up. I know the type of people that work at those plants so I don't expect much better. Don't know how this new one's gonna be since it's a "world car" and I have no idea where they are being built now. But I can tell you that if it's one of the Michigan plants it's gonna be half assed because they're over paid and often drunk...

I feel SRT1e4k on the rattles, my car has more squeaks and rattles at 7K than my old PT Cruiser GT had at 100K and Chrysler is notorious for building shit.

So long as mechanically the car is solid and holds up I'm happy though, but at some point Mazda will have to address this in future generations. As cars climb into the $20Ks and higher buyers will expect more refinement.

I was considering the Focus ST before purchasing my MS3. I talked to a good 5-6 Ford dealers and none of them gave the same answer on availability, release date, or price. Some said it would be released 'in a few months' while others were talking 2013. Some said no lower than MSRP and others were talking about several thousand over due to limited production. None of them actually seemed interested in selling one to me.

Yeah, I was originally looking at them too last fall, when they were supposed to be out 1Q 2012. Then, when it got pushed back to "late 2012" I went looking for something else, and here I am with the MS3. Not unhappy with my choice though, from the looks of this car, the only thing I would have gotten the benefit of with the Focus is Z plan pricing. And even that is a non issue because I got such a good deal on my MS3.

I'm very happy with my MS3 purchase. I wasn't big on the big smiling grill at first but after a few weeks of ownership it really doesn't bother me. I think the 'chicken pox' on the interior are more of a turn off than the big grin up front.

My wife has a 2008 Mazda3 Grand Touring with almost 70K on it and it's been a great car. The fact that MS3 is available and isn't the first generation of car like the ST pushed me to Mazda. That and Ford didn't want to sell one. LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by robor007 (Post 1539326)

I'm very happy with my MS3 purchase. I wasn't big on the big smiling grill at first but after a few weeks of ownership it really doesn't bother me. I think the 'chicken pox' on the interior are more of a turn off than the big grin up front.

My wife has a 2008 Mazda3 Grand Touring with almost 70K on it and it's been a great car. The fact that MS3 is available and isn't the first generation of car like the ST pushed me to Mazda. That and Ford didn't want to sell one. LOL

The drivetrain in the ST is based off of years of experience with the MS3.... so that's not really an advantage.

The drive train is based on taking the cheap way out to maximize profit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amoosenamedhank (Post 1539343)

The drivetrain in the ST is based off of years of experience with the MS3.... so that's not really an advantage.

Understood, but there are often problems with a new release. From what Ford told me, much of the interior (dash, gauges, climate control, radio, navigation, etc) is different from a standard Focus. Them wanting MSRP or more for a car that I couldn't even sit in let alone drive really pushed me away from it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth_Nuruodo (Post 1539252)

Same reason I went with the '12 MS3. I wanted to give the new ST a try since I use to have a Focus a while back and loved it. Then they pushed back the release date and I couldn't wait that long for the new car. Plus, if I would have waited to the end of this year I would have had to buy the car then buy winter tires right away! What fun is a brand new car if it snows right after you get it and you can't really test it out?

:nutkick:

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnergyVR (Post 1541288)

Ill just leave this here....

Focus ST Sessions: What makes an ST an ST? - YouTube

Repost numb nuts.