Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6)

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Sun 20 Jun 2004 23:12
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Hi

Thinking of swapping the H reg fiesta (Wifes car) for a newer mk5 or 6

What should i look out for as she wants the 1.25I engine

All help apreciated
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 09:56
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Does anyone have any info
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 15:12
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - madf
Are you talking about prior shape (mk 4 and 5?) If so:

Service history. Very relaible: but aluminium engine so no oil changes /no antifreeze= very bad news.

Worn fron suspension. Lots of bushes. Crashes over bumps (should be none). Some replacements require realingment of front subframe.(special tools).

Rust round rear wheel arches on mark 4 - on mark5 liners fitted should be ok and much better anti rust protetcion.



madf


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Mon 21 Jun 2004 15:19
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - AN Other
Well, the C by C breakdown for 95-99 Fiestas reckons:

Have been a number of recalls. Double recall over front brake pipes because original recall failed to remedy the problem. Make sure these have been carried out. A wet carpet may mean failure of the bulkhead sealant. Check for high oil consumption, smokey exhaust on 1.4 Zetec S. Check front discs if you can and budget for replacement. If 1300 pushrod engine is tappety it probably needs a new set of cam followers, which isn't a quick and easy job on a pushrod engine. Since 95MY handling improvements, front suspension bushes have been prone to wear so if the front suspension clonks this is probably why.

Having owned a 2000W Fiesta, I can thoroughly recommend it. Endlessly tough and reliable, and pleasant to drive. Ours had the pushrod engine, which was the usual thrashy, breathless lump. I would have preferred the Zetec by a long way...

I'd make sure that anything electric worked, that the service history was up together, that the steering didn't pull and that there were no other signs of hard kerbing, and that there weren't too many "trolley dents". They're hard to steal with "chip in key" immobiliser, but make sure the door locks aren't ravaged, and that there is no badly repaired accident damage.

Some come with aircon, which would be nice. Some of the interior trim is flimsy and ill fitting, and needs to be checked. A strong colour (not white...) helps with resale, as well as choosing 5 rather than 3 doors. Remember, your buyer once you've had enough will quite probably want to put kids in the back.

That's about it, really. You want a nice car from a caring family owner. The Zetec's can attract young, speedier drivers, so beware. There are thousands of these cars at car supermarkets and independent dealers, so you should be spoilt for choice, and you can insist on the colour / spec you want. Good luck!!
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 15:35
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Dave E
We have owned since 06 '98 a 08 '97 Ghia 5 door (1.25 Zetec SE ) that has been an excellent and reliable motor. It has a very low mileage 26k although it does sound like a bag of spanners now due to the camshaft rattling. A result of Mrs E using it to drive half a mile to the station for a while. Ruined the battery too.

Apart from the above, it is still on the original tyres and exhaust, paintwork scrubs up well and not one bit of rust is visible anywhere. The only visible paintwork damage is that caused by the usual cretins that don't value their own possessions. The interior is showing no signs of wear on the seats, although the carpet looks a bit flat. Some of the black trim on the roof rails and around the sunroof looks a bit tired.

Other than the battery, it has required a couple of brake cylinders at the rear, although still on the original shoes. The front discs do wear out so that necessitates a change of pads as well, I think I paid around £50 for that job.

Watch out for leaks in the passenger footwell. If it has been repaired then the carpet should be OK, if it has been left then there should be evidence of mould or rot on the carpets. The leak is caused by a seal failing in the bulkhead and is relatively easy and cheap to repair, cost me a fiver.

The cambelt should last 10 years or 100k miles on the Zetec model, I have suggested that we replace ours but a Ford mechanic said don't bother as it will last the course. I have a relative who works for a major dealer and he says there have been no failures.

It is cracking car and ultra reliable, it is a hoot to drive as the engine is very willing and the handling is excellent. Cheap to insure as well. It is in the process of being handed over to our daughter as I don't think I could get her one as good anywhere else, especially with the advantage of knowing the car's history.

Buy one, you won't be disappointed.
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 16:20
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Hi

We are looking at mk5's from 1999-2002 not the mk4 (1996-1999)

They seem to have more equipment these days such as airconditioning as standard which baffled the wife as she thinks it would be like sitting in a fridge.

What kind of mileages will they last up to as the current car has 70 thousand miles on it and still runs like newish.

Do they cost much to service.

Are they good at motorway speed.

Do they rust much.

Thanks for the help so far


--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 16:33
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - madf
the mark5 has a 6 year anti perforation warranty. Mine is 3 years old and perfect.

the a/c is very good, and easy to use.

You should get 100k plus if well maintained.

Service: ask your local Ford dealer. My last one 10k was £80 iirc and servicing is every 10k miles. Basically oil and filter changes...

My 1.6 will run well in excess of legal speeds - not that I do!- and is quiet and stable on motorways. 25 miles is a doddle.

With power steering they are both great in town and at 70mph.
Brakes and steering are excellent.
Great fun to drive on country roads.


madf


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Mon 21 Jun 2004 17:05
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Nsar
Had a 99 T 1.25LX with a Zetec engine - confusingly this is not a Fiesta Zetec.
Brilliant car, never a murmur over about 30k miles. One or two of the front w/screen heating elements failed but you notice this about 3 times a year for all of 5 minutes. Did some 150 mile runs in it without any bother and around town it has tons of urge and plenty of equipment.
Would still have it if hadn't been nicked and when we come to buy a small hatch later in the year I will have a Fiesta at the top of my list.
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 17:00
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - AN Other
In my experience:

1. Aircon does not always come as standard - be careful. Cars with it will be much easier to sell. Plenty around, so be picky.

2. Don't know how long the Zetec lasts. A long time, with proper servicing, I would think.

3. Servicing is at 10,000 mile intervals. Major service every 30k costs £160, other services every 10k cost £125. All prices from my local Ford main dealer. You can get instant online servicing and repair quotes from your local dealer at:

www.ford.co.uk/ie/service_repair/-/serv_servbook/#

Go to online service booking.

4. Our 1.3 pushrod model cruised comfortably at 80 - 85. Not too noisy or unpleasant. I would have thought the Zetec would be better.

5. No rust should be visible on this age of car. Suspect poor crash repairs if you find it. Had we kept the car, I would still have covered it in Waxoyl. The rear arch liners seemed to made of felt - nice and damp to encourage the rust?

Hope this helps!
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 17:38
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - madf
The rear arch liners are made of some form of plastic felt. They dry out and prevent stones etc chipping paint. As far as mud is concerned, I hose under the arches monthly in winter so no mud build up. The body has wax injection as standrad on the mark5 - hence the 6 year warranty.

Buy a Ghia imo: all the toys and easier to resell..

I bought the 1.6 saloon vs the 1.25 : faster and still averages around 40 mpg overall despiet quite a lot of town use. Not as good as a diesel but acceptable.

madf


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Mon 21 Jun 2004 18:25
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Dave E
FD,

They are essentially the same car, the Mk 4 & 5. The changes brought about were to keep the car fresh until the latest model was introduced. The usual stuff that was/is easy to change was done, i.e. the bumpers reshaped, interior cloth and colours changed and adding alloy wheels and air, etc. to lower range models.

So in answer to your questions,

Yes they do have more equipment

Mileage, look at the number on the road

Main dealer service is about £100 per annum

Yes they are good on the motorway, although over 100mph they can be a bit tiresome

They do not rust if looked after.


The Mk 6 is the current model and is a completely different animal.
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 22:28
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Hi

We are looking for a one owner low mileage car will there be lots of those.

I see there are not many ghia models

Thanks for the great info
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 22:59
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Happy Blue!
My wife's grandmother drives a 95' Fiesta with the 1.25 engine. Its superb. Strong, torquey, economical, high revving even better than Honda engines. Just find the best example with that engine and you'll be OK.

