Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Review : 98,000 kms up. EDIT : Now sold!

GTO · 4th September 2006, 10:17

Nice update, Lambo. Somehow, Fords cant seem to get rid of niggling problems. Considering the fact that the diesel Fiesta is pretty expensive, thats not a good thing.

Buttttttttttttt the car is fabulous. I drove Monkeys Fiesta twice in the recent months, and was amazed at the sheer refinement and superb ride quality.

lamborghini · 16th September 2006, 17:10

Hey Suman,
the squeaking noise has gone and the car is running smooth.
GTO,
thanks. While a regular owner would not seem to mind some of the niggling problems, i somehow seem to notice almost every bit.
The only major problems, being the brakes and the air con conking off but the car has been reliable since then so lets hope it stays that way.
Cheers

navdeep · 16th September 2006, 18:39

How about the company fitted music system and sound quality of speakers ?
Which make is it .. does it support MP3 and other formats ..

abhibh · 16th September 2006, 19:25

Company fitted music system is not at all good. Can do daily job but not for music lovers. Speaker are Ok but not too good. It supports Audio cds only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by navdeep

How about the company fitted music system and sound quality of speakers ?
Which make is it .. does it support MP3 and other formats ..

lamborghini · 21st September 2006, 22:10

Navdeep,
as abhibh said, the company music system is quite crap.
It skips when going over bumps and only plays regular CDs.
The speakers don't have good bass and treble but are good enough for the daily run.

lamborghini · 30th November 2006, 12:11

15000 km update
Hey guys,
here's the 15,000km update. It took a bit longer to cover the last 5000 km as the car wasn't used a lot due to the shortage of drivers.
Since te last 5000km, there has been no new problem cropping up but once, the left side ORVM's internal adjustment knob came off and we almost lost it. Along with this, someone has removed the sponge and the squeaking noise is back. The CD player too somehow manages to ruin my CD's and stalls for a second when the car goes over a bump. Apart from this, there have been no other complaints. Infact, there has only been praise for this car.

FE - City --> around 14kmpl
FE - Highway --> not tested since last time but when i went to Pune, it gave 13.33kmpl with more then 70% of teh driving being in city. Should give 17+ if driven carefully

Max Speed touched --> 176kmph.

Look at the photo. Location - undisclosed. For those who may think otherwise, it was being driven by an experienced driver. Me and 3 friends who were with me were very impressed with the stability of the car as was the driver.
However, one day when i was on the way to school, an auto guy jumps out from a lane and stops in the middle of the lane and we had to press he brake really hard and i was a bit dissapointed. The car started screeching and skidded a bit but there was hardly and reduction in speed. Guess i'll have to get the brakes checked again soon.
I also plan to get the car polished once the work in our house is over .
Also someone scratched the car with a coin or something and it is quite deep and relitively long. The car was parked near school then and it is really irritating to see all this. The front bumper also has a thin scratch but i would like to get it repainted if possible. Lets hope its possible.
Apart from this, the car is still the same entertaining ride it used to be.
Will be frequently updating pics in the gallery so keepa lookout. See you guys @ 20,000km
Cheers

benbsb29 · 30th November 2006, 15:10

Lambo, really nice to c ur detailed review...!!
Scratches are something we sud get used to .... the more we think about them, the more we suffer high BP.

Keep the reviews comin along... My new Ikon is around the 2K mark, and i will soon embark upon a review on similar lines.

suman · 1st December 2006, 10:56

Hey Lambo, crisp review, keep it coming; ask them to lubricate the hand brake cable as that was what was making the squeaking noise in mine!

Autos, cyclists & scratches - how I wish we could live without them

abhibh · 2nd December 2006, 02:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

15000 km update
Max Speed touched --> 176kmph.

Isn't top speed 164 claimed by ford ? What u did ? Is there pete inside or speedo error ?

lamborghini · 2nd December 2006, 11:56

Thanks Benbsb.
I can't help it it bro. I spend endless hours worrying about our cars and how i can convince someone to get them repaired if anything minor goes wrong.

Suman,
Now that you have a Dicor, i'm sure that no one would want to mess with you on the streets. Will get it checked when it goes to the garage.

Abhibh,
The car is totally totally stock. It is definitely because of the speedo error.

Cheers guys

sreenivass · 2nd December 2006, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Thanks Benbsb.
I can't help it it bro. I spend endless hours worrying about our cars and how i can convince someone to get them repaired if anything minor goes wrong.

Suman,
Now that you have a Dicor, i'm sure that no one would want to mess with you on the streets. Will get it checked when it goes to the garage.

Abhibh,
The car is totally totally stock. It is definitely because of the speedo error.

Cheers guys

I have not seen a fiesta, but the dash looks pretty neat. Have loads of fun dude.

Beeman · 14th December 2006, 02:36

planning to buy one tomorrow............
hope i am making the right decesion....
Whats the status on the spare parts prices?
Also, these chaps at the dealership are promsing a fe of 17-18 min in the city

lamborghini · 21st January 2007, 12:10

Hey beeman,
sorry for the late reply, i am assuming you must have bought the car already.
We have gotten a max of 15.xx in the city. If driven really carefully, maybe 16 but 18 is def. a no-no.
We have had no problems so i wouldn't know about the spare parts.

In other news, the car has almost completed one year of ownership and has done 17kkm.
Cheers

lamborghini · 21st April 2007, 23:59

20,000 km
Hey guys,
the car has just completed around 20K - 21K km (around 209xx to be more precise) so i thought of updating this thread.

FE -
13.5 - 15kmpl depending on the driver
Only city as i have not gone on the highway after last time.

In the last couple of months, the car has gone through a lot of passer by envy.
Irritations -
There are quite a few small dents and minute scratched made by passer bys which is quite irritating. Also, the driver has decided to start sleepin in the car with the windows and doors open so the interior is really dusty and a bit smelly (even the ambipur doesn't help anymore - any advice?).
Apart from that small hassle, the brakes seem ok now but the squeaking noise is still coming.
Also Shaman Ford hasn't marked the last service coupon in the service book and i want to get it checked out by them.
The driver hasn't understood how the DTE meter works and i am at my wits end trying to explain that it changes according to driving conditions.
Accidents -
Thankfully, there have been no major accidents at all in the car's life.
Apart from the small scratches on the bumper and the small accident involving the rear bumper (mentioned elsewhere in this thread), the only new happening is that one day on the way back from school, a 3 wheeler truck grazed the left side leaving a scratch and a dent, extending from the left rear door to the rear fender.
We showed it to Ford and they quoted some 14K or 20K to fix it. So, it's pretty much there right now, ill post up some pics of it tomorrow or dayafter.
Problems -
Nothing new has cropped up thankfully

Apart from what was mentioned above, the car has lasted quite well for the last 20Kkm, with everyone enjoying the car.
Friends are still ga-ga over the car and i am just falling more and more in love with it everyday.
A recent realization was that the OE music system is quite decent. Though it's nothing to write home about, the quality is way better than the Corolla's music system in terms of sound quality.
Also, the car has begun smoking a bit under hard acceleration (but then again so does our merc and my friends merc too). Would revving the car at specified intervals help? Worried that there may be a PUC problem.

I guess this covers about everything that has happened to the car in the last couple of months.,
Any questions and comments would be appreciated. Pics being uploaded on this and my garage shortly.

GTO · 22nd April 2007, 10:04

Nice review. Smooth ownership experience! Thanks for frequently updating this thread.

Quote:

Also, the car has begun smoking a bit under hard acceleration (but then again so does our merc and my friends merc too).

Dont worry about it. All the diesels I have seen smoke under hard acceleration.

4th September 2006, 10:17	#46
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,779 Times View My Garage	Nice update, Lambo. Somehow, Fords cant seem to get rid of niggling problems. Considering the fact that the diesel Fiesta is pretty expensive, thats not a good thing. Buttttttttttttt the car is fabulous. I drove Monkeys Fiesta twice in the recent months, and was amazed at the sheer refinement and superb ride quality.
	() Thanks

16th September 2006, 17:10	#47
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	Hey Suman, the squeaking noise has gone and the car is running smooth. GTO, thanks. While a regular owner would not seem to mind some of the niggling problems, i somehow seem to notice almost every bit. The only major problems, being the brakes and the air con conking off but the car has been reliable since then so lets hope it stays that way. Cheers
	() Thanks

16th September 2006, 18:39	#48
navdeep BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 892 Thanked: 4 Times	How about the company fitted music system and sound quality of speakers ? Which make is it .. does it support MP3 and other formats ..
	() Thanks

21st September 2006, 22:10	#50
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	Navdeep, as abhibh said, the company music system is quite crap. It skips when going over bumps and only plays regular CDs. The speakers don't have good bass and treble but are good enough for the daily run.
	() Thanks

