Boombots' '14

[boombots]

Figured I'd start up a post where I can update and review stuff about my ride.

Sold my 2012 focus hatch titanium for my '14 oxford white FiST with recaros in April 2015. It had 22k miles, got it for 16500 and the guy tossed in a new in box Cobb AP.

Car was in clean shape, had window tint and a aftermarket filter in it when I got it.

So far I have loaded my stage 1 maps, put a gas pedal spacer on and installed a Cobb RMM.

All the items added make this car even more run to drive.

Tires were roasted so I needed new ones. Really want 16s with something super grippy but I settled for an all season for now. A few reasons for that. Driving 18-20k miles a year chews up summer rubber, I'm saving for a Europe trip this summer and I got the Cooper rs3-a for 312 installed.

Tires provide a nice ride, decent corner grip, but do provide more roll and less straight line WOT grip. It'll chirp 3rd.

Only gripe is my trans whine. It'll get serviced soon as the dealer has one to compare it to.

Hope to stick around for a while here.

 

[dyn085]

 

[CanadianGuy]

Congrats and welcome aboard.

 

[rodmoe]

Welcome

 

[boombots]

My thoughts on the Cobb RMM are mixed. Sometimes I like it others I don't. I got it used with 500 miles on it so maybe its still breaking in but way more vibes than my focus had with a RMM. Didn't do much at all for smoothing 2nd gear as most said. At idle its not bad unless the AC is on, then it rumbles.... Only way my car can get a smooth 2nd gear shift is either really really slow off clutch or roll the gas into 2nd like you would pulling out from a stop. Granted ive only driven a stick now for 1000 miles, 700 of which was a highway...

 

[dyn085]

That's odd, the Cobb RMM is probably the tamest one available. Two factors that are going to influence the difference between it and the Mk3 are that it makes significantly more torque at lower rpm and the fact that it's making it on 80% of the displacement.

People upgrade the mount not to smooth the shift itself, but to avoid the RMM bottoming-out on itself on a hard shift or launch-unless you're saying that you're having that issue with it replaced...

 

[boombots]

Don't get me wrong, I like the mount, just a little more vibes than I thought. It does as it is intended. High RPM shifts are much smoother. I can chirp 3rd gear now. Its just that I still get a jerky shift here and there as I still am new to driving a stick and the mount makes you feel that.

I should also mention I had the e focus RMM not an aftermarket, plus the NA focus, as you know Duane, has way less power as you said.

I will say that this RMM was much more of a pain to install than the focus. The focus I just unbolted, slapped the new one in and moved the motor by hand to line it up. This one had the bracket that needed pulled, the motor required me to get a pry bar under it to line the bolts up too.

Next plans/end goal (when I have money, saving for summer vacation now):
Short shifter
16" wheels/tires
Maybe an exhaust/resonator removal (want a little more noise)
Better pads/rotors. Brakes on the focus were more impressive IMHO
Under the seat subwoofer

Way down the road after warranty period I will install an FMIC.

 

[dyn085]

Yeah, I had the E-RMM as well and it was perfect for that application imho. That's actually what is on my FoST, and it works just as good there too. I think I remember the FoST being more difficult than the FiST when it came to install, but neither were as easy as the Mk3 for sure.

I have the tendency to forget that you live so close. If you want to meet up somewhere midway you can drive mine for a comparison to stage 3 if you'd like. Or I could bring the FoST and you could drive it.

 

[Hypntick]

Possibly in on that invite for the stage 3?

Odd that you needed a pry bar [MENTION=2587]boombots[/MENTION]
Yeah the bracket is a pain to get out of there, especially without a proper lift or ramps. If you want to meet up and drive a really stiff mount (giggity), i've got the Boomba one that I just put on mine Monday so it's still in the process of settling in.

 

[dyn085]

Possibly in on that invite for the stage 3?

Absolutely. Lots of people drive my cars, which is actually how my last car got it's name of Gigi-a phonetic representation of G.G.-which is a hat-tip to Graveyard Gloria on Porkies...lol. Just shoot me a pm.

 

[boombots]

I'd love to meet up some point. I'd love to drive someone else's and compare my transmission noise... I really just need to push my dealer to fix it.

 

[boombots]

Made some bumper plugs using interior push plugs and some ox white duplicolor. 10 bucks to fix the ugly holes is worth it.

Then I decided to add color... Because white is boring...

Couldn't find red plastidip at the stores so I used rustoleum brand. It is crap. The color is much lighter than the can shows, even with 5 coats. It peels and lifts easy too. That causes the tape to peel it up all around the edges. It'll all need to be pulled so I can do plastidip red.

Have red caliper paint once the weather clears up. I plan to dip the rear diffuser red too. May do the mirrors in black as well as the wheels in black with metalizer.

 

[boombots]

I'll add a picture when tapatalk decides to let me do it... The red almost looks pink

 

[boombots]

 

[boombots]

The red on the front needs some gloss to it, and it needs redone but I think I like it. Got the idea from another members ride.

Did the front rotors today in red. Man that is more tedious than I expected (and ive painted an entire car before...) Humidity killed my cure time so I only got the front done but it looks great IMO...