New guy thinking about trading a WRX for a FiST - thoughts?

[letitreign]

Certainly factoring in the costs of ownership makes a tons of sense. That being said, If you're considering the fiST or the WRX then obviously you're not looking at the car as simply a mode of transportation, but rather a driving experience. I'm like you where I don't really ever need to drive, but do so to have some fun. What the fiST has become for me is an evening event rather than just something to get into when I need to go somewhere. I think that's kind of the idea behind buying anything more than an 'A to B' car. I think it goes it without saying that a fiesta-ST dedicated forum is likely not the best place to find an objective opinion about the fiesta ST lol. But to me, the choice has always been the car that puts a grin on my face, or the car I look forward to driving the most. You won't know which car that is until you've driven a few, so test drive the fiST and anything else you're considering and go off of raw feeling, forget what the reviews say or what some random forum schmuck told you.

 

[AzNightmare]

Hopefully the Recaro seats work out... lol
It's the first thing most people notice and compliment when they see my car, simply cause the exterior looks decent, but it's not until you sit in the seat do you realize, this seat feels like a performance car. The guy at the shop that tinted my window asked me if I modded these seats in. lol, honestly a deal breaker for me if the car didn't come with them.

But in Canada, the car only comes with Recaro. Take it or leave it.

 

[FLORIDAST]

Hopefully the Recaro seats work out... lol
It's the first thing most people notice and compliment when they see my car, simply cause the exterior looks decent, but it's not until you sit in the seat do you realize, this seat feels like a performance car. The guy at the shop that tinted my window asked me if I modded these seats in. lol, honestly a deal breaker for me if the car didn't come with them.

But in Canada, the car only comes with Recaro. Take it or leave it.

Used, yes, get the Recaros? New? Not worth 2k.

 

[AzNightmare]

Used, yes, get the Recaros? New? Not worth 2k.

Ah well, all good. Different priorities. It was a must for me since I really wanted a performance car with a performance feeling seat to match.
I have friends that drive a S2K and STI. When they sit in the Recaros and tell me my seats make their seats feel like sh!t, it's all worth it to me.

 

[neeqness]

If you decide to get the FiST, right now is probably the best time to get a 2016 if you can find one you like as they are clearing out for the 2017 so should be plenty of rebates, offers, and slashed prices to bring that 2016 down to around slightly used prices anyway. But if you must get used, I'd test drive both the 2014 and 2015 first (if available).

When I bought my 2015 around this same time last year, I was originally going to trade in for a 2014. Test drove the 2014 and liked it, but the dealer offered the 2015 after we looked at the numbers because they had the 2015 on rebates and offers such that it actually came out cheaper. When I test drove the 2015 I liked it better (can't tell you why), it just seemed more refined in someway than the 2014 even though it was a base model and got me thinking maybe they made some minor changes that year...

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[MegaBuster]

Ok I may have some usefull commentary here. I have owned 3 miatas and even a 1997 wrx wagon in Japan and driven many of them. Simple enough you will not find a car that is as fun as a miata that has any more seats exept perhaps like a fiat 500 arbath but that car has its own shortcomings.

My last car was a 2004 mazdaspeed miata that was modified heavily. I finally went too far with modification and the car got not fun to drive around town. At the time my wife wanted me to get a car that I could fit more kids into than a miata so I searched far and wide and came to the conclusion that the Fiesta ST was just the car because of its fun factor and its small turbo and cheap price tage compaired to a WRX or a GTI or such. I have been very happy with my FiST and it was the right choice for the time but as soon as I can I will get another miata because nothing can match a miata for pure fun.

The Fiesta ST is a great little car and very practical but its also really fun to take to the mountains and bash around with. The small turbo kicks on at very low RPMs and overall the car handles very well and is great. In stock or stage 1 form though it runs out of juice at 5k rpms so I always shifted there. Now that I have an intercooler and a stage 2 tune the car is just great all around. Being in a position where I need to won a car right now with back seats the FiST is the perfect for for me that is still very fun and also practical. If you at all think that your life could work with a Miata as your only car get a new ND RF since they are AMAZING! Otherwise the fiesta is a great car! but only if you need the extra seat. My son just drove a new Miata ND RF today and he says its amazing.

If your not going to get recaros don't bother getting the car

 

[FLORIDAST]

Ok I may have some usefull commentary here. I have owned 3 miatas and even a 1997 wrx wagon in Japan and driven many of them. Simple enough you will not find a car that is as fun as a miata that has any more seats exept perhaps like a fiat 500 arbath but that car has its own shortcomings.

My last car was a 2004 mazdaspeed miata that was modified heavily. I finally went too far with modification and the car got not fun to drive around town. At the time my wife wanted me to get a car that I could fit more kids into than a miata so I searched far and wide and came to the conclusion that the Fiesta ST was just the car because of its fun factor and its small turbo and cheap price tage compaired to a WRX or a GTI or such. I have been very happy with my FiST and it was the right choice for the time but as soon as I can I will get another miata because nothing can match a miata for pure fun.

The Fiesta ST is a great little car and very practical but its also really fun to take to the mountains and bash around with. The small turbo kicks on at very low RPMs and overall the car handles very well and is great. In stock or stage 1 form though it runs out of juice at 5k rpms so I always shifted there. Now that I have an intercooler and a stage 2 tune the car is just great all around. Being in a position where I need to won a car right now with back seats the FiST is the perfect for for me that is still very fun and also practical. If you at all think that your life could work with a Miata as your only car get a new ND RF since they are AMAZING! Otherwise the fiesta is a great car! but only if you need the extra seat. My son just drove a new Miata ND RF today and he says its amazing.

If your not going to get recaros don't bother getting the car

The RF should be amazing, it's a $30k car. As far as the Recaros? Meh. They look nice but spending 2k for seats that are realistically worth less than half that? I don't think so.

 

[M-Sport fan]

As far as the Recaros? Meh. They look nice but spending 2k for seats that are realistically worth less than half that? I don't think so.

+1

I'd rather put that coin into aftermarket seats which make the factory Recaros look and feel like crap!!

 

[comatoast]

Glad I saw this post as I'm kind of in the same boat. I want a new car and come from a tuner(ish) background. I have a 2005 srt4 making 450+at the wheels, but I want to get into something newer and more modern that's still fun to take to the track for autox, road course etc.. my dilemma is, keep the Srt , and buy a escape for practical reasons, or sell the srt and get a fiesta st that's on the dealer's lot for about $18 otd ( hopefully ) . Seeing as how the Srt is modded and tuned already, and is a great car at the track, I would obviously be starting over from scratch.. but it does seem like the st is pretty mod friendly being able to get about 240whp out of just the AP and bolt ons. Not 450, but judging from what people say, a well tuned stage 2 seems like it makes it even that much more fun to drive.

So... Sell my 05 built SRT and start over ( and keep my daily ) or be practical and buy an escape ( while trading in my daily , 09 Honda fit ) That said the o mile 2016 focus is on the lot at $17.5, and the escape is about 22k , and it is a 2017 CPO with about 16k miles.. As I've said in my other thread , this is a tougher decision than I thought it would be