1997 R-reg Fiesta. Done about 82,000 miles.
Not sure when cam was last changed, thinking about it, so might go any time! How much is that to repair?
Always had it serviced every year to the schedule. Never had anything majorly wrong with it though more has gone with it in last few years.
Had new clutch and exhaust within last 18 months.
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I assume this a Zetec-S type one? If so my mechanic said if the belt snaps on these the repair is usualy around £300 to fit a new belt and a recon cylinder head which probably means a scrapyard job. The belt shouldn't cost a lot, under £200 probably. How long is the MOT? The problem is with Fiestas this age I know from experience that the brake pipes will most likely need changing, also the suspension bushes may well be warn. If all this has been done I would be inclinded to keep it, if not more post £100 bills will be there soon. My dad has spent over £500 on repairs to his Fiesta ( R reg) in the past 18 months, its mostly tyres, exhausts but also some specific things such as bushes, brake pipes, hand brake and the heater control valve, all seem to go on all fiestas this age.
What I am saying is if have not spent a lot on it, now might be the time the bills arrive.
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Do we really want 11 year old cars on our roads ? It's not as if it is a classic or even likely to become one. Surely the strength of the bodywork must now be in question. Wouldn't like to be in an 11 year old car that gets potted at speed on our roads.
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Well that is an issue, I only use my car for 20-30mph town work, if I did go on the motorway then there was no way I would be driving my car at 70mph speeds I would just not feel safe.
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>Do we really want 11 year old cars on our roads ?
What do you mean, 'want'? There is absolutely no reason why an 11-y-o car shouldn't be 'on our roads' if it has been maintained properly. In the last 20 years makers have been forced by legislation to build cars which can last for decades - the irony is that the public's whims change so fast that they are considered almost worthless after 10 years, so they are thrown away. Your remark that a Fiesta isn't 'a classic' confirms that.
Until last week I fully intended to keep my 306 running for the foreseeable future, and I had (have) no hesitation in taking it for 300-mile trips. It's just that my own whim persuaded me that 207s now looked a fair buy, so I traded it in. Someone will get a bargain ...
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Do you fancy a swap? I have a lovely Fiesta which has been very reliable I never had any problems with it 'honest' :).
In all serious though Jazz's are very reliable car, my mate thought about swapping his MK3 Fieasta for one, but then got scared about the potential repair bills so he is now sticking with his Fiesta until he finds a good Focus.
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The interim service would be due on any car, would it not?
So you have i) Tyre replacement (and is that all tyres or just some of them?) and
ii) risks of something expensive - in terms of mechanical failure or stuff needed for MoT.
Do you have a risk appetite which enables you to spend a little money now - vs probability of big bills - or do you want to go for a newer vehicle?
I have a similar issue, only I know the problem with my Polo is likely to cost £100s to fix...
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Had new brake pipes and bushes at the MOT, new CV boot kit. Cost £300 to repair. All of the tyres will need changing.
I have had lots done to it in last 2 years.
Can't find any invoices to say cam has been changed so will need looking at at next service.
Edited by CarNovice28 on 15/12/2008 at 20:06
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Sounds like you're at the stage where everything is wearing out. Going to get more expensive....
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Especialy at those labour prices, we had very similar work done for the MOT on my dads and it was £200 all in. Put it this way I would happily buy it for £600 and then budget £200 for a belt change, but this where I always go wrong, I budget for a bit of work but never budget for all the unexpected stuff.
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New used car it is then!
Now - which one for my needs? - decisions, decisions!
Thanks for all your help.
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I wouldn't rush just yet, I am sure you may have seen all the trouble I have had with my Fiesta and still not certain I will get rid. The danger is if all your car needs is some rubber you could buy a much more expensive car which needs a lot more doing. You have had a lot of the common Fiesta faults already fixed so as longs as the engine is running sweet, dosn't burn any oil, the chasis is not rusty it should still have a few years of motoring left. If however you just fancy a new car then go ahead :).
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How many people have personal mechanics. I've never (nor am I likely to be) in a position to say 'my mechanic'.
