Ford Fiesta 1.8TD Flight.

Tao81 · 6 May 2009 at 10:26AM

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

MX5huggy · 6 May 2009 at 10:33AM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 1:14PM

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!!

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 · 6 May 2009 at 1:37PM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 2:26PM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 2:26PM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 2:29PM

mcjordi wrote: »

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 · 6 May 2009 at 2:50PM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 6:55PM

£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 · 6 May 2009 at 11:04PM

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 · 6 May 2009 at 11:12PM

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

Ford Fiesta 1.8TD Flight.

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