Ford Fiesta (2002 - 2008) 1.4 TDCi Style 3d (05) (2007/57) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

It says I was foolish not to put a little more into the deal and buy a bigger Vauxhall.

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

They all think it was a great car, and I was foolish to part with it. Low tax (£35 / year), 52mpg , but then it's spoiled by group 5 insurance. Too much for such a small car. And the deciding factor as to why I am changing - the really annoying habit of conking out when you need it least.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No. Never. Never a Ford TDCi, unless they look at this problem. I just think the car is too highly geared. My previous car (Vauxhall Corsa) would have started in second gear on a hill with no acceleration. This one would conk out in first.

What are you likely to buy next?

Have already decided to do what I should have done at the start, and am changing to a Vauxhall Astra CDTi. Still don't like the new Corsa, so this is my best alternative.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£7,350

When did you buy the car?

April 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

Got a good deal, car was an ex-demonstrator with 3000 miles, and I saved £2150 on the price of a new car at that time.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Having driven Vauxhall all my life, I wanted to change to a smart little car, as I did not like the look, handling or feel of the new corsa.

What was the dealer like?

Courteous, friendly, professional & helpful

What's it like to drive?

Lively and responsive for a 68hp engine, although a bit hard to get used to after my previous 90hp engined vehicle. A lot of road noise, but sticks well to the road, although when driving I always felt as if I was sitting left of middle of the driver's seat, which meant the left edge of the seat constantly rubbing my left shoulder, and readjustment on the seat was necessary. Good knee room for tall driver's (I'm 6'1") and good headroom.

What's it like to park?

Extremely easy to park, with good visibility. Rear view mirror a little bit tiny.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Not really, but there is a major problem with it. It's the reason I've only kept the car 4 months; apparently this is a problem with all TDCi's in the Ford range - the engine has a habit of 'conking out' when you need it least; that is, as you cross dual carriageways, move off from junctions, traffic lights etc. When I took it into the dealer to ask if the throttle cable could be adjusted, as I thought perhaps it was merely a case of idly too slowly, I was told there was no throttle cable to adjust! Being computer controlled, it would involve re-mapping the whole engine, apparently! Bad move,Ford!

What's most practical about your car?

Good visibility, and easy to park / maneouvre, but neither of these any use when your car conks out. Apparently the answer is to give your car lots of 'welly' - not good for the fuel economy. Speaking of which, I was told by the Ford dealer when I bought it to 'bring it back if it wasn't doing 60mpg'; if it wasn't doing that 'there is something wrong with it'. Well, there's something wrong with it. I did about 500 miles a week, with 60% of driving in national speed limits, and remainder around town, and best I got was 52mpg.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Good headlights for night driving