Happened to me. They broke into my STI at my 24 hour fitness where I lift every night. They shattered the passenger side window, and the glass streaked down the door, cutting it up and marring the paint. To repaint and fix my auto body shop (new concept in plano) had to blend, which meant the side of the car. Some of the window glass marred up the film on the rocker. I put it in the auto body shop. And when they were done I took it by speedshield to get the rocker fixed. Insurance paid. My car and film are insured. Talk to your agent if you want to get it done. My carrier is cool with it.

 

Agreed but that's the only comparison that came to mind regarding the twinster torque vectoring. It "feels" like you have all wheel steering in the rear. Just grips and comes around the corner. Weird but awesome sensation/feeling in an awd car. I just don't know what else to compare it to....

 

congrats on purchase, would get exact same color/trime, what an awesome machine, also agree that hatch > sedan, especially for DD / multipurpose vehicle.

not trying to rain on your parade but the reason I am leaning more towards the golf-r is due to the powerplant longevity, to be more precise - the uncertainty of the longevity of the 2.3 ecoboost, it's essentially 95% same engine as the mustang ecoboost - it seems that to date it's been having a lot of issues with long term reliability, one of the main reasons some famous car-reviewer youtuber got rid of his ecoboost mustang, im not 100% sure what is wrong with the engine but there is some inherent flaw in the architecture.
Hopefully ford changed things up enough to make the RS plant different, but only time will tell, I'd hold of on tunes/modding until more information surfaces. Feel free to shed light on this, im sure you know way more about this than me.

 

Why would anyone get the new CTR when you can get the Focus RS?

 

I don't know. Focus RS offers more options and AWD. I wouldn't want 300hp through FWD.

 

Well don't take this the wrong way as I'm 100% not trying to be rude. Sir, don't come into my joy and try to take a dump. It's not kosh. And it isn't appreciated. You have no idea the sacrifices I've made or what I've went through the past few years personally, financially, or anything else. I'm not gonna go drama queen or type a novel, but let's just say I've been chinzing money aside for 5 years so I could write a very healthy down payment, largest one I've ever written in my life on a vehicle. I wanted a massive chunk put down, right off the bat as I loathe large payments of any kind. My home, the monthly is even minimal all in. But my home has cost me a small fortune in renovation, and it's eaten up my car passion money for years. So much that I had to give it up for 5. So you don't know this, how would you? But I've sacrificed a lot, so much, to type that OP, and have some joy in my life after some very dark days. I also realize that you put yourself out there, especially on the internet, and we all know how it goes. Someone, even if it is mild, will try and take the jam out of your doughnut. And turn your shit into their own. So it is what it is, and I pretty much expected it. Par for the internet course.

Yup I know all about it, and I'd make the same decision tomorrow, and next week, and next month. I watched as the 2.3L went into the Mustang, watched what Livernois did with it, tuning, parts, name it. They don't call it the EcoBeast for nothing.

I've driven the current R. You sit down lower in that car, hunkered down in it, when the RS is more of a rally type driving position with much better visibility all the way around.
Forward visibility for my height there isn't even a contest, RS all day.
For my height the R is a very compromised driving position compared to this car.
And for my height it feels claustrophobic to me for some reason. Under 6', you're good to go, pick what you like more. R has better premium audio, more luxury "like" interior, leather, soft touch materials, the gamut. But that's where it ends. Road feel, chassis, steering feel, braking, power, anything and everything related to a driving machine, RS all day. I'm not a vehicle ego guy, never have been. Even at the track on 2 wheels or 4, I don't worry about my track dick. And I think the R is a damn good car, excellent so I'm not trying to say neener neener as you cannot, go wrong with it. A R with JB4 is a damn sweet package. It is a better DD, no doubts about it. If you want a DD and want that comfort and what not in zombie rush hour traffic driving around mouf breathers, but want to be able to rip and turn when you want, I'd buy a DSG R. You'd rather have a driving machine, pure, well not be pure let's be honest nothing in this segment is a lightweight drop top or coupe....I'd go Miata or BRZ/FRS for that at this price point, or a used S2000 most likely, but in this segment, the awd turbo hatch/sedan. RS is the true "drivers" car, by a good margin, at least imo. It's the only car to come out in this segment and actually beat the EVO as a drivers car. And that is saying a lot, imo. The EVO may not be a good DD to some, but it's a damn fine driver's car, no matter the gen, when you factor cost, dollar for dollar performance value. And I say that as a previous GR owner, and I loved, loved, that car after Cobb was done with it fixing all the oem deficiencies (mostly mapping, afr's, etc). I've always held the EVO in high regard and never got into the STI > EVO bs the Subros would participate in. I even looked at buying the last 2015 EVO's left on the lots and the 5 gear manual really sucks on the highway, I heavily favor the hatch body style, and just like RS package much more. If this purchase was for "track only" the EVO is the obvious choice providing you can find one at a reasonable cost. But they put in craptastic seats in the FE.

