Used ST2 or a Used ST3.. HELP!!

[Nathana94]

Someone please make my mind up for me!

ive got a holding deposit on a 16 plate ST2, with 14k on the clock. It’s got the nav pack and the style pack and all is grand.

then I started thinking I might want the extra gizmos of the ST3 - for the same price as the ST2 I can get a 16 plate, but that’s on 30k miles..

are the extra gadgets worth it? I can get an ST3 with lower mileage but it’s £2000 more than the ST2 and a little more than I’d like to spend unless the extras are mind blowing?

cheers!

[anyjungleinguy]

I have an ST-3 but I can’t remember what the added extras are over the ST-2. 

EATC? Heated seats? Rain sensing wipers? Auto headlights?

EATC I think is a big improvement over manual systems. 

Heated seats have been quite nice over the winter!

Rain sensing wipers seem a bit off. It never seems to get it just the right speed - either too fast or too slow. You can adjust the sensitivity but then it’s a question of why not just switch the auto feature off and regulate myself if I’m having to adjust the sensitivity via the stalk anyway...

Auto headlights... not much to say really 😂

[alexp999]

Fiesta or Focus? What's your annual mileage?

[Nathana94]

Haha yeah the auto lights and wipers really don’t bother me - happy to operate that myself 😂

I’ve got the heated leather Recaros, sat nav, and parking sensors. 

ST3 has the electric folding mirrors, key free entry, and the climate control.

its the key free and climate control that are grabbing me mostly!

[Nathana94]

1 minute ago, alexp999 said:

Fiesta or Focus? What's your annual mileage?

Fiesta - my annual mileage is around 7k id say...

[TomsFocus]

Would have to be ST3 for me...  But only you know if you want the extra spec or not bothered about it lol.

[anyjungleinguy]

19 minutes ago, Nathana94 said:

Haha yeah the auto lights and wipers really don’t bother me - happy to operate that myself 😂

I’ve got the heated leather Recaros, sat nav, and parking sensors. 

ST3 has the electric folding mirrors, key free entry, and the climate control.

its the key free and climate control that are grabbing me mostly!

Ahh, I see.

The electric folding mirrors are nice. Easy way to confirm the car has definitely locked and saves you pushing and pulling them out if you're worried they might get caught. I also love the LED light on the underside. Unlocking the car at night and seeing the DRLs and the side of the car light up while the mirrors unfold looks pretty sweet in my opinion. I've got a fetish for LED lighting though haha. 

EATC is great. Set-it-and-forget it with the temperature and then bang it on auto. Car detects interior temps and chooses the optimal way of regulating the temperature e.g. to heat it will auto pump out of floor vents cos heat rises, cool you down and it will blow out of the dashboard vents. It's also smart enough to know if the outside temperature is low and you set it max for defrost/demist it won't blast you in the face with cold air etc. Might be worth looking at the online manual page regarding climate control for a bit more info. 

Key free entry is definitely useful. A lot of time I just leave my key in my work bag and forget about it. On the flip side, I still like unlocking with the key..especially at night so I see it lit up while walking towards it. If I use the button on the handle then I'm straight in the car and can't admire the looks aha. 

Does the ST3 you're looking at keep the reversing sensors? Mines a '16 plate and I don't think it was standard on even the ST-3 spec back then, if ever? That and the reversing camera are the only options missing on mine.

[Nathana94]

59 minutes ago, anyjungleinguy said:

Ahh, I see.

The electric folding mirrors are nice. Easy way to confirm the car has definitely locked and saves you pushing and pulling them out if you're worried they might get caught. I also love the LED light on the underside. Unlocking the car at night and seeing the DRLs and the side of the car light up while the mirrors unfold looks pretty sweet in my opinion. I've got a fetish for LED lighting though haha. 

EATC is great. Set-it-and-forget it with the temperature and then bang it on auto. Car detects interior temps and chooses the optimal way of regulating the temperature e.g. to heat it will auto pump out of floor vents cos heat rises, cool you down and it will blow out of the dashboard vents. It's also smart enough to know if the outside temperature is low and you set it max for defrost/demist it won't blast you in the face with cold air etc. Might be worth looking at the online manual page regarding climate control for a bit more info. 

Key free entry is definitely useful. A lot of time I just leave my key in my work bag and forget about it. On the flip side, I still like unlocking with the key..especially at night so I see it lit up while walking towards it. If I use the button on the handle then I'm straight in the car and can't admire the looks aha. 

Does the ST3 you're looking at keep the reversing sensors? Mines a '16 plate and I don't think it was standard on even the ST-3 spec back then, if ever? That and the reversing camera are the only options missing on mine.

