What things to look for when buying a used Fiesta ST?

[Apostle Paul]

Since Ford has decided to stop selling the Fiesta ST in North America, the only option now is buying a used one.
I test drove a Fiesta ST back in 2015 and one thing I noticed is that the actual gear shifter felt a little far to reach comfortably, especially when in fifth gear.
Anyone else have this issue of having to reach for the gear shifter?
Just curious if there is any aftermarket gear shift knob that can raise and bring the shifter closer to the driver?
I guess the other solution would be to adjust the seat more upright, unfortunately I'm used to driving in a more reclined position.
Are there any things to watch out for when buying a used Fiesta ST?
Any common mechanical problems to look out for?
I do plan on modifying the car.
Cheers

 

[Business6]

Rust

 

[RubberDucky_82]

2016's on up have Sync3, a significant improvement. As for transmission mods, there are a lot of options, short-shifter kits, and aftermarket extensions and knobs. There are also more expensive options including the Coolerworx kit. Here's a good place to start. https://whoosh-motorsports.myshopify.com/collections/ford-fiesta-st-driveline

 

[Capri to ST]

The cars have been quite reliable. One member on here reported close to 190,000 miles on his a couple years ago with no issues. A number of people are running extra horsepower without problems. Our engines were also used stock in the Formula Ford series, which always makes me feel good that they can stand up to the demands of racing.
The only real mechanical issue that I know of of any significance is that on some of the 14's and 15's there was a cooling issue with the head which could cause overheating. I would check the VIN number and see if they're within that recall because the fix was somewhat of a band-aid, a new coolant sensor and a few other things, but it didn't replace the head.
The blend door actuators, part of the HVAC system, sometimes fail and start clicking and need to be replaced, but that's not a real major repair.
The shifter position feels fine to me, I do keep my seats reclined a bit so I don't bump my head on the headrest.

 

[SteveS]

The solution to the gearshift reach is seat positioning. When you go to the ST Octane Academy you learn why. The car is designed for you to sit much closer than you might otherwise choose to, so that you can completely floor the gas and clutch pedals and still have flex in your knees. This keeps a bend in your elbows, almost 90 degrees is the design. To achieve it, you actually recline the seat. When you are positioned correctly the gearshift is in the right place. It's a rallying/racing type of seat and control positioning.

Mechanically there is no one big thing that is a problem. They are pretty good that way. Radiator capacity has been a problem for those in hot climes, especially with mods. If you live in a part of Canada that regularly sees over 100 degree temps (LOL--I've been to Hamilton) you might have to get an aftermarket higher capacity radiator.

In the interior, the blend door actuators have gears that break teeth fairly commonly. Fortunately that's a cheap fix.

Some cars have rusting in body seams.

 

[STbro]

Look out for rust around the antenna and interior door seals. Get a 2016 and up if you want the sync 3. You can throw on a trans short shift bracket and shift extension to fix the far throw. I wouldn’t get a sunroof, will be prone to leaks and more rust issues. I would definitely get the Recaro seats. If you get 2016 and up and install an air intake you will need the Evap Purge P144C check engine light "FIX" from whoosh.

 

[EnthusiaST]

Imo, get a 16+ and look for rust.


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[Alkoran]

Look out for rust around the antenna and interior door seals. Get a 2016 and up if you want the sync 3. You can throw on a trans short shift bracket and shift extension to fix the far throw. I wouldn’t get a sunroof, will be prone to leaks and more rust issues. I would definitely get the Recaro seats. If you get 2016 and up and install an air intake you will need the Evap Purge P144C check engine light "FIX" from whoosh.

Luckily Recaros were standard in Canada. The only options we could choose from were Nav, black wheels and sunroof.

 

[Apostle Paul]

Thanks gents for all the great info. Much appreciated.
I guess getting the newest model would be a good start.
I found a 2017 with around 60,000 kms for $18,500 CDN, but it has a sunroof.
So are leaky sunroofs a common problem?
There is also a 2015 with 57,000kms for $15,900 CDN
Are those asking prices reasonable?
I also noticed that the rake of the seat bottoms is quite steep compared to most car seats being flatter.
I guess it's something I would need to get used to.
I'd like to mod the car for more power (280hp would be nice), any idea on how much that will run on top of the price of the car?
Would you gents recommend whatever car I decide on, to take it to a Ford dealer for a ppi?

 

[Business6]

For any car with a sunroof yes, leaky sunroofs are a common problem.

The asking price converts to $12k USD for a 35k mile 2017 car. Pretty damn solid to me even if you need to do some stuff on your own.

You'll never hit that 280hp goal without a turbo upgrade. Even if you're talking crank hp and not wheel hp that's still north of 235whp accounting for 15% drivetrain loss and that just is not going to happen. Torque is easy, horsepower is much more expensive.

 

[EnthusiaST]

Thanks gents for all the great info. Much appreciated.
I guess getting the newest model would be a good start.
I found a 2017 with around 60,000 kms for $18,500 CDN, but it has a sunroof.
So are leaky sunroofs a common problem?
There is also a 2015 with 57,000kms for $15,900 CDN
Are those asking prices reasonable?
I also noticed that the rake of the seat bottoms is quite steep compared to most car seats being flatter.
I guess it's something I would need to get used to.
I'd like to mod the car for more power (280hp would be nice), any idea on how much that will run on top of the price of the car?
Would you gents recommend whatever car I decide on, to take it to a Ford dealer for a ppi?

Any of the larger turbo options will get you to 280hp. I’d say 3k would get you everything you need to make 300hp reliably. You can do it for cheaper but here’s a modest list
Turbo $1500
RMM $100
FMIC $400
Drop in filter $50
Cobb AP $400 used
Tune+ unlimited tune $350
GFB DV+ $100
Misc $100
Enjoy the new car!


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[fST]

For any car with a sunroof yes, leaky sunroofs are a common problem.

The asking price converts to $12k USD for a 35k mile 2017 car. Pretty damn solid to me even if you need to dQUOTE]

Interesting I've had a sunroof on all my cars over a span of 18 years and have never experienced a leaky sunroof.

 

[bombo107]

Interesting I've had a sunroof on all my cars over a span of 18 years and have never experienced a leaky sunroof.

Same here, owned many cars with sunroofs and never had any issues.

 

[Ford ST]

Never had a problem with a leaky sunroof never.

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[RubberDucky_82]

There is no evidence that our sunroofs are in any way problematic. Don't avoid the sunroof if that's what you want. I also have one with zero issues. Yes, it's one more mechanical thing that can go wrong, but it can always be fixed. You do you.

Jeff (one of the best in the community) put together this video which should help if you want to know the cost of that much hp.

View: https://youtu.be/I3NtaeQZBRo

I would suggest getting an E30 tune on the stock turbo first to see if you want more than that. (IMO, an E30 tune rips and is more than enough for me.) It would be much cheaper than doing a turbo upgrade.

 

[Apostle Paul]

Any of the larger turbo options will get you to 280hp. I’d say 3k would get you everything you need to make 300hp reliably. You can do it for cheaper but here’s a modest list
Turbo $1500
RMM $100
FMIC $400
Drop in filter $50
Cobb AP $400 used
Tune+ unlimited tune $350
GFB DV+ $100
Misc $100
Enjoy the new car!


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Thanks.
In narrowing down my car choices.
Wants:
small, lightweight, nimble, practical, tossable, manual transmission, fun, reliable, playful, track capable car.
Not many cars out there tick all these boxes.
Test drove the following cars so far.
Fiat 500 Abarth-lots of fun, not practical, shoddy reliability?
Civic Type R-too big, not fun
Hyundai Veloster N-most fun, checked most boxes,
Mazda MX-5 Miata-fun, not practical,
Porsche Cayman-fun, not practical
Then I remembered the Fiesta ST.
Will be test driving tomorrow, unfortunately it's raining today.
Out of all of these other cars, the one I had the most fun in and comes the closest to checking all the boxes is the Veloster N, which is fairly new to the market, not sure about reliability.
Cost wise it's a no brainer.
New 2021 Veloster N $39,524, total with tax $44,662.
Used 2017 Fiesta ST $18,700, total with tax $21,131.
Add cost for Fiesta ST hybrid/big turbo upgrade $5,000, total $26,100.

 

[Business6]

Interesting I've had a sunroof on all my cars over a span of 18 years and have never experienced a leaky sunroof.

Guess the FiST's is just a giant piece of shit, then

 

[lowda9]

Passenger motor mount is a common failure; on my 3rd mount. Also, check axle seals for leaking. I just had to replace my drivers and passenger axle seals and hopefully I wasn't too late since I was down a liter on transmission fluid. I've never had a problem with coolant temperatures on my 2015 but from what I've read on here, it is a big issue on these cars.

 

[2Noob4U]

I bought mine used with 25k. The very first things I looked for was mods. I wanted to know if the previous owner drove it like me... In which case I would've bought a different car. I wanted to know if there was a RMM and if they changed the panel filter. From there if the sidewalls of the tires looked worn down like it was autocrossed or tracked. Looked for leaks and made sure all the electronics worked.

 

[Tiberius1701]

In regards to sunroof 'leak' issues, the biggest culprit is clogged drains. It is important to inspect the roof with it fully open and look at the four drain holes (one at each corner of the roof opening) and make sure they are kept free of debris. It is to be remembered that the glass to roof opening seal is a wind seal and is designed to allow a certain amount of water past that is caught in the trough that surround the roof opening which flows to the drains.