Ford Fiesta (1999 - 2002) 1.3 Flight 3d (2001/51) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That due to a limited budget and ridiculous insurance premiums, I've had to buy this car.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

That due to a limited budget and ridiculous insurance premiums, I've had to buy this car. Also perhaps because the car has a decent reliability record and it's supposedly cheap to run and is definitely cheap to buy.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Nope. At least not this engine. It's really expensive to keep the tank full. The car is doing around 35mpg on average - which by modern standards (and by modern fuel costs) is horrendous for the wallet considering the engine's size and power pulling a small, light car.

What are you likely to buy next?

No idea yet. Hopefully something with a few more gadgets, bit more luxury and refinement. The Clio 4 perhaps?

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£900

When did you buy the car?

July 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

For a car with a genuine 52000 miles, I thought the price was good. There were a few niggles with the car, though none have proved costly to correct.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Cost, reliability record.

What was the dealer like?

Friendly enough.

What's it like to drive?

Driving locally - it's so fun! So long as it's just you in the car, it handles really impressively around quick, sharp turns. Grip seems endless at lower speeds. At higher speeds and on the motorway, the car does feel out of it's comfort zone (fair enough, really). Fifth gear isn't long enough for cruising at 70+mph. The engine can always be heard revving away but this doesn't help performance either. Accelerating from around 30 or 40mph up to 70+mph takes an absolute age, even if doing the whole lot in 3rd. This is no exaggeration - flat out, most lorries outrun my car, which I find incredibly embarrassing when I pull out to overtake well in advance and they're getting away.

What's it like to park?

As mentioned before, the engine is a bit wheezy and quickly runs out of puff if taken out of an urban environment or faced with much of a hill. But this is what the car is designed for, so it's unfair to slate it for this reason. The engine's tappets need adjusting. After which it sounds just as quiet as any other petrol engine but still isn't especially smooth when driving or likes to rev. It's the easiest thing in the world to park, with excellent visibility and a tight turning circle. If only the power steering was a bit lighter!

Have you had any problems with the car?

Upon buying the car, the radio would not work. The dealer provided another radio to try but that didn't work either. After fiddling around, we bought another radio from a scrapyard for just £10 which worked. The front badge had come off, but I've stuck another on. The tappets desperately needed adjusting and the steering wheel sits at an angle which is annoying. It also shakes from about 70-75mph onwards.

What's most practical about your car?

Seats that return to their original position - seems simple, but a brand new VW Up! or Toyota Aygo doesn't come as standard with this feature. Also the sunroof is a nice addition as so few cars come with them as standard now.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The standard alloy wheels fill the arches nicely and make the car look so much more modern, like an original Focus, rather than an evolved 1980's car.