The haldex on the R, and the GKN Twinster system in the RS, they just don't even compare to me. Totally different and you feel it driving both. One is better for DD and the occasional canyon/twisty run. The other is more purpose built drivers car, and that is what I wanted.

There is a head gasket issue on the RS Cosworth treated motor, it is mostly early production with a few other people sprinkled in there. Could be head bolts, we don't know yet. The few affected, Ford has done the opposite of Subaru with their EJ problems that exist to this day. On a STI, if there is an issue, it's most likely piston #4 and a busted ringland, or bearing issue. Subaru replaces the short block only. Ford has stepped up, and gives the RS owner an entire new motor. Like many older and knowledgeable gentlemen here, I don't buy first year cars, ever. It's just silly as you pay more in purchase price, due to demand, and you have the most likely chance of getting caught out with first year issues. They are supposedly stopping production on this car in the July time frame. That's what I've been told. RS runs in Europe have routinely been several model years, and bye. Ford Performance is just that way, and Jamal Hameedi (Ford Performance chief engineer, he worked on the last gen Ford GT, behind the voodoo in the GT350, etc) has also stated as much. It's as simple as I waited, wasn't an early adopter, came across a killer deal, that I negotiated harder on, and I'd make the same decision tomorrow. I truly love the car and there is no bias.
I ran a JSW TDi for a while (pre-dieselgate), 2 years, and I've never bought an American car in my life. This is the first. And there are already thousands of RS owners running bolts ons, tunes, with nary an issue. Owners running stock, no issues.
I'm not stupid enough to buy and run straight to aftermarket parts and tuning changes. I'll drive this, be happy, for a while, a year or so, before I decide to do anything. Back to my STI, this RS, power wise only, runs as hard as my Stage 2 STI with a reality voided warranty, and I'm bumper to bumper covered for years.

Before I bought the car I already had extended warranty coverage book marked, with outstanding pricing.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1y...NpOEZyR3M/view
Like I said, I'd make the same decision tomorrow. Love the car.

 

Tommy I get it. Going through something similar myself. Enjoy the car it's a great buy!

 

Looks like a fun car. I am digging the white with blue stitching & calipers; very Ford in a good way.

 

Congrats! I did exactly this but with a 2016 ST instead of the RS. No regrets, and I'm still surprised by Ford right now. 20k miles in and no issues or buzzes etc. Solid car, so I expect you'll have the same luck.

Tips I've found for the evoboost engines "issues":

1) No WOT pulls under heavy load (50 mph WOT in 6th) - this is the main issue that causes LSPI
2) Use a good full synthetic oil like Penzoil Ultra Platinum. I've had good luck
3) Use a good fuel 91 / 93
4) Before you get home, 5-10 minutes away give the car a good flogging on a few pulls

I was a life long Honda man, but my ST has surpassed all my expectations as well. You can do some cool things with the car with a BT OBD2 adapter and the Focccus app if you want to check that out (windows down with your remote, etc).

Few things I've learned. The headrest was designed to go on the floor behind the front seats before you fold the bottom cushion up. Annoying that you have to remove it but it fits nicely there. The TPMS threshold is set stupid high, so monitor the pressures. It doesn't reset until you get back up to 38+ psi. If you change tires there is a built in TPMS relearn. The seats broke in right around 1500 miles for me. Still have some minor thigh issues, but mostly they are phenomenal seats. Ford service is god damn awful, stay away at all costs. The ST has a full size 18" spare, maybe you can get one from someone, if it'll clear the Brembos.

Most of all, enjoy! Ford is firing on all cylinders right now across their whole line up. I have zero regrets with my OW ST.

 

Oh and when you fold the seats down for extended periods, the metal brackets that lock the bottom cushion in place leave indents on the back rest leather. The leather is seemingly resistant, it always goes away and smooths out after a couple days.