--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Mon 21 Jun 2004 23:27
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Billsboy
My Wife has had a 99T Fiesta 1.25 for over a year now and we are very pleased with it.

I use it a couple of days a week and normally get around 45mpg.

With air con and heated front screens it copes with all weathers and is certainly lively enough to hold its own in the cut and thrust of commuter traffic. (Unlike the older model it replaced which was an embarrassment)

Sailed through the MoT and I service it myself, just remember to use the correct grade of Ford oil.

Billsboy
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Tue 22 Jun 2004 00:43
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Kingpin
I would agree with most of the above. Up to 12 months ago I used to run a 1998 1.25LX up to 65k it ran sweet as a nut, but I always did regular oil changes using the 5w30 Ford oil. Also 30 mile daily commutes kept the engine happy. Very sweet reving and smooth. However the 99 model year reshape which you are interested in brought changes to the engine making it more coarse than the original 1.25 (mentioned in car by car breakdown). I have experience of this in my father's current 2000 year Zetec 1.25, also you may notice a lot of gearbox noise when the car is stationary. Some call this 'gearbox thrash' and it is quite noticeable, the engine is quiet but a loud whirring sound comes from the gearbox. Lots of Fiestas have this and it's harmless but irritating.
Apart from the engine, they are great drivers cars, plenty of grip and supple ride, less so on wide tyres and alloy wheels of the Zetec special editions. The downside of this good handling is the fine tuned front suspension has many bushes that wear out, but only if you 'push' it along twisty roads. Sensible driving should promote longevity.
The rear wheel arches are a weak spot for rust developing from behind due to trapped mud - a legacy of the old body design from 1989. Only downside it slightly cramped interior, particularly in rear. However if it's only for a single driver then the car will be fine.
Looking back I wish I had kept my 1998 model, regretting part exchanging for a 2001 Punto last year. I miss the excellent handling and ride comfort which the Punto cannot match. It's roomy inside an feels a bigger car, but clumsy on the road and lacks the deft touch of the Fiesta.
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Tue 22 Jun 2004 09:26
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Hi

What did you mean by course is there any way of correcting that

Thanks
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Tue 22 Jun 2004 09:51
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Kingpin
Nothing major, in coarse I meant the engine does not seem to be as smooth or quiet as the original 1.25 version. The emission settings were changed which altered things slightly, visually the most obvious thing is that the air intake and filter is much larger on the facelift model. This is only a minor detail, the engines still are very efficient and give good performance.
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Tue 22 Jun 2004 10:29
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - madf
Ghia Models:
I did a search on Autotrader : specified 1.25 Ghia and 40k miles max, within 40 miles radius and found 14:
1999 T Reg FORD FIESTA 1.25 Zetec Ghia Just Sports 38,000 miles. Full Service History, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, E/W, Immacualte. For Prestige And Performance Vehicles. . . . . (trade)
£3,995
25 miles

1999 V Reg Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec Ghia Nick Tomlin Cars Petrol, Silver Metallic, Hatchback, 31,000 miles, 4 Doors. Air-Conditioning, Alloy Wheels, Central Door Locking, Electric Windows, Full Manufacturer Service History, Power-Assisted Steering, RDS Stereo, . . . . (trade)
£4,250
21 miles

2001 FORD Fiesta 1.25 16V Ghia Zetec 5 Door, 2001, Y reg. 27200 miles, in met Pacific green, FSH, 1 owner, PAS, air con, airbag, alloys, EW, EM, remote CL, rad/cass, quickclear windscreen, front f/lights, wood effect dash. . . . . . (trade)
£4,295
18 miles

2000 W Reg Ford Fiesta 1.25 Ghia Overdrive Green, Hatchback, 22,000 miles, 5 Doors. Air-Conditioning, Alarm, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, Central Door Locking, Electric Adjustable Mirror, Electric Windows, Front Fog Lights, Heated Front Screen, Paint . . . . (trade)
£4,295
38 miles

FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia 16V New Shape, Crosspool Car Centre 5 door, Matellic Black, 28000 miles, Remote Central Locking, Sunroof, Power Steering, Alloy . . . . (trade)
£4,495
32 miles