30th November 2006, 12:11	#51
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	15000 km update Hey guys, here's the 15,000km update. It took a bit longer to cover the last 5000 km as the car wasn't used a lot due to the shortage of drivers. Since te last 5000km, there has been no new problem cropping up but once, the left side ORVM's internal adjustment knob came off and we almost lost it. Along with this, someone has removed the sponge and the squeaking noise is back. The CD player too somehow manages to ruin my CD's and stalls for a second when the car goes over a bump. Apart from this, there have been no other complaints. Infact, there has only been praise for this car. FE - City --> around 14kmpl FE - Highway --> not tested since last time but when i went to Pune, it gave 13.33kmpl with more then 70% of teh driving being in city. Should give 17+ if driven carefully Max Speed touched --> 176kmph. Look at the photo. Location - undisclosed. For those who may think otherwise, it was being driven by an experienced driver. Me and 3 friends who were with me were very impressed with the stability of the car as was the driver. However, one day when i was on the way to school, an auto guy jumps out from a lane and stops in the middle of the lane and we had to press he brake really hard and i was a bit dissapointed. The car started screeching and skidded a bit but there was hardly and reduction in speed. Guess i'll have to get the brakes checked again soon. I also plan to get the car polished once the work in our house is over . Also someone scratched the car with a coin or something and it is quite deep and relitively long. The car was parked near school then and it is really irritating to see all this. The front bumper also has a thin scratch but i would like to get it repainted if possible. Lets hope its possible. Apart from this, the car is still the same entertaining ride it used to be. Will be frequently updating pics in the gallery so keepa lookout. See you guys @ 20,000km Cheers
	() Thanks

30th November 2006, 15:10	#52
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,969 Thanked: 13,229 Times View My Garage	Lambo, really nice to c ur detailed review...!! Scratches are something we sud get used to .... the more we think about them, the more we suffer high BP. Keep the reviews comin along... My new Ikon is around the 2K mark, and i will soon embark upon a review on similar lines.
	() Thanks

1st December 2006, 10:56	#53
suman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kolkata Posts: 4,589 Thanked: 279 Times View My Garage	Hey Lambo, crisp review, keep it coming; ask them to lubricate the hand brake cable as that was what was making the squeaking noise in mine! Autos, cyclists & scratches - how I wish we could live without them
	() Thanks

2nd December 2006, 11:56	#55
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	Thanks Benbsb. I can't help it it bro. I spend endless hours worrying about our cars and how i can convince someone to get them repaired if anything minor goes wrong. Suman, Now that you have a Dicor, i'm sure that no one would want to mess with you on the streets. Will get it checked when it goes to the garage. Abhibh, The car is totally totally stock. It is definitely because of the speedo error. Cheers guys
	() Thanks

14th December 2006, 02:36	#57
Beeman BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Treasure island Posts: 335 Thanked: 2 Times	planning to buy one tomorrow............ hope i am making the right decesion.... Whats the status on the spare parts prices? Also, these chaps at the dealership are promsing a fe of 17-18 min in the city
	() Thanks

21st January 2007, 12:10	#58
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	Hey beeman, sorry for the late reply, i am assuming you must have bought the car already. We have gotten a max of 15.xx in the city. If driven really carefully, maybe 16 but 18 is def. a no-no. We have had no problems so i wouldn't know about the spare parts. In other news, the car has almost completed one year of ownership and has done 17kkm. Cheers
	() Thanks

21st April 2007, 23:59	#59
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,114 Thanked: 5,761 Times View My Garage	20,000 km Hey guys, the car has just completed around 20K - 21K km (around 209xx to be more precise) so i thought of updating this thread. FE - 13.5 - 15kmpl depending on the driver Only city as i have not gone on the highway after last time. In the last couple of months, the car has gone through a lot of passer by envy. Irritations - There are quite a few small dents and minute scratched made by passer bys which is quite irritating. Also, the driver has decided to start sleepin in the car with the windows and doors open so the interior is really dusty and a bit smelly (even the ambipur doesn't help anymore - any advice?). Apart from that small hassle, the brakes seem ok now but the squeaking noise is still coming. Also Shaman Ford hasn't marked the last service coupon in the service book and i want to get it checked out by them. The driver hasn't understood how the DTE meter works and i am at my wits end trying to explain that it changes according to driving conditions. Accidents - Thankfully, there have been no major accidents at all in the car's life. Apart from the small scratches on the bumper and the small accident involving the rear bumper (mentioned elsewhere in this thread), the only new happening is that one day on the way back from school, a 3 wheeler truck grazed the left side leaving a scratch and a dent, extending from the left rear door to the rear fender. We showed it to Ford and they quoted some 14K or 20K to fix it. So, it's pretty much there right now, ill post up some pics of it tomorrow or dayafter. Problems - Nothing new has cropped up thankfully Apart from what was mentioned above, the car has lasted quite well for the last 20Kkm, with everyone enjoying the car. Friends are still ga-ga over the car and i am just falling more and more in love with it everyday. A recent realization was that the OE music system is quite decent. Though it's nothing to write home about, the quality is way better than the Corolla's music system in terms of sound quality. Also, the car has begun smoking a bit under hard acceleration (but then again so does our merc and my friends merc too). Would revving the car at specified intervals help? Worried that there may be a PUC problem. I guess this covers about everything that has happened to the car in the last couple of months., Any questions and comments would be appreciated. Pics being uploaded on this and my garage shortly.
	() Thanks