... It was Ford's latest attempt at producing an automatic small car after their earlier disasters with auto
gearboxes.
My car is a five door, I would have preferred three doors but at that time the durashift was only being produced with five. It is a 2004 basic Finesse model but came with ... Read review
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Advantages: Lovely Car Disadvantages: Will it stand the test of time?
...bought the car on the Ford Options finance plan.
To explain
- I am buying half the car on finance over two years and a guaranteed future value is allocated to the car, this value stays until you take up your options choice at the end of the term of finance when you can choose to:
Give the car back, and walk away
Finance the other half of the car
Hope that the car is worth more than the guaranteed value ... ...there is a helpdesk at ford where the operators may decide to assist during this time.The paintwork holds a six year anti corrosion warranty providing the paint is bubbling up from the inside - it does not cover stonechip damage.
My Fiesta is fitted with a passive anti theft system which means only a key that has been coded to the car will start the engine, and insurance is very low for me at £160 but then I am unlikely to be a high ... more
I bought my Fiesta 1.4 Finesse, Durashift, brand new, in October 2003. It was Ford's latest attempt at producing an automatic small car after their earlier disasters with auto gearboxes.
My car is a five door, I would have preferred three doors but at that time the durashift was only being produced with five. It is a 2004 basic Finesse model but came with the added bonus of ABS as standard, otherwise the only posh bits are the cd playerand manual central locking! It does not have electric windows,remote central locking or air con - but I have to say that for the amount of time I would use these features they seemed very expensive add-ons!
The cost? around £9500 - it always costs £1000 more for an automatic or durashift - I have never understood why people who cannot drive a manual vehicle are discriminated against in this way (sorry, rant over!), and I bought the car on the Ford Options finance plan.
To explain - I am buying half the car on finance over two years and a guaranteed future value is allocated to the car, this value stays until you take up your options choice at the end of the term of finance when you can choose to: Give the car back, and walk away Finance the other half of the car Hope that the car is worth more than the guaranteed value and use that excess as a deposit on another new car.
In my case as the Fiesta Durashift has not sold as well as expected I am unlikely to gain anything unless my cars pristine condition and very low mileage is taken into account.
The Gears? The durashift is classed as a semi automatic, this means that the gearshift can be used in auto mode or 'touch tip' manual mode. The ony time I have used this has been in icy conditions when I needed to hold the car in gear, (Fully auto vehicles do not have this kind of control and I have a vivid memory of trying to control a previous car through a downhill spin on ice!) these touchtip gears are easy to operate and for people like me who know nothing about driving a manual car there is a handy screen on the dash that shows which gear you are using.
The drive? is amazing - not as smooth a change as fully auto - in that it hesitates slightly between first and second gear but the kickdown works brilliantly - smooth acceleration to high speed just when I need it - holds the road beautifully which is probably why the Fiesta has been around for so long,and the fuel comsumption is good. I have discovered though that when I stop at traffic lights, juctions etc, if the car is on an incline when I release the handbrake it will roll slightly forward or back before taking up the drive. Apparently this happens with a manual gearbox too so perhaps its only a surprise to me.The power steering is light and an absolute must for my wrist problems, and the steering column is adjustable, as is the seat height - all in all a very comfortable drive. The cd player is great and plays all my cd's beautifully.
The interior - I think my Fiesta is slightly higher than my previous vehicle as I can get in and out with ease and the car is roomy with head restraints for all, easy controls and a simple dashboard make driving easy - (I drove the new Astra recently and it was like being in the cockpit of an airplane - so many controls!) the usual lights for oil and handbrake and an alarm when there is only 50 miles worth of fuel left!
The warranty - this car came with a three year warranty - the first year is from the manufacturer and covers all concerns with the vehicle, the second and third years are dealer warranty and the cover is not so comprehensive - trims etc are not covered during this time, however, should there be a problem that isn't covered there is a helpdesk at ford where the operators may decide to assist during this time.The paintwork holds a six year anti corrosion warranty providing the paint is bubbling up from the inside - it does not cover stonechip damage.
