Fiesta ST to Mustang GT

[Liam O]

Hi All,

I currently have a MK7 Fiesta ST 1.6 which i have owned for the past 4 years however I fancy a change and desperately want out of the hot hatch image. I've always wanted to get a mustang and I am now finally in a position where i could afford one. Surprisingly, insurance is cheaper on a V8 mustang than a fiesta st!

I have pretty much settled on the following:

2017-2018 (for £145 road tax)
5.0 GT
Manual
Grabber Blue or Lightning Blue

Would love a face-lift model having done 3500 miles in the US with a 5.0 Auto however they are a fair bit out of my price range!

I have a few questions below which hopefully some of you could help me with:

• Lights - Are the standard headlights any good? I would hope that they are better than the candles that the Fiesta has as standard!

• Tyres - I have been doing a bit of reading and it seems the standard Pirelli's are awful and Michelin seems to be the way forward, I'm guessing something along the lines of Michelin PS4's?

• Price - Going rate on Auto trader seems to be around £28-29,000, values seem to have held fairly well. However, looking on WBAC to get a rough value of trade in prices they seem to be around £24-25000. This would be the first used car i have brought, I know this is a question that only a dealer will probably be able to answer but is the much room for haggling?

• Finally, has anyone made a similar change from hot hatch to a big coupe or am i mental?

Thanks All

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[Deleted member 35644]

Hatches are fun for what they are, and I enjoyed mine, but at the end of the day, RWD>FWD. I hope to never own another FWD car. That's too much responsibility for 2 tires to manage, regardless of how well it handles.

 

[hinch]

Hi All,

• Lights - Are the standard headlights any good? I would hope that they are better than the candles that the Fiesta has as standard!

• Tyres - I have been doing a bit of reading and it seems the standard Pirelli's are awful and Michelin seems to be the way forward, I'm guessing something along the lines of Michelin PS4's?

• Price - Going rate on Auto trader seems to be around £28-29,000, values seem to have held fairly well. However, looking on WBAC to get a rough value of trade in prices they seem to be around £24-25000. This would be the first used car i have brought, I know this is a question that only a dealer will probably be able to answer but is the much room for haggling?

• Finally, has anyone made a similar change from hot hatch to a big coupe or am i mental?

Answers in order

1) no they're dogshit
2) MPSS or MPS4S (note the 2nd S not the MPS4)
3) If you're not in a rush you should be able to get one for 26-27 private if you're willing to wait and negotiate with the seller 28-29 sounds about right for trade.
4) Adam has

 

[Genxer]

I've never noticed the headlights not being sufficient so that is as good of a testament as I can offer. I don't find them lacking. The taillights are blinding if you are at the back of the car and press "lock" on the FOB.

The Pirellis get a lot flack, but if you are referring to the summer tire it is a different animal. It is a softer compound and consequently, wears faster. Doesn't mean those tires aren't fine when it's warm outside, but in colder weather the traction is not good. I drive my car in 30-40F temps, so when the Pirellis wore out I switched to all season Michelins and love them. I think the rears may get pricey to keep. While they work great, I will probably never see the warrantied mileage due to *ahem* driving habits. I may actually get cheaper rears next time.

Nothing is going to handle like a small car and I'm sure you noticed that immediately. With RWD, the rear will try to swing out a little if you get a bit too heavy on the throttle. Leave the nannies on and it will correct itself pretty quick, except when you do that in a sharp curve, which can lead to some butt-puckering moments, or if you prefer, "fun".

 

[Silver Dragon]

I made the switch from Fiesta ST to 2017 manual GT two months ago.

I had two STs over six years and they were as good as all the rave reviews said they were.However as my driving has changed to nearly all motorway I fancied something quieter with a more comfortable ride.

Mustang v Fiesta really is chalk v cheese.Looking down that long bonnet for the first time it’s like an aircraft carrier landing deck! It feels a large and heavy beast and chuckable it’s not.But the Mustang isn’t another car it’s a motoring icon and you have to take the opportunity while you can before this kind of car is legislated off the road.Remember America has gone to all the trouble of making it RHD so it would be churlish not to buy one.Every time you hit the starter button you will smile as you will when you drop a gear and open the taps and head for the horizon.It isn’t a car for the city or narrow roads but it great fun so I would say take the plunge.

Very surprised to read that you’re finding the insurance cost to be less.It is a much higher group than the ST and I have gone from paying under £300 to over £500.

Hope this helps.

 

[Kristian87]

Welcome Liam...

