New to boards and a new Focus owner

[shazboz]

Hello everyone,

As you would probably gather from my post title, I am new to the forums, so hi!

Second I have just recently been the proud purchaser of an 08 focus

I love the car, drives fantastic, clean and easy to get around in, no BS basically and they are pretty quick little beasts.

Anyway I'll get more to the point. With good ole K Rudds $900 economy booster getting deposited into my back account very soon, I have been thinking of performance upgrades for my car. But i want some feedback before I do/try anything.

1. Is it worth it? Should I worry about it, or wait a lil while and buy a xr5/rs? (which won't be for a long while).

2. If It is worth it, what is the best money can buy performance upgrade? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, nor do I want to turbo it.

So yeah, thats about it really. If anyone has any helpful information that they want to add feel free. Ill post some pics up soon of my lil black beast!

[Velociraptor82]

go for the biggest brakes you can buy..... lol

seriosly through

answer 1. I guess it depends on how much you want out of it. The costs of modifying the base models to match the performance of the XR5 will prove to be much higher than the cost of buying an XR5. So you may as well wait for the XR5


answer 2. most people seem to go for dba rotors, king springs super lows, k&n cai, x-force or magnaflow exhuast system and a new flash tune.

Obviosly you can't get all that for $900 so if you want power go for the tune to begin with, if you want handling and looks then start with the springs.

[Velociraptor82]

Oh yeah and welocme to the forums..... (almost forgot that part....)

[Loris]

what type of focus did ya get? diesel, petrol? zetec cx etc?

welcome to the forums

[BlackLS]

Originally Posted by Velociraptor82

go for the biggest brakes you can buy..... lol

seriosly through

answer 1. I guess it depends on how much you want out of it. The costs of modifying the base models to match the performance of the XR5 will prove to be much higher than the cost of buying an XR5. So you may as well wait for the XR5


answer 2. most people seem to go for dba rotors, king springs super lows, k&n cai, x-force or magnaflow exhuast system and a new flash tune.

Obviosly you can't get all that for $900 so if you want power go for the tune to begin with, if you want handling and looks then start with the springs.

Id say do the tune last, so that a retune isnt needed after all the mods are done; this of course is for a custom tune on a dyno.

For the 900 I'd go Eibach springs, DIY intake, exhaust headers and replace the restrictive muffler on the stock system.

You'll need to replace the standard rotors around 45,000kms so do the DBAs then.

[DZFord]

Hi and welcome!

I agree with all the above.

For looks and handling - get some springs. A tint also makes a big difference to looks.
For power - you'll need to modify the intake, headers and exhuast, and then finish it off with a tune.
The brakes do wear out, and I'd also recommend the DBA rotors.

[Mullett]

Start by making it stick. Here's how I'd break down the costs (assuming you're handy with basic spanners)

Eibach springs $400
OR XR5 springs $150
Whiteline swaybar $180
Cold air intake $100-200
Bendix Ultimate pads $120
Catback exhaust $300

If you go for the XR5 springs, that mostly fits into your budget, and it'll make for a very worthwhile upgrade. If you've got CL spec rubber, I'd recommend tyres and rims as well.

-RM.

[Fredo]

Hey Shazboz – Welcome aboard.
I’m pretty new to the Focus as well and it puts a smile on my head every time I drive it.
You’ll find the guys on here are really helpful and a bit of fun.
The easiest mod I have made with significant performance improvement is to run on 98RON fuel. Made a big difference in my car.
I’m after function out of the Focus and not really interested in having the best looking car in the street so the path I am taking is pretty much as Mullett outlined:-
- XR5 springs and dampers;
- Better rubber on the standard CL alloys, (17 or 18” wheel upgrade later)
- Better brakes (But nothing like Velociraptors’ Brakes. Man they are some serious stoppers!),
- Air Intake. There is plenty of info here on this. Plug “Trenchtractor” into the forum search box and have a look at his first class explanation.
- Cat back exhaust – 2.25" or 2.5” is the popular choice.
- Then the ECU will be re-mapped
But mate, if you want to see the upper end of mechanical mods, have a look at Melbzetec’s beastie – This is a serious bit of kit and no turbo!!
Cop ya
Fredo :

[Mullett]

Hey Fredo, just something I'm curious about...what rubber do you have on your car? Are you thinking of replacing it because it's knackered, or are you just after more grip?

