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-   -   Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi - SXI Premium - Journey Begins (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/66650-ford-fiesta-1-4-tdci-sxi-premium-journey-begins.html)

The car enthusiasm began 7 - 8 years back, I was traveling in train from Mumbai to Pune, I saw many cars pridefully running on Mumbai - Pune Expressway, it excited me and dream to own car touched me (I was research student that time), after completion of my research and professionally settling for few years, I got my first car Santro Xing in March 2006 and within a week I took car on expressway from Pune to Mumbai (I was new driver) went to my uncle in Thane and came back next day, it was dream drive.

Due to love of car and high running, I decided to upgrade car to diesel version, precisely 6 months back.

What Car :

My prime requirement was it should be equipped with ABS and Airbags.

It was not easy decision for me, one of my close friend recommended me Swift Dzire as He himself had one, I went to nearest Maruti Showroom and booked Swift Dzire - ZDI (after taking Test Drive), waiting period 5 months, I was not in hurry, paid them Rs. 50000/- and told to deliver me on eve of dusshera (28th September), the Manager guaranteed me it will be deliver on precise date as you have booked quite early.

Now the twist started taking place (after 2 months of booking), somehow while searching on net about Dzire, I got hooked to Team - Bhp, and it opened the vast gate of knowledge, after going through various threads, I asked my friend to handover his Dzire to me for 3 days, He immediately obliged, I went on long drive, around 500 kms and I was not happy with car, pick up was very good, handling was precise, but the rattles and thin steel body of car put me off :eek:(the car has covered 22000 Kms on ODO), my Santro even after 75000+ kms was rattle free.

Now I was in dilemma, after thinking lot and learning from T-Bhp, I went to Maruti Showroom and canceled my booking, the Manager tried to perceive me but I was firm, as this car will remain with me at least for 5 years may be more and I don't want to go with this product (no offense to Dzire owners, it is my personal view), at last Manager obliged my request and paid me full booking amount.

Now what next, I started following various threads on Linea, Verna and few on Fiesta.

I started doing Test Drive of Linea, Verna and Fiesta, even I waited for Premium hatchbacks, Punto (IMO best looking hatch), i20 CRDi (as a satisfied Hyundai customer, I was ready to upgrade to Hyundai Premium hatchback due to safety features).

Linea : Best looking Sedan in its segment, Power was O.K for me, plastic quality was not upto mark, long turning radius, attitude of both dealers and my major concern of A.S.S put me off.

Verna : Even though I am Hyundai customer, it was not friendly affair for me, after lot of follow up, they took 10 days to make available Test Drive car.
As expected interior quality was good, pick up and power was best, handling I can't comment as it was short drive but I was able to live with it, the only negative was absence of Airbags.

Fiesta : My major concern was Service and Spare Cost, some how one of my close friend's relative is working as Service Manager at nearest Ford Service centre, I called him up, He told me don't worry about service and spare parts, they are quite competetive and told me to take Test Drive and decide, He immediately called Showroom Manager and sent Fiesta at my residence , I took test drive for 20 kms, the car was showing 18000 kms on ODO, but no rattles, good A.C, handling was spot on, when I shifted to 3rd gear it was vrooming. Next day I went to Service Centre to get the look, I took the customers feedback, they were quite happy, one of the car had covered 150000 kms, I requested owner to allow me short drive, He agreed and I was amused the driving experience was amazing. I immediately decided to book the car and went to Showroom, hand over cheque of Rs. 50000/- and told to deliver on dusshera (28th September).

I would like especially thanks to Lamborghini and Unni.ak for their in depth thread which gave me confidence to 'Go Fida'.clap:
Also I would like thanks to Shajufx, FrankMehta, Raamki, Vnabhi, Sumanji, Kumar, OSS, Ashish and other Fiesta owners for their beautiful threads.

I'll pen down my initial experience with Fiesta in my next post.

Sorry for long post and thanks for reading.

Few Snaps.

Congrats on your new car.
The new model alloys really look good.
My only grouse (and this is purely my personal view) is that the chrome on the rear view mirrors doesnt gel well with the car in the new version of the Fiesta.
Regarding rattles, I agree with you. My cousin has a Fiesta and after 45,000 Kms on the ODO, there are absolutely no rattles in his car.

Drive safe and enjoy your car.

Very beautifully you covered all your research journey!
Congratulations once again and have safe drive.

Though SXI comes with leather seats but still you removed plastics from seat covers to early lol:

Thanks F1Fan, I do agree chrome on rear view mirrors and front grill doesn'nt gel well, but no choice as my requirement was airbags and it was available in top end model with chrome.

Thanks Kumar, I removed plastic to get feel and enjoy stock seat covers.

@rajeshvin: Congo on the new Fiesta. I also TD'ed the Diesel once and loved it. Found minimal lag and the acceleration was too good. Dunno much about the top end though, but its a Ford after all. Must be good.

Congrats Rajesh clap:

The car looks awesome, and the drive is fab. Now that you have the one exactly same as mind, and bought around the same time, let us start tracking the 'living with Fiesta' experience.

