Happy with my new Fez.

[sca]

Hi all,

I have had my LX manual MK6 since June 2006 and have clocked over just over 5000 Kms. After being a die hard Holden driver, I have done the unthinkable switched and switched camps, I can see what Craig Lowndes had to go through after his switch!!! I have to say that I am more than pleased with the package as it so much fun to drive.

I am wrapped with its go cart steering and handling, The engine has a heaps of low down torque which means you don't have to change gear as often. If you want to drive it hard it start singing smoothly from over 4000 rpm to 6000 rpm no problems. I also like the solid feel of the car, the doors close with a solid thud, and nothing rattles you can feel the build quality.

I was looking at the Hyundi Getz as an alternative, in my opinion it doesn't come any where near the Fiesta. I think the price difference was around $500, the best $500 I have ever spent. I bought the LX 5 door for $17,200 drive away, while a sale was on. Its economy has been great I keep regular check I get around 560ks for 39 litres around 7 litres per 100k since new, driving to and from work and the occassional trip. I now know why FEZs are so popular in the UK and Europe. Go Ford !!!

Cheers

sca

[Ives]

Awesome! Glad you like the Fiesta. Do u have pics? Where r u located?

[robjh80]

Nice one........know what ya mean about the quality, that's what won me over, the quality of the Fiesta is streets ahead of the Japanese or Korean competition in my opinion, the last Ford I ever owned was an Escort way back in about 1981.

[Imolator]

Originally Posted by robjh80

Nice one........know what ya mean about the quality, that's what won me over, the quality of the Fiesta is streets ahead of the Japanese or Korean competition in my opinion, the last Ford I ever owned was an Escort way back in about 1981.

I would have to say that dynamically the Fiesta has it all over the Japanese or Korean competion. But in regards to build quality its not in the same league as the Japanese and thats for sure. I seem to remember a thread of yours about seriously rusty front suspension, not really a sign of good build quality.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...ht=fiesta+rust


And whilst I own and like my Fez, the build quality on the examples that I saw whilst ok are definitely not up theire with the likes of Toyota Honda etc.

I bought my car with my eyes open, but I can tell you right now if I was buying for build quality alone the Fez would not have won that competition.

[MISTA FIESTA]

Welcome to the world of FEZ. Yes is is one mightly little machine that always keeps a smile on your face. As Hyperkid said we want location and we want pixs.

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Imolator

I would have to say that dynamically the Fiesta has it all over the Japanese or Korean competion. But in regards to build quality its not in the same league as the Japanese and thats for sure. I seem to remember a thread of yours about seriously rusty front suspension, not really a sign of good build quality.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...ht=fiesta+rust


And whilst I own and like my Fez, the build quality on the examples that I saw whilst ok are definitely not up theire with the likes of Toyota Honda etc.

I bought my car with my eyes open, but I can tell you right now if I was buying for build quality alone the Fez would not have won that competition.

You're absolutely correct there mate, the rusty front suspension and steering components is a big dampener imo taking into account the overall quality of the rest of the car, "Big Ford Stuff Up" somewhere I think.

To say I was less than impressed with that rust issue would be an understatement, luckily it doesn't seem to have gone any further, at the time "Ford Customer No-Service" were completely not interested in even talking about the issue, "in keeping with the car" they said, WTF!!,......... I still need to get under there with the rust convertor which I bought some time ago and fix it up myself..........."Xmas holidays job I think."

Apart from that nasty issue my comments on the overall quality of the Fez would be in relation to when I was looking around at new cars to replace my 2000 model Suzuki Baleno which quality wise was just superb, I was very dissapointed with what was available some 6 years later in 2006, the Suzuki Swift is not in the same league as the Baleno quality wise, feels and looks cheap inside, the cost cutting would be glaringly obvious to any previous Suzi owner, nothing like what I was expecting after living with the Baleno.

The other mix of Hyundai Getz/Accent, Holden Barina/Viva just didn't set my world on fire at all, I didn't even look at the Toyota Echo, Honda Jazz Mitsubishi Colt or Mazda 2 as I simply don't like the look of them and couldn't see myself driving around in any of them........."I just dont care how good they are!!"

I remember at the time it was all such a rather depressing experience, I was all but ready to call it a day and give up but decided to call in to a Ford dealership on the way home and have a quick look, I didn't expect to be in there for anything longer than about 20 seconds.

