Ford Fiesta 1.8TD Flight.

[Tao81]

Determined not to waste my money :money:and buy something that will be in the garage soon after purchase, looking to buy secondhand car between £1500 to an absolute maximum of £2K.

Looking at a local private sale of a Ford Fiesta 1.8TD Flight 5Dr 51 reg,

79,000 miles, 5 Door Hatchback, Blue, Diesel, Manual, Alloy wheels, Body coloured bumpers, Central locking, Drivers airbag, Folding rear seats, Front head restraints. £1,695 ono.

Anyone have a clue what these cars are like for reliability, they are reputed to be cheap to run. Thanks :D

[MX5huggy]

Have you got the deposit back on the astra then?

Have you worked out why this fiesta is for sale? I would say you can get more reliable cars (jap stuff/skoda) but that is off set by he fiesta being cheep in parts and any garage will be able to work on it.

[Tao81]

Negotiating as we speak, not totally given up on the Astra as yet tho, may be forced to take it on if can't find something else suitable today?!! Only fears of having this car is are, mileage for a petrol car and the known problem with the EGR valve on that particular engine which vauxhall are by all accounts being sly about and not admitting to unless confronted properly and the subsequent ECU reprogramming that is needed, which is costly?!!!!:rolleyes:

I did get to wondering why the Ford Fiesta car is available, family selling it - husband is a policeman, I would have thought that with his connections and amount of people he rattles around with daily, that it would have been snapped up before ever having to be advertised?!............
.......................This buying a secondhand car malarkey, within a few short days, with the relatively small budget I have available to me is a real minefield and I'm coming close to exhaustion trying to pick through it all!!:o

Test drove a P reg toyota starlet sportif 1.3 (3 door..yuck) last evening which is currently on ebay, saw it in a private advert.
Boy was it nippy, bit rusty in places (but is 12 yrs old!) Guy selling said it was extremely economical.....Only thing was the brakes made a very strange grinding noise?!! Had a lot of travel on the pedal before the brakes would bite, apart from this?!!... they did actually stop the car once they locked on?!!..........Wasn't sure they where that safe in comparison with how my brakes feel and perform on my vehicle........., this felt VEeery different. I have had the chance to drive plenty of different cars in my time, so was very unsure just how safe this would be, puzzle is, it does have 12 months MOT?!



......What a girl to do????............My head hurts?!!!!!!...........

[daveyjp]

Could need a cambelt change - not a lot of cash to do it, but expensive if it fails.

They are very reliable if looked after - my dad has done 30,000 miles a year in various diesel Fiestas in the last 25 years and never had a major problem.

[mcjordi]

the engine on the fez will go on forever if looked after, i had an r reg 1.3 endura version of the fez and it was on nearly 125k when sold the diesel endura (1.8td or d) will easily clear 250k without major problems
the car will rot to death before the engine dies

[Tao81]

Thanks daveyjp.....That's the trouble isn't it? When you are shopping blind, as I am currently forced to, you just never know the history so you?! I only wish I had known someone who was upgrading their old diesel workhorse for the car of their dreams!

These wife of the seller says that's why they're selling this one on and that they'd considered keeping the car for when their daughter learns to drive, but as that won't be for another 18 months they've put it up for sale, they've only had it a year, wife says the bloke before them had a problem with the electrics which is she says is supposed to be a problem with diesels (not something I ever experienced or have ever heard of :eek:?!!) whether she simply meant, known to those diesel models, won't know till speak to her properly when view the vehicle. She says previous guy had everything fixed, will ask to see receipts of work done etc if turns out I'm really interested.

Can see me ending up with the Astra at this rate......If that happens?! I just hope it doesn't have the problems talked about on the vauxhall owners network forum?!!

JUST WISH ME LUCK!

[Tao81]

the engine on the fez will go on forever if looked after, i had an r reg 1.3 endura version of the fez and it was on nearly 125k when sold the diesel endura (1.8td or d) will easily clear 250k without major problems
the car will rot to death before the engine dies

That's exactly what has happened to my old car, I'd only just run the engine in really at just over 100,000, tried everything to find someone prepared to weld it to keep it going, but too big a job apparently.

What do you mean 'the fez', take it you mean fiesta yeah?

Dreading the extra expense on MPG if I am forced to move over to petrol for the time being.....I'm definately a diesel girl!! and I'd love it to stay that way.

[mcjordi]

yeah fez= fiesta sorry
if you want some advice on the car before you buy it sign up to the UKfiestanetwork.com and benham be your guide

[goldspanners]

£1695 ono. go in at £1200 and work from there, as others have said these engines are reliable,look after it and it should be fine,unless you know for sure the timing belt has been done then i would get it done as soon as possible (just incase).
if there is anything wrong with the fiesta after you buy it then it shouldnt cost too much to put it right.

[Tao81]

Went to inspect the fiesta, 2001 reg, full service history, MOT til Nov 09, HPI checked, new bearing fitted last year, costing £150, nothing else done, due for a service, running really well despite this.
Nearside wheel arch begun to rust a little, very small ding in the boot door and there are a few paint chips from road chippings, otherwise it's in exceptional condition for its age, the interior is immaculate. The cam belt is 100,000 miles warranted, dipped the oil and very clean considering it is due a service.

Goes like a little rocket, bit too much power for such a small car really?!

The guy was offered £1500 a couple of weeks ago but turned this down, says he will negotiate on price for me, but obviously not prepared shift much is he!

Driving this feels vastly different from having driven a bigger car for so long, not that comfortable in it, but the potential MPG I could get from this is what tempts me?!

Astra 1.6 petrol engine may be a more comfortable drive but know it will cost a fair bit more in weekly running costs, I've been so spoilt on fuel economy with my old car!!

Difficult decision this.........All round more comfort (quite possibly) trouble-free, reasonable motoring costs for the next couple of years? Over, vastly less driving comfort with potentially great MPG until such time I am in much healtheir financial position to enable purchase of newer motor of my choice?! :think:

[goldspanners]

is the fiesta that vastly uncomfortable? ive been in a few and they seem fine to me.

[Tao81]

is the fiesta that vastly uncomfortable? ive been in a few and they seem fine to me.

I gave it a good test drive along some fairly straight stretches where I could it test it out at speed but also lots of junctions and corners whilst negotiating a circuit around a residential estate with lots of speed bumps etc, when I got back I noticed my shoulders had begun to ache. I fiddled with the seat to adjust my position to the best I could find, but obviously this didn't help much! It felt like I was having to over extend my arms to use the steering wheel?! I suppose in my bigger car there is far more leg space and the dash is that much bigger and closer therefore, subsequently you don't have to stretch so much to reach the steering wheel?!!.........Fine as a passenger felt quite comfortable.

[goldspanners]

get a nice booster cushion or one of those massaging seat covers then! :rotfl:

[Tao81]

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Why didn't I think of that?!!

Just looked on wisebuyers website to view valuation, seems to be priced a bit high, as says good private price, should aim to pay £1340.......quite a long way away from what he wants, and he's already turned down an offer of £1500?!! The cars been up for sale for 2 weeks already?!:confused: Must be quite seriously hanging in there for every last penny he can get, although that could be perceived as a good thing perhaps, 'cos could indicate that he knows he's got a good little motor to pass on.

[Tally-Ho]

Before I 'inherited' my dad's last Ford Focus, I had a Fiesta 1.8 TD, a year older than the one on offer to you. It was a pocket rocket but really economical.

In the 4 years I had it, never had a real problem at all. I kept it serviced by a local guy in the village I then lived in and the servicing (including a cambelt change) was very cheap compared to the Toyota I had before the fiesta. The only thing which 'went' when I had the fiesta was the alternator but got one from a scrapyard for £20 and had no further problems. Oh, some 'bush' on the suspension also needed changing at some point but it was really cheap as well. It sialed through its MOT test every year as well.

The only reason I parted company with it was my dad gave me his newer Focus with the same 1.8 td engine and have had that nearly 2 years now with no problems (has 110,000 on the clock).

Personally I would say if you do a lot of miles, go for the fiesta over the petrol astra because of the economy, cheap servicing and cheap parts.

Would I have one again?- yes definitely.

Tally

[Tao81]

The price is a little off putting! Wisebuyers says good private sale should be looking at paying £1340 - car needs a service and only has 6 mths MOT?! Realise it is a good cheap little motor, just trying to convince myself I'd be doing the right thing to pay well above book price, all things considered!:think:

[smudger1946]

Just a warning, do check under air filter box for water in plug wells, we had it on our 05 Fiesta, turned out to be the washer jets in bonnet dont have a seal and water drips onto filter box and finds it way into plug wells, mechanic said it could be an expensive job if plugs snapped due to crrosion around them, a known fault at the ford dealers, they have ready and waiting a washer kit to go under jets £3.00.


Read below, Changed the plugs March 08, when the plug lead was removed to gain access to spark plug I found water around base of the plug, I used a sponge to remove before changing the plug. The other 3 were the same. Have just changed the leads because car suffering from hesitancy when cold, there was a small amount of water around the plugs.
Has anybody else found this - any ideas.

03 1.4 Water around spark plugs -
Two possible sources; leaking windscreen washer jets and corroding core plugs between the plug-wells in the head. [Usually caused by lack of anti-freeze changing.]


03 1.4 Water around spark plugs - Washer jets - have noticed a water mark on air filter below drivers side water jet investigating further.
Core plugs - Do not seem to be loosing water at a high rate, how easy to repair core plugs. Need to investigate further.
Hope this helps.
smudger

[goldspanners]

Just a warning, do check under air filter box for water in plug wells, we had it on our 05 Fiesta, turned out to be the washer jets in bonnet dont have a seal and water drips onto filter box and finds it way into plug wells, mechanic said it could be an expensive job if plugs snapped due to crrosion around them, a known fault at the ford dealers, they have ready and waiting a washer kit to go under jets £3.00.




by plug wells i guess you mean spark plug wells? its a diesel so it doesnt have spark plugs.

[goldspanners]

The price is a little off putting! Wisebuyers says good private sale should be looking at paying £1340 - car needs a service and only has 6 mths MOT?! Realise it is a good cheap little motor, just trying to convince myself I'd be doing the right thing to pay well above book price, all things considered!:think:

i wouldnt pay more than book value. let him know that its a ford fiesta he is selling not exactly rare is it? dont tell him your not interested in travelling the length of the country for a good deal and want it local. make him aware of other vehicles similar to his for less than he is asking. he is being a bit sentimental or greedy. if his ad says £1600 ono then he is looking for around £1200 to £1400 max i would have said by him knocking back an offer of £1500 then he isnt realy open to offers.

[Tao81]

Well Guys......The agony is finally over!!! .....(as long as that is, the car I bought yesterday proves to be as efficient and reliable as it's reputed to be?!)

To be honest I got totally fed up with looking at high mileage petrol cars which were so stupidly over-priced, coupled with the fact that I couldn't find a suitable secondhand diesel!.....actually was pretty shocked at how few diesels I could find to view?!!

The fiesta man was lovely absolutely genuine guy, wanted more than I was prepared to pay, fair play though, don't blame him hanging out for so close to asking price, car is a little gem for what it is, very low mileage and going by condition and paperwork, very lovingly looked after.

So what have I gone and done?!.........I've bought myself a beauty of a 3 yr old Astra 1.7 CDTi hatchback !!!!! :D........................I know, I know, just ever so slightly more £:money: than in my original plan to shell out at this juncture!!!! :eek::eek: but Hey... needs must?!! However, in true MSE penny pincher style I really shopped around to find the best deal.:money: MPG alone should be an immediate payoback as this car should deliver more than my current average 45-50mpg! :p
.....This is how I've justified the extra unplanned expense to myself, added to the fact that being younger than a lot of the old sheds I was forced to look at, this should hopefully mean I won't be taking the car in for regular repairs!

It's absolutely superb to drive, 1 owner, 50,000 on the clock, full service history blah blah blah.
Simply hoping now this baby proves to be as reliable and cost efficient as my trusty old MOT failure (.....still going to find it hard to say goodbye to my dear old Cavvy Boo hoo, even though now, in comparison, it feels really heavy to drive?! 16yrs of loyal cheap service and rock solid reliability has been a real gift!! Hence, the strong emotional attachement !!:o)

So wish me luck in my new motor and just to say a BIG THANKS to all those lovely MSE'rs who took the time to reply:D:beer: