BaSTian – Frozen White Fiesta Mk7.5 ST3 – build thread

[GingerFlame]

You're better off using a shampoo, as a shampoo..

There's no point me using shampoo at all, I'm about as hairy as my car!

In all seriousness it is a bit of a bonkers suggestion! As it goes I can't trust London water not to leave any marks so I squegeed and towel dried anyway.

Not a squeegie :O scratchy scratchy!!

Look into the fireball Korea drying towel. It's the best, safest drying towel on the market by far & I've trailed at least 30

Have a look at DI resin or a reverse osmosis setup :)

www.yorkshiredetailing.co.uk - approved resellers of the Highest quality detailing & Valeting supplies

[666Damian666]

20 hours ago, Dan P said:

Cheers.

It's good that we've all got different opinions and tastes or we'd all be driving identical cars rather than having fun modding and tailoring our vehicles to our own desires!

In the long term I will consider both lowering and putting on a set of 18" rims but I've got to balance that out against everyday practicality and comfort.

Totally agree 

[Guest]

Car looks good mate!

Get those brake callipers painted white[emoji6]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dan P]

I'm absolutely fuming this morning.

Nearly three weeks ago I booked in with Trust Ford Walthamstow to have the Mountune MP215 upgrade fitted today.

When I arrived at the garage this morning my car was on their list and the guy serving me went to get the paperwork. This had no price on it so he asked me how much I thought it was. I told him I was quoted £689 (I know I could get it a little bit cheaper but this garage is relatively local so quite convenient) and asked him to check with his manager that this would be the price. When he came back he asked me if I had the parts (obviously I didn't, I thought that was what I was paying them for) and he explained that it would take around two weeks to get the parts.

I told him not to bother and that I would take my business elsewhere.

Given that I booked in advance I can't see how they can possibly deliver this kind of service; checking bookings and managing the logistics are not that challenging.

So now I have to find another garage that will do the work on a day that I'm available so probably won't be able to get it sorted for another few weeks.

[MarksST]

What side of London are you?

mountune HQ is just outside the M25 by Romford, they charge £669 fitted, rates of Essex may be worth a call as sometimes they fit it for £600

very few dealers would have the kit in stock so could be up to a 2 week wait.

[Dan P]

Thanks Mark, was considering Mountune HQ as it's not that far away. Also looking at garages near my parents so I have somewhere to hang out whilst the work is done!

Have just received a call from Trust Ford apologising and offering collection and delivery of the car plus petrol to cover my wasted journey and a reduced price on the MP215. I'm waiting for confirmation of the price but was advised it should be at least a 10% discount. I had a bit of leverage given I had taken out a service plan with them and threatened to pull out before the first payment was taken.

[Dan P]

My mud flaps finally arrived today after a very long journey! I ordered them off of the RokBlokz website on the 4th May and they initially made it over to the UK on 12th May. Unfortunately they never made it out of the airport and somehow ended up in Montreal! They eventually made it back to London (via New York) and after paying VAT and a handling fee they were finally delivered to me. 

Inside the kit are the four mud guards, a bag of fixtures for fronts and another for rears, some decals (which I chose not to use), a few sweets, instructions and annotated photos.

Watching this video demonstration helped a lot, although, as Mark advised above, the front arch liners are slightly different in the US. There is also an additional torx screw which secures the side skirt end cap. Weirdly on the left hand side of the car the far rivet had a Phillips screw in it, whereas on the right it was just a pin. I opted to remove the front wheels as well as the rears as it made the installation much easier and there’s very limited room to work with the wheels on – any time lost in removing the wheel was easily compensated for.

As Mark had already warned me the screw supplied for the top hole at the front is too short and another spacer is required – I ended up using a self tapping screw rather than drilling a hole and cut a piece of an old washing machine hose to use as a spacer.

Installation was a little fiddly but it wasn’t at all difficult (after I’d worked out what to use as a spacer and found an appropriate screw).  I took quite a bit of time trying to get all the flaps level and symmetrical and I’m happy with the results.

[Maxxxykins]

Mudflaps definately set the car off! Looking good man.

[Will-MK7]

Love the mudflaps, the wheels really suit the car perfect too!

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

[Dan P]

On 6/7/2016 at 10:34 PM, Maxxxykins said:

Mudflaps definately set the car off! Looking good man.

