Fiesta tdci zxi-Initial experience

peugeot96 · 6th November 2008, 23:34

Hi all,

This is a longish report on the first four months that a fiesta zxi has been a part of our family. First a small background on the purchase of the car- We had a baleno lxi that was bought new in 2006. The car had done 48k in the two years but was in decent shape. Over the last year our running has increased from 2k per month to about 3k due to various reasons. Hence the immediate need for a oil burner. The choice of the fiesta was very simple because it was the only diesel that my mother could travel in for more than 10 minutes without getting a headache!.

We booked a stockyard car that was one of the last older fiestas before the model update. Needless to say that a healthy discount was offered by the dealer. We took delivery in the last week of June. The car stood still for a week while I waited for a friend to join me on the run in trip. The run in trip was a 700km drive to Mangalore and back. We took care to maintain constant rpm and pulled over for a cooling cycle every time a rough spot was felt. The "feel" from the get go was not good. The motor felt strained and had a "metallic" feel about it compared to other fiestas of my friends.

The handling was good apart from the dead steering feel which takes a lot of fun out of this car. At high speeds the chassis stability is better than the baleno and results in less "cardio action". This is a welcome trait when one is not in the mood to enjoy driving. The ride in the front seats has been good but back seat comfort is appalling. The balenos multi link indi setup in the back was miles ahead. The brakes like in any good ford are crap. This is made up by the terrific gear down deceleration which is good enough to get out of trouble in most circumstances. After the run in trip the car spent the next 4k inside the city apart from the odd highway trip. Initial mileage was 14.5 with a/c on max inside the city and 18 on the highway. This lower mileage compared to other fiestas also increases my suspicion that all is not well with this particular motor.

The alignment goes south pretty easily and is something that is quite annoying if you do a lot of high-speed highway trips. The 5k first service was just a waste of time inspection. My request for changing the oil at 5k was laughed at by the dealer despite me offering to pay for it. I did not insist as I needed the car on the same day anyway. The alignment was also done. The next 5k went off smoothly but i slowly started to get the distinct feeling that the fiesta is not as well put together as the baleno. Even with such a stiff chassis the rattles and squeaks started to slowly set in. Most of the highway trips were quicker than the baleno on the same routes courtesy of the better torque which made overtaking easier without having to whip the engine. High end performance is of course no match.

The one bad driving experience was a trip to coorg where the car scraped on every other speed breaker. The 10k service saw the first oil change and a rather large bill despite it being a "free" service. The car has done about 3k since then and mileage has improved slightly to 15 in the city. The ride comfort however has distinctly gone bad. Rutts and potholes now result in worrying clang rather than a thud. The baleno was the car I expected to fall apart quickly but it held up like a tank through every test it was put through. That said the overall experience with the fiesta has been good.

The car has deliver everything that was promised-It makes only marginally more noise than a petrol car, vibration damping from the engine is as good as any petrol car, seating comfort is decent and the big plus is of course the mileage along with the ability to fill up at many wayside bunks which only stock diesel. I would give it a 7/10 so far. The 10 being my dear silver Japanese sports car that I will continue to miss for a long time.

peugeot96 · 7th November 2008, 01:51

A snap of my diesel truck

lamborghini · 7th November 2008, 02:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by peugeot96

Hi all,
We took care to maintain constant rpm and pulled over for a cooling cycle every time a rough spot was felt. The "feel" from the get go was not good. The motor felt strained and had a "metallic" feel about it compared to other fiestas of my friends.

The handling was good apart from the dead steering feel which takes a lot of fun out of this car. At high speeds the chassis stability is better than the baleno and results in less "cardio action". This is a welcome trait when one is not in the mood to enjoy driving. The ride in the front seats has been good but back seat comfort is appalling. The balenos multi link indi setup in the back was miles ahead.
The alignment goes south pretty easily and is something that is quite annoying if you do a lot of high-speed highway trips. The 5k first service was just a waste of time inspection. My request for changing the oil at 5k was laughed at by the dealer despite me offering to pay for it. I did not insist as I needed the car on the same day anyway. The alignment was also done. The next 5k went off smoothly but i slowly started to get the distinct feeling that the fiesta is not as well put together as the baleno. Even with such a stiff chassis the rattles and squeaks started to slowly set in. Most of the highway trips were quicker than the baleno on the same routes courtesy of the better torque which made overtaking easier without having to whip the engine. High end performance is of course no match.

