A friend of mine wants a small, cheap runabout. He's thinking in terms of a Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta up to a =A31000. I just wondered if there was an overwhelming concensus among the group for one or the other and, aside from the usual car problems, if there are any particular faults to check on either one. Many thanks for any responses.
don't forget the 1.4 fiesta zetec.... see my other post about the mk4 fiesta in the misc group where I'm getting stick and some support cos I love my mk4!!
The Mk4 Fiesta is a bloody good little car, but you did go somewhat over the top with your description....
Anyway, I'd have said the 1.25 would be a better choice than the 1.4, but ISTR they dropped the 1.25 in favour of the 1.4, but that wasn't 'til ages later, and certainly not on the ones you'll be able to get for a grand.
You're probably right I did go OTT but in the context of that kind of car (which perhaps wasn't clear from the post as it did look like I was saying it was the best car ever!!) I think it was justified based on my personal experience. I could have bought a corsa but I don't think I would have still been as happy with it 3 years and 60k miles later
For a grand yes you probably wouldn't get the 1.4 and the 1.25 is also a great engine.
Advice to "sunday driver"- do get the Mk 4 fiesta (model from 1995) over a mk 3 as the Mk 4 is a much better car. (I've owned both), you should be able to get one for a grand now (maybe an N -S reg one). With service history there shouldn't be many problems but check the brakes and the master cylinder if possible for leaks as mine started leaking at 50k miles. Good luck.
I;ve just bought a 1.25Zetec Fiesta Ghia on an S plate and I'm really happy with it. It's really powerful and smooth and my local garage has done the cambelt and drivebelt for £209 inc parts and VAT.
I'll be completely happy when I get the idle problem fixed but other than that it's a great little car.
A word of warning: Make sure you get the red PATS master key if the car has PATS I or at least two valid keys if it has PATS II - if you don't you'll have to pay Ford lots of money if you want any more keys! (With PATS I you need the red key to program others, with PATS II you need two valid keys to add or remove any others from the PATS system's memory)
I got mine (PATS II) with only one valid key. Ford supplied a new one and programmed it for me but it cost £140 with labour and VAT. The third one cost me £12 quid from Timpson and I could programme it myself - I keep threee so that if I lose one I'll still have two for programming. I would strongly advise the same to anyone else.
Tony
In news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com, Sunday Driver decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows
Fiesta definately the better option.
Corsas are unbelievably s**te. Really, unutterably s**te.
The 1.25 is a sweeter little thing than the 1.4, it's keener to rev and for most drivers it's more than enough.
The 1.4 90 PS wasn't used for long in the Fiesta before Ford detuned it.
I'm going against the group here.
On the one hand the Fiesta is a superb little car. It's the drivers' choice each and every time when compared not only to the Corsa but, model to model, against *anything* else in its class.
On the other, the Corsa is arguably tougher* and better built.
I would look for a Fiesta myself but if I were on a budget I'd get whatever of the two is in better nick and not be too fussy.
*they still have their problems of course.If you're looking for a runabout then you could consider something like a Toyota Starlet or Nissan Micra too.
Don't talk s**te. The Corsa doesn't hold a candle to the Mk4 build quality.
Sorry but I've been in enough of disagree. The Corsa has always been a tonka-toy robust product. Given the target audience that's a good thing.
The message from "DervMan" contains these words:
Automatics are thin on the ground though. The wife's getting fed up with her Clio sunroof leaking and the locks jamming and so on and is looking for replacements.
Small automatic suggestions, anyone? Must have PAS.
And I've MOTed enough Corsas to know that at 7-8 years old they're starting to fall apart at the seams. Nasty little things.
John
Suppose the obvious answer is to avoid anything CVT, unless you're happy forking out for a replacement gearbox every 40-50k.
Are Yaris autos any good? I know the A-class auto is a decent box too, but they're quite pricey.
As opposed to the Festers which will be gently bubbling with rust....
The message from "AstraVanMan" contains these words:
She's not the sort to spend more than a few hundred on a car.
Well I'd have said she's very unlikely to get a decent small auto then, unless she wants to take a chance on a s**te old CVT that could give up at any time in the near future, or she gets lucky and gets one that's had a recent box replacement.
My Mk 4 "fester" is 7 years old and not at all rusty yet.. however it's been looked after and probably a litle bit more expensive than the one under discussion here. I haven't seen a badly rusty Mk4 yet apart from a few older fiesta vans- then yes they are bubbling with rust but have probably had a hard life!!
My Mk3 fiesta had a bit of rust on the panel under the bumper at 10 years old but not at all bad, it had also been kept clean though and I have seen some right rust-bucket mk3's but then they are getting on now. The Fiestas in general had hardwearing interiors which last well
- at least both of my fiestas have. The cars also feel quite solid and not tinny like some other small cars.
Micras have great build quality the only reason I didn't buy one after I got rid of the Mk3 was because I always associate them with older people as they're soo sensible!!
Having looked at endless 5/6 year old Corsas for a mate earlier in the year - the Corsas will be rusty as well.
I've seen a good few going where the B pillar meets the sills. Plus dodgy tailgates and wings.
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