I'm more inclined to say, ' the mechanic who works at the garage I took the car to'.
Pendant mode off!
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Rattle has a very special relationship with his mechanic.
Maybe he should take the mechanic with him when car buying (seriously). Could save ££££s...
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He is just a local mechanic who is very good with older cars as his he has low overheads, he mainly specialises in ECU diagnostic stuff though rather than heavy work now. We started using him as so many other garages would just give false diagnostics all the time. We had every sensor in the world replacing on my dads Escort which returned about 15mpg by other garages, this bloke looks at it in view of the MOT and says it the valves which were sticking. We scrapped it.
The good thing about having a very local indie is that know your car, where as bigger places with other mechanics may miss something. The only bad thing I will say about my mechanic is he failed to notice a splitting breather to the oil cap which was causing the engine to idle at 2000rpm, I diagnosed that and fixed it myself. Other than he has always been spot on. To be fair he never charged us for looking at the over reving problem and it was only a quick 5 minute look. This was not my car btw.
London my machanic has suggested that that I phone him before I buying it so he can check it over, the problem is he is not always there (e.g taking cars to the MOT etc) and the cars I see are often too far away it makes it a bit impractical.
Edited by Rattle on 15/12/2008 at 20:46
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My car has been looked at by a local indie who is Bosch approved.
He suggested that I get rid of it before February when it is next serviced. Whether they saw something at the MOT, I don't know.
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Could well be rust or something which was 'ok' for last MOT but might now need a lot of welding. The problem is if the MOT is due in feb it will be hard to sell your car :(. You might be best trying tio MOT it and then selling it.
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@Rattle - buy him lots of beer and ask him, in his expert opinion, what works and what doesn't - and which cars of a certain age have minimal MoT fails...
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Well he always says Fiestas funnily enough for my needs as the repairs are so cheap. He says to avoid Renaults as they are too hard to fix so cost a lot in repairs. He did tell me once that Corsa's are nothing but trouble but interesting he his company vehicle is an 05 reg Corsa van!.
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Perhaps because he'll flog it at 6-7 years? Difference between running a banger (and bangernomics) and economics of running an more modern vehicle?
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Hi
MOT is September 2009.
Service is February 2009.
Dad has checked the car for rust and thinks it's minimal - it is there, but not to any great extent.
The door seals are knackered though. Inside windscreen is always freezing up!
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Change it. Forget the i10. Consider another Fiesta if running cost are important. There are loads around and 2nd hand prices are low for an excellent condition model.
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Thanks Mike.
Sound suggestion.
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>>We had every sensor in the world replacing on my dads Escort which returned about
>>15mpg by other garages, this bloke looks at it in view of the MOT and says it the
>>valves which were sticking. We scrapped it.
So several garages try to fix the car and fail.
This bloke ("your" mechanic) cannot even diagnose a problem, makes up a fictitious problem and suggests scrapping it. You then think he's a god...
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No, in case of this car it had holes in the chasis, the rear drums had seized up, there was 2cm of play in the steering, it just wasn't worth fixing. It had been stored in a damp garage for 8 months as my dad was too injured to drive.
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Difficult to know what to choose!
Mike - why did you suggest I leave the i10 alone?
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What am I looking for in a car:
1) Nearly new or used only
2) Smallish car but zippy
3) Punchy performance at low revs
4) Low depreciation
5) Economical
6) Cheap to buy and run
7) Comfortable
Don't want much do I?!!
If I was to put those in order, cheap to run would be first, followed by depreciation, then economy, then comfort and finally performance.
Any suggestions, based on personal experience?
Thanks.
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here a couple
toyota yaris 1.3 mk1 or the yaris 1.0
honda jazz
SNIPQUOTE - I'm going to start deleting posts soon where people quote the whole message to which they're replying to. There is a sticky post asking not to do it; there is also a pop up window. How many more times do we have to ask you not to?
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 20/12/2008 at 12:32
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Thanks.
The initial outlay would be a bit steep but I suppose the lack of depreciation would make up for it.
I drove a 1.3 Yaris auto some months ago - very good - CDX version - very comfortable.
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Carnovice, can you give an indication of budget?
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Knew I'd forgot something!
No more than £7000 if I can help it.
Thanks.
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Sorry for bumping but been over 24hrs since I posted.
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The i10 steering lacks precision and the ride is hard, a test drive quickly shows up these issues.
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The 1.3 Yaris is probably the best bet for your points 2 and 3 above, and comparable to others for the rest. It won't use any more petrol than the 1.0 which has to be driven hard to make reasonable progress.
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I've not responded, as I'm not spending £7k on a supermini. Would you be happy spending less and going for a three year old vehicle?
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He might like the idea of warranty?
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In response to LondonBus, yes I'd buy an older car.
Warranty would be nice but not essential. Some companies offer additional warranties as standard.
A supermini is all I need, and I know prices for superminis are a bit daft but...
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" I'm going to start deleting posts soon where people quote the whole message to which they're replying to."
Go for it Dave. I`m on the Forum around 7am most mornings and I`m sick of `three line top posts` - followed by a screen full of quote.
Edited by oilrag on 22/12/2008 at 08:22
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What about a Hyundai Getz? The i20 is on sale in the New Year and the dealers will be offering deals to clear the last of their Getzs?
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That's an idea. Looking now though, no discounts are available and they're selling for more than an i10!
A Ford Fiesta (old style) wouldn't be a bad choice, I don't think.
There's a Honda Jazz Sport going in January when a person Dad knows wants to change to the new model. Not sure how much he'd want for it though.
The Yaris was a great car (1.3L auto) in terms of driving enjoyment. The Fiat Panda was an option at one time but I don't like the look of them.
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You can get 57-reg Fiestas (Style Climate 5dr) on Motorpoint for £5,799.
Pretty good really.
My Dad is giving me £1K towards the car so I have a little leeway.
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Take it for a test drive and see what you reckon.
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They are a little dated now, but they are still good cars at especialy at that money. I would imagine though you may soon to be able to get a brand new one with slightly less spec for that price.
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The new Fiesta is out now... so the Mk VI's will have dropped in price.
Edited by rtj70 on 22/12/2008 at 23:04
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I'll be buying in January so we'll have to look at the state of the market then.
It might be that another car is at a ridiculous price that I haven't considered. I also have the Jazz Sport to look at, though I think that £7K for a 3-year old supermini is a bit OTT.
If I went new Fiesta, I'd probably get the 1.4 petrol, as the 1.25 seemed a bit underpowered to me - must be a heavier car the new one.
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The new Fiesta I believe is lighter than the previous model (as is the Mazda2 with which it shares its underpinnings). They have made it from stronger steel (high tensile) in places and therefore can build it lighter.
Edited by rtj70 on 23/12/2008 at 12:09
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Any lighter than my 1997 model?!
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I doubt any new car is lighter than an 11 year old Fiesta. But then crash structures etc have improved vastly.
I would not assume the 1.25 is underpowered and go for the 1.4. You'll know if it's god enough if you test drive the car. You might not even like it. Autoexpress rated the 1.25 in last week's magazine though.
I think I'd find the 1.25 unpowered though. But I like torquey engines.
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I think that £7K for a 3-year old supermini is a bit OTT
So do I. £5k will buy you a 3 year old Astra.
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Hi
I've just used Parkers 'choose a car' tool based on what I use a car for and budget etc. It suggested the following used cars:
Panda
Astra
Focus
Grande Punto
Fiesta
Not a bad list really. Surprised that the old Yaris wasn't there or the Jazz.
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Done some reasearch this afternoon between wrapping prezzies and writing cards!
I've narrowed down to 4 cars, engine sizes and specs:
1) Old style Yaris 1.3 CDX or T-Spirit
2) Old style Fiesta 1.25 or 1.4 Style Climate
3) New Ford Ka 1.2 Style+
4) Micra 1.2 (78) Spirita
If I could get a good discount on the new Fiesta, I'd consider getting a 1.4 Style+.
I might go and test drive the two Fords after Xmas. I test drove a 1.3 Yaris auto and loved it - would need an extended motorway run with that though.