FORD FIESTA 1.25 GHIA 5DR Guernsey Motors Y 30000 miles, met . . . . (trade)
£4,495
37 miles

00(W) FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia, T C Harrison Ford Direct Supersite Hatchback, Panther Black, 31114 miles, Air-bag, Air-conditioning, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, Central Locking, Electric Windows, Fog/spot Lights, Immobiliser, Metallic Paint, Power . . . . (trade)
£4,499
33 miles

2001 FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia 5dr, availableCar SupermarketPanther Black, 30200 miles, Heated Windscreen, Electric Door Mirrors, Power Steering, Front Fog Lamps, Electric Front Windows, Alloy Wheels, Alarm, Air Conditioning, Remote Central Locking, Drivers . . . . (trade) more info

£4,699
39 miles


FORD FIESTA 1.25 GHIA, 51 reg. 39000 miles, Silver, 5 door, aircon, h/f screen, e/heated/m, e/w, c/l, CD player, alloys, remote Sigma alarm, excellent . . . . (private)

2001 Y Reg FORD Fiesta 1.25 Ghia All Vehicle Contracts Ltd 5 Doors, Manual, Hatchback, Petrol, 24,350 miles, Green Metallic, 1 Owner. Air conditioning, Alloy wheels, Cloth upholstery, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, Front armrest, Radio, Sunroof, Air Bag, . . . . (trade)
£4,995
38 miles

00(V) FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia, Bramall-Quicks Ford Northwich Hatchback, Thistle, 22819 miles, For an even greater choice of cars click the Dealer Website link or for us to contact you click the Contact Dealer . . . . (trade)
£4,999
17 miles

01(X) FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia, T C Harrison Ford Direct Supersite Hatchback, Red, 33050 miles, Air-bag, Air-conditioning, Alarm, Alloy Wheels, Central Locking, Electric Windows, Fog/spot Lights, Immobiliser, Power Steering, Radio/cassette, Trip . . . . (trade)
£4,999
33 miles

00(X) FORD FIESTA 1.25 Ghia, Bramall-Quicks Ford Altrincham Hatchback, Green, 32884 miles, Air Conditioning, Alarm, Alloy Wheels, Anti-lock Braking System, Immobiliser, Metallic Paint, Power Assisted SteeringFor an even greater choice of cars click the Dealer . . . . (trade)
£5,499
21 miles




madf


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Tue 22 Jun 2004 22:30
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Ford Dagenham
Hi

We are going to settle with a zetec or a lx.

One more thing does this engine have octane sensing so if i use cheap petrol it will run slower etc.

And do they depreciate badly.

We will have having a 2 year warranty and will have the seats scotchguarded at the dealership.

Thanks for the help so far.
--
(iam not a mechanic)

Martin Winters
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Wed 23 Jun 2004 00:43
Fiesta 1.25I (m5-6) - Kingpin
No need to worry about petrol - both run on standard 95ron Unleaded, the usual stuff from Tesco will be fine.
Fiestas usually keep their value quite well if you choose a good spec and colour. There is always a demand for them, better values than Fiat or other foreign brands, but not as good as VW Polo which is perceived as the quality choice.
Bear in mind the 'Zetec' special edition can be confusing - there is a Zetec and Zetec LX. The Zetec just gets wide 185mm tyres on 14 inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and central locking only. Sometimes air con as well (check for small round switch underneath right hand heater control that lights up green). The Zetec LX is based on the LX and has electric windows, a heated front screen and possibly the alloys as well, but sometimes just the standard steel wheels.
It depends on your preferences, but the LX is better equipped and less flash looking, may be lower insurance group as well.
You won't go far wrong with a 1.25 and full service history.
A nice colour is state blue, a dark metallic blue which sets the car off well. If the one you buy has a radio cassette (3000 or 4000 model) you can always upgrade to a 6000 model single CD player from E-Bay. They swap straight over.
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