My Fiesta is fitted with a passive anti theft system which means only a key that has been coded to the car will start the engine, and insurance is very low for me at £160 but then I am unlikely to be a high risk!
My dilemma? In October my 'Options' agreement comes to an end and I have to decide whether :
To keep it - knowing that after three years the MoT test looms and things could get expensive.
To give it back and owe nothing - but have nothing to show for two years of payments.
Or To part/ex it against another car - hoping that it has held its value and is worth more than the guaranteed value.
I originally bought the Fiesta as my first and last NEW car but indecision has got to me and I don't know which 'option' to take now.
Advantages: Well built, roomy, good running costs Disadvantages: A lot of plastic in interior
...time I have had 3 Ford Fiesta’s. My first car was an old ‘W’ reg which was pretty basic but a good runner that rarely let me down and was inexpensive to insure and repair. I then had an E-reg model that was slightly better but still your bog standard car. In 2001 I bought a newer style P-reg and again it was a decent little ride. Now Ford has changed the shape of the fiesta, no longer is it the cheap little run around. In fact it’s a sturdy and attractive ... ...however the staggering excesses that ford have introduced plus the various add on’s make it a very un-appealing offer.
The 1.4 LX model is probably the most practical of the new shape fiesta’s. The entry level finesse is pretty basic, the LX is where the extras come in. My 5-DR model has electric windows, central locking, cd player, air con, heated mirrors and a heated front windscreen. The 1.4 engine has some decent kick on the highway and handles ...
utero 28.02.2004
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Ford Fiesta 1.4
Advantages: Handles well, pretty nippy Disadvantages: No personality, and no more
...five door, five speed, red Ford Fiesta with the 1.4 litre Cfi engine. It was twelve years old and had done 112500 miles. The reason I hated my car is this...It was twelve years old and has done 112500 miles. When I bought it, I was nearly 25 years old, and I would really like to be driving the TVR from "Swordfish", or any of the four-wheeled cast of "Gone in 60 Seconds". I would love to be driving round the M25 in a Ferrari with Angelina Jolie by ... ...more commonly home to the Ford Orion, a bigger and heavier car, the Fiesta accelerated fairly quickly. Due to it's age, the acceleration between 50-70 mph isn't as quick as it used to be, but between 30-50 mph, if you change down a gear, it will give pretty much anything a run for it's money. Especially when driven by someone whose right foot is as heavy as mine. It will travel quite happily at 70 mph and, even now, slightly less happily at 95 mph, ...
Soho_Black 20.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Ford Fiesta 1.4
Advantages: Nippy, good accelaration, reasonable sound system Disadvantages: Noisy, a bit plasticy, expensive
...customer service at my local Ford dealers to be snotty and they took ages to fix my car. And I already felt pretty stupid - I didn't need them rubbing it in!!
TRANSMISSION & PERFORMANCE: (concentrate, here comes the technical stuff....)
Engine Capacity - 1399 cc
Cylinders - 4
Power - 68@4000 bhp
Torque - 118@2000 lb/ft
5 Speed Manual Gearbox
Maximum Speed - 102 mph 0 - 62 mph - 14.4 seconds
I am told I drive too fast (by my girlfriend anyway). ... ...to be driven slowly. It sits very happily at above 40mph. It is not ideal for town driving. But on motorways it is great.
The car is noisy, and I've been concerned at times that there is something wrong with it, with all the sounds it emits. I'm told this is normal for a Fiesta.
STYLE:
(5 dr Hatchback)
I can't tell the difference between my car and a focus. Maybe they ran out of ideas for car shapes....
The car has nice styling, slightly angular ...
Pablo147 10.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Ford Fiesta 1.4
Advantages: Nippy engine, cheap to insure, cheap servicing, good mpg (depending on how you drive it) Disadvantages: The old Fiesta look.
...looking, so much so, that Ford have used it in the Puma (admittedly with a little aluminium effect trim). It comes with electric windows, and the lowest of the range radio-cassette player, although it does the job.