Cheers all and Merry Xmas.
Edited by CarNovice28 on 24/12/2008 at 18:05
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That new Fiesta is a honey.
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Good for any impromptu beach landings you might need to perform too!
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I will probably buy used as I only do 6,000 miles per year with lots of short journeys throughout the week on A and B roads.
I need something that is able to stand up being used sparingly. My motorway driving will only be occasional.
Edited by CarNovice28 on 25/12/2008 at 10:30
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It looks like mine may too, I've had a very good week in terms of my business (usualy dead this week ) which means I now have a bit of spare cash. I also got quite a bit for christmas (lots of releatives still insist of sending me a £10, £10s soon add up), I also got a tomtom for christmas and I was planning to buy one tomorrow, so another £100 saved.
So now I have my money and my car is running in a sellable state as it needs potentialy expesive work fixing the suspension and its too small for my needs I think while I have a bit of money now is the perfect time go buy a car for around £1k which will last me a few years.
I didn't want to start a new thread and this is about selling a 96 Fiesta so I thought I would post it here. Sadly I cannot afford £7k on a new car, I am just going to run mine for another month which will give me time to buy a car without needing to take out any credit.
I still really want a Panda but my budget just cannot stretch to it, but I would happily buy a third Fiesta, but it would have to be quite a bit newer so when I do spent money on it it won't feel like its going into a black hole.
So does anybody want a 13 year old Fiesta? Only 10 previous owners!....
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Try putting it in the classified section where it belongs?
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I was joking :) giving how infamous the car is on here, I would be lucky to get £25 for it on here.
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Thought you were ;-)
I'd get some insurance quotes on some cars other than Fiestas though.
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Don't worry I never step out of the house without my beloved shares in Brian Souter (ok Stagecoach Megarider). Again not a lot on autotrader atm, but there is no rush to get a car, its just nice that when something worth looking at does come up I will have the cash to buy it.
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Local dealer is doing good deal on used Fords at the moment. Pay half now and half in 12 months with 0% APR.
Prices look very reasonable too.
Very tempting!
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Where is local? I am still not entirely sure, its just that in Jan I will be in a better position to buy a decent car more than I have been for a while so it seems the perfect time. I am not in a big rush though which is the nice thing amd my shed works for the time being.
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North West of England - can't really go into specifics, for security reasons.
I think I'll go for the 1.25 Style Climate. The 1.4 only has 5bhp more - hardly worth it, I would think.
I'd love something a little bit more peppy that handles as well and is compfortable but hard to find.
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Yeah a good car, its a shame the Zetec S were detuned on the the Fiesta you're looking at though. Still good cars, I wonder if you could get a large discount due to it being the old model? North West england well that narrows it down some where between Chester to Whiteheaven then :D.
I still really have not decided the fate of my car, its running really well now but the suspension could be a cheap fix or an expensive rebuild and I have to pay to find out, since I have the money if my local Ford dealer is doing the same sort of thing now may be the best time ever to buy the car which will last me.
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I think I'll go for the 1.25 Style Climate. The 1.4 only has 5bhp more - hardly worth it I would think.
Depends on how much more torque the 1.4 has. Might be the 1.25 will need revving all the time
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1.25 - Engine power = 6000rpm
- Engine torque = 4000rpm
1.4 - Engine power = 5700rpm
- Engine torque = 3500rpm
From Motorpoint website.
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But what power and torque do you get at the point where they are their maximum. The info on the Motorpoint website is useless then really.
I know I could google it or something but I don't need to know. But wanted to say Motorpoint provide some of the info.
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Ford Fiesta (02-08) :
1.25 - 73 bhp, torque 81 lb-ft (110 Nm), mpg 47
1.4 - 78 bhp, torque 91 lb-ft (124 Nm), mpg 42
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What does that mean in terms of basic physics? I understand what torque is but the not the maths behind it. Am I right in thinking that 124Nm is the amount of energy created in Newtons?
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Oh my word!