Not 100% sure on the parking sensors on the ST3 - hoping it wasn’t an error on the ST2 listing. I didn’t have the car in reverse so I’m not too sure on that one..

the more I think about it, the more I think I’m happy with the ST2.. my hands are barely ever that full that I can’t click my fob and yeah the climate control would be nice but it’s just turning a dial every now and then isn’t it haha. Still got the heated seats and beast of an engine. Coming from a 64 plate 125 ecoboost, it’s like night and day!

Little off topic considering, but I had a cobra sport cat back on my 1.0 Ecoboost.. anyone any idea if that could be moved over onto the ST?

[dansallis]

ST-3 definitely. Being a new(ish) car at 14k miles, all the little niggles and bugs may not have been found. At least with the 30k Fiesta it has had a good run and the main servicing parts will have likely been changed.

In terms of the optional extras, my Fiesta has climate control and keyless entry, and I have to say, it is well worth it. Never take my key out of my pocket.

I'll say what I have said to other people in the same situation. If you bought the ST-2, would you be forever wishing you had bought the ST-3 instead?

[Dan P]

When I was buying my car I very carefully weighed up whether to go for an ST2 or ST3. I opted for the ST3 and definitely made the right choice for me.

ST3 adds keyless entry and start, auto headlights, auto wipers, power fold mirrors, puddle lights, auto-dimming rear mirror, climate control, cruise control and Sony Stereo with SatNav and 5” screen.

Rear parking sensors were an optional extra for all STs.

I’d very much miss the cruise control, climate control, power fold mirrors and keyless entry and start. Auto headlights are nice to have. I don’t use auto wipers as I rain-x my windscreen. I don’t use the built in SatNav as the one on my phone is superior.

[Ad@m]

https://www.ford.co.uk/content/dam/guxeu/uk/documents/brochures/cars/BRO-ST_Range.pdf

Page 4.

 

[Nathana94]

I think my mind is set on the ST2.. powerfold mirrors and keyfree entry aren’t major points for me (although keyfree would be nice) and same with the climate control - it would be nice but do I need it?

the ST2 I’m looking at comes with the Nav Pack, so not missing too much in that regard, and I’m not a massive fan of cruise control. I like staying in control and playing with it instead of just plodding on!

yano when you just have that feeling that says “are you sure?”.. 

[Ad@m]

Keyless entry in action.

 

[Nathana94]

17 minutes ago, Ad@m said:

Keyless entry in action.

 

Okay slightly worrying aha. Is this a major risk with keyless entry cars?

[alexp999]

Just now, Nathana94 said:

Okay slightly worrying aha. Is this a major risk with keyless entry cars?

I keep my keys in a tin to block the signal. You can also get Faraday pouches for out and about.

[Nathana94]

40 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

I keep my keys in a tin to block the signal. You can also get faraday pouches for out and about.

Sounds like a little more hassle than it’s worth IMO. Thinking about it, as long as it flies down the roads and has a nice warm seat im good haha

[alexp999]

If I have to have keyless entry on my next car to get the rest of the spec I want, I'm just going ask the dealer to switch the feature off.

[Nathana94]

5 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

If I have to have keyless entry on my next car to get the rest of the spec I want, I'm just going ask the dealer to switch the feature off.

Is it that bad? I’d heard a few horror stories but I didn’t think it was that easy to be done..

[dansallis]

It can be a problem but there are very simple ways to solve it. See post below:
 

 

[Nathana94]

3 hours ago, dansallis said:

It can be a problem but there are very simple ways to solve it. See post below:
 

 

Good to see there’s ways to counteract it, seems to me a little silly that you’d have to take measures to secure your car as it ships from the factory 🤔. I just came to see my ST again and I’m absolutely in love with it. Essentially all I wanted was the Recaro seats, heated, and the engine. I have the satnav and I’ve survived without the rest this long. What it might miss in specs it certainly makes up for in fun. 

Anyone got anything more that the Mountune 215 package on their ST? Wondering whether to start low or just jump in - from the test drive I don’t find it as torquey as my 1.0 Fiesta 

[MarksST]

It has a lot more torque than the 1.0l, the 6 speed gearbox will be making it feel like that, a lot of 1.0l to ST owners think the same till they get used to the ST.

[Nathana94]

20 minutes ago, MarksST said:

It has a lot more torque than the 1.0l, the 6 speed gearbox will be making it feel like that, a lot of 1.0l to ST owners think the same till they get used to the ST.

Yeah the salesman said something similar when I was testing the car out. I think I tried to give it too much in second then found out about the torque vectoring.

i know I’ll be in love with it as soon as I pick it up and get used to it.. until then I’ll just stare at a photo of it..