Are tires the bottle neck component for our cars?

[Based]

The fiesta st weighs 2750lbs and makes roughly 170whp. But it's 0-60 is only listed between 6.7 and 7 seconds and 1/4 mile around 15 seconds. How much time is there to gain by upgrading tires alone? I have not actually launched my car yet and tried to get a legit 0-60 time so I really don't know if traction is a big problem or not, but it seems like it is with those numbers. My friend's frs has the exact same power to weight but has a 0-60 listed at 6.5 seconds.

I guess a stiffer RMM could make it a little faster too. I'm just trying to figure out what I could do to the car to make it faster before doing a tune or anything like that.

 

[GAbOS]

Street or strip? Big difference in my answer

 

[Based]

Street or strip? Big difference in my answer

Street

 

[M-Sport fan]

You have to remember that with any FWD car, the weight is being transferred OFF OF the tires providing the drive during a standing start launch, the opposite of your friend's car where the weight is being transferred ONTO the drive tires during said launch.

Of course, sticky, semi-slick tires will help A LOT, but, one still has that negative weight transfer to contend with, and yes, like other import/FWD/sport compact drag racers, FiST owners could also set up their suspensions/rear wheels and tires to minimize this 'negative weight transfer', but then the cars become very single purpose (straight line ONLY!), are not streetable, and FORGET ABOUT going around turns fast, or braking well.

This is why I sometimes don't 'get' the whole chasing 400+whp in these cars (even though I will admit to wanting it myself at times), since even though they can setup the BT kits and tunes to come into their power bands smoothly and steadily up to that 400 whp and above level, or use some sort of a launch control/'two-step' device for a decent launch, it still has to overcome the (even stickiest compound out there) front tires somewhere in that big number power band, especially in a corner exit scenario on a road course where NO type of launch control could/would be used, and you're already asking those front tires to do 3 jobs well at the same time.

 

[GAbOS]

Street

Replace the driver.

Seriously. You get in my way when commuting on public roads and I will pull you out of your car, FiST or not.

 

[Based]

You have to remember that with any FWD car, the weight is being transferred OFF OF the tires providing the drive during a standing start launch, the opposite of your friend's car where the weight is being transferred ONTO the drive tires during said launch.

Of course, sticky, semi-slick tires will help A LOT, but, one still has that negative weight transfer to contend with, and yes, like other import/FWD/sport compact drag racers, FiST owners could also set up their suspensions/rear wheels and tires to minimize this 'negative weight transfer', but then the cars become very single purpose (straight line ONLY!), are not streetable, and FORGET ABOUT going around turns fast, or braking well.

This is why I sometimes don't 'get' the whole chasing 400+whp in these cars (even though I will admit to wanting it myself at times), since even though they can setup the BT kits and tunes to come into their power bands smoothly and steadily up to that 400 whp and above level, or use some sort of a launch control/'two-step' device for a decent launch, it still has to overcome the (even stickiest compound out there) front tires somewhere in that big number power band, especially in a corner exit scenario on a road course where NO type of launch control could/would be used, and you're already asking those front tires to do 3 jobs well at the same time.

Oh ok I got it now. Thanks for explaining.

Yeah I just want to put a tune, catback, and maybe an intake on the car. So basically because it's fwd it's just always going to be traction disabled lol.

 

[Hijinx]

Also, gearing and rpm governing. The stock Fiesta has to shift into third to hit 60mph because this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BronxBomber]

Oh ok I got it now. Thanks for explaining.

Yeah I just want to put a tune, catback, and maybe an intake on the car. So basically because it's fwd it's just always going to be traction disabled lol.

Save your money and ditch the intake. Just a K&n drop in filter will suffice, particularly on a stick turbo. Or you could spend the money on a FMIC which our cars are in desperate need of. He stock intercooler is woefully inadequate and suffers heat soak almost immediately. You being in California will need one:

 

[M-Sport fan]

Save your money and ditch the intake. Just a K&n drop in filter will suffice, particularly on a stick turbo. Or you could spend the money on a FMIC which our cars are in desperate need of. He stock intercooler is woefully inadequate and suffers heat soak almost immediately. You being in California will need one:

+1

I just wish that there were more options for aftermarket 'high flow' drop-in filters that are DRY (looking at YOU, aFe!! ), instead of the hundreds offered as only oiled.

 

[Based]

Save your money and ditch the intake. Just a K&n drop in filter will suffice, particularly on a stick turbo. Or you could spend the money on a FMIC which our cars are in desperate need of. He stock intercooler is woefully inadequate and suffers heat soak almost immediately. You being in California will need one:

Oh I live in LA, as in Louisiana. Lol.

The only reason I say maybe an intake is because of the sound. I just haven't found one I love the sound of yet. I know on most cars, an intake doesn't do much if anything at all.

If the inter coolers are as bad as you say then yeah I will probably get one. Although idk if there are any out there that don't void the warranty on the engine.

 

[Truth in Ruin]

FWD weight transfer is a battle from a dig; you can prep for it, though.

http://www.se-r.net/car_info/fwd_launch_tips.html

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyQarSvnJo

... And just for fun...

http://www.rcramer.com/fun/econobox/

 

[M-Sport fan]

If the inter coolers are as bad as you say then yeah I will probably get one. Although idk if there are any out there that don't void the warranty on the engine.

