MarkCup's 2017 Ford Focus RS

Silent_Scone · Jul 13, 2018

Mark, on all accounts...

...Good effort lol

MarkCup · Jul 13, 2018

Silent_Scone said:
Mark, on all accounts...

...Good effort lol

Ha ha, it was a lot of fun...but this week has revealed that fun comes at a fairly significant price.

Gone are the days of 172 Cup prices, £60 discs and £80 pads from @George@RTR_Parts . This little lot I picked up today, discs, pads, and caliper bolts all round, plus an engine cover (as I've cracked mine) and an air filter (because them not changing it until 37,500 miles just doesn't sit right with me)...all standard parts direct from Ford, plus the pad spreader tool and silicone grease from ECP, have set me back a few pennies under £750!

Ouch. As said before, next time on track I'll brake less and use more of the tyres...

Ol’ Tarby · Jul 13, 2018

Christ! That's not a cheap do!

Donny_Dog · Jul 14, 2018

From Ford though, not surprised on the pricing. Fun comes at a cost. It's how my kids were created.

A wise man once said, there are no pockets in shrouds.

MarkCup · Jul 14, 2018

Donny_Dog said:
From Ford though, not surprised on the pricing. Fun comes at a cost. It's how my kids were created.

A wise man once said, there are no pockets in shrouds.

The thing is, the standard parts from Ford are the cheapest I could find, anywhere...I guess it's all down to the fact that there's a lot of material in them...the 350mm front discs are comically large compared to what I'm used to handling.

There's plenty of brake 'upgrades' available, but they're all significantly more expensive, RS 'tax' at play me thinks. If there was an alternative that was a couple hundred £s cheaper I may have given them a punt. As there isn't (that I could find) that's all the motivation I need to keep my car 100% standard and on genuine Ford parts.

MarkCup · Jul 22, 2018

Now I've finished this one I can finally get on to sorting through my Goodwood footage...until then...

A year on is the Fiesta ST still as good as I remember it to be?

Al_G · Jul 23, 2018

Really enjoy your videos Mark, keep them coming.

Would love to see you drive the new Type R back to back with the RS and offer your thoughts.

Press seem to rate the CTR as the better of the two.

Short Norman · Jul 23, 2018

Al_G said:
Press seem to rate the CTR as the better of the two.

I think every review I've read has given the driving experience of the new CTR a thumbs up, it's just the styling that's a little OTT.

Al_G · Jul 23, 2018

Short Legs said:
I think every review I've read has given the driving experience of the new CTR a thumbs up, it's just the styling that's a little OTT.

Definitely. It’s certainly marmite.

From what I’ve read though it’s definitely leading the charge from a drivers perspective.

The infotainment system (which was the same in my mums Jazz) is also a POS.

MarkCup · Jul 24, 2018

Al_G said:
Really enjoy your videos Mark, keep them coming.

Would love to see you drive the new Type R back to back with the RS and offer your thoughts.

Press seem to rate the CTR as the better of the two.

This is what I've read too...it's far sharper and more clinical whereas by comparison the RS is just a bit of a shouty brute.

I'd like to drive one at some point but won't go out of my way for now...I've three cars lined up already and that'll take me well into September to get through. The mint and standard mk2 Focus RS is the one that's making me moist.

Short Norman · Jul 24, 2018

MarkCup said:
The mint and standard mk2 Focus RS

hurry up with that one, just for me LOL

mr bognor · Jul 26, 2018

You still need a go in my fiesta st as I think you would love it and be selling the rs and coming back to the fiesta flock .

MarkCup · Jul 26, 2018

mr bognor said:
You still need a go in my fiesta st as I think you would love it and be selling the rs and coming back to the fiesta flock .

Yes I do and likewise you can have a go in the RS! Let me sort my current s**t out then we must set something up!

MarkCup · Jul 26, 2018

Short Legs said:
hurry up with that one, just for me LOL

That's not planned until the end of August...until then I'm back to my usual slightly more clunky self with a series of these to keep you going...

mr bognor · Jul 27, 2018

Ok sounds like a plan .