I just tried Parkers "Choose A Car" feature putting in cars between £6000 and £7000 and telling it one type of road I would be travelling on the most - to make it more accurate.
The only 3 cars that make all 4 lists (one list each for A-Roads and motorways and the other for B-roads/country) are:
Ford Focus
Fiat Panda
Fiat Grande Punto.
Your opinions please?
A friend has a Panda that I wouldn't mind trying - though I don't like the look of them from the outside, if truth be told.
Mike - would be interested to know what the torque is about.
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HowStuffWorks link below should help explain about the torque.
tinyurl.com/5ab9yr
Edited by rtj70 on 27/12/2008 at 00:25
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Rattle if you understand torque then you will know more at lower revs is better than fewer at higher revs. Mine I think is max of 400Nm at 2000 revs. It's only 143PS at probably 4300revs. It's a Mazda6.
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Still don't know what to choose.
It's becoming silly to the point where I think it's the biggest decision I've ever made and can't choose in case it's the 'wrong' car.
I'd buy a really cheap Panda, if I could get over the looks!
The Zetec trim in the old Fiesta was nice when I went looking today.
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Go for some test drives: it what they're like to drive that matters (when you're in th car you can't see what it looks like!).
Keep the 1.3 Yaris on your list, and also consider the Skoda Fabia 1.4 (100 bhp engine).
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Thanks Avant. Point taken.
Will test-drive friend's Panda tomorrow - think it's a 1.2. Will book old-style Fiesta test drive next week.
Have already test-driven a Fabia - dealer is a bit far away.
Can remember what the Yaris test-drive was like - and it's hard to beat!
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Test drove Fiesta 1.25 today (07 reg) - great car. Comfortable and perfect for what I need.
Currently Drive the Deal have a great offer on new 5dr Zetec Blues with Tech pack, Sony stereo/CD system, rain sensing wipers and auto-headlight activation for £7500.
If the dealer I've been to today can price-match that, they have a deal!
Edited by CarNovice28 on 28/12/2008 at 16:23
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Decided to hold my horses and test-drive the other cars before making a decision.
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Added a Clio 1.2 TCE 100BHP to the test-drive list. Also going to drive a 1.3 manual Yaris (old model) and a 1.2 80BHP Micra.
Going to test drive all in one day and then I can make a more informed decision.
Edited by CarNovice28 on 29/12/2008 at 20:06
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Any others I should think of trying?
Bear in mind that I will do about 6000 miles per year, if that, with many short journeys. Mainly A and B roads but with some motorway driving possible at the weekend, or if I go away in the car.
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Hi everyone
Test drove Corsa, Grande Punto and Clio today.
- The Clio 1.2 TCE was a great engine (actually a rebadged 1.4 according to Parkers) which was smooth and quiet on the motorway (only wind noise intruded). The inside was comfortable and the ride smooth. So smooth in fact that it wasn't actually that exciting but very good car.
- The Grande Punto was awful. No oomph at lower revs and noisy on the motorway.
- The Corsa was a nice car that handled well but suspension was too firm.
Out of the 3, I would buy a Clio.
I drove over a mixture of A and B roads with the motorway thrown in for good measure and a road with many speed bumps to test the suspension.
To cap it off, I want to do similar test drives in a Fabia 1.2 12V (I might go for the 1.4) and a Mazda2 1.3 TS2 - I read about the 1.5 Sport being a great car to drive so if they've got time to do them both, I will.
Cost for the Mazda will be an issue, as they are very keenly priced.
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Just out of interest, I also went to try a used Yaris 1.3 manual but the dealer rep was 'too busy' and wouldn't let me drive on the route I wanted as it would take too long (25 minutes!).
So round the block twice was all we managed. They just lost a sale!
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The Clio III is not a bad car but I found it a bit 'heavy' I am not sure what engine it was though othr than a 1.2 16v. The steering also felt a bit vague, it was accurate but there wasn't much feel to it. That said that is the only modern generation supermini I have driven and I am comparing to the same car you currently have the 96 Fiesta.
I will see my experience of Clios is they are extremely reliable cars, engines seem to go on for ever but servicing can be quite expensive.
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