Buying a Fiesta - the definitive guide. (Ford Fiesta Zetec in general)

Name: andycharger

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Ford Fiesta Zetec in general
Date:	02.08.01 (1295 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good little cars, Good engines, Fun

Disadvantages: A badly maintained one is expensive

I love Fiestas. In fact, we have had 2 now.
But im going to review a Fiesta Zetec rather than our Ghia.
Firstly, I think its a better car.
Secondly, Both of my Fiestas have had the Zetec Power Unit under the bonnet.

Better car?

Well its 1500 quid cheaper to buy than the Ghia. Comfort level difference is minimal in today's Fiesta. The extra touches are expensive for what they are.

So Lets talk about the Zetec.

My First Fiesta was an XR2I 1.8 16V Zetec. My god. Did it fly. It used to scare me and my passengers, particularly in the Wet.
Basically, there was too much power under the bonnet for the wheels to transfer to the tarmac.
Handling was attrocious because of this.
It gave a great ride and was my favourite car that I have owned.
In fact, as soon as I traded it in, I regretted it.
I still kick myself over it today and I sold it 3 years ago.
Comfort was very good inside. The dash had a lovely dark layout with only a wobbly rev counter to worry about. Fuel economy was not good as you would not get a lot more than 250 miles out of a tankful.

Today, our new fiesta is .55 of a litre smaller than that monster and you can tell. It can handle its powerplant beautifully and transfers the power to the tarmac with ease.
No Wheelspin. No sliding.
Its comfortable, if a little slow. Then again, it is a 1.25 engine.

If you are going to buy a fiesta, buy a Zetec.
Why?
Because the other engines may be cheaper, but they are coming from nearly a 20 year old design.

The old 997cc and 1.1 litre engine will struggle to pull the new cars along. Fine for granny out doing her shopping.
The Over head Valve engines (OHV) that they are powered by are noisy, burn oil and are generally unreliable.A typical Ford design. Also known as the push rod engine.

The 1.3 Over Head Cam Engine (OHC) is slightly younger but not much. It too is a Ford "in House" Design
. It may be bigger than the Zetec but it gives out less horsepower and is not as fuel efficient.

The Zetec beats them all. Its less than 10 years old from Design board.
It comes in a variety of sizes and powers many of the cars in the Ford Range.
Yamaha supplied the design for it.

So if you want a long term saving, pay the extra for a Zetec. It will definitely give more power and extra fuel miles.

What to look for.
-----------------

Ok, so Ive talked you into it. Great.
Here is what to avoid .
Lesson 1.
Open the bonnet. Does it look nice and clean under there? Can you see any signs of fluid leaking? Oil?
Look at the seals and gaskets around the engine. If you are not sure what you are looking for, take someone with you who knows.
Check the cam belt. Has it been replaced recently or does it look warn out? If its worn and the garage wont change it, dont bother.
A new belt is about £55 to buy and fitting is about £100 to 150 and that was 4 years ago. Expensive if you need it done.
All the rubber work looks unperished?
Gatiors and seals look unrepaired? Could be the sign of an over used engine bay.

Lesson 2.
Take a look at the outside. A well maintained car would be undamaged. Look for badly fitting doors or panels that don’t match in colour. Could be the sign of accident damage or a blow over from a rusty bit. A modern Zetec should not be old enough to rust but check it.
Normal places for Fiestas to go rusty are Wheel Arches, Boot lid tailgate, Door frames, under the battery tray.
Check the door seals are all undamaged and the sunroof seal has not perished. You don’t want leaks on a rainy day.
Check for stone chip repair. If its heavily damaged, it might have been doing some unsavoury driving at unsavoury speeds.
No one wants a thrashed car.
Check under the car. No big welds along the bottom of the car awe there? Ford are well known as one of t
he most common cars to “Cut and Shut”. Be wary of this. Check also the bottom of the window pillars by the wing mirrors. This is where the normally bolt the one end to the other too.

Lesson 3.
Inside trim tells a lot of tales. Look for Cigarette burns if it’s a smoker’s car. Detracts from the value.
How do the seats look? Worn? Maybe its done more miles than the mileometer is telling you. It’s a surefire way to tell if its been “clocked”, another common problem with Fords.
Are the seats comfy? For does the little drawers and doors shut on the different compartments? No sign of breakages or bulbs that don’t work. Now is a good time to test the outside lights and switches. Turn eveything on. Get out and have a look. Ask someone to “flash you and put their foot on the brake pedal. All lights should come on.

Lesson 4.
Test Drive.
Start it up. Does it star straigt away? No sign of hesitataion or stalling? You don’t want to replace any of the fuel ir ignition computerisation that runs a Zetec. It gets expensive.
Engage first. No clunking or grinding was there? Could mean the gear box has taken some abuse if it has. Avoid it if this happens. Gearbox is £800.
Stop. Engage Reverse and give it some. Any whiring coming from the gearbox or is it silent?
Noise means a knackered Reverse Synchromesh. Another Gearbox gremlin. Avoid it again.
Does the ride feel smooth? No knocking from the car when you go around corners? If it does, the ball joints may have gone. Another cheap thing to fix on a fiesta but still a pain.
Does it stop alright? Any Judder through the steering wheel under braking? Could be a brake problem if there is .

If all is satisfactory, you could say you have a bargain, considering the mileage is low and the price is right.

One thing to aim for:
Fiesta before the Cost cutting drive of '97 are normally better cars. Not as c
heaply made or noisy.

I hope this avoids any heartache when buying.

Summary: