Got my RS in 2016 and still love it! As far as reliability, being one of the early builds it had the flawed head gasket. So I had it replaced at 18,000 miles. Now it’s up to over 81,500 miles with no issues.
My buddy had a st and even in that the seat height really bothered me. How is it having to live with that? Are there any aftermarket solutions? There is a RS LE in Red available near me and I'm very tempted.
I've just bought another one, should never have sold the old one, but you live and learn. You've made a sound choice and hope you have many more years Focus RS ownership to come!
Hell yeah they will. Honestly I think the fiesta st’s will too. They retain their value over in the US really well. 2014-2018 sell for the exact same price almost everywhere which is only a little below msrp even after years of them being out. Nobody bought them in the US! So there aren’t many left. Plus the ones that are out there are getting wrapped around trees 😂
@@garrettsmith6549 A month ago I sold a 2015 Fiesta ST with 45k miles for only $1k less than when I bought it 3 years ago at 8k miles 😆 That’s how I bought my RS. Prices for the RS have also spiked recently so I just snuck in before it happened.
Have an Edition here in Spain. 36k on the clock and absolutely nothing has gone wrong so far. I fitted the lowered subframe on the driver side and literally transformed the car.
Respect for the Focus RS, it will be mine one day ! At the moment though I’m having loads of fun in the new mk8 Fiesta ST. A very worthy little bother 👊
Mate, an incredible little brother and to be honest, after driving both, I think the Fiesta is more genuine fun than the RS. Yes the RS is faster but for smile per dollar, nothing comes close to the Fiesta. Brilliant brilliant car. Congrats.
Haha, I've got the mk8 Fiesta in Aus and love it. My Bro in law just got the Auto Focus ST (Auto, I know......), and my sister is about to pick up a 2017 RS in this same blue, lol. Quite the Ford performance family..
The new and very good, yet very light feeling Fiesta ST has a fun and interesting drive and excellent sounding exhaust note (similar to mk 3 focus RS), yet the RS is a much more muscular and sturdier motor. It's very fast with much more substance and ability. The fiesta seems more well mannered and rounded, but the RS is more angry like (in a good way) and a force to be reckoned with.
I know its an old comment. But do you have any issues with reliability? I want this car so much but all the forums and hearing about the car blowing up are scaring me....
I've spent a year going from G37, genesis, a few pickups, mustangs, Veloster.. a whole bunch of different ideas. And this is what I've landed on. I'm happy with my decision now I just have to find one :)
Have had my RS in the US since 2017. Also affected by the head gasket recall, so got that replaced. Mine has been tuned for most of its life at a little over 400hp to the crank. Currently at 67,000 miles and the car performs and runs beautifully. Only thing that has gone wrong is one of my axles is bad/needs replaced. I blame that on being on a stiff coil over setup and driving on crappy/rough Midwest roads.
So I’ve had my 2016 RS for just over 4 years and so far this is what has gone wrong: 1. Head gasket recall, they ended up replacing the headers at 10K miles. 2. Power brake booster went out, out of nowhere at 30K miles while I was doing 90mph on a freeway off-ramp! Thank god there was no traffic either waiting or going through the light at the end of the ramp! 3. Broke 2 different exhaust brackets, the exhaust separated from the down pipe and the second one I nearly lost the muffler both at or around 40K miles. 4. Bent a couple rods and warped a cylinder at 55K miles and got a complete engine swap, long block, with 5K miles left on the warranty! Thanks for the new engine Ford! And still, by far, my favorite car I’ve ever owned and a pure joy every time I get behind the wheel!
Hello from the USA 🖐🏾. Love the video. The rear seat backs do fold flat. On the side of the actual seats you’ll feel a handle to flip the seat forward. Then you can lay the seat backs flat.
Hey Deiondrick! Thanks so much for commenting mate. Really?? Ours seemed physically impossible to fold flat. We might have to try harder next time. Glad you enjoyed the vid, thanks again for commenting!
@@ReDriven you have to pull the bottom of the back seats up first. you can also take the foam out from under the boot and get another 4 inches of depth. It holds a sub woofer but not in the aus model, only holds a pump and goop for a flat tire
I sold one but about six months later, I bought another, albeit it a year newer. You may hear comments about it being perceived by some as almost second rate and some commenters moaning about it when there's nothing to moan about. These vehicles are still currently increasing in value. They are track based cars for the road, unlike a mk 7 Golf R which is a road based car for a fast road
The Salmon bit earned my like lol Have daily driven a ‘17 RS for 3 years and I love it! Intake, tune, and exhaust with shifter solid bushings (must have) and not a single major issue besides a bad sensor at 25k miles. People have reported same mods at high mileages, so I look forward to similar results!
What kind of horsepower are you getting with just those mods? Just bought mine this year, 2016 with only 7k miles I couldn't be happier and don't wanna do a lot to it but want a couple upgrades.
Owned mine from new 2016 great car , just the head gasket issue which ford sorted asap with no hassle , apart from that absolutely no issues regular service and a future classic 👍👍
G'Day Derek. Thanks for watching and yeah I wish I'd checked the old flip up the base of the rear seat trick, my bad. I didn't enjoy giving the RS back!
Had an RSLE for a couple years as my second car. Had a light tune on it so was probably an extra 20HP up. Super fun car, very quick, very responsive steering rack, almost felt like a hot hatch muscle car. The front LSD helps but there’s still pretty brutal torque steer if you mash the accelerator. I miss mine.
Got my 2016 about a year ago, with 49k miles, head gasket was already done. Currently at 79k miles. Only issues were new clutch n flywheel not long after I got it (previous owner must’ve abused the car a bit) and a master cylinder about $400 to have a shop fix that. Obviously brakes, tires, n oil (every 3,000 miles) like every other car. It is a race car, so I drive it like a race car in sport/track mode all the time. Zero issues with the power train, it is built really well! As a side note, it is completely stock mechanically, I don’t use launch control very often, and I almost never use drift mode, but they work great the few times I do!
@@jimmyholster Pick up? Did you buy it online sight unseen? There was a '17 blue RS on Vroom w/ only 6.9k miles for 32k recently. Did you buy that one? I thought about it lol, but I'm not sure I can handle nitrous blue lol
im so happy i purchased my 2017/12 LE. had 14,500kms on it and got it for $51,000 (just about to hit 17,000km), so glad i picked it up and im amazed that the prices are going up, what an investment but doubt ill ever get rid of it :)
The quaife diff definitely makes a difference over standard. I retrofitted one so have driven the same car with both options. Note re the head gasket. Ford recalled the cars with incorrect gaskets and replaced them with the correct gaskets so check service history.
Hi i enjoyed the video, keep it up. Ford Focus RS is what a hot hatch should be like, fun, fast, reliable. I think because of the value for money you get from it. don't forget this was awarded Top Gear hot hatch and car of the year 2016, AutoExpress and many other impressive awards. meaning that it was deemed better compared to any other car in the world.
Ford gave me a Focus RS as a sorry for forgetting the paint protection on my new Ranger. I had it for the day but only drove it for an hour, it would have ended my license in a day. That go pedal is addictive. This car blew my mind, so incredibly fast around corners as well as in a straight line. Rolling start at 2500 rpm in second and floor it, about 2 second later doing over 100 and completely stopped in about same time. I just sat there laughing. 👍
Thanks for the video, I’m going to download the app for sure. Looks like some useful info. But the back seats can go completely flat. 👍 if you slot your hand between the lower portion and back rest portion of the rear seats, you can cup your hand around the lower portion and pull the lower seat. It will un fasten and hinge about the front edge of it. You can rotate around 90deg and then lay the backrest portion dead flat. Nice bit of design work by Ford 👌
G'Day Kieran. Yeah I bloody forgot to check the seat folding scenario when we shot this, my bad, sorry about that. And at the moment the cheat sheets are a PDF but we're currently working on getting our website live and an app will happen down the track.
Seats are reasonable and straightforward enough to tilt and fold back just like any other mk 3/3.5 Ford Focus. They may be ever so slightly higher than the boot lining itself, but would not pose a problem for folks.
Awesome review, I bought a second hand one here in the UK and I can’t get enough of it. Here in the UK reliability is on the fence and there has been engine issues but I think some of them have been driven literally to the end of their lives. HARD
G'Day Stephen. Congrats on the purchase mate, I am quite jealous! It's amazing what they can handle but abuse is abuse and generally ends in something going boom. Also, thanks so much for watching and commenting.
I bought a 2018 4 months ago..... I find myself wanting to drive on my days off... it makes driving fun again. I get nervous taking it places though because it’s so bright... it’s a head turner.
Looking at buying one right now over in the states. It's really interesting seeing the opinion of someone over in an different part of the world since the RS is no longer being manufactured here. I've been in love with the RS since we got it over here and they have finally come down to a reasonable price. Hoping for the best in locating one that hasn't been totally trashed like the I've seen with US STs and of course the Subaru scene. Loved the video and thanks for your insight! 🤘🏻
I have an '18 ST & there's nothing wrong with it as a daily, but I still lust over buying an RS. The biggest issue in the US is just finding one local that hasn't been abused & that' reasonably priced. Very rare cars, however I can't see myself buying one sight unseen. I need to drive it & put my hands on it first.
We're hopefully featuring an ST soon and I've been lucky enough to have a decent amount of seat time in both and it's incredible that the same base platform can feel so incredibly different between the ST and RS. Both superb in their own way but it's amateur of opinion on which is "better".
I don’t know what state you live in but I am considering selling my Nitrous Blue 18 LE. Just hit 8,000 miles. Oil changes every 2,500mi, never abused it, never driven in snow, maybe once or twice in rain. Has weather tech mats all around, Ford performance carbon fiber shift knob, rally armor mud flaps, and an AWE cat back and that is it. I’m in New York. Just throwing it out there.
@@ReDriven The RS and ST are different, especially from a different feeling of weight perspective, but I think the rides between the two are almost the same (albeit RS softest suspension setting). I came from a mk 3 focus ST which I would recommend to anyone. It's a very fast feeling car indeed with almost RS acceleration. Admittedly though, in comparison, the mk 3 RS is the genuinely better car overall, faster and stronger feeling with more grip and it is understandable why they retain or may well increase their value.
@@Tegridyrandy fine, 43,000 k’s I’ve read there is a Ford and aftermarket head gasket fix, what will be will be, I’ll be dumping big money in it within 12 or so months (power has become normal, need more) but it still exciting around corners, like it’s on train tracks
This video I went back and watched with my wife on the TV as my selling point I needed one of these to upgrade from my Mazda MPS. I'll let you know how I went in getting one. 😂
Had mine since jan 24, nb, shell seats, low mileage high options, bought as an absolute keeper,... Now SABRE stage 1 mapped, its an incredible car handles like a scalpel and ridiculous levels of grip especially in the wet....... I actually like the high seating position, reminds me of being sat up on a big super bike, jmo🤷🏻♂️...... When i get in the wifes mk3 focus st-line it now feels like im sat on the floor 🤣
Totally agree! My limited edition is now 2 1/2 yrs old and she will always remain in the garage. In America the RS especially the 2018’s will be iconic for years to come.
Looking from a UK perspective, the 2018 focus RS cars were the last mk 3.5's to be rolled out, hence being worth more. The Limited Edition Nitrous Blue was launched later in '18 and the much more expensive orange and also the red editions respectively.
Stumbled across this channel. Have been looking for a channel that helps you make informed decisions about used cars with the same level of humour as the boys and girls over at CarExpert deliver consistently. Found it! SUB'D! AK, great job mate. 👍 Keep up the awesome content!
@@ReDriven ah thought I recognised you. You guys should do a Collab. Quality used car content like yours would be a cool addition to an already great site.
Oh 100% Chris! What was with that? I had an FPV GTP press car for a fortnight years ago and could never get comfy. Weapon of an engine but the driving position was just horrible.
Boot space increases a heap when you get rid of the foam. It's a waste of space. I find it hilarious that it took to half way through the video to mention the head gasket issue!
I bought mine brand new. Got a letter saying recall..got recall done. Then PTU leaks. You sit high, changing the battery and suspension not fun, limited wheel options. Pretty much nt03s, heats up quick on track days, after a year you question the monthly payments. The car really woke up from E85 and a tune though! Always got compliments, and the pops and bangs are amazing, fun to drive and one of the few turbo cars you can VTA (make sure to get BRV). Sold it because I wanted to track more and tracking the RS is pricey chasing down leaks.. I'd say BUY but be aware of some of the things I mentioned. It's a fun car for sure with some cons worth consideration.
@@ReDriven no problem, and nice 👌🏿video. The Focus RS taught me just because you can afford the monthly payment doesn't mean you afford tracking the car. Fun car just not the set-up for me.
USA RS2 owner here. The seats fold flat if you flip bottom up. Also if you hate the CS recaros you should try the SUV seats we got in the US. They are shit.
i own a 2017 RS with 60,000 miles, and i have been extremely satisfied with its capabilities after 4 years driving it stock! but i just installed 5k in performance upgrades which bumped it up to 400 hp. can’t wait to get a bigger turbo and push 500+ 🥴
Does she have more zip with the current mods. I've seen on other comments that, no matter how much money you put into them. They just aren't that quick. What do you think?
@@kendrickh91 the car is fast with a tune but not crazy fast. To get more horsepower it needs a bigger turbo with downpipe. i knocked out all the mods to bridge me to the bigger turbo and downpipe. The car can be stupid fast but it’ll cost you around 15k to get there. I don’t regret getting the focus rs, but I’d you want a mini Lambo get a golf r with the dual clutch dsg and mod the hell out of it. There’s some real good vids out there, check out slowestrs channel, or livinglifefast has some golf r videos. What do you think you’ll do? awd is where it’s at brother tbqh! shit rips on a dig!
@@kendrickh91 Time for me to get controversial Kendrick. The RS is plenty fast enough but in saying that, pretty much any car is plenty fast enough. Far too many people rely on a cars performance rather than their driving skill. If someone wants a car that's faster in a straight-line than another car, buy a Tesla or something designed for drag racing. The RS is fundamentally a rally car for the road and straight-line performance is way down the list of priorities. It's designed for balance, composure and ability into, through and out of corners while providing the maximum amount of driver satisfaction while still being a practical hatch back. At this, it succeeds incredibly. We generally find those that criticise the RS's levels of performance either have no idea what they're talking about or have minimal skill behind the wheel. I've been fortunate enough to spent countless hours on track in various RS with seriously professional drivers and all are blown away with the cars abilities. I remember one RS owner complaining about understeer. We went out and within 50 meters could see he had no idea how to drive a performance car. He just assumed it way like playing Forza (or in his case Mario Kart). Honestly, the guys I worked with that day could go out in a standard Toyota Camry and leave him in his RS for dead. The RS is more car than 99% of drivers will ever need. The vast majority of owners unfortunately will never get close to what the car is capable of and after being on track in an RS with a truly world class professional driver behind the wheel, it's incredible what this car can do.
Dozens of kids? Not a dozen, but multiple dozens? So at least 24 (26 if he's a baker) kids. Fascinating. Also, those spaces next to the back seat catch dropped phones and pocket stuff that falls during turns.
I would consider buying this car. But if I did, I would need to overlook the stock ground clearance which I think is just an inch or 2, too low for my climate.
This has me wanting a review of the old Mazda 3/Axela Mazdaspeed. Basically the FWD Focus RS being a 2.3 turbo made by Mazda who we all know are pretty well in bed with Ford
Got a Golf R auto and Focus RS. I personally live Focus RS but Golf R is far more comfortable. However, if it’s for fun factor, it must be the focus !!!
I was going to get rid of my RS because the ride quality and noise was too much for me to daily drive it BUT... I fitted Michelin Pilot Sport 4S on my RS and fell back into perverse love... Fifty Shades of love for my car. So if you don't like the harsh ride Pilot Sport 4S will be your best friends and they give you not only great ride quality, quiet riand comfort but tons and tons of grip that will... turn you into a tripod : )
Also, my RS is a 2017 and I have 111,000Kms on the clock and I bought a 5 yr 200,000kms warranty including all service this includes unlimited break replacements. Price of that warranty was about 6,000 CDN
@@ReDriven I was already sold on Michelin for summer and 4season tires but now I will never consider another brand. Winter tires are a different story. The RS came equiped with PILOT ALPIN PA4 and they were shit. Good on wet or dry cold pavement but shit on snow&ice... really crap. Dangerous. Switched to Bridgestone WS90 and they are like suction cups on snow and ice. Love them
I've been looking for info on the 2.3 eco boost, THANKS JIM! I'm looking at very good discounts in my area for the 1-2yr old Focus Sts, even the track pack version. My only concern was the engine, these have updated head gaskets. In my short-term ST I get 9L/100km in winter conditions easily so it's not going to compete with a VW EA888 on that, but I'm happy with the consumption given the punch and I just trust this engine more than VAGs.
I didn't even watch the video I just came here to say no car is to much for the road. And I don't think anyone is wandering if the RS is "to much for the road" if anything it's not enough
I bought a used 2018 rs but found out it'd on a Second engine and it currently has leaks. Insurance is fixing it but I am still not sure if I should keep it or return.
I know this is an older video but still well made guys even if you're not a fan of how these ones are compared to you're newer ones. After seeing your recation to how hot the salmon was you ate adam it makes me wonder if you'd want to eat the entirety of that of have to use a Cruze as your daily drive for a month lol 😆
Focus rs is way better in rain and snow, with the AWD system and actually has usable backseats, unlike the mustang. I'd be scared to drive a GT in rainy conditions. GT is of course a cooler and faster sportscar, but RS does have some advantages.
Owned mine 3 years in the UK and love it still. Its nearly covered 50,000 miles but no plans to sell it. Also own a 2015 Fiesta ST which is another epic fast ford and much cheaper to buy and run.
Was thinking about upgrading from my mk3 ST Estate to a Golf R or Focus RS, but ended up buying the new MK4 ST Edition which comes in a very similar colour as the old RS, just because it's a newer car and the RS' Price has gone up quite a bit. Coming from the mk3 ST, I wouldn't hesitate one bit about getting the RS though, the platform is pretty reliable and from what I heard the engine is super reliable also once you get the updated Gasket. You'll have some interior rattles here and there but that's kinda what you expect when driving a Econobox, even if it's an expensive super fast one.
Got my RS in 2016 and still love it! As far as reliability, being one of the early builds it had the flawed head gasket. So I had it replaced at 18,000 miles. Now it’s up to over 81,500 miles with no issues.
Awesome to hear mate.
That's sure some serious mileage over just five years!
81000!!!! You must have one of the highest
Mines on 20k since new gets driven very very hard hasnt missed a beat
I'm so jealous!
My buddy had a st and even in that the seat height really bothered me. How is it having to live with that? Are there any aftermarket solutions? There is a RS LE in Red available near me and I'm very tempted.
“They can be fuel efficient if you’re a really boring person”
That should be stamped on every performance car 😂
Super unleaded is it's favourite drink
It should be put on a sticker or a T-shirt! :D
Nobody ever bought a RS for fuel efficiency lol 😂👍
2017 Rs here with 12K miles. Love it. Don’t drive often, but when I do. I’m happy
Congrats mate and thanks so much for watching and commenting
Bought a 2018 two days ago, It was my dream car since its release in 2016 and I finally was able to get it. I'm so happy rn with this beauty
Huge congrats mate, well done! - AK
I've just bought another one, should never have sold the old one, but you live and learn. You've made a sound choice and hope you have many more years Focus RS ownership to come!
Bought my RS new in 2017. Love it! It's an amazingly fun car to drive.
Great video. Picked up a '17RS with low mileage in November of 2019 and love it. They will be a collectors item soon.
Cheers mate and huge congrats, we're bloody jealous!
I’m picking up a 2016 with 19k miles and I hope you’re right 😆
Hell yeah they will. Honestly I think the fiesta st’s will too. They retain their value over in the US really well. 2014-2018 sell for the exact same price almost everywhere which is only a little below msrp even after years of them being out. Nobody bought them in the US! So there aren’t many left. Plus the ones that are out there are getting wrapped around trees 😂
@@garrettsmith6549 A month ago I sold a 2015 Fiesta ST with 45k miles for only $1k less than when I bought it 3 years ago at 8k miles 😆 That’s how I bought my RS. Prices for the RS have also spiked recently so I just snuck in before it happened.
It might be too late for me by the time I can trade my car in next year 😭😭
3 years in with my 2017 NB RS still love it as much as the first day I bought it 👌🏼
G'Day Damon, awesome to hear mate and thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Have an Edition here in Spain. 36k on the clock and absolutely nothing has gone wrong so far. I fitted the lowered subframe on the driver side and literally transformed the car.
Awesome mate. Love to try one with the lowered seat
Respect for the Focus RS, it will be mine one day ! At the moment though I’m having loads of fun in the new mk8 Fiesta ST. A very worthy little bother 👊
Mate, an incredible little brother and to be honest, after driving both, I think the Fiesta is more genuine fun than the RS. Yes the RS is faster but for smile per dollar, nothing comes close to the Fiesta. Brilliant brilliant car. Congrats.
Haha, I've got the mk8 Fiesta in Aus and love it. My Bro in law just got the Auto Focus ST (Auto, I know......), and my sister is about to pick up a 2017 RS in this same blue, lol. Quite the Ford performance family..
The new and very good, yet very light feeling Fiesta ST has a fun and interesting drive and excellent sounding exhaust note (similar to mk 3 focus RS), yet the RS is a much more muscular and sturdier motor. It's very fast with much more substance and ability. The fiesta seems more well mannered and rounded, but the RS is more angry like (in a good way) and a force to be reckoned with.
Had mine 2.5 years running 420bhp, love every bit, amazing on the track! Have fitted a lowering kit for the seat and a whole bunch of mods
I know its an old comment. But do you have any issues with reliability? I want this car so much but all the forums and hearing about the car blowing up are scaring me....
I've spent a year going from G37, genesis, a few pickups, mustangs, Veloster.. a whole bunch of different ideas. And this is what I've landed on. I'm happy with my decision now I just have to find one :)
I got to drive one for less than 20 minutes and holy, it’s my new dream car honestly I was all smiles the entire time.
Same
Have had my RS in the US since 2017. Also affected by the head gasket recall, so got that replaced. Mine has been tuned for most of its life at a little over 400hp to the crank. Currently at 67,000 miles and the car performs and runs beautifully. Only thing that has gone wrong is one of my axles is bad/needs replaced. I blame that on being on a stiff coil over setup and driving on crappy/rough Midwest roads.
So I’ve had my 2016 RS for just over 4 years and so far this is what has gone wrong:
1. Head gasket recall, they ended up replacing the headers at 10K miles.
2. Power brake booster went out, out of nowhere at 30K miles while I was doing 90mph on a freeway off-ramp! Thank god there was no traffic either waiting or going through the light at the end of the ramp!
3. Broke 2 different exhaust brackets, the exhaust separated from the down pipe and the second one I nearly lost the muffler both at or around 40K miles.
4. Bent a couple rods and warped a cylinder at 55K miles and got a complete engine swap, long block, with 5K miles left on the warranty! Thanks for the new engine Ford!
And still, by far, my favorite car I’ve ever owned and a pure joy every time I get behind the wheel!
Hello from the USA 🖐🏾. Love the video. The rear seat backs do fold flat. On the side of the actual seats you’ll feel a handle to flip the seat forward. Then you can lay the seat backs flat.
Hey Deiondrick! Thanks so much for commenting mate. Really?? Ours seemed physically impossible to fold flat. We might have to try harder next time.
Glad you enjoyed the vid, thanks again for commenting!
@@ReDriven you have to pull the bottom of the back seats up first. you can also take the foam out from under the boot and get another 4 inches of depth. It holds a sub woofer but not in the aus model, only holds a pump and goop for a flat tire
You know I love a Ford Focus, Adam. Watched this about 30 seconds after it was uploaded.
Awesome mate!
I daily my blue 2018 LE RS and you would be absolutely insane to part with one by choice; they are _fucking_ _incredible_
Totally agree mate.
I have the Red 2018 and I agree. Three years and I still have the same goofy smile every time I merge on the highway or slide around a corner.
I own a 2016 Focus RS Mk3. Without doubt the best car I have ever owned. It is fantastic and I cannot imagine driving anything else. 😉👍🤘
So jealous mate. It was horrible having to hand the keys back on this one
I sold one but about six months later, I bought another, albeit it a year newer. You may hear comments about it being perceived by some as almost second rate and some commenters moaning about it when there's nothing to moan about. These vehicles are still currently increasing in value. They are track based cars for the road, unlike a mk 7 Golf R which is a road based car for a fast road
The Salmon bit earned my like lol Have daily driven a ‘17 RS for 3 years and I love it! Intake, tune, and exhaust with shifter solid bushings (must have) and not a single major issue besides a bad sensor at 25k miles. People have reported same mods at high mileages, so I look forward to similar results!
What kind of horsepower are you getting with just those mods? Just bought mine this year, 2016 with only 7k miles I couldn't be happier and don't wanna do a lot to it but want a couple upgrades.
Owned mine from new 2016 great car , just the head gasket issue which ford sorted asap with no hassle , apart from that absolutely no issues regular service and a future classic 👍👍
Awesome Ian, so great to hear.
Daily drive one for five years with no issue,truly astonishing car to drive!ps seats do go flat by the way!
G'Day Derek. Thanks for watching and yeah I wish I'd checked the old flip up the base of the rear seat trick, my bad. I didn't enjoy giving the RS back!
Had an RSLE for a couple years as my second car. Had a light tune on it so was probably an extra 20HP up. Super fun car, very quick, very responsive steering rack, almost felt like a hot hatch muscle car. The front LSD helps but there’s still pretty brutal torque steer if you mash the accelerator. I miss mine.
Just bought one (2017) with only 1,300 miles on it, always drive with a smile :)
Had mine since 2018 was a demo car. Best car I've owned and still brings a smile on my face every time 🥰
Literally nothing worse than feeling like you're sitting on the car and not in it. Amazed how many car manufacturers effff this up
Got my 2016 about a year ago, with 49k miles, head gasket was already done. Currently at 79k miles. Only issues were new clutch n flywheel not long after I got it (previous owner must’ve abused the car a bit) and a master cylinder about $400 to have a shop fix that. Obviously brakes, tires, n oil (every 3,000 miles) like every other car.
It is a race car, so I drive it like a race car in sport/track mode all the time. Zero issues with the power train, it is built really well!
As a side note, it is completely stock mechanically, I don’t use launch control very often, and I almost never use drift mode, but they work great the few times I do!
Picking up 2017 model on Tuesday! Can't wait!
Nice bro, congrats! I'm looking at getting one myself, but they're so hard to find.
@@poker_18rs92 super excited! Pick it up tomorrow!
@@jimmyholster Pick up? Did you buy it online sight unseen? There was a '17 blue RS on Vroom w/ only 6.9k miles for 32k recently. Did you buy that one? I thought about it lol, but I'm not sure I can handle nitrous blue lol
Congrats man!!!!
Had mine 4 years. Fantastic car on road and track.
Awesome!
Bought a slightly used 2018 red RS 8 months ago and absolutely love it
Awesome Daniel, congrats man!
im so happy i purchased my 2017/12 LE. had 14,500kms on it and got it for $51,000 (just about to hit 17,000km), so glad i picked it up and im amazed that the prices are going up, what an investment but doubt ill ever get rid of it :)
Congrats Connor, awesome buy and mate, thanks for watching and commenting.
The quaife diff definitely makes a difference over standard. I retrofitted one so have driven the same car with both options. Note re the head gasket. Ford recalled the cars with incorrect gaskets and replaced them with the correct gaskets so check service history.
Could you mention the cost to retrofit a Quaife? In what cornering situations do you feel/appreciate the improvement?
The rear seats do fold flat, the actual rear seats fold up by pulling up from the back allowing the seat backs to fold flat
G'Day Matt, thanks for the heads up man, I bloody missed checking that on the day we shot, sorry!!
Loved the salmon anaology - also love the premise of this channel. Used cars are under appreciated by professional reviewers.
Hi i enjoyed the video, keep it up.
Ford Focus RS is what a hot hatch should be like, fun, fast, reliable. I think because of the value for money you get from it. don't forget this was awarded Top Gear hot hatch and car of the year 2016, AutoExpress and many other impressive awards. meaning that it was deemed better compared to any other car in the world.
Cheers Andre, thanks so much for enjoying it.
I love my mk3 2017 RS as a daily
I bought a RS in April. And he makes so much fun, one of de best hot-hatch ever.
Greetings from Switzerland.
Ford gave me a Focus RS as a sorry for forgetting the paint protection on my new Ranger. I had it for the day but only drove it for an hour, it would have ended my license in a day. That go pedal is addictive. This car blew my mind, so incredibly fast around corners as well as in a straight line. Rolling start at 2500 rpm in second and floor it, about 2 second later doing over 100 and completely stopped in about same time. I just sat there laughing. 👍
Awesome comment Darren. It is such an addictive little beast. - AK
Just bought one and collecting mine on Tuesday 😎 It feels like my birthday and Christmas rolled into one
I own and daily one. The only issue I have is the turning radius. Other than that I love my car
Thanks for the video, I’m going to download the app for sure. Looks like some useful info. But the back seats can go completely flat. 👍 if you slot your hand between the lower portion and back rest portion of the rear seats, you can cup your hand around the lower portion and pull the lower seat. It will un fasten and hinge about the front edge of it. You can rotate around 90deg and then lay the backrest portion dead flat. Nice bit of design work by Ford 👌
G'Day Kieran. Yeah I bloody forgot to check the seat folding scenario when we shot this, my bad, sorry about that. And at the moment the cheat sheets are a PDF but we're currently working on getting our website live and an app will happen down the track.
Seats are reasonable and straightforward enough to tilt and fold back just like any other mk 3/3.5 Ford Focus. They may be ever so slightly higher than the boot lining itself, but would not pose a problem for folks.
Awesome review, I bought a second hand one here in the UK and I can’t get enough of it.
Here in the UK reliability is on the fence and there has been engine issues but I think some of them have been driven literally to the end of their lives. HARD
G'Day Stephen. Congrats on the purchase mate, I am quite jealous! It's amazing what they can handle but abuse is abuse and generally ends in something going boom. Also, thanks so much for watching and commenting.
Really well put together videos and presentation. Would have never guessed that you would be from Newcastle. Hell yea, put us on the map.
Cheers mate! Proud Novocastrian!! - AK
I bought one brand new and I still have it so I don't think I need to buy a used one
Just hit 41K from new on my 2018 RS... Still in love
I bought a 2018 4 months ago..... I find myself wanting to drive on my days off... it makes driving fun again. I get nervous taking it places though because it’s so bright... it’s a head turner.
You can fold seats flat.. raise the bottom part of the seat up towards the front, the lower the back part of seats
Fuel efficient if u use cruise control on the freeway. Reliable 27 mpg (us gallon) at 74 mph on cruise. However on average i get 20 mpg.
Looking at buying one right now over in the states. It's really interesting seeing the opinion of someone over in an different part of the world since the RS is no longer being manufactured here. I've been in love with the RS since we got it over here and they have finally come down to a reasonable price. Hoping for the best in locating one that hasn't been totally trashed like the I've seen with US STs and of course the Subaru scene. Loved the video and thanks for your insight! 🤘🏻
had one for the last year - sick car
Well done Ben and thanks so much for watching
Running stage 2+ and it’s absolutely a fun little thing
Awesome Tom. What brand of tune do you have?
I have an '18 ST & there's nothing wrong with it as a daily, but I still lust over buying an RS. The biggest issue in the US is just finding one local that hasn't been abused & that' reasonably priced. Very rare cars, however I can't see myself buying one sight unseen. I need to drive it & put my hands on it first.
We're hopefully featuring an ST soon and I've been lucky enough to have a decent amount of seat time in both and it's incredible that the same base platform can feel so incredibly different between the ST and RS. Both superb in their own way but it's amateur of opinion on which is "better".
I don’t know what state you live in but I am considering selling my Nitrous Blue 18 LE. Just hit 8,000 miles. Oil changes every 2,500mi, never abused it, never driven in snow, maybe once or twice in rain. Has weather tech mats all around, Ford performance carbon fiber shift knob, rally armor mud flaps, and an AWE cat back and that is it. I’m in New York. Just throwing it out there.
@@ReDriven The RS and ST are different, especially from a different feeling of weight perspective, but I think the rides between the two are almost the same (albeit RS softest suspension setting). I came from a mk 3 focus ST which I would recommend to anyone. It's a very fast feeling car indeed with almost RS acceleration. Admittedly though, in comparison, the mk 3 RS is the genuinely better car overall, faster and stronger feeling with more grip and it is understandable why they retain or may well increase their value.
@@fbmbiker50 Hope you didn't sell the car in the end
Just bought one with 40k clicks and it is phenomenal, the handling is amazing and the power is plenty.... for now.
@@Tegridyrandy fine, 43,000 k’s I’ve read there is a Ford and aftermarket head gasket fix, what will be will be, I’ll be dumping big money in it within 12 or so months (power has become normal, need more) but it still exciting around corners, like it’s on train tracks
This video I went back and watched with my wife on the TV as my selling point I needed one of these to upgrade from my Mazda MPS.
I'll let you know how I went in getting one. 😂
"Only fans style kind of leg spread" killed me lol you Aussies make me laugh/smile.
Hahahaha cheers mate
Had mine since jan 24, nb, shell seats, low mileage high options, bought as an absolute keeper,... Now SABRE stage 1 mapped, its an incredible car handles like a scalpel and ridiculous levels of grip especially in the wet....... I actually like the high seating position, reminds me of being sat up on a big super bike, jmo🤷🏻♂️...... When i get in the wifes mk3 focus st-line it now feels like im sat on the floor 🤣
Brought one and love it, great video.
Cheers Joe, appreciate the compliment!
And that is why il Got the a45 amg , the best rs ever made was my Old Ford focus rs mk2, still miss it 😢
The entertainment system comes to life if you own a an apple phone. It’s great 👍🏻
Go to cyanlabs and put sync 3.4 on it
Totally agree! My limited edition is now 2 1/2 yrs old and she will always remain in the garage. In America the RS especially the 2018’s will be iconic for years to come.
Why the 2018s
@@ethanurowsky8846 They only made 500 race reds for the United States that year being there limited edition models.
Looking from a UK perspective, the 2018 focus RS cars were the last mk 3.5's to be rolled out, hence being worth more. The Limited Edition Nitrous Blue was launched later in '18 and the much more expensive orange and also the red editions respectively.
I have Race Red too.
Stumbled across this channel. Have been looking for a channel that helps you make informed decisions about used cars with the same level of humour as the boys and girls over at CarExpert deliver consistently.
Found it! SUB'D!
AK, great job mate. 👍
Keep up the awesome content!
Ah thanks so much Degan. Funnily enough, Sam and I used to work with the guys at CarExpert when we were all at CarAdvice. - AK
@@ReDriven ah thought I recognised you. You guys should do a Collab. Quality used car content like yours would be a cool addition to an already great site.
"dozens of kids"🤣 looks good that RS
I find the seat height fine. Way better then the Aussie falcon i has before. I can’t believe how stupidly high it was across most variants
Oh 100% Chris! What was with that? I had an FPV GTP press car for a fortnight years ago and could never get comfy. Weapon of an engine but the driving position was just horrible.
@@ReDriven thats all the BA. BF FG and FGX. I banged my legs on the fg steering wheel every time i got in it. I have a 2015 focus ST now.
@@chrisorr3919 Yes yes yes! That stupid steering wheel height, insane. Awesome car man, I had a 2016 Fiesta ST until last year and I miss it everyday.
Boot space increases a heap when you get rid of the foam. It's a waste of space.
I find it hilarious that it took to half way through the video to mention the head gasket issue!
Love my RS
I bought mine brand new. Got a letter saying recall..got recall done. Then PTU leaks. You sit high, changing the battery and suspension not fun, limited wheel options. Pretty much nt03s, heats up quick on track days, after a year you question the monthly payments. The car really woke up from E85 and a tune though! Always got compliments, and the pops and bangs are amazing, fun to drive and one of the few turbo cars you can VTA (make sure to get BRV). Sold it because I wanted to track more and tracking the RS is pricey chasing down leaks.. I'd say BUY but be aware of some of the things I mentioned. It's a fun car for sure with some cons worth consideration.
Mate so frustrating reading the dramas you had, not good. But, great advice and thanks so much for watching.
@@ReDriven no problem, and nice 👌🏿video. The Focus RS taught me just because you can afford the monthly payment doesn't mean you afford tracking the car. Fun car just not the set-up for me.
USA RS2 owner here. The seats fold flat if you flip bottom up. Also if you hate the CS recaros you should try the SUV seats we got in the US. They are shit.
i own a 2017 RS with 60,000 miles, and i have been extremely satisfied with its capabilities after 4 years driving it stock! but i just installed 5k in performance upgrades which bumped it up to 400 hp. can’t wait to get a bigger turbo and push 500+ 🥴
Congrats mate, we're bloody jealous!
Does she have more zip with the current mods. I've seen on other comments that, no matter how much money you put into them. They just aren't that quick. What do you think?
@@kendrickh91 the car is fast with a tune but not crazy fast. To get more horsepower it needs a bigger turbo with downpipe. i knocked out all the mods to bridge me to the bigger turbo and downpipe. The car can be stupid fast but it’ll cost you around 15k to get there. I don’t regret getting the focus rs, but I’d you want a mini Lambo get a golf r with the dual clutch dsg and mod the hell out of it. There’s some real good vids out there, check out slowestrs channel, or livinglifefast has some golf r videos. What do you think you’ll do? awd is where it’s at brother tbqh! shit rips on a dig!
ua-cam.com/video/5og40PaU_FM/v-deo.html
@@kendrickh91 Time for me to get controversial Kendrick. The RS is plenty fast enough but in saying that, pretty much any car is plenty fast enough.
Far too many people rely on a cars performance rather than their driving skill. If someone wants a car that's faster in a straight-line than another car, buy a Tesla or something designed for drag racing.
The RS is fundamentally a rally car for the road and straight-line performance is way down the list of priorities. It's designed for balance, composure and ability into, through and out of corners while providing the maximum amount of driver satisfaction while still being a practical hatch back. At this, it succeeds incredibly.
We generally find those that criticise the RS's levels of performance either have no idea what they're talking about or have minimal skill behind the wheel. I've been fortunate enough to spent countless hours on track in various RS with seriously professional drivers and all are blown away with the cars abilities.
I remember one RS owner complaining about understeer. We went out and within 50 meters could see he had no idea how to drive a performance car. He just assumed it way like playing Forza (or in his case Mario Kart). Honestly, the guys I worked with that day could go out in a standard Toyota Camry and leave him in his RS for dead.
The RS is more car than 99% of drivers will ever need. The vast majority of owners unfortunately will never get close to what the car is capable of and after being on track in an RS with a truly world class professional driver behind the wheel, it's incredible what this car can do.
Dozens of kids? Not a dozen, but multiple dozens? So at least 24 (26 if he's a baker) kids. Fascinating.
Also, those spaces next to the back seat catch dropped phones and pocket stuff that falls during turns.
! common issues is a front cover oil leak it relates back to the Head gasket repair
The space under the cup holder is not a secret compartment. It is there to accommodate taller drink containers
But secret compartment sounds so much more impressive! - AK
Bought a 2017 for my daily 2 weeks ago. Still smiling like it was day 1.
Awesome mate
Got my 17 2 days go! Love it
I would consider buying this car. But if I did, I would need to overlook the stock ground clearance which I think is just an inch or 2, too low for my climate.
there's always that guy "we can still add more spice and sauce to this"
Never seen your channel before but the content is amazing, keep it up! Earned a subscriber
Oh mate thanks so much! We're only new to this and that means so much.
Had mine about 6 weeks now, and it’s my daily driver, nothing else does it, on a twisty B road nothing can touch it
My rear seats fold flat 😂😂 had my RS as my daily for 5 years still loving it
I get mine rs next week can’t wait to drive it
Picking mine up Aug 3rd. Can't wait.
Great video thank you! I’ll buy one to add to the fleet! Look nice next to the cosworth
This has me wanting a review of the old Mazda 3/Axela Mazdaspeed. Basically the FWD Focus RS being a 2.3 turbo made by Mazda who we all know are pretty well in bed with Ford
Awesome idea Mitchell, I'll start hunting one down to review. Thanks for watching too
A VERY successful engine for quite some time now !
Got a Golf R auto and Focus RS. I personally live Focus RS but Golf R is far more comfortable. However, if it’s for fun factor, it must be the focus !!!
Well now we're bloody jealous of your garage! Congrats on brilliant cars!
I was going to get rid of my RS because the ride quality and noise was too much for me to daily drive it BUT... I fitted Michelin Pilot Sport 4S on my RS and fell back into perverse love... Fifty Shades of love for my car. So if you don't like the harsh ride Pilot Sport 4S will be your best friends and they give you not only great ride quality, quiet riand comfort but tons and tons of grip that will... turn you into a tripod : )
Also, my RS is a 2017 and I have 111,000Kms on the clock and I bought a 5 yr 200,000kms warranty including all service this includes unlimited break replacements. Price of that warranty was about 6,000 CDN
And to think it will only get better and better as tyre tech improves. What a car mate.
@@ReDriven I was already sold on Michelin for summer and 4season tires but now I will never consider another brand. Winter tires are a different story. The RS came equiped with PILOT ALPIN PA4 and they were shit. Good on wet or dry cold pavement but shit on snow&ice... really crap. Dangerous. Switched to Bridgestone WS90 and they are like suction cups on snow and ice. Love them
@@simonpageau6925 Brilliant feedback mate, thanks you.
My dream car
Focus RS is my dream car
My car blew a head gasket just outside of the warranty, ford covered it though but I sold it a few years later just in case it happened again.
I've been looking for info on the 2.3 eco boost, THANKS JIM! I'm looking at very good discounts in my area for the 1-2yr old Focus Sts, even the track pack version. My only concern was the engine, these have updated head gaskets. In my short-term ST I get 9L/100km in winter conditions easily so it's not going to compete with a VW EA888 on that, but I'm happy with the consumption given the punch and I just trust this engine more than VAGs.
"Only Fans style leg spread" had me rolling!
New drinking game.. every time AK Morris says "Look.." in the video, you have to take a shot.
Hahahahaha I love that. You'll be hammered in about 45 seconds! - AK
Love mine and love it more everyday
i mean i crashed the front end but that paint looks better than the original lol
I didn't even watch the video I just came here to say no car is to much for the road. And I don't think anyone is wandering if the RS is "to much for the road" if anything it's not enough
I bought a used 2018 rs but found out it'd on a Second engine and it currently has leaks. Insurance is fixing it but I am still not sure if I should keep it or return.
Oh mate that's horrible to hear.
I should have pulled the trigger in 2019 they're up like 5-7k since then with more miles on them.
I'm glad someone else feels you sit too high in the car thought it was just me
It's so frustrating mate
I know this is an older video but still well made guys even if you're not a fan of how these ones are compared to you're newer ones.
After seeing your recation to how hot the salmon was you ate adam it makes me wonder if you'd want to eat the entirety of that of have to use a Cruze as your daily drive for a month lol 😆
Rear seats do fold flat. Lift the cushion
Just get upgraded springs from say Mountune and that drastically improves ride quality.
These look and perform very nicely, but for the price, I'd rather get the Mustang GT and mod it. But I've ALWAYS admired the RS and STs
Focus rs is way better in rain and snow, with the AWD system and actually has usable backseats, unlike the mustang. I'd be scared to drive a GT in rainy conditions. GT is of course a cooler and faster sportscar, but RS does have some advantages.
Owned mine 3 years in the UK and love it still. Its nearly covered 50,000 miles but no plans to sell it. Also own a 2015 Fiesta ST which is another epic fast ford and much cheaper to buy and run.
Paul, what a garage you have! Congrats mate and thanks so much for watching.
Very good review
Was thinking about upgrading from my mk3 ST Estate to a Golf R or Focus RS, but ended up buying the new MK4 ST Edition which comes in a very similar colour as the old RS, just because it's a newer car and the RS' Price has gone up quite a bit. Coming from the mk3 ST, I wouldn't hesitate one bit about getting the RS though, the platform is pretty reliable and from what I heard the engine is super reliable also once you get the updated Gasket. You'll have some interior rattles here and there but that's kinda what you expect when driving a Econobox, even if it's an expensive super fast one.