The Fiesta is in this Saturday for some ADO8R tyres and them im off to Brands hatch Tuesday then the Nurburgring on the 06/08/18 so I will be free after then .

Regards

MarkCup said:
Yes I do and likewise you can have a go in the RS! Let me sort my current s**t out then we must set something up!

MarkCup · Jul 29, 2018

...and session 2. Still with road tyre pressures so it was a little skippy...but I switched it into the track damper setting on this one and it made quite a difference ?

davo172 · Jul 30, 2018

MarkCup said:
The thing is, the standard parts from Ford are the cheapest I could find, anywhere...I guess it's all down to the fact that there's a lot of material in them...the 350mm front discs are comically large compared to what I'm used to handling.

There's plenty of brake 'upgrades' available, but they're all significantly more expensive, RS 'tax' at play me thinks. If there was an alternative that was a couple hundred £s cheaper I may have given them a punt. As there isn't (that I could find) that's all the motivation I need to keep my car 100% standard and on genuine Ford parts.

Have you tried Matt Lewis for parts?

MarkCup · Aug 1, 2018

davo172 said:
Have you tried Matt Lewis for parts?

Matt Lewis? He sells standard or aftermarket parts?

MarkCup · Aug 1, 2018

After ending session two with 55 PSI in the fronts I dropped 15 PSI out of them and tried again. Unsurprisingly it felt so much better and I was hitting 130+ MPH much more consistently at the ends of the two main straights. From still going at the track like I did in my Fiesta I still left a lot of time out there though, especially through the left hand St. Marys. Grrrr.

Ol’ Tarby · Aug 1, 2018

MarkCup said:
Now I've finished this one I can finally get on to sorting through my Goodwood footage...until then...

A year on is the Fiesta ST still as good as I remember it to be?

Just watched all that. What a great video! A decent comparison, and good to see you still miss the ST

davo172 · Aug 2, 2018

https://mattlewismotorsportonline.com

davo172 · Aug 2, 2018

Think he does a fair few std RS parts too maybe worth try.

MarkCup · Aug 4, 2018

My balls grew a little for this one although not enough it would seem ha ha. Must try harder!

MarkCup · Aug 5, 2018

...and try harder I did. Desired affect achieved ?

MarkCup · Aug 8, 2018

I know, it's like Groudhog Day...this one very nearly ended badly until I calmed down a little...

Pep · Aug 8, 2018

So has it been written in the record books that the Focus is actually the best car ever made, ever?

MarkCup · Aug 8, 2018

JoePeps said:
So has it been written in the record books that the Focus is actually the best car ever made, ever?

Not yet but I think it's scheduled to happen some time soon ?

Mr R. · Aug 8, 2018

Don't your friends ask why are you wearing oven gloves?

Daz_RT_04 · Aug 8, 2018

Let me know if you need any parts moving forward @MarkCup - I could have got that lot delivered to your front door for £600.

A little trivia - The Focus RS air filter is the same filter as fitted to most 1.6 Petrol / Diesel Ford engines.

MarkCup · Aug 9, 2018

Phase1sr said:
Don't your friends ask why are you wearing oven gloves?

Of course not. They all know not to dis' the gloves.

Daz_RT_04 said:
Let me know if you need any parts moving forward @MarkCup - I could have got that lot delivered to your front door for £600.

A little trivia - The Focus RS air filter is the same filter as fitted to most 1.6 Petrol / Diesel Ford engines.

Useful, thank you. Is this for genuine Ford parts?

Re. the air filter...this was after 16k miles, would they really still be good, flowing, and not choked up at 37.5k?!

Martin. · Aug 9, 2018

Haha that bloke looked quite uncomfortable when you were on hot laps!!

Car looks insanely fast around there!

Ex-User (19928) · Aug 9, 2018

Video was good to watch, your passengers eyes being opened was cute AF.

I think most people would be surprised how fast ANY car can go round a track with decent tyres. I must say it looks like a lot of fun!

Have you had any sign of the rear diff overheating?

Daz_RT_04 · Aug 10, 2018

MarkCup said:
Of course not. They all know not to dis' the gloves.