The one bad driving experience was a trip to coorg where the car scraped on every other speed breaker. The 10k service saw the first oil change and a rather large bill despite it being a "free" service. The car has done about 3k since then and mileage has improved slightly to 15 in the city. The ride comfort however has distinctly gone bad. Rutts and potholes now result in worrying clang rather than a thud. The baleno was the car I expected to fall apart quickly but it held up like a tank through every test it was put through. That said the overall experience with the fiesta has been good.

I am actually surprised by your review.
I agree with the Baleno being more comfortable as it actually is one of the most comfortable cars in its segment.
But I do disagree with the no FTD factor in your fiesta.
We own a 1.4 TDCi done about 40Kkm and I love the FTD factor. This is one of the easiest and most fun cars to drive in the market right now.
Also I am surprised you found the engine strained. I love the way the torque comes in at low RPM's. It makes driving the car in the city so much more fun.
And the ride is actually not that bad. I have been driving at speed when a pothole jumps out on me and people can hardly feel anything apart from a small jolt. Also, we haven't faced any alignment issues as yet.
Please get you car checked by another service center.

peugeot96 · 7th November 2008, 02:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamborghini

I am actually surprised by your review.
I agree with the Baleno being more comfortable as it actually is one of the most comfortable cars in its segment.
But I do disagree with the no FTD factor in your fiesta.
We own a 1.4 TDCi done about 40Kkm and I love the FTD factor. This is one of the easiest and most fun cars to drive in the market right now.
Also I am surprised you found the engine strained. I love the way the torque comes in at low RPM's. It makes driving the car in the city so much more fun.
And the ride is actually not that bad. I have been driving at speed when a pothole jumps out on me and people can hardly feel anything apart from a small jolt. Also, we haven't faced any alignment issues as yet.
Please get you car checked by another service center.

I guess I have been pampered by my old pug and the baleno!. The handling is nice but the I feel there is no steering feedback and it feels artificially weighted. The ride has always been firm but of late it is uncomfortable. I jacked the car up and checked the suspension-no issues. I will ask the dealer to dismantle and inspect at the 20k service. Iam also thinking of dumping the mrf rubber and switching to bridgestone or micheliin.

peugeot96 · 7th November 2008, 18:44

Small update- I started using system d today with some reluctance. It appears to be making a difference!-there seems to be less noise and better response. Very surprising that it is helping with a low run engine. I hope Iam not imagining it

Path_Finder · 7th November 2008, 19:01

peugeot96
That was a honest straightforward review. As mentioned by Lamborghini there are a few surprises. I wouldn’t expect the Fiesta to scrape every speed-breaker and the ride comfort dropping like this. Yes, overall the Baleno is a more refined car, but on aspects of ruggedness I would not expect the Fiesta to be any less.

You mentioned that you picked the old stockyard piece. Just curious how old the piece was? Was it by any chance a TD vehicle? Or had some problems which was patched up and not revealed by the dealer? Did you check the actual month of manufacture?

Not that you after the dealer now, but my point is that if you can ascertain the history of vehicle, it could give better problems to the issues.

In any case I guess that 7/10 is not bad if not great – so enjoy your drive and take care.

PS: again just curious – what was the score of the Baleno?

peugeot96 · 4th December 2008, 13:40

A small update- mileage is now 16 in city 20 in highway. I am using shell for the last 2 fill ups.

mobike008 · 4th December 2008, 16:53

FTD comparison between a Baleno and Ford TDCi is a little unfair according to me. Baleno can kick some you know what and Fiesta's decently powered mill can give you some thrills but not in levels of a Baleno.

Btw, i am suprised to see the FE figures, they are darn good.

Enjoy the car !

aravinrd · 21st June 2009, 16:52

I took a test drive of the Fiesta today , I am 5ft 5inches tall, even after pulling the driver's seat closer to the wheel I had to stretch my feet to press the Clutch. The sales guy told me that that is closest the closed the drivers's seat can get to the wheels. Is Fiesta not suitable for short drivers? just wanted to know your thoughts/ suggestions, please help me out.

