st exhaust vs 05 zx3 exhaust

[TolusD]

Originally Posted by RedST206

lol, was that just a built sheet for the dashboard? Why would they include sheet that with the car...

Anyway, the sticker on the says 05/04 as well, either way it's not that big of a deal.

There are a ton of parts in my car with that same 05/04 build date stamped/etched/printed on them but the car itself was assembled much later than that. I still have all of the original stickers and paperwork. Maybe I'll haul it out later and see if I can find the official build date.

As for build numbers, the "Z" in the VIN is unique to ST's so if there's a way to get those numbers then we would have it.

Trust me Birdman, the last thing you wanna do here is start up a conversation that involves the ST compared to the SVT. The official FJ stance is that the ST is nothing more than a trim level and as such not comparable to the SVT or any other special edition Focus.

[RedST206]

I always though that date stamped on the sticker on the door or the inside pillar was the "official" built date of the car itself? I understand that many components will have different built dates.

[TolusD]

I think the date on the door is right too. I just don't remember exactly what mine is.

[mtadd162]

yea im not too sure of all this 05 stuff being different from 06 & 07

[MrBirdman330]

It is trust me, the 05 is the only ST that can run with an SVT. A a couple found out. I think at the last autcross I got more respect than the SVT driver.

[MrBirdman330]

Originally Posted by pssdfocus

hey, birdman ur 07 st has leather seats and that an option w/ no red inserts. and my 06 st has everything u swear 06, and 07 don't have, sorry!!

Come face me on an Autocross course with stock tires, I'll do the same and then we'll see how well I out drive you.

[mtadd162]

im sorry but i need evidence...just cause you "got more respect that the svt driver" might just well mean you were a better driver...
perhaps a poll? calling all ST owners to verify what year they have and if they in fact came with the sport exhaust and the interior nick nacks...the suspension could only be answered by the part number...

[TungfumastR]

Originally Posted by MrBirdman330

In 06 the ST was watered down heavily, much of its "exclusive features" were lost such as the steering wheel and shift knob with red stitching. The seats with Red and black inserts along with the door panels. The suspension was made softer and the exhaust was done away with. In 07 the body colored grille was gone.

Here's an 07 ST to show proof of what I mean.

My 06 has red stitching on the shifter and wheel.

[MrBirdman330]

The springs on the 06 and something else where changed as it was on all other Foci of the same year. As for the inserts you either got lucky on the lot with them or had to have it ordered. All ST's I have seen from 06 on up did not have the inserts at all, and I swore that the ST's with the leather suede seat options had leather suede door panels as well. I may have been imagining that. The ST can run with the SVT, its due to the gearing of the MTX 75 over the Getrag 6. All Duratec Foci from 05 up have a taller first gear in the MTX series. I've also seen several ST Foci with standard steering wheels and one that shocked me had grey interior.

[TolusD]

I've billed the ST as a Franken-Focus since I joined FJ. One of the reasons I wanted to have an ST section was to clarify the differences between model years. I also wanted to try and get some idea of the spread of different parts used on different model years. It's clear that not all ST's were built with the exact same parts but they all have a 2.3 Duratec so we have that to work with. Maybe you should start a separate thread in this section so that all of the ST owners who are interested can pull their paperwork and dig up some part numbers so we can all know where we stand and what we really have?


BTW... I have the sport exhaust and all of the interior nick nacks in my 05. Ford techs who have driven my car for diagnostic purposes in Ohio and Indiana have asked me what A/M suspension kit I have. It's stock. I've also had a couple of service advisors swear that I had an exhaust leak when I pulled into the service garage as well. The sport exhaust is definitely louder than stock but it's very civilized and not at all ricey.

[MrBirdman330]

I've often though about forming a strict Focus ST Forum to gather as many ST owners as I could for those purposes. I thought about getting an SVT but I wanted to go back to a sedan once again after a 5 year leave of owning station wagons and SUV's. The ST was what I perfectly wanted, the words Sedan and Performance along with a well known Ford Badge. Not to mention the strict as all get out manual only option, even though I bought my ST from a non commissioned dealer (OH yes they do exist the salesmen are salaried not commissioned meaning you get what you want, not what they want.) I managed to make sure I got my manual. And I agree with everything about the suspension and exhaust. I get compliments all the time about it and asked if its a catback. I love how obnoxious yet civilized sound it is and when you let that baby open up to the high rpms you can hear me for quite a few blocks. I remember giving my first real run with it and how insanely responsive the steering and cornering was, I still swear that thing could turn on a dime at 60 mph if I really wanted to try it. I also love how I can take a clover leaf entrance ramp at speeds of nearly 65 mph and still not hear the tires squeal.