Once I started looking at the Fiesta I was sold right there and then, hadn't even drove the thing, there was a general ambience of quality about it that was simply not with the others that I had wasted the whole day looking at, bear in mind this was well before I was even aware of the rust issue of course.

Would I buy the Fiesta again today knowing about the rust?........"probably", although I would definately now wait for the XR4 next year or take a closer look at others in the Renault and VW stables.

[xurbanx]

Congrats on the purchase, you'll love the Fiesta!

[Imolator]

Originally Posted by robjh80

Would I buy the Fiesta again today knowing about the rust?........"probably", although I would definately now wait for the XR4 next year or take a closer look at others in the Renault and VW stables.

I agree 100% with you. Every Fez that I have looked at had some sort of corrosion going on at the front end due to ford penny pinching and not coating the cast iron suspension and drive shafts with anything at all. They just dont care or think that no prospective owner will see it before sale. My Fez had some surface rust on those parts, nowhere near as bad as yours though. I pulled the wheels of mine the day after I picked it up and painted all those parts with rust proof paint from Watyl. It looks much better and to be honest if Ford had any pride in their product they shouldn't leave the factory bare.

To be honest it does make me wonder what other corners might have been cut in areas we cant see to save money. It just leaves one with the definite feeling that the cars are built down to a price not up to a quality level.

[photn]

congrats on the purchase and i know you will enjoy the ride alot more as time goes by...

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Imolator

I agree 100% with you. Every Fez that I have looked at had some sort of corrosion going on at the front end due to ford penny pinching and not coating the cast iron suspension and drive shafts with anything at all. They just dont care or think that no prospective owner will see it before sale. My Fez had some surface rust on those parts, nowhere near as bad as yours though. I pulled the wheels of mine the day after I picked it up and painted all those parts with rust proof paint from Watyl. It looks much better and to be honest if Ford had any pride in their product they shouldn't leave the factory bare.

To be honest it does make me wonder what other corners might have been cut in areas we cant see to save money. It just leaves one with the definite feeling that the cars are built down to a price not up to a quality level.

Spot On there Imolator, indeed, what other corners have been cut?......like everything today, it all comes down to the bottom line on the accountants spread sheet, they certainly dont build anything like they used to.

As for the rust issue, I just have to work on the principle that it's obviously not a major concern for Ford in Europe where they put salt on the roads and of course sell a hell of a lot more Fiesta's than they do here, hence it presumably should be good enough for us here in Oz with our non-salted roads........"fingers crossed"

[sca]

Hi all
I am located in Wollongong NSW. Having trouble uploading picture file as it says the limit is 146 Kbs, my file is 850 Kb.
Also I haven't seen any corrosion problems yet, I will have to keep an out out for any signs thanks for the heads up. I have also driven 2002 toyota echos and again simply no comparison, basic equipment tinny sounding doors closing handling / performance poor compared to the Fez.

[Piotr]

Surface rust isn't always a cause for concern. One certain alloys of metal a surface layer will form but not go past that. The fiesta is build for European conditions which are very harsh on the underbody of cars and any car that has rust problems wouldn't last very long and the fiesta is relativly old in the market.

If the car doesn't need something im happy running around without it because it has no effect on the car at all.

[goop]

Originally Posted by sca

Hi all
I am located in Wollongong NSW. Having trouble uploading picture file as it says the limit is 146 Kbs, my file is 850 Kb.
Also I haven't seen any corrosion problems yet, I will have to keep an out out for any signs thanks for the heads up. I have also driven 2002 toyota echos and again simply no comparison, basic equipment tinny sounding doors closing handling / performance poor compared to the Fez.

f'cken awful things aren't they NG has one, "... sluggish, like a wet sponge..." and the doors, oh jeebus, the doors :rolleyes: I feel like I'm in the cardboard car from playschool :evilking:

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by sca

Hi all
I am located in Wollongong NSW. Having trouble uploading picture file as it says the limit is 146 Kbs, my file is 850 Kb.

Host the pics on Tinypic by simply uploading them, then copy and paste the URL of where Tinypic hosts them into your reply to post by using the "insert image" toolbar function.

http://www.tinypic.com/

[Ives]

Or you can resize them to a realistic size using PhotoShop