 

On 6/8/2016 at 3:30 PM, Will-MK7 said:

Love the mudflaps, the wheels really suit the car perfect too!

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

Thanks guys, I'm very happy with them.

[Dan P]

On Wednesday morning I took Bastian back to the dealership for the paint repair to the rear bumper. They had offered to collect and deliver the car but I didn't want someone else driving my car 120 miles to Cambridge and back! Having dropped the car off I got one of their demonstrators as a courtesy car whilst the work was done - a 5 door Fiesta Titanium 100ps automatic with loads of extras. I'm not a fan of autos and I certainly wouldn't choose to have one but I was genuinely impressed. The car was very comfortable, handled well, was pretty nippy and had very good fuel consumption (55mpg based on 100 miles at 70mph on the motorway and the rest around town). On Thursday morning I returned to collect Bastian. The repair was completed perfectly and the car had been given a very thorough clean - which I was quite grateful for as we'd been having fun on some country lanes after the rain on Tuesday night and the whole car was filthy (although not as filthy as it would have been if I hadn't fitted the mud guards!)

I've also added another Recaro seat (from Amazon) for my most important passenger.

[Dan P]

At the weekend I completed my installation of an amplifier and subwoofer. There are simpler ways to add a subwoofer by using a mono amp (as described in this guide) but I opted to add a 5-channel amp instead. Doing it this way gives the benefit of not only adding a sub but also helps the other Speakers reproduce better quality sound by introducing a crossover and allowing them to focus on the frequencies they’re best at. The ST3 has the Sony stereo and upgraded 8-speaker system and I’m happy with the sound quality so won’t be looking at replacing the Speakers. 

To carry out this installation I bought the following equipment:

Alpine MRV-V500 (5 Channel Amplifier) from Car Audio Centre

Alpine SBG-1044BR (10” Subwoofer) from eBay

4AWG Wiring Kit  from eBay

60A Circuit Breaker from eBay

100ft. 18 Gauge Speaker Wire from eBay

T50 Torx bit from eBay

I started out by routing my power cable from the battery into the cabin as shown at the start of this video.

The cable was routed behind the left hand bonnet hinge.

The cable then comes out by the passenger door where I removed the grommet under the small window.

I cut a hole in the grommet and passed the power cable into the passenger cabin. I then used silicon sealant on the grommet to ensure it remains watertight.

Having removed the glove box and trim panels by the door I was able to feed the cable into the cabin by the fuse box.

Then down by the door.

Then along the bottom of the door and under the passenger seat.

I then set about making my ground cable.

Having removed the four T50 Torx bolts securing the passenger seat I was able to lean it back out of the way without having to disconnect the wiring harness. By the front left seat anchor there is a factory ground.

I attached the ground cable and routed this and the power cable under the carpet and out where the wiring for the seat comes out.

I then finished off the power cable.

I disconnected the negative terminal of the battery whilst I attached the power cable to the positive terminal.

I left the circuit breaker open and reattached the negative terminal before securing the power cable with cable ties.

I then set about dismantling the stereo as per this guide and this video (which gave me the confidence to be quite forceful!) I’d advise removing the SD card before removing the top panel.

At this stage I felt a little like Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi.

Having undone the bolts and Torx screws and popped out the little panel below the stereo I was able to remove the control panel for the stereo.

My chosen amp takes speaker level inputs so I needed to hack into the wiring harness. My plan was to cut all of the speaker wires and splice in new speaker cables which would go from the stereo to the amp and from the amp back to the existing speaker wires. The speaker wires can be identified as follows:
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): White/Brown
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Violet
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): White/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown/White
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Blue 

I then prepared four long loops of speaker cable and labelled them up at each end and at the middle. I was doing the installation in stages and didn’t want to be without the stereo whilst I waited for the opportunity to finish the job which is why I didn’t immediately create eight wires.

I then fed the speaker cables up from the passenger footwell up to the stereo.

I secured the cables by the glovebox with a cable tie.

I removed the kick panel in the passenger footwell and routed and secured the speaker wires.

I then routed the speaker wires behind the carpet.

And out under the seat where there is a convenient split in the carpet.

I then removed the rear seats by pulling up firmly at the front in each corner and routed one more speaker cable for the subwoofer from under the passenger seat. 

And out into the boot.

Having identified the speaker wires on the harness I started cutting and stripping the wires.

I attached my new speaker wires and crimped the ends. I then had to carefully pack all the cabling behind the stereo, replace the harness and refit the stereo.

At this stage I had a fully functioning stereo and the power cables in place ready for installation of the amp. 
A couple of days later I returned to finish the job
The amp is supplied with a harness for the speaker level inputs.

I then cut the loops of speaker cables which I had tucked under the passenger seat and tested the ends with a small speaker to identify which to attach to the harness and which to the speaker outputs. I crimped all the connections and then routed the amp’s input cables and harness under the carpet and out through a small cut I made in the carpet where it bulges out under the seat by the door.

Here is the finished install. I used some velcro strips on the underside of the amp to stop it from sliding around.

Viewed from the rear seat with the passenger seat as far forward as it goes.

And the sub in the boot.

[b4zz]

looking good fella and like the flaps

[Dan P]

I've not done a lot of driving since fitting the sub and amp but I'm loving it so far. There's a very noticeable improvement in sound quality.

The only problem I'm having is that I'm now getting a lot of mobile phone interference. It's not noticeable whilst music is playing but it's quite irritating when it's not.

I'm guessing that the additional lengths of speaker wire are picking up the interference but I suppose it could be the power cable too.

I'm currently researching into ferrite beads as a potential solution but I'm open to any suggestions if anyone has overcome similar issues.

[Dan P]

On 02/06/2016 at 9:13 AM, Dan P said:

I'm absolutely fuming this morning.

Nearly three weeks ago I booked in with Trust Ford Walthamstow to have the Mountune MP215 upgrade fitted today.

When I arrived at the garage this morning my car was on their list and the guy serving me went to get the paperwork. This had no price on it so he asked me how much I thought it was. I told him I was quoted £689 (I know I could get it a little bit cheaper but this garage is relatively local so quite convenient) and asked him to check with his manager that this would be the price. When he came back he asked me if I had the parts (obviously I didn't, I thought that was what I was paying them for) and he explained that it would take around two weeks to get the parts.

I told him not to bother and that I would take my business elsewhere.

Given that I booked in advance I can't see how they can possibly deliver this kind of service; checking bookings and managing the logistics are not that challenging.

So now I have to find another garage that will do the work on a day that I'm available so probably won't be able to get it sorted for another few weeks.

 

On 03/06/2016 at 11:37 AM, Dan P said:

Have just received a call from Trust Ford apologising and offering collection and delivery of the car plus petrol to cover my wasted journey and a reduced price on the MP215. I'm waiting for confirmation of the price but was advised it should be at least a 10% discount. I had a bit of leverage given I had taken out a service plan with them and threatened to pull out before the first payment was taken.

Trust Ford have done it again!

Bastian was rescheduled for the MP215 today. The car was collected this morning and then at 4pm I received a phone call advising that they hadn't done the work as they didn't have the parts. I really can't believe it.

[GingerFlame]

I'd cancel, tell them to shove it & go elsewhere

www.yorkshiredetailing.co.uk - approved resellers of the Highest quality detailing & Valeting supplies

[666Damian666]

1 hour ago, GingerFlame said:

I'd cancel, tell them to shove it & go elsewhere

www.yorkshiredetailing.co.uk - approved resellers of the Highest quality Detailing & Valeting supplies

Agreed 

[Dan P]

I'd cancel, tell them to shove it & go elsewhere

www.yorkshiredetailing.co.uk - approved resellers of the Highest quality Detailing & Valeting supplies

I shall call them tomorrow by which time I'll hopefully be less angry to see what they're going to propose they do next and then make a decision.

[Dan P]

I'm not too proud to admit that on (very rare) occasions I can be unbelievably stupid.

Yesterday I had an epiphany regarding my issues with mobile phone interference that have been present since installing my amp.

On 18/06/2016 at 1:16 PM, Dan P said:

The only problem I'm having is that I'm now getting a lot of mobile phone interference. It's not noticeable whilst music is playing but it's quite irritating when it's not.

I'm guessing that the additional lengths of speaker wire are picking up the interference but I suppose it could be the power cable too.

I was correct that the new speaker wire is picking up the interference.

If you go back further in my build thread you'll find this:

On 21/05/2016 at 5:56 PM, Dan P said:

I then removed a few bits of trim and secured the tracker and cable in a secret location!