[pssdfocus]

hey, birdy. u have no idea what kind of a driver i am, and besides don't take it personal cause u don't know everything. nobody does. i shopped for 2 years before i bought my st. from everything i saw from 05 to 07 their was a few different interior changes, but the major stuff is all the same. i've driven new 06-07, and used 05 and 06's they feel about the same given the variance of mass production. no hard feelin's relax alittle. btw, i build cars for aliving and ford changes **** all the time!!! hey mtadd, love ur car, bud. any ideas on new wheels or still staying w/ stock black ones?

[TolusD]

I tried to rally FJ's ST owners a while back when I asked for an ST section but I was quickly shot down for some very understandable and some very irrational reasons. The biggest factor for me though was that no other ST owners that I can remember even spoke up to say "Yes I'd like that". After that experience I would question the value of an ST Web site but who knows, maybe now's the time for it. I still think we should try a roll-call thread in the Duratec forum just to test the water. There's 4 or 5 ST owners in this thread already right?

[mtadd162]

Originally Posted by pssdfocus

hey mtadd, love ur car, bud. any ideas on new wheels or still staying w/ stock black ones?

thanks man...yea the wheels, i think about it everyday lol i go back and forth
i actually just got an offer on these, but i havent seen anything i like enough to replace them, the style of the stock isnt why i want new wheels, its the width

and I think a thread for this whole ST thing would end some of these questions...
i know FF has a "ST crew" which is actually just a ST only thread and somebody also made this thing
http://fast_wheels.tripod.com/focus_...stregistry.htm

[TolusD]

I saw the ST crew over at FF. They started it because the FF admins shot down their request for an ST section as well. I think we should do the same here like we've been talking about.

[MrBirdman330]

I like the idea. Also the Cheesed off Focus, I'm a professional driver a real professional driver. Something most people don't grasp the concept unless they actually have the license for it. I've probably driven more miles in one year than you have in your entire driving life. I think we need an ST role call seriously and perhaps our own ST Focus Website Forum.

[Lancer211]

Originally Posted by MrBirdman330

In 06 the ST was watered down heavily, much of its "exclusive features" were lost such as the steering wheel and shift knob with red stitching. The seats with Red and black inserts along with the door panels. The suspension was made softer and the exhaust was done away with. In 07 the body colored grille was gone.

Here's an 07 ST to show proof of what I mean.

11g's for a 2007 ST w/ 34k miles!??

[MrBirdman330]

I can get nearly 7 for my 05 ST with 51K miles on it.

[Lancer211]

Originally Posted by MrBirdman330

I can get nearly 7 for my 05 ST with 51K miles on it.

Well, but from what you've been saying in this thread, there's good reason for that, vs. a 2007 ST.

[sayin0487]

my st was an 07 with red stitching on the steering wheel and shift knob. I had the optional leather with suede inserts tho.

and when i did autocross bone stock i was beating plenty of cars that i shouldnt have.

also, anytime i went to the 1/4, i never lost to an svt. stock for stock, i was always quicker. stock, my 07 did high 15's. with just a few bolt ons i was in the high 14's. the only difference between 05 and 06/07 was the suspension....

[pssdfocus]

thanks sayin, hey birdy i'm not cheesed as u say u seem to be. i said no hard feeings. and i'm glad ur such a great driver!!

[TolusD]

I've been very pleased with how well my ST had held its value. I was actually shocked the first time I NADA/KBB'd it and saw that I wasn't upside down on my loan.

As for an ST forum page, it ain't gonna happen here or at FF. It's been tried both places and I tried it personally here. If you never believe anything else I say, believe that FJ will never have an ST page.

As for SVT versus ST in a drag race, I've seen the SVT start to catch up and even pull away a bit but it's been well after the end of a quarter.


I'll start the ST Roll Call thread so that we can hopefully get some actual factual data posted from our different cars so that we can start to dispel or confirm some of the ideas in this thread.

[MrBirdman330]

I call third gear the "Torque Machine" in my ST. I've cheesed off so many Neon R/T owners, Cobalt SS owners, SVT Owners and such at the drags. I think my greatest was the fact I got a 64 vette owner so mad that I was running right with him foot for foot on a stretch of highway. The guy in the Porsche boxster gave me the nod of approval at what i was doing because I think he knew the vette owner and from what I judged the guy was a snob.

[sweetfocus]

hey guys, is there a different with the canadian version of the st??? I have a 2007 ST, with suede insert,

I think the only conclusion to this fighting would be with part numbers...

[MrBirdman330]

In 06 the standard features on the ST became just basic options. It was standard in 05 and was an ST Exclusive the Red Stitching on the wheel and shift knob, it was also standard and an ST Exclusive was the Seats and Panels that were black with Red and Black inserts. That is what made the ST the ST were its exclusive features on it. In 06 they added that black on black interior, suspension changes and the exhaust was toned down. In 07 the body colored grille was lost and all 07 Foci lost the ZX Badges on them. If you notice all 07 Foci did not have the ZX3/5 or the ZX4 or ZXW. I cringed once when somebody on a different Ford Forum had said they actually somehow got an ST in an automatic. Showed pictures of it, I still say it was a fully loaded SES with an ST badge.