Externally the car has front fog lights, and a rear spoiler, along with R14 185/55 tyres to add to the sporty look. It is not too raucous though with trim, making it a nice safe option for the insurance companies, and it being a Fiesta, ... ...have had no problems mechanically with the car, it is nearly four years old now.
I bought my car on Options, and I might hold onto it once the term runs out on the finance arrangement.
Unfortunately they don't make the Chicane Limted Edition enymore, but you will probably be able to pick up a relatively cheap second hand one (P or R reg). ...
lesinge2k 12.01.2001 (15.12.2000)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Ford Fiesta 1.4
Advantages: A good solid car, with a sporty side if needed Disadvantages: Probably won't stand out in a traffic jam
...mark of the evolution of Ford itself over recent years, taking a lot of inspiration in terms of appearance from the Focus. This is probably the most notable feature when first presented with the Fiesta, as the sleek lines and seemingly infinite head lights simply scream Focus at you. In many ways, the Fiesta acts as younger brother to the Focus, with a helping of youthful exuberance, and a sense of playfullness not really apparent in the "every man" ... ...Fiesta seems more of a young persons car, particularly with the quite nippy 1.4 engine. In addition, the Zetec model also continues the slightly sportier theme, with small attentions to detail, such as the alluminnium insert on the gear stick, and an all round more refined interior. This includes a CD player, Air-Con and electric front windows, which all help to portray an altogether more complete package for both driver and passengers, with a quite ...
tomremnant 05.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Ford Fiesta 1.4
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FordFiesta Ghia 1.4 TDCi 5dr
Background I have owned my 2004 FordFiesta1.4 TDCi since it was 6 months old and have traveled at the time of writing (OCT 2007) 25000 miles though the car has done 30000 in total.The car lacks in one area, which is acceleration, however, this does not detract from a 5-star rating because if you're purchasing a diesel at this price point you should be doing it for the excellent economy - not for super fast performance...
The Drive The car is great fun to drive, and surprisingly nippy round town, the handling feels safe and secure and corners neatly. It is not a performance hatchback so don't expect to be 'burning-off' your average family saloon on a head to head, however the car has a respectable top speed (102mph) and cruises quite nicely on motorways at 70. Not as smooth as larger ...
Advantages: Cheap to run, Zetec handles really well Disadvantages: Bit plasticy inside, can get rattly.
I have a 2002 FordFiesta Zetec 1.4 TDCi 5dr in red. Over 60MPG, very low insurance and cheap tax. Beware of the first batch in 2002 that didn't have the CO2 tweaked so yours paying £120 tax when the exact same car released months after is only £35 a year to tax. Very annoying! The Zetec has superb handly and most of the time feels very nippy with good pull in higher gears on motorways. It seems a lot nippier than it's 68HP would suggest. I fill it up once a month and I'm driving about 25 miles a day to work and back and pottering around at weekends. The car has a couple of annoying rattles from the slightly cheap interior build quality but there are a nice number of storage compartments and the cabin feels pretty good standard. Seats are comfy and there is plenty of room in the car. I am 6ft 2 and my left knee does sometimes rub a bit ...
Advantages: Great handling, nippy, good fuel consumption, good features Disadvantages: Slightly smaller boot than competitors, rear seats don't fold flat
I have owned my FordFiesta1.4 16v since last June. My particular model is a 3dr, which is more rare in this Ghia specification.
Features include:
- Leather seats
- Air Condition
- CD player
- iPod connection (optional extra)
- Automatic lights
- Automatic windscreen wipers
- Electric folding wing mirrors
- 6x2 Spoke 15" alloy wheels
- Front fog lights
- Chrome effect front grill
- Trip/MPG/Miles to empty computer
- Steering wheel height adjustment
Technical points
- Petrol
- 5 speed gearbox
- Insurance group 5
- CO2 147 g/km - £125 tax a year
- 12,500 mile service intervals
- 80 BHP
- 0-62: 12.3 secs
- 45 litre fuel tank
The car is a great little run around in town, and is very easy to park. Through 1st, 2nd and 3rd it is very nippy, so is the perfect town car. However, it also holds up well on the motorway, accelerating well in ...
