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Considering a FiST...help!

OP
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Thread Starter #21
You seem to like straight line. Fist is not straight line. I believe you'll get bored with it, and I'm not sure that you'll be able to get the oomph you're seeking in comparison to modding an already powerful Mustang. Consider turbo-ing that Mustang, instead of supercharging it.
You’re right, it’s definitely not a straight line car. I think my hope is there’s a lot of room to grow, first through basic bolt ones then maybe big turbo if the lack of low end is made up for by a powerful but still small and light car. My mustang is powerful and fast now but not super fun. I drove an evo recently that felt faster, but in reality it’s nowhere near as fast as the mustang. I guess I am interested in maybe exploring smaller turbo cars.

Turbocharging or supercharging the mustang will definitely give it “oomph” (turbo) and superhero legs but brings a lot of baggage in terms of $ and reliability and being just too fast for a congested area. Modding the FiST sounds cheaper at each step. And I’m also hoping to maybe get into having fun in the twisties again.

I haven’t explored this forum fully yet, which I intend to do but as a 1000+ poster let me ask you...have you heard of people nodding their Fiestas to serious power? If this exists, a FiST may give me a way to reset the process and still have mods to look forward to. Anyway sorry for my rationalizing I appreciate the warning.
 


Spork1569

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#22
You’re right, it’s definitely not a straight line car. I think my hope is there’s a lot of room to grow, first through basic bolt ones then maybe big turbo if the lack of low end is made up for by a powerful but still small and light car. My mustang is powerful and fast now but not super fun. I drove an evo recently that felt faster, but in reality it’s nowhere near as fast as the mustang. I guess I am interested in maybe exploring smaller turbo cars.

Turbocharging or supercharging the mustang will definitely give it “oomph” (turbo) and superhero legs but brings a lot of baggage in terms of $ and reliability and being just too fast for a congested area. Modding the FiST sounds cheaper at each step. And I’m also hoping to maybe get into having fun in the twisties again.

I haven’t explored this forum fully yet, which I intend to do but as a 1000+ poster let me ask you...have you heard of people nodding their Fiestas to serious power? If this exists, a FiST may give me a way to reset the process and still have mods to look forward to. Anyway sorry for my rationalizing I appreciate the warning.
As a platform for modding a lot of us will definitely tell you the fist has a lot of room to play with and grow.
You can stay stock for a while and appreciate the donkey kick of torque the stock turbo has to offer. Some people like that and keep it that way.

If you want more power to redline a hybrid turbo keeps that similar feel to stock but pulls even harder at redline than a stock turbo, but not as much too end as a big turbo kit. I see it as a middle ground between power and drivability and where I'm hoping to end up.

If you wanna go balls to the wall and hit 400 WHP like some on this forum have you're going to need a big turbo, as well as aux fuel to support the fuel system as well as maybe even meth injection.

Overall no matter how far you plan to go with it there's something for everyone and the platform not only accepts mods well but there's a good size aftermarket because this little bean is so popular to tinker with.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #23
As a platform for modding a lot of us will definitely tell you the fist has a lot of room to play with and grow.
You can stay stock for a while and appreciate the donkey kick of torque the stock turbo has to offer. Some people like that and keep it that way.

If you want more power to redline a hybrid turbo keeps that similar feel to stock but pulls even harder at redline than a stock turbo, but not as much too end as a big turbo kit. I see it as a middle ground between power and drivability and where I'm hoping to end up.

If you wanna go balls to the wall and hit 400 WHP like some on this forum have you're going to need a big turbo, as well as aux fuel to support the fuel system as well as maybe even meth injection.

Overall no matter how far you plan to go with it there's something for everyone and the platform not only accepts mods well but there's a good size aftermarket because this little bean is so popular to tinker with.
Sounds good. The guys at Mountune told me the 1.6 is a pretty stout motor, maybe even more so than the 2.3 in the FoRS. Another thing I think about is that a short block or maybe even long is so much cheaper than fixing or replacing a blown Coyote.

Does the torque steer multiply according to the increase in torque with mods? Stock I think I like the little bit of manageable torque steer, feels a little dramatic and fun to me. Would it turn into a major two handed affair at bigger boost levels? I know, I need to do some reading of older posts...I just joined yesterday.
 


