I can't believe that they are still selling this pile of cack! (Ford Fiesta Encore in general)

Member Name: buchanan17

Product:	Ford Fiesta Encore in general
Date:	30/10/00 (1157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap probably

Disadvantages: Everything else, steering so vague, engine noisy, useless seating position, radio and insult to the intelligence

I currently have the misfortune to be driving a 1998 Fiesta Encore whilst my car is at the body shop. Sorry - I hate it! And this car thinks its drivers are idiots.

First the idiots bit - the radio (part of the radio cassette) has just a seek button and a volume button, and 3 presets. No tone, balance, MW, LW...of course, Ford probably thought this was oh so simple to use, but it seems like they are treating their users like idiots! I cannot get 5live, or test cricket... Or perhaps you can, by some complex means which would rather defeat the point of a simple radio. Either way they should be shot.

But enough of the radio. Perhaps i started on that because the car has virtually nothing going for it. The steering is non power assisted, so you could hope at last for a Ford steering set up that had some feel - nope, this is just as bad as any of the power assisted set ups I've driven on Cougars or Mondeos. Zilch feel - you feel like you are on the car, not in it. driving it only this morning I heard an advert for a Fiesta with power steering....sounds a nightmare to me!

And the engine is 1300cc. Sure you can get something out of it if you try, but it sounds horrendous doing it. And the gears are so long, or the engine so lacking in low end torque that selecting 5th gear at anything below 60mph is a big mistake.

Anything else going for it? Not really. The driving position is more italianite than anything Alfa or Fiat have ever offered. At 6ft 2, there is reasonable room with the seat back, but only with my legs getting in the way of 4th and 5th gears. Try changing gear with the stick underneathyour left leg. All this time, my arms when on the wheel are quite stretched. And long legged I am not - I have never really had a problem with Alfa driving positions, so this must be bad. Useless.

Well, I guess the turning circle is quite tight, and the all round visibility good. And perhaps economy is reasonable a
nd parts cheap. But who cares. This is a dog of a car. I cannot believe they are still selling some - but it was under 8 grand, WITH power steering. What a bargain...NOT!

How can 78% of people here recommend it? For what?

Summary: