Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI - New Ownership Report

[zuch]

After several weeks of planning/confusion/indecision/research(=TBHP) I finally decided to go for a diamond white ford fiesta 1.6 sxi petrol. Took the delivery on Sunday 8th June from NCR Ford, Defence Colony.

Before this I have driven a maruti 800 for a couple of years, our family's santros(we've had 2 of them) off and on and a pre-owned 2001 accent that I bought a couple of years ago. The accent had started to become a headache to maintain so I needed a new car to replace that.

Selection

I considered each and every car that was available under 8 lacs and each one of them had its share of pros and cons. My main aim was to get a car that would be fun to drive and something that I would like to keep for many years. I don't drive much(10-15Km a day) so I decided to stick with petrol.

I am aware that a facelift for the fiesta is around the corner but gave in to the discounts offered by the dealer and the fact that I could afford the safety features like ABS/Airbag without stretching my budget to an uncomfortable level.

Dealership Experience

The dealership experience has been good so far. Their conduct was extremely professional and they co-operated well through my multiple test drives, the prolonged period of decision making and a visit to their stock yard for inspection.

First Impresssions

I've just had the car for two days so it's still early for a report but I'll begin with the things that have impressed me so far...

1. Driveability: The car is a delight to drive. I don't feel like stepping out of the driver's seat. Love the tone of the engine as it starts. Haven't revved it up beyond 2500 rpm yet but I'm waiting to cross the 1500Km mark that the manual suggests.
2. Ergonomics: I've got a really sensitive back and i'm prone to back-aches so i can tell that the seats are very comfortable and the driving position is great.
3. Headlights: The stock headlamps are awesome. Even though I had read that the lights were good on TBHP I was really surprised when we first drove out at night.
4. Looks: I know they are subjective and I was never a fan of the fiesta's looks but they have really grown on me now.
5. A/C: The airconditioner is a chiller but the blower is noisy.
6. NVH: The engine is super quiet when idle and the cabin insulation is good. The engine felt a little coarse at first but seems to have become smoother just after a couple of days of driving.

And now the things that could have been better...
1. Audio System: The audio system is pretty decent and better than what I expected but the fact there is no mp3 or aux support is a let down. Surprisingly it has an aux mode but I've found numerous posts in the forum that say that there is an external audio source cannot be connected.
2. Gear Shift: The gears are a little hard but that might change with time and also because maybe I'm not used to a new gear shift.

Team BHP has played a big role in the decision making and I would like to thank everyone who have posted reviews about their cars and there is so much information out here for all levels of car enthusiasts I've simply been addicted to the site.

I will try to post more about the ownership experience whenever something eventful comes up.

I know a lot of you will ask for pics. I will try to click some soon.

[snaronikar]

Congrats on your new buy. Fiesta is a good car. Hope the A** is also good in your city. What are the freebies and discounts you have got. And of course, do post pics.

[Veelubai]

Congras, does your car come with alloys?

[nkapoor777]

Congrats on your purchase, zuch. Enjoy the beauty. My requirements are pretty similar to yours.

What were the discounts like? On-road Price? I am really looking for one right now. But confused with respect to taking it or waiting till the facelift. There's another thread here with the pics of a facelifted sports version. Any idea on that?

[lamborghini]

Congrats on the car bro.
You will love it. Our TDCi has completed 2.5 years and 35000km and I still love it, more and more everyday.
Once you start driving it more, you will begin to fall in love with the handling and appreciate its amazing visibility and nimbleness in traffic.
Keep on updating this thread as you travels increase and please post some pics.
Cheers!

@Veelubhai - the new SXi doesn't come with alloys. Wait for the new 1.6S which comes with alloys and a spoiler and all.

[zuch]

Thanks nkapoor777, Veelubai and snaronikar.

The OTR price was 7.09 lacs. I got a 40K dealer discount, and some basic accessories like floor mats and a gear lock.

The car does not have alloys.

[PatienceWins]

Congrats!! Fiesta looks awesome in white. Waiting for the pictures.

