Good stuff.The success of the 1 litre eco boost engine is great. Getting 140 bhp out of it is sensational. I love the little rascal.

Well just finished my first days commute to work. 88 miles 1/2 motorway, 1/2 b roads. Driving like granny as i am running it in but still happy that i got 51mpg out of such a tight new engine. Will be very difficult to keep to those figures once it is run in. The engine sound is somewhat encouraging and it just feels like it wants to be thrashed. Really impressed with the ride/handling balance. I drive on some truly terrible country road surfaces and car just lapped it all up. Very pleased with my purchase.

I see conflicting advice on running in new cars. I guess your going by the handbook, but I've also read that new cars should be thrashed!

JRM sir, when you give it some beans then you will see the true beauty of the car. 51mpg if you want it or great performance if you don't. Running it in I'm not so sure about. When the Ford Man took me out for a test drive in a ST and then the Black Edition, both with minimal mileage on the clock, he drove them like he was playing on an X box. He encouraged me to do the same which I did, only for him to tell me to change gear and give it some more as he knew where all the speed cameras were! We caned both cars for 20 minutes each and at no point did he mention anything about running them in. If he ever takes for a test in one of those eco boost mustangs I will wear a crash helmet and put it on YouTube.

I've driven mine pretty hard the first month. As I have always done with my new cars. Never had any problems with my cars' engines in any way.

I know what you mean about running in advice. As far as I understand you either thrash them from the start and have a top performing engine for 80000 miles or so, or you run them in gently and have a minimally less well performing engine but it will last longer. I am going to be putting 100k miles on mine over the next 5 years so went for the latter. I am happy to be put right though as i am finding it very hard to show restraint. Even after only one day.

I've only got mine for 2yrs so I've not got time on my side. Full beans from the start I think!

Be careful of speed cameras though as it could be that beans means fines!!

Mmmmmm. Beans.

Ah yes the old running in debate lol, we just can't agree on what's the best way to do it. I played it safe and didn't go above 3000 rpm until I got to 1000 miles, but from what others have said you can just wait til the engine is warm and then give it the beans :)

Ha! A question to EssexFordMan. You test drove the ST & the Special Edition. What made you opt for the Special edition? I'm yet to get my Red Edition & haven't driven a ST, So just wondered?

I test drove the ST, 125 Zetec S and a black edition.

I expected the ST to feel quicker, but I didn't like harsh ride of the ST.

The 125 Zetec was nice, but I wanted to hold out for the extra bhp and the adjustments that Ford had made to the ride.

I definitely made the best decision.

ST was superb as was the 123bhp eco boost I test drove. Then I looked at the running costs and entertainment value and just loved the character of the 140bhp 1 litre engine and the look of it so that was it. Now I'm stuck with it for 3 years..... RESULT!!

ST is far more fun & better looking IMO than anything else in the range, & at not a lot of extra cost.

I am looking at getting the Red Edition as my new car when I change in September. Is the Red edition a time limited special edition? What is the current lead time for a factory build?

I have been having some issues with my black edition (main issue, I wish I had got the Red :D). When I accelerate the car seems to cut out for 1-2 seconds and then its good to go again. I took it into Ford and the told me they found an issue with the audio head unit and reprogrammed it. But they couldn't find any other issues. Slightly annoyed as the i was still having the problem, I brought it back and they told me they would take it in for a few days this week and see what they can do.

On Saturday night I went to get a dirty chinese at 12.30am and when I collected my grub and returned to my car it was dead as a dodo. It turned the key and the lights flashed once then nothing. Panic stations... Got out of the car in pouring rain and opened the bonnet. Checked the battery and found the connection was very loose. Tightened it with my hand and away the car went.

Would anyone think that the loose battery connection cause the car to cut out when accelerating? I'm hoping that was the problem all along. But to me it seems strange that the car would have a battery issue when the engine is running.

PS sorry for long post

ST is far more fun & better looking IMO than anything else in the range, & at not a lot of extra cost.

I agree although I can understand why people would go for a red/black. But the only thing I can think of that would put anyone off the ST is the hard ride, and unless the insurance is a lot more on an ST which it shouldn't be, it's not significantly more expensive to buy and run.

My lease went up £62 a month for the ST, insurance up £10 quid a month. Not massive amounts but it all adds up. Then when you add on the extra fuel costs each month choosing the Black became easier and easier. I do 15000 miles pa I needed the extra comfort and fuel efficiency.

Exactly what i was going to say! I cant find a lease for under £210 on the ST, where as the Red is costing me £151. I cant justify the extra amount, also wasnt sure how good the back of an ST is for kids seats & comfort when shipping the family around.

Ohhhbai, I don't think a loose battery connection would help. Did all problem s resolve themselves after you tightened up the connections?

When I looked at the Red vs ST I couldn't realistically say I needed the difference which would have come to:

900 extra in lease costs

600 extra in insurance

A variable amount of hundred in extra petrol costs...

A few thousand treating a broken back :D

So the Red Ed is an ideal compromise for now although yeah, the power can be addictive and if you have an ST then there's nowt wrong with that!

When I looked at the Red vs ST I couldn't realistically say I needed the difference which would have come to:

900 extra in lease costs

600 extra in insurance

A variable amount of hundred in extra petrol costs...

A few thousand treating a broken back :D

So the Red Ed is an ideal compromise for now although yeah, the power can be addictive and if you have an ST then there's nowt wrong with that!

I didn't realise there could be such a big difference in lease and insurance costs. The insurance I can understand but I don't know why the ST leases would be so expensive when the cost of buying the car isn't much more.

When I looked at the Red vs ST I couldn't realistically say I needed the difference

I don't think anybody 'needs' an ST, it's more to do with 'want' & 'afford'.

& enjoy !

Yeah a agree it's what your funds reach to but to be honest the fiesta st for fuel consumption is great for a sport model But a lot of people want a car so much they get blinded by just the price of car thinking that's it ma mate just got rid of his focus st3 remapped and tuned (lot of engine work) was producing at least 330bhp he got it at a great price and thought he could easily afford it ......how wrong he was 14-18mpg! Not including massive tax and massive insurance lol he had a go in my EcoBoost and said first thing he said was "ffs oh look the fuel gauge doesn't go down when speed goes up" lol