Useful, thank you. Is this for genuine Ford parts?

Re. the air filter...this was after 16k miles, would they really still be good, flowing, and not choked up at 37.5k?!

View attachment 1380098

Genuine Ford with some discounts included courtesy of ones self.

Unfortunately long 'indicated' service levels sells car's, but that's a ridiculous time for anything Ford, let alone an hyper hatch.

MarkCup · Aug 10, 2018

Here's my last session of the day with @Sir_Dave as a passenger...it ended all too soon unfortunately. Cracking comment at the end Dave! ??

MarkCup · Sep 1, 2018

Yada yada yada, there's too much accountant in here. Interesting/surprising findings though...

McGherkin · Sep 1, 2018

Graphtastic episode that one

Mental running costs for the day, I’m glad the Mazda doesn’t get through pads etc like that! And glad to see no lasting damage.

I know you’ll prefer the Mk3 to the Mk2, but definitely enjoy that engine

Superninj · Sep 1, 2018

Why are you using standard road pads? OEM pads aren’t designed for that sort of abuse the Mk3 focus is a heavy car, you should look at moving to a fast road or track pad which can cope with the temperatures. It’s completely up to you what you spend your money on but those tyres and discs didn’t look like they needed changing. The last few cars I’ve had have been heavy cars you just need to teach yourself to do cool down laps or even driving up and down the paddock to cool brakes down.

Ex-User (19928) · Sep 1, 2018

P sure mark knows how to drive on a circuit.

Also, IIRC Ford banged on about how the car could handle 25 mins of solid track use at one go.

I maybe thinking of the diff, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a hot hatch to be able to do a few hard laps without disintegrating.. this was just a few too many laps I guess..

MarkCup · Sep 1, 2018

McGherkin said:
Graphtastic episode that one

Mental running costs for the day, I’m glad the Mazda doesn’t get through pads etc like that! And glad to see no lasting damage.

I know you’ll prefer the Mk3 to the Mk2, but definitely enjoy that engine

The fact that I booked directly with Goodwood on a 105db day didn't help the overall costs (although the included amazingly nice lunch and as many pukka double espressos as you can drink eaased the pain a little), nor did almost £200 spent on insurance. The fuel cost was just about double what I've ever experienced before as well. A front set of pads completely worn down in a day is something I'd always factored in on my Fiesta so that's nothing new...it's just that the Ford ones are £165 and EBC yellows on the ST were only £55. Rubber? I think it did incredibly well on them...my estimate of 25% wear was probably a little too much.

Superninj said:
Why are you using standard road pads? OEM pads aren’t designed for that sort of abuse the Mk3 focus is a heavy car, you should look at moving to a fast road or track pad which can cope with the temperatures. It’s completely up to you what you spend your money on but those tyres and discs didn’t look like they needed changing. The last few cars I’ve had have been heavy cars you just need to teach yourself to do cool down laps or even driving up and down the paddock to cool brakes down.

Why OEM pads? Because I'm keeping it standard, always. I will have just as much fun next time out, more in fact, I'll just brake less and slide the car more. The fact that even with those extreme temperatures I still had zero fade says the pads are good enough for me...I just need to give them a little more of a break next time.

Jeff simply said:
P sure mark knows how to drive on a circuit.

Also, IIRC Ford banged on about how the car could handle 25 mins of solid track use at one go.

I maybe thinking of the diff, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a hot hatch to be able to do a few hard laps without disintegrating.. this was just a few too many laps I guess..

Exatly right. I just did a bit too much a bit too frequently. As for the brakes, Ford did claim 30 minutes of hard track use without issue was one of their primary design criteria and on that front I think they delivered. That's from cold though...once up to temperature, short of running endurance racing pads I think I could mankle any brake combo wilt in this thing if I just kept going and going without letting them cool.

c4pob · Sep 2, 2018

Great updates Mark. Looked like a lot of fun on track.
According to the table in the video, on the drepreciation, would that put your assumed residual value at c.£24k?

MarkCup's 2017 Ford Focus RS

McPension

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