If it's grip you're chasing, I wouldn't spend the $$$ unless the standard tyres are dead. The standard Goodyears are pretty damn sticky (even if they're noisy as ), you probably won't do a *lot* better without going to R-Spec rubber. See if you can find a set of 2nd hand zetec or XR5 wheels with good rubber second hand, it'll probably cost the same amount...

With the CAI, make sure you're not picking up hot air. I personally think that the K+N kit is probably slower than the standard airbox because there's no heatsheilding or CAI to it...

*just my 2c*

[DZFord]

That's the big let down with the K&N kit - no heatshielding. But the kit does include flexible piping to route cold air from in front of the radiator up to the pod filter. Tomorrow I'm hoping to rip out the lower airbox and I've got some addtional 67mm piping to bring some more up from the wheel arch.

[Fredo]

Originally Posted by Mullett

Hey Fredo, just something I'm curious about...what rubber do you have on your car? Are you thinking of replacing it because it's knackered, or are you just after more grip?

If it's grip you're chasing, I wouldn't spend the $$$ unless the standard tyres are dead. The standard Goodyears are pretty damn sticky (even if they're noisy as ), you probably won't do a *lot* better without going to R-Spec rubber. See if you can find a set of 2nd hand zetec or XR5 wheels with good rubber second hand, it'll probably cost the same amount...

With the CAI, make sure you're not picking up hot air. I personally think that the K+N kit is probably slower than the standard airbox because there's no heatsheilding or CAI to it...

*just my 2c*

Hey Mullett,
The mob I bought the car from gave it . . "new rubber all round"
Yeah . . . .but it was the $50 Maxiss specials! Made life real exciting particulaly with the amount of on-again/off-again rain we have had in Brisbane recently - just terrible!
Got a set of Goodys 2nd hand for the standard alloys.
XR5 Wheels are what I wantand I have a birthday coming up!

More air in - Replacing the standard filter with a better panel (BMC or K&N)Was thinking of cutting a hole in the lower air box behind the fog light panel and drilling/cutting the panel to let the air in a bit better??

[DZFord]

Originally Posted by Fredo

More air in - Replacing the standard filter with a better panel (BMC or K&N)Was thinking of cutting a hole in the lower air box behind the fog light panel and drilling/cutting the panel to let the air in a bit better??

That is probably a better way of doing things. Check out THIS POST and pics of the modification HERE, if you haven't already.

[Mullett]

Originally Posted by Fredo

Hey Mullett,
The mob I bought the car from gave it . . "new rubber all round"
Yeah . . . .but it was the $50 Maxiss specials! Made life real exciting particulaly with the amount of on-again/off-again rain we have had in Brisbane recently - just terrible!
Got a set of Goodys 2nd hand for the standard alloys.
XR5 Wheels are what I wantand I have a birthday coming up!

More air in - Replacing the standard filter with a better panel (BMC or K&N)Was thinking of cutting a hole in the lower air box behind the fog light panel and drilling/cutting the panel to let the air in a bit better??

The 'lower airbox' is the intake resonator, rip that sucker out :P Once you've removed it, there's a nice, round 3 inch connection to the proper airbox, get some ducting, duct straight from that 3" connector to the spot you were thinking of (or run it to the front of the radiator, like I did), put a nice big bellmouth on the end to get a bit of a ram-air effect. I was going to arrange for a batch of CAI pipes for the focus, but that's fallen apart as I'm not a forum sponsor.

To be honest, the standard airbox probably isn't as much of a restriction as it looks. If anyone can be bothered, make up a vacuum gauge and check different points in the intake for restriction. On the same note, the factory panel filter probably isn't very restrictive either. All of that said, I've got a CAI pipe running down to the front of the passenger wheel with a paper-element pod on the end of it, and it sounds great

-RM.