Ford ST

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#24
Personally I believe you should stay with your Mustang. We had a great member he still does post here and there he modified his Fiesta ST to the extreme chasing that power, but he was constantly working on it. After he blew his intake manifold apart that was the last straw. He put it back to stock sold all of the parts, and purchased a Mustang.

The Fiesta ST seems to be reliable up to about 300 horsepower. Once people start chasing that 350, 400 horsepower is when the issues arise.
With that said I love the Fiesta ST and I would not trade it for a high-horsepower car. I would just lose my license anyway.

check out this guy's YouTube channel he is also one of our best members here he goes by @jeff .
He has a very clean build but is realistic with the car.

View: https://youtu.be/j7a0nOGVgyE


Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk
 


Last edited:
OP
M
Messages
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California
Thread Starter #25
Personally I believe you should stay with your Mustang. We had a great member he still does post here and there he modified his Fiesta ST to the extreme chasing that power, but he was constantly working on it. After he blew his intake manifold apart that was the last straw. He put it back to stock sold all of the parts, and purchased a Mustang.

The Fiesta ST seems to be reliable up to about 300 horsepower. Once people start chasing that 350, 400 horsepower is when the issues arise.
With that said I love the Fiesta ST and I would not trade it for a high-horsepower car. I would just lose my license anyway.

check out this guy's YouTube channel he is also one of our best members here he goes by @jeff .
He has a very clean build but is realistic with the car.

View: https://youtu.be/j7a0nOGVgyE


Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk
Hey thanks for the honest opinion, appreciated. The FiST appeals to me a lot but I’d say I’m still a bit more likely to stay with the mustang and boost it. But everyday it seems I flip back and forth favoring the Fiesta then Mustang. First world problem I know but this is a long-term decision as things are in the budget currently but I’m not rich.

Just trying to weigh a super fun around town car that everyone seems to love vs a car with straight-ahead warp drive, if only for a couple of seconds on on-ramps. There’s also fun in the twisties which I haven’t done in a while. I looked into autocrossing which must be hilarious fun in a FiST but I’ve read your insurance can drop you for it (it’s considered racing? Sounds ridiculous since you’re only racing time and would only hit cones at low speed...). Anyway I appreciate all the info and opinions from you all.
 


Intuit

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#26
Have you budgeted the possibility of having both, a stock FiST and a modded 'stang? Reoccurring costs of insurance and tagging may be a deal breaker. Another angle, got another family member under the roof? Convince them to by the FiST, then borrow it all the time. ;)
 


RubenZZZ

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#27
FiSTs feel faster than they are. Don't get me wrong, they're quick. But that small turbo that makes all that torque is going to leave you wanting more eventually.

A hybrid or big turbo will help.

Seriously though, if you want turbo lag and monster surge, build a big turbo EVO.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk
 


OP
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Thread Starter #28
Have you budgeted the possibility of having both, a stock FiST and a modded 'stang? Reoccurring costs of insurance and tagging may be a deal breaker. Another angle, got another family member under the roof? Convince them to by the FiST, then borrow it all the time. ;)
Oh I wish. My wife resolutely doesn’t want to learn to drive stick and even with four doors the FiST is too small to haul our kids and groceries comfortably. Otherwise hell yeah...
 


Messages
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Gadsden, AL, USA
#29
Anyone else step out of a faster performance car for a FiST? If you’re in this forum you’re probably happy with it but I’d be happy to hear anyway.
Yes. Many- mostly street domestics...but I did have a nasty bugeye Subaru I built from ground up at one time that tracks weekends at Barber nowdays.

I just want something that makes me smile without the accompanying grimace from working on it. This car is it.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #30
For anyone who's interested, I still haven't decided (modding my Mustang GT vs a new FiST, will probably keep the mustang but agonizing a bit because this is it for a (new) FiST, forever). I decided to test drive a late model STi for sale in my area just because it's also in the price range. The sales person let me also drive an LS3 Corvette GS because it was also priced similarly (and with similar miles), even though I told him I wouldn't ever buy it (need a back seat).