[Veelubai]

ok thats a descent price.Good that you didnt get the stock alloys,they dont look good.Pls go in for some nice wheels.

[lamborghini]

@zuch - if you can, actually change the wheels. I want to do that on our fiesta and believe it will make a world of a difference.

[suman]

Hey Zuch, congrats on finally taking the plunge. The SXI is an excellent choice, wish you many kilometers & years of fun-filled driving

Originally Posted by zuch

1. Driveability: The car is a delight to drive. I don't feel like stepping out of the driver's seat. Love the tone of the engine as it starts.

I agree, its really addictive & I love the snarl when I rev her through the gears, its a real adrenalin surge!

Originally Posted by zuch

6. NVH: The engine is super quiet when idle and the cabin insulation is good. The engine felt a little coarse at first but seems to have become smoother just after a couple of days of driving.

Ford have done a real good job with the NVH & refinement levels on the Fiesta 1.6. My SXI has completed almost 60k kms now & the cabin is still as silent (especially on idle) as on Day One

Enjoy your ride!

[vnabhi]

Congrats Zuch! Do post some pics of your sxi. Have they decreased the price of the 1.6 sxi, as I nearly paid a lac more than you. Of course, I paid 22 K extra for alloys, but got a corporate discount of 15 k and a Nokia car kit free. Perhaps life tax in Delhi is lower.
As regards aux in connection, are you going by the manual? It says you get 'Aux' if you press the AM button twice (you really do, but it is misleading). But service centre guys have confirmed that there is no aux in connection at the back of the head unit.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by zuch

After several weeks of planning/confusion/indecision/research(=TBHP) I finally decided to go for a diamond white ford fiesta 1.6 sxi petrol. Took the delivery on Sunday 8th June from NCR Ford, Defence Colony.

Congrats on your decision Zuch, After waiting for so long, you finally took the plunge! Regarding the colour, i dont know about Delhi, but in Bangalore there are quite a few Fiesta cabs in white which would personally make me avoid that colour.

Originally Posted by zuch

4. Looks: I know they are subjective and I was never a fan of the fiesta's looks but they have really grown on me now.

Aah.. the looks grew on me as well, despite me feeling it to be a little too round initially.

Originally Posted by zuch

And now the things that could have been better...
2. Gear Shift: The gears are a little hard but that might change with time and also because maybe I'm not used to a new gear shift.

I am surprised you say this, as i felt the gear shift quality on the Fiesta was excellent.

[Zodak]

Hey Zuch,do get the TMP(extended warranty) . I totally agree that Fiesta 1.6Sxi is a hoot to drive . Have just completed 1500Km on my , still not revving above 3K RPM mark . But lets see when the adrenaline forces me to rev it. Also do keep an eye on tacho .With such good NVH insulation levels you won't realize what the engine is upto.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by Zodak

Hey Zuch,do get the TMP(extended warranty) . I totally agree that Fiesta 1.6Sxi is a hoot to drive . Have just completed 1500Km on my , still not revving above 3K RPM mark . But lets see when the adrenaline forces me to rev it. Also do keep an eye on tacho .With such good NVH insulation levels you won't realize what the engine is upto.

How much does the TMP cost? I did not go for it, but went for extended warranty for another year.
As regards the resisting the urge to rev past 3K RPM, I had to wait patiently to cross 2K on the odo, and the moment it went past that, I floored the pedal. Gosh, what a raspy roar that was that emanated from the engine, on the desolate Srisailam highway! Only issue I found was that the steering wheel was vibrating between 110 to 120 kmph. I got my wheels balanced in the second service and have no issues after that.

As regards the gear shift, it is butter smooth, provided you are pressing the clutch fully. Some people press it half way to avoid that small projection to the left of the clutch, and this is when the gear shift seems hard. You need to use the tip of your foot, not the middle to press the clutch all the way down. Hope this helps.

[aaggoswami]

Congrats, for this purchase.
Looks like you were very precise in what you wanted and finally got this machine that is a good drivers car.
Glad to know that you were able to get the safety features.

Yes waiting for pictures!