97 Fiesta 1.8D - Buying

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 20:25
97 Fiesta 1.8D - Buying - AaronR

Hi guys new on here, im currently looking at buying a 97 Ford Fiesta 1.8 bog standard diesel. I want a cheap no nonsense car with not much (hopefully) to go wrong!

The car will have a new years MOT, service history from a ford dealer and 4 new tyres. The car has only covered 47000, and apparently was owned in the last few years by an old guy who has to give up driving, so he never done many miles in it, the thing is, is this something to worry about?? what other problems should i look out for?

Hope you can help

AaronR

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Thu 12 Apr 2012 20:44
97 Fiesta 1.8D - Buying - a900ss
Can't comment on long term reliability of these but I did a summer job in mid 90's driving the fiesta van with a 1.8d engine. All I remember was that it was slow and noisy.

Having said that, I drove it all over the country flat out, red lined in every gear and it never skipped a beat. Economical as well if I remember.

Good Luck.
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Fri 13 Apr 2012 09:30
97 Fiesta 1.8D - Buying - daveyjp
Three words. Cambelt, cambelt, cambelt. Recommended interval was 36,000, after 30,000 it could go at any time so factor in regular changes.
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Fri 13 Apr 2012 15:37
97 Fiesta 1.8D - Buying - madf

Agree cambelt..

seen one go: engine dead.

Also rust: sills , rear floor pan: usuallly terrible as paint poor . Uneconomic often.

Check sills, suspension mountings and floor pan.

And suspension wear.

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