Sadly enough, even the Mountune IC does not retain your factory power train warranty (like some of their other engine parts/tunes will), IF something goes wrong, and the dealer can PROVE it was the direct fault of the aftermarket IC (somewhat unlikely, although they WILL try of course, depending on just how they sum you up as a recurring future customer, and how much they want to keep you as such ).

 

[M-Sport fan]

... And just for fun...

http://www.rcramer.com/fun/econobox/

One of the major rags (forgot which one now, but probably C&D, given how zany they were) did this same exact treatment to a C4 Vette a while back.

It was almost as funny as the above link.

 

[AzNightmare]

Oh I live in LA, as in Louisiana. Lol.

The only reason I say maybe an intake is because of the sound. I just haven't found one I love the sound of yet. I know on most cars, an intake doesn't do much if anything at all.

If the inter coolers are as bad as you say then yeah I will probably get one. Although idk if there are any out there that don't void the warranty on the engine.

You can always swap the intercooler back to oem one if you need to take it in. No way they can tell it's been swapped.

But to take full advantage of the intercooler, you'll need an accessport which can potentially void warranty anyway. (It's still debatable whether the dealer can tell if the ecu has been tampered with even if you revert back to the stock tune.)

I think performance modding with simple bolt-on parts is one of those things with low risk/high reward.

There's obviously no guarantee your motor won't blow, but those things could happen when your car is stock as well, and on a grand scale, blown motors are pretty rare, especially when you're using safe off-the-shelf tunes.

If you're worried about warranty voiding, it's best to just wait until your warranty period ends before modding.

I personally just modded away and never looked back, cause I know many others in here have pushed their cars a lot farther than me with more aggressive tunes with no issues.

 

[Based]

You can always swap the intercooler back to oem one if you need to take it in. No way they can tell it's been swapped.

But to take full advantage of the intercooler, you'll need an accessport which can potentially void warranty anyway. (It's still debatable whether the dealer can tell if the ecu has been tampered with even if you revert back to the stock tune.)

I think performance modding with simple bolt-on parts is one of those things with low risk/high reward.

There's obviously no guarantee your motor won't blow, but those things could happen when your car is stock as well, and on a grand scale, blown motors are pretty rare, especially when you're using safe off-the-shelf tunes.

If you're worried about warranty voiding, it's best to just wait until your warranty period ends before modding.

I personally just modded away and never looked back, cause I know many others in here have pushed their cars a lot farther than me with more aggressive tunes with no issues.

I'm just afraid that if something is wrong with my car from the factory that I will be out of luck if I mod it. I bought my car with 30 miles on it last week.

So far my plan is to buy the MP215 kit which is a tune and some kind of intake mod. It's $1200 though and needs to be installed by ford or an ASE mechanic. But that way it does not void the warranty at all. Which is I guess why it is so expensive.

 

[BronxBomber]

Oh I live in LA, as in Louisiana. Lol.

The only reason I say maybe an intake is because of the sound. I just haven't found one I love the sound of yet. I know on most cars, an intake doesn't do much if anything at all.

If the inter coolers are as bad as you say then yeah I will probably get one. Although idk if there are any out there that don't void the warranty on the engine.

Sorry. Just looked quickly didn't realize LA as in state. An intercooler won't void your warranty. Been there. It's not an issue warranty wise. And the intercooler is probably the best upgrade you can get on these cars unless you live in Alaska.

 

[BronxBomber]

If people are afraid to void their warranty or that the aftermarket parts are going to cause their cars to "break", don't mod them. Stay stock. I've modded 12 of my 17 cars hat ice owned. I've blown one engine (Subaru which is known to have engine problems). Other than that, usually thhe aftermarket mods are better than heir oem counterparts and help the car last longer. You can't want to mod your car, but at he same time be scared your going to void your warranty. I've never used my factory warranty on any car I've owned save for he occasional Recall which is covered no matter how old or mileage. Decide: to mod or not and be happy and don't look back.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Sadly enough, even the Mountune IC does not retain your factory power train warranty (like some of their other engine parts/tunes will), IF something goes wrong, and the dealer can PROVE it was the direct fault of the aftermarket IC (somewhat unlikely, although they WILL try of course, depending on just how they sum you up as a recurring future customer, and how much they want to keep you as such ).

Actually yes the MOUNTUNE retains warranty. Follow this link and anything with a blue check is warranty friendly. https://performanceparts.ford.com/search/Fiesta

 

[Based]

If people are afraid to void their warranty or that the aftermarket parts are going to cause their cars to "break", don't mod them. Stay stock. I've modded 12 of my 17 cars hat ice owned. I've blown one engine (Subaru which is known to have engine problems). Other than that, usually thhe aftermarket mods are better than heir oem counterparts and help the car last longer. You can't want to mod your car, but at he same time be scared your going to void your warranty. I've never used my factory warranty on any car I've owned save for he occasional Recall which is covered no matter how old or mileage. Decide: to mod or not and be happy and don't look back.

im not scared that the mods themselves will damage the car but I am concerned with the car just breaking due to it being a relatively new platform. My previous car was a 1997 Miata and I modded the shit out of it but then again the car was 20 years old and didn't cost me $22,000.

Really I hope that you are correct in saying I shouldn't worry about the car breaking, because then I'd save a lot of money, but I'm not sure what I want to do yet.

 

[slidemx5]

One of the major rags (forgot which one now, but probably C&D, given how zany they were) did this same exact treatment to a C4 Vette a while back.

It was almost as funny as the above link.

Boy do I miss SCC mag. Our friend Dave who wrote that article is a big wig at Mazda NA now