Let me say, the FiST is hands down more fun than either of them, at least on the street. The STi is fast and aggressive, the Corvette very fast and exotic-ish. But that "donkey kick" (as someone said) torque surge makes the FiST just FEEL fast even if it isn't super quick, and although I know the power drops off at higher revs the engine just sounds so happy to rev it's fun to zing it. And the handling is so nimble compared to the sti, vette and mustang, it's just fun though I know there's probably a lot less grip. It's just so enthusiastic and "happy" compared to cars which completely eclipse it on the stat sheet, and you get to have your fun at non-felony speeds. Reminds me of an old C&D article where I think a C5 Z06 was taken to a mountain road and a little Mazda Protege 5 (mini-wagon, 130hp) car carrying supplies was much more enjoyable to drive on those roads...not a dig on the Corvette, more about how great the Protege was. And I'll bet they'd think the FiST is more fun than it was.

There are unfortunately zero 19s with Recaros available in California or neighboring states at this point, which is making it easier.
 


XR650R

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#31
There are used ones with lots of nice mods already done for sale here and elsewhere. If you can't find a new one you like, keep an eye out for a clean used one.
 


Intuit

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#32
Sounds like you've been bitten by the new car bug. Feature and visual customizations (not just drivetain/suspension) can also serve to help pass the illness. They can be much cheaper and less complicated to implement. Feature wise, ask yourself what would you like to add to the 'stang? Anything you'd like to do visually?

It greatly uncomplicates maintenance issues if one has a precise idea of what changed, when, how and what is normal behavior. You can inspect the wiring for any electrical changes (like DRL) to see whether it's been done proper, or hackneyed. Buying vehicles with altered drivetrain/suspension and/or ECU programming can be an additional risk; and serve as an indication that it has probably spent some time bouncing off red line.
 


OP
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California
Thread Starter #33
Sounds like you've been bitten by the new car bug. Feature and visual customizations (not just drivetain/suspension) can also serve to help pass the illness. They can be much cheaper and less complicated to implement. Feature wise, ask yourself what would you like to add to the 'stang? Anything you'd like to do visually?

It greatly uncomplicates maintenance issues if one has a precise idea of what changed, when, how and what is normal behavior. You can inspect the wiring for any electrical changes (like DRL) to see whether it's been done proper, or hackneyed. Buying vehicles with altered drivetrain/suspension and/or ECU programming can be an additional risk; and serve as an indication that it has probably spent some time bouncing off red line.
Thanks to both for the suggestions. I’m pretty suspicious of used performance cars, esp hot hatches which are generally bought and live tough early lives. But used FiSTs are pretty inexpensive and I can prob find one w recaros, and would inspect closely. I dunno, I’ll prob keep the mustang for now and make it faster or handle better. I just wanted to post my impression after driving the STi and even the C6....the FiST is more fun.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #34
If anyone remembers this thread I thought I’d update it. I’ve decided to keep the mustang and have already bought some bigger tires/wheels in prep for supercharging. But I still agonize over the decision. Yes, if ever there were a first-world problem this is it, but this is a decision/opportunity that comes around once in a very long while for me. I still monitor the state’s 2019 FiST inventory as the last cars in colors I like vanish. It would have been such a fun car on every outing not just 2 seconds at a time.

There are a couple of FiSTs on Turo for cheap so I can indulge there from time to time.

Anyway thanks for the help and advice everyone.
 


rallytaff

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#35
I'll take aFiST over a Mustang any day! I've seen the paint jobs on $70,000 ones and it ain't good! If you like orange peel finish, knock yourself out. My paint job (stock) will beat the $$$$ Mustang any day! Give me a nice twisty and the ST will win! If I had some spare cash, I'd buy another ST as a spare car for the future! Once they're gone, they're gone!
 


pixelzombie

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#36
If anyone remembers this thread I thought I’d update it. I’ve decided to keep the mustang and have already bought some bigger tires/wheels in prep for supercharging. But I still agonize over the decision. Yes, if ever there were a first-world problem this is it, but this is a decision/opportunity that comes around once in a very long while for me. I still monitor the state’s 2019 FiST inventory as the last cars in colors I like vanish. It would have been such a fun car on every outing not just 2 seconds at a time.

There are a couple of FiSTs on Turo for cheap so I can indulge there from time to time.

Anyway thanks for the help and advice everyone.
This seems like a good deal for a race ready FiST. D'GARAGE FORD FIESTA ST
 




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