But I liked the other aspects of the car and tought of buying one, but for the above specified issue

extreme_torque · 21st June 2009, 17:22

I am also 5 5' and have driven the Fiesta without any problems what so ever. Check with some other dealer... this Fiesta may have problems with driver seat rail.

aravinrd · 21st June 2009, 22:45

Thank you, I will definitely give it a try

funda2max · 22nd June 2009, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by aravinrd

I took a test drive of the Fiesta today , I am 5ft 5inches tall, even after pulling the driver's seat closer to the wheel I had to stretch my feet to press the Clutch. The sales guy told me that that is closest the closed the drivers's seat can get to the wheels. Is Fiesta not suitable for short drivers? just wanted to know your thoughts/ suggestions, please help me out.

But I liked the other aspects of the car and tought of buying one, but for the above specified issue

Even i am 5'6", i didnt have any issues in my Fiesta. May be you need to adjust the height of the driver seat and try?

narayan · 22nd June 2009, 11:56

I had a chance to drive the TDCI for around 300kms in Chennai traffic and came back pleasantly surprised at this car's performance. have hardly driven diesel cars before and i was shocked at the acceleration this car offered.

within the city ( typically short bursts of acceleration ) i found almost no difference between the TDCI and my OHC. in fact the TDCI was actually better

the FE was amazing - 15+ and this was with the same style of driving as in a petrol car. i just could not get to grips with shifting at the right rpm so kept revving the engine unduly

the car i drove had done over 130000kms and had seen 2 owners and still felt almost showroom fresh ! no vibrations etc

but the car is definetly noisy and the heavy engine upfront does affect the steering feedback.

gearshifts were pretty slick too

all in all - an amazing car

Ramsagar · 22nd June 2009, 12:55

Guys is petes box available for fiesta?

funda2max · 22nd June 2009, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsagar

Guys is petes box available for fiesta?

Yes, It is available. It boosts 64BHP to 82 BHP. Check out here: Pete's Automotive Products Pvt Limited

6th November 2008, 23:34	#1
peugeot96 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 33 Thanked: 97 Times	Fiesta tdci zxi-Initial experience Hi all, This is a longish report on the first four months that a fiesta zxi has been a part of our family. First a small background on the purchase of the car- We had a baleno lxi that was bought new in 2006. The car had done 48k in the two years but was in decent shape. Over the last year our running has increased from 2k per month to about 3k due to various reasons. Hence the immediate need for a oil burner. The choice of the fiesta was very simple because it was the only diesel that my mother could travel in for more than 10 minutes without getting a headache!. We booked a stockyard car that was one of the last older fiestas before the model update. Needless to say that a healthy discount was offered by the dealer. We took delivery in the last week of June. The car stood still for a week while I waited for a friend to join me on the run in trip. The run in trip was a 700km drive to Mangalore and back. We took care to maintain constant rpm and pulled over for a cooling cycle every time a rough spot was felt. The "feel" from the get go was not good. The motor felt strained and had a "metallic" feel about it compared to other fiestas of my friends. The handling was good apart from the dead steering feel which takes a lot of fun out of this car. At high speeds the chassis stability is better than the baleno and results in less "cardio action". This is a welcome trait when one is not in the mood to enjoy driving. The ride in the front seats has been good but back seat comfort is appalling. The balenos multi link indi setup in the back was miles ahead. The brakes like in any good ford are crap. This is made up by the terrific gear down deceleration which is good enough to get out of trouble in most circumstances. After the run in trip the car spent the next 4k inside the city apart from the odd highway trip. Initial mileage was 14.5 with a/c on max inside the city and 18 on the highway. This lower mileage compared to other fiestas also increases my suspicion that all is not well with this particular motor. The alignment goes south pretty easily and is something that is quite annoying if you do a lot of high-speed highway trips. The 5k first service was just a waste of time inspection. My request for changing the oil at 5k was laughed at by the dealer despite me offering to pay for it. I did not insist as I needed the car on the same day anyway. The alignment was also done. The next 5k went off smoothly but i slowly started to get the distinct feeling that the fiesta is not as well put together as the baleno. Even with such a stiff chassis the rattles and squeaks started to slowly set in. Most of the highway trips were quicker than the baleno on the same routes courtesy of the better torque which made overtaking easier without having to whip the engine. High end performance is of course no match. The one bad driving experience was a trip to coorg where the car scraped on every other speed breaker. The 10k service saw the first oil change and a rather large bill despite it being a "free" service. The car has done about 3k since then and mileage has improved slightly to 15 in the city. The ride comfort however has distinctly gone bad. Rutts and potholes now result in worrying clang rather than a thud. The baleno was the car I expected to fall apart quickly but it held up like a tank through every test it was put through. That said the overall experience with the fiesta has been good. The car has deliver everything that was promised-It makes only marginally more noise than a petrol car, vibration damping from the engine is as good as any petrol car, seating comfort is decent and the big plus is of course the mileage along with the ability to fill up at many wayside bunks which only stock diesel. I would give it a 7/10 so far. The 10 being my dear silver Japanese sports car that I will continue to miss for a long time.
	() Thanks