I have been awestruck so far and am thoroughly enjoying my ride. I sure you too will find the experience enjoyable :thumbs up

congratulations
one more fiesta in the list. enjoy driving your dream car.
I have started reading the threads from middle of August 2009(when I wanted to go in for a good sedan) and since then have noticed more and more fiesta's are being reported purchased and reports are coming that all are thrilled of owning the car. May be there are many who is not reporting to this forum.? So good going on fiesta !

Congrats dude... So kindly tell me these

1) Do you feel any power lag in a) Stop & go B2B city traffic, b) Highway drives and overtaking. Asking since looking at the figures i always thought it was underpowered diesel for such a nice car - the only reason that keeps me away from a diesel fiesta yet

2) Cant we get the chrome RM's replaced at dealer with body coloured ones. Chromes look ugly, they dont fit all segment of cars. Dont know why ford took this stupid move. They could have rather given it as an option package.

3) The best thing about this beauty is its awesome mileage, Any figures you have jotted down yet City/Highway with/without AC...

Congratulations once again and enjoy your wheels.

Premjit thanks, yes acceleration is too good, on empty stretch or highway just change to 3rd and above gear and she vrooms.
Thanks dude, same thoughts, yet I have driven 100 kms and she is amazing, next week planning long trip, will update 'living with Fiesta' experience.

Nairrk thanks, you are right, more Fiesta's are reported purchased in last two months and I believe everybody is happy, on eve of dusshera my dealer delivered around 100 Ford Cars (all models).

Srikanth thanks, answer in bold.

@srikanths1: Before buying the Fiesta-D, i has the same concern of it not having enough power on the highway etc. I did PM lots of t-bhp members and found that Fiesta-D offers enough power for day to day requirement and for the highway run.

Now that i have purchased it and already driven about 2000kms (in just 3 weeks :D) i can assure you that you need not worry about any lack of power.

It is powerful enough for the B2B city drives and for the higway runs upto 130kms. I haven't gone past it for the sake of running in the engine :D

What's more enjoyable is the lack of any turbo lag, which makes it a hoot to drive.

Initially i struggled a bit as i had always driven petrol cars, and my gear shifting pattern was on those lines. I stalled the engine couple of times, but later learned to shift properly and once i got the hang of it, i started enjoying the drive.

The only area where i felt more comfortable in my Petrol Swift was most of the time i used to move the vehicle in the 2nd gear itself, whenever the car was stationary for say <10-20sec. I did the same in Fiesta, and with the tall 2nd gear it stalled most of the time.

Now i have mastered that also, but it takes a bit of effort, and for the sake of better clutch plate life, i started using the 1st gear more now.

@rajeshvin: Enjoy the long drive. You will love it in Fiesta, especially considering the need for fewer visits to the gas station, and paying below 1000 bucks even after filling the whole bloody tank (hell, i have exhausted my smiley quota already)

I have got an average of 19kmpl on the last tank fill where i had driven 80% on the highway and 20% in city - 100% AC on.

OSS@ I also moved from Petrol to Diesel and I also had same feel about picking up the car in 1st and 2nd gear. Sometime I easily able to move car in 2nd gear without any jerks but sometimes it stalled. Now usually I keep gear in 1st whenever I am at traffic signals but sometime car jerks and this is somewhere I think need some more practice.

On Highway, I keep in 4th & 5th gear and as rightly said by Rajesh after 3rd Car vroom and you don't get exhausted even after driving long stretch.

Congrats Ragesh,
Thats a fab Ride and good color choice too.I have a relative who has covered 89K in his Fiesta and he still cant stop gloating.

Drive Safe and enjoy the Ride.

ToroRosso thanks, hope my Fiesta keeps me smiling:) for many miles.

Booking and Delivery Experience :

I booked the car on 20th August, details mentioned in link 'I booked my Car' thread :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...-thread-4.html

Delivery was scheduled on 28th September, my bad, foreign clients scheduled their visit from 24th to 29th September, most of the time I was supposed to be in Mumbai with them, PDI was done on 24th and found car in perfect condition, somehow I managed timely delivery on 28th September, at delivery ODO was showing 19 kms, some freebies (basic pack and sporty pedals) were fitted after 2 days.

As car is fully loaded and most of the accessories were covered in freebies, the only upgradation done by me is change of tyres from MRF to Michelin, I was supposed to retain the stock size i.e 175/65/ R14 but when I went to pre decided tyre shop, they were out of stock, I called other shops but the case was same, finally I upgraded to 185/65/ R14 (thanks to Shajufx, Kumar and OSS as they already upgraded and given positive feedback).

Initial Experience with Fiesta :

What I like :

Well built car
Neat Interiors
Arm Rest on Rear Seat (my daughter liked it)
ICE (Average but o.k for me)
Linear acceleration, responsive steering, excellent handling, composed ride, on 3rd and above gear she vrooms.

What I didn't like :

Absence of foot rest (I am maturing from Santro to Fiesta, I am used to foot rest in Santro)
Chrome on front grill and RM's

Overall I'm excited with Fiesta and enjoying every bit, within 2 -3 days going for long drive and hoping to enjoy at fullest.

Thanks.

Wow, it's raining Fiestas these days! Congrats rajeshvin, and welcome to the club.

BTW, I wonder whey they removed the mettalic cladding on the gear console that was available on the earlier sxi model---it used to look really good, and a class apart from the lower models of the Fiesta.