That location was less than 2" from where the speaker wires are running. Given that the tracker is basically a mobile phone (without a screen or keypad) that transmits its location every 30 seconds it's not at all surprising that I was constantly hearing interference!

I relocated the tracker last night after experimenting with a few positions to ensure I would no longer hear it and the issue is now resolved.

[Guest]

Car looks lovely mate. 

[Dan P]

I’ve now had the car for 7 weeks and have covered 1350 miles and thought I’d do a brief review.

In summary – I love it.

I think it’s a nice looking car - I’m happy that I chose white as I felt it was quite subtle and understated. The one thing I didn't like was the original wheels and I think the car looks a lot better (and more individual) with the Team Dynamics. I think the car would look a little better if it were a tad lower and it’s something I’ll consider doing in the future but I have to balance that against everyday usability and comfort.

The car is great fun to drive, even if all I’m doing is making some nice noises on the school run. It’s very comfortable doing all the boring stuff – around town or cruising on a dual carriageway – but is at its best on some wiggly country roads. I don’t think the ride is harsh – it’s certainly firm, but that’s good, because otherwise the corners wouldn’t be as fun. One thing that did take me a little by surprise was the turning circle – which is a good bit larger than I was expecting!

Coming from a Mk2 Focus I thought it might feel small, but it’s very comfortable in the front, however, when I open the boot of the Focus now it looks vast compared to the space I have left with the sub in the back of the Fiesta! I can’t comment on the space in the rear as I don’t sit there and to be honest I don’t really care! My daughter (aged 5 ¾) is very vocal about preferring the Focus but I think that’s mostly related to the fact that she has her own door and control of a window!

It took me quite a while to find a comfortable driving position and with the seat in a relatively upright position I find that the headrest pushes my neck forward. I’m quite short (5’6”) but have found having the seat quite low with the back of the seat reclined a little to be best – in order to get comfy I find I have to push my bum back into the seat and then everything is okay!

The stereo is reasonably decent but the Speakers can be a bit harsh (especially when listening to music on my phone via Bluetooth) so I have to knock the treble down a little to tame them. Adding the amp and sub has given the system a lot more depth, power and clarity. I don’t play music excessively loud but I do like to be able to hear it accurately and this has made a drastic improvement.

I’m pleased I went for the ST3 spec. I wanted cruise control and a SatNav and it made more sense to go for the ST3 rather than have them as extras to the ST2 spec. I wasn’t really interested in keyless entry and keyless start but I’d really miss them if they were taken away. So far I have no complaints about the SatNav, it’s helped me avoid some nasty traffic jams, however, it’s not as intuitive as the tomtom I have in the Focus.

My fuel consumption so far is around 36.5mpg (calculated, not off of the trip computer) and I’ve been doing a mix of short urban drives, motorway driving and having fun on B roads. I’ve made no efforts to encourage getting  decent fuel consumption so I’m pretty happy.

Completed Modifications:

Security

Dummy OBD port installed and original relocated
Rewire Security TK102 tracker and hard-wire kit

Cosmetic

Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 alloys
Rok Blokz mud flaps
Silvatec indicator bulbs
Plain number plates (held on with 3M tape, not screws)

Audio / Electrical

Alpine MRV-V500 5-channel amplifier 
Alpine SBG-1044BR subwoofer
Brodit phone holder

Planned modifications:

Mountune MP215
Route power cable for phone
Replace interior / boot / number plate lights with LEDs
Reinstate TPMS sensors

[opr]

Have you resolved any of the Mountune installation issues? I'm based in Ireland but next week my Red Edition is having the MR165 kit fitted at Trust Ford in NI. I'm pretty sure they actually have the parts but I'm kind of wary since reading your ordeal with TF!

[Dan P]

Have you resolved any of the Mountune installation issues? I'm based in Ireland but next week my Red Edition is having the MR165 kit fitted at Trust Ford in NI. I'm pretty sure they actually have the parts but I'm kind of wary since reading your ordeal with TF!

It should be happening next week, I'll post another update once it's sorted (or not!) I hope all goes well with yours.

[Dan P]

I've been very impressed with my tracker so far, although it has picked up a little bit of spurious data and it reckons I completed the following journey in 104 seconds...

[Dan P]

I kerbed an alloy doing the school run the other day - I felt physically sick when I saw what I'd done! I'm presently deliberating whether to get it repaired immediately or wait until I inevitably sustain more damage.