7th November 2008, 01:51	#2
peugeot96 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 33 Thanked: 97 Times	A snap of my diesel truck Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

7th November 2008, 18:44	#5
peugeot96 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 33 Thanked: 97 Times	Small update- I started using system d today with some reluctance. It appears to be making a difference!-there seems to be less noise and better response. Very surprising that it is helping with a low run engine. I hope Iam not imagining it
	() Thanks

7th November 2008, 19:01	#6
Path_Finder BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 622 Thanked: 6 Times View My Garage	peugeot96 That was a honest straightforward review. As mentioned by Lamborghini there are a few surprises. I wouldn’t expect the Fiesta to scrape every speed-breaker and the ride comfort dropping like this. Yes, overall the Baleno is a more refined car, but on aspects of ruggedness I would not expect the Fiesta to be any less. You mentioned that you picked the old stockyard piece. Just curious how old the piece was? Was it by any chance a TD vehicle? Or had some problems which was patched up and not revealed by the dealer? Did you check the actual month of manufacture? Not that you after the dealer now, but my point is that if you can ascertain the history of vehicle, it could give better problems to the issues. In any case I guess that 7/10 is not bad if not great – so enjoy your drive and take care. PS: again just curious – what was the score of the Baleno?
	() Thanks

4th December 2008, 13:40	#7
peugeot96 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 33 Thanked: 97 Times	A small update- mileage is now 16 in city 20 in highway. I am using shell for the last 2 fill ups.
	() Thanks

4th December 2008, 16:53	#8
mobike008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 11,689 Thanked: 14,764 Times View My Garage	FTD comparison between a Baleno and Ford TDCi is a little unfair according to me. Baleno can kick some you know what and Fiesta's decently powered mill can give you some thrills but not in levels of a Baleno. Btw, i am suprised to see the FE figures, they are darn good. Enjoy the car !
	() Thanks

21st June 2009, 16:52	#9
aravinrd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: chennai Posts: 115 Thanked: 4 Times	Fiesta Test Drive I took a test drive of the Fiesta today , I am 5ft 5inches tall, even after pulling the driver's seat closer to the wheel I had to stretch my feet to press the Clutch. The sales guy told me that that is closest the closed the drivers's seat can get to the wheels. Is Fiesta not suitable for short drivers? just wanted to know your thoughts/ suggestions, please help me out. But I liked the other aspects of the car and tought of buying one, but for the above specified issue
	() Thanks

21st June 2009, 17:22	#10
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,376 Thanked: 5,105 Times	I am also 5 5' and have driven the Fiesta without any problems what so ever. Check with some other dealer... this Fiesta may have problems with driver seat rail.
	() Thanks

21st June 2009, 22:45	#11
aravinrd BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: chennai Posts: 115 Thanked: 4 Times	Thank you, I will definitely give it a try
	() Thanks

22nd June 2009, 11:56	#13
narayan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 3,114 Thanked: 2,372 Times View My Garage	I had a chance to drive the TDCI for around 300kms in Chennai traffic and came back pleasantly surprised at this car's performance. have hardly driven diesel cars before and i was shocked at the acceleration this car offered. within the city ( typically short bursts of acceleration ) i found almost no difference between the TDCI and my OHC. in fact the TDCI was actually better the FE was amazing - 15+ and this was with the same style of driving as in a petrol car. i just could not get to grips with shifting at the right rpm so kept revving the engine unduly the car i drove had done over 130000kms and had seen 2 owners and still felt almost showroom fresh ! no vibrations etc but the car is definetly noisy and the heavy engine upfront does affect the steering feedback. gearshifts were pretty slick too all in all - an amazing car
	() Thanks

22nd June 2009, 12:55	#14
Ramsagar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BLR_Nellore(AP) Posts: 1,396 Thanked: 252 Times View My Garage	Guys is petes box available for fiesta?
	() Thanks

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