Hi,
I've been a member on here for sometime but have only recently started 'joining in'.
I also po...
Hi,
I've been a member on here for sometime but have only recently started 'joining in'.
I also post on dooyoo, so you may find my reviews duplicated there... hey a guy's gotta earn a living, right?
PS Sorry about the photo!
I have owned my 2004 Ford Fiesta 1.4 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 car but still I think you would be surprised at the cars' ability to absorb those bumps and dips in the road, if you need a technical term I would describe the ride as 'firm'.
Inside
As a package, pretty much everything stacks up, there's plenty of space for the driver and front passenger, and it's a cinch
to get comfortable behind the wheel. I'm over 6ft and my gangly legs fold up quite neatly with the adjustable steering column allowing my arms to rest comfortably. Room in the back is good (dependent on how far you push back the front seats, I wouldn't want to be 6ft in the back and be sat behind a 6ftr in the front mind! The boot is a fair size and a sensible shape.
The Dash
It has been reviewed in some car mags as quite cheap looking, however, I disagree (well I would wouldn't I). Mine has quite copious amounts of black plastic interspersed (being the Ghia) with silvery bits here and there (including the gear stick) which add at least £10.50 to the looks. There is the usual dials and switches all positioned with good visibility. The fuel and temp gauges are LCD. The air vents are pretty standard and perform well especially if you have the air conditioning on tap which comes on the Ghia.
Visibility
At the front and sides there is no problem. Like many hatches the rear pillows can be a bit restrictive, however, if you manage to pick up a model with rear parking sensors you'll be laughing.
Reliability & Servicing
My experience is that the car is very reliable and fairly cheap to maintain. Below are details of the two services I've had on mine line by line. Other than that at 30000 miles I had all four tyres replaced (there was still some wear in the old ones but I'm safety conscious) and the cost was £185, which I was pleased with. Parts are plentiful and when the car is out of warranty skip the dealer prices and take it to a reputable independent to save more.
Servicing Costs
2nd Year Service / 25000 £63.06 Mobil Oil £30.06 Toxic disposal £1.98 Gasket £ 0.91 Filter £13.62 Filter £10.00 Top Up Pack £5.30 Brake Fluid Change £33.20 Fluid £4.62 Wheel Alignment £21.28 VAT Due £32.39 ------------------------------------------------ Total £217.50
3rd Year Service / 37500 £66.05 Ultra Engine Oil £15.00 Toxic Waste Disposal £1.98 Gasket £0.94 Element Assy £12.56 Filter £14.00 Filter £10.29 Filter Assy Fuel £32.80 Top Up Pack £6.38 Grease £1.70
Carry Out MOT £50.35 VAT due £28.30 ---------------------------------------------- Total £240.35
Trim
At the top of the range, Ghia has the lot: alloys, air-con, electric everything and plush trim, the Zetec is okay but to be honest I think that you would be disappointed with the rest. My Ghia feels like a bigger car on the inside I have no doubt due to the bells and whistles as part of the Ghia trim, fully adjustable seats, electric windows, LCD dials, silvery bobbles and of course cup holders.
The load space is better than all but the class leaders, I'm an outdoor junkie and keep my walking boots, scopes, binoculars and camera equipment in the boot together with tripod and various items of clothing, yet I can still fit the weekly shopping in there.
Purchase Price
While the little Ford is not as cheap to buy as some others, it's good for what you get. They lose value quickly from new, but then depreciation levels off, so as long as you avoid a nearly new car, it should make financial sense. I paid £8500 for mine 6 months old which considering it was the Ghia was good deal. At the time of writing then I could probably get £5k-6k trade-in. The local dealer keeps telling me that the diesels are much sought after.
Running cost
The Fiesta is the best Ford that I have owned, due in no small part to the excellent economy from the diesel engine which always achieves 55mpg+ and usually on a full tank I can get 550 miles before refueling. I haven't worked out the cost per mile but I'm sure it's fantastic.
The other good news is that the Fiesta's general running costs beat most of the competition's. Servicing is needed every 12,500 miles or yearly, but the work is straightforward and cheap. Any good garage should be up to the job, and most main dealers offers discounts for older cars. Tyres, brakes and exhausts are quick to replace and as low-cost as you'll find.Most car reviews I've seen say that the 1.4 (89bhp) diesel is the best all-rounder, but I would like to have a go in the 1.6 diesel which has an extra notch in the acceleration stakes (scarce as 2ND hand buy). Gear change is smooth if a little notchy but you soon acquire the taste for it. My 1.4 has Ox like pulling power!
Insurance ranges from group 3 to 6 (apart from the ST) for the range with the 1.4TDCi falling into Group 5.
Independent Reviews
I did a lot of checking before I purchased the car on What Car and Parkers etc. The reliability scores well overall. One weak spot is apparently the water-pump but states should be picked up at regular servicing and that a damp patch can appear in the front foot wells due to faulty pollen filter seals letting in rainwater. One review also suggests that were fitted the heated front screen should be checked.
In my experience I've had none of the above issues, infact I would say that the car functions aswell now as it did the day I bought it.
Technical Details
Production 13 Mar 2003 until now Length 3916 mm Width 1905 mm Height 1463 mm Weight 1180 kg Fuel Delivery Common rail Transmission Manual Gears 5 Speed Engine Size 1399 cc Cylinders 4 0-60 mph 14.4 s Power Output 67 bhp Valves 8 Torque 160 Nm 118 lb-ft Top Speed 102 mph Wheelbase 2486 mm Luggage Capacity 284 L Fuel Capacity 43 L Turning Circle 9 m Insurance Group 5 CO2 Emissions 116 g/km Road Tax Band B (12 months =£35)
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Oct 14th, 2007
(Oct 27th, 2007)
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