Fiesta Zetec S > Mustang Ecoboost > Mustang GT (eased myself in gently lol)

It’s amazing how quickly you get used to the size, so don’t let that put you off. These things are very capable.

as above, headlights are pretty naff. Pirellis will catch out a new driver this time of year with cold/wet roads so be warned! I think you’ll have room to haggle either via dealer or private sale. I’d say try to find one with minimal modifications/fairly untouched unless there are specific things you are after. Feel free to pass any links here for comments - you’ll get plenty of input!

oh, and congrats - you’ve made a gread decision. You’ll love mustang life

 

[Adam83]

Yep I’m a sucker for a hot hatch, went from 3 fiesta ST’s to 2 Focus ST’s then Mustang Ecoboost then straight to the V8.

I’ll be honest it’s not as good to drive in my opinion as a hot hatch only because of its unpredictable handling, you can’t chuck it round corners like a Fiesta or Focus ST. But it does go well in a straight line and looks/sounds a lot better than an ST doing it!.

2015 GT’s like you say can be had for 25 grand for early examples, Grabber blue is the best colour too in my opinion but wasn’t an option till late 2016, standard Pirelli tyres are ok in the dry but in the wet are terrible, it sounds like you know what you want so I say go for it!

Oh and the grammar Police called....

“this would be the first used car I’ve brought”

Where did you bring it from?

“Bought” is the word you are looking for, sorry I had to get that in there because I cringe when people say “I just brought this new car” and because I’m a bit of a c**t

 

[Tin O' Spam]

I managed to go from 2010 Vauxhall Agila to 2019 Mustang GT (so 90bhp FWD to 450bhp RWD) and haven't managed to kill myself yet, so that should bode pretty well.........

 

[Slopoke]

I'm doing the same thing. I'll be putting my Fiesta ST up for sale next week and going to a Mustang GT. The Fiesta was fun, I was at 330 whp Garrett GTX2860R Gen II turbo, four port aux fuel, Willwood BBK, etc.

 

[marks]

Yes the 17 Mustangs are the best ones to go for! Get the original design of 15-17s but get Sync 3 (the earlier ones only had Sync 2) and only pay £145 road tax.

Values are holding very well! Because it's still unique and desirable. Gets more attention than a BMW, Porsche etc

 

[wenklaw]

I have had a lot of hot hatches and small coupes over the years from a couple of Ford 1.7 Pumas back in 1997, 2001, then into a Mk1 Focus ST170, a couple of MK2 Focus ST's both with the Superchips remap, then a D5 Volvo C30 as needed the dreaded MPG that diesels gave. 2013ish a MK3 Focus ST3 which was pap and a switch to a BMW M135i for 2 years only to find myself in an M2 for the last 3 years which was fantastic. Ive missed a few others that we have had in the family as either a bit dull or not my daily such as a convertible Mini Cooper S for example which was a real hoot. Always wanted a GT Mustang and with the deals the time was right so here I am.

The GT is far better behaved than the M135i or M2 but that isn't in anyway saying the GT is better, just different. I do prefer the GT to the M135i without doubt though. Mashing the peddle in an auto M135i or DCT M2 is a sure way to find a ditch. I find the manual GT far more progressive even more so than a manual M2 which again was fairly violent due to the turbo kicking in, you needed to be extremely respectful, which I was. Again I am not saying the GT is better.

Size wise you get accustomed to it but no doubt about it, it felt big and heavy in comparison to what i've owned before when I picked it up, parking in tight spaces can be a pain but I have always avoided them in any car. I do find that the wheels wrapped in the current tyres though provide a good lip protecting the rim a little, unlike my M2 alloys which basically was flush, any brush with a curb and that was that. I am careful but its nice to have a little rubber protecting the rim.

Once on the road though actually driving it doesn't feel that big to me now, it felt heavy and its taken a while to get a feel for the brakes but now its pretty much business as usual after 6 or 7 weeks of ownership.

Its an absolute dream so far to own, cars to me need to ooze character and very few do so to the degree that the GT does. The M2 was a real character whereas an M4C I was lent whilst a darn good car just lacked the GT's big personality.

Buy one, you wont regret it.

 

[Tim_]

Answers in order

1) no they're dogshit

You’ve clearly not driven a Mk7 Fiesta ST in the dark, it’s night and day difference between that and the Mustang

 

[Tim_]

I did Fiesta ST and Focus ST next to my Mustang GT. I miss the Fiesta ST and would have one back in a heartbeat but it wouldn’t be to replace my Mustang.

The headlights are a million times better then the ST but no BMW Laser lights. If anything the Mustangs are a touch low which is easily altered.

 

[hinch]

You’ve clearly not driven a Mk7 Fiesta ST in the dark, it’s night and day difference between that and the Mustang

no but i have the focus st and they're amazing verses the mustangs which may as well be turned off

 

[Tim_]

no but i have the focus st and they're amazing verses the mustangs which may as well be turned off

Which version did you have on the Focus? I had the top line adaptive ones on my ST-3 and apart from them being a little higher and moving with the steering wheel input they weren’t about the same as the Mustang.

My other car is full adaptive LED and that’s the first car I’ve ever owned and felt sorry for other road users because the headlights are so bright

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