I Want To Buy A New Fiesta,But Concerned About Reliability

[rdster]

Hi All,

I was very keen to purchase a new 3 door LX Fiesta, until I read some owner's comments on their problems with their vehicles,on other Australian web sites.
I also noticed in Top Gear's annual survey,that the Fiesta was ranked 93/152.

I am about to relocate to a rural town, where the nearest Ford dealer is nearly 100km away, so I am a little concerned about reliability in a car!

My question to owners of the WQ Fiesta,... have you had problems with your vehicle, and, has there been reliability issues?

All relevant comments are appreciated.

[Teki04]

Owned a Fiesta Zetec (WP) for 1.5 years and 29,000kms. It definitely got a hard work out and only two warranty repairs; A burst water pump (which was apparently rectified on WQ models), and a stretched bonnet cable (couldn't pop the bonnet sometimes).

Both were fixed under warranty.

Never heard of any reliability issues with the Fiesta in Australia (and if so, nothing major).

Good luck with the purchase! Have you driven one? Do, and I'm sure you won't regret the choice ;)

Cheers,

Steve

[Piotr]

My Fiesta is just about to crack the magic 3year mark and the only problem ive had was a leaking clutch master cylinder just recently that took Ford 4 days to fix :(

[Steffo]

Mine's nearing 40,000km old, 06/2005 model, WP Zetec. Problem free.

[MISTA FIESTA]

Mine's nearing on 43,000km old, 10/2004 model, WP Zetec. Problem free except for a faulty resovior cap and a water pump or belt that needs to get replaced.

[Ives]

I've had my WQ Fiesta LX (3-door) since May 2006. It's 15,000km old at the moment and no problems whatsoever.

Generally the Fiesta is a well built car, and shouldnt have ridiculous problems.

[photn]

Ford Fiesta Zetec (WP) late 05 build. No Problems AT all. just about to hit 50k and loving it.

[goop]

WQ Zetec, had it since July last year, 10,000 kms. Problem free

I think there are some quality control issues though - or simple cost cutting - for example, dodgy sills, unpainted under bonnets, and surface rust, but I'd imagine those are among the little things fairly common in this price-bracket.

Good luck

[TheColonel]

WQ Zetec since May '06, 27,000km, no issues what so ever, great lil car...

[MoreHPformyXR6]

My Mum own's a WQ LX 5 Door Fez since Dec 06 5,000km no problems.

[robjh80]

2006 WQ Zetec here, bought April last year, no problems at all apart from the rust issue which "I didn't like at all"........refer this thread

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=47415

[Outbackjack]

I bought a fiesta for my wife in november 05. It has done about 20K now. It has been driven through two central Australian summers with the air con on the whole time, this even gets used in "winter". The little beast has not missed a beat.

The only place you will read about poor Fiesta reliabilty will be on a barina forum. _2:

[xurbanx]

Mine's nearing 39,000kms, nothing major has happened.

[Danny]

Mine had the Water Pump go at 12000, and also the bonnet latch replaced just like Teki's.

In addion to this, I had two EON6000 headunits replaced under warranty, a driveshaft dust cover that came off and kept dangling underneath the car, Two Drivers side window regulators replaced, an Oxygen Airflow sensor replaced, and spark plugs that died before their scheduled replacement.

None of these were in anyway major, but they were niggling. In fairness, I bought it as a demo, so it probably was pretty thrashed before I took delivery. However I loved the car, and it lives on in the family as my sisters new car. It is a fantastic car, and we knew we had to keep it.

Like you've read here, most people have carefree ownership of Fiesta's. They are a great car. Either mine was an exception, or I was just too picky about the little things..

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Danny

Either mine was an exception, or I was just too picky about the little things..

Perhaps it was the exception? Mine was a demo too, and hasn't had anything go wrong with it whatsoever.

[Ives]

Originally Posted by Danny

In fairness, I bought it as a demo, so it probably was pretty thrashed before I took delivery...

That's the thing with demo cars, I just dont like the idea of buying demo cars. When I took the Fiesta for a test drive, the salesperson THRASHED the crap out of it right out of the dealer, no warm up no nothing, hard braking, taking a corner at 70km/h while the odo was still on 90something kms.

I know that he wanna show me what it's capable of but yeh, I try not to buy demo cars.

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Ives

That's the thing with demo cars, I just dont like the idea of buying demo cars. When I took the Fiesta for a test drive, the salesperson THRASHED the crap out of it right out of the dealer, no warm up no nothing, hard braking, taking a corner at 70km/h while the odo was still on 90something kms.

I know that he wanna show me what it's capable of but yeh, I try not to buy demo cars.

Agreed.......I would never buy a demo car.

I remember going with a bloke from work to look at a Mazda 323 Protege a couple of years back, he was looking to buy one so down to the local dealer we went during our lunch time.

Well, we got the hard sell from the moment we stepped over the newly mown council median strip,........ "young bloke, pinstripe trousers, pointy shoes, mums freshly pressed white shirt, fake CK sunglasses, more hair gell than every Stefan Salon in a 30 mile radius.......what a right Twat he was!!

Anyway, we let him do his thing, more for amusement than anything else..........after much "BLAH BLAH BLAH........'pauses to check hair in tinted windows'..........BLAH BLAH BLAH"...........we took this poor little Mazda demo out for a test drive.

Usual thing, he being the sales jock jumps in the drivers side (why do they do that?), my workmate jumps in the passenger seat and I hopped in the back, "hang on he says, these little things go like a rocket" or something similar.

With this he just plants it.........gives this poor little car the thrashing of its life trying to illustrate that his words were indeed not the stuff of fiction, redlines it in every gear, "chirp chirp" goes the tyres, "Wheeeeeeeeeee" goes the little engine, bear in mind the engine is also stone cold, I was just waiting for the "BANG", but unfortunately it never eventuated, my mate and I were just gobsmacked........we just couldn't believe this nob.

I think after all this my mate actually got to "TEST DRIVE" this thing about 100 metres back to the yard, "had it not been for the stellar performance of the comedy fest the actual test drive itself was a complete waste of time."

I guess some unfortunate soul would have eventually bought this "Demo Model" and saved themselves the "Kings Ransom" of........."oh, say $500?"

Top buys these demos!!......... _

[Steffo]

When I test drove the Demo Fiesta Zetec I ended up buying, they took it to the gates and let me drive. I drove the whole time. No thrashing...

13,499km on it when I got it, nearly 40,000 now, no problems whatsoever. They're not all bad... it depends on the dealership and the people working there....

[Adsy01]

I filled up at the servo the other day behind a fez with trade plates on it, i look at the guy filling it and he was putting 91RON ULP into it. I then looked at his shirt and yup you guessed it he was from a local ford dealer and one that would be in top 5 biggest in victoria!
I'm guessing this car was pre-delivery, but if they're filling up the car you buy with the wrong fuel then imagine what they're doing to the demo cars over a few thousand klms?

Anyways my WP has got 31,000klm on it and its like new. :-)

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Adsy01

I filled up at the servo the other day behind a fez with trade plates on it, i look at the guy filling it and he was putting 91RON ULP into it. I then looked at his shirt and yup you guessed it he was from a local ford dealer and one that would be in top 5 biggest in victoria!
I'm guessing this car was pre-delivery, but if they're filling up the car you buy with the wrong fuel then imagine what they're doing to the demo cars over a few thousand klms?

Anyways my WP has got 31,000klm on it and its like new. :-)

Its not the wrong fuel. Fiesta can use anything. It just pulls timing with 91 in it, so you don't get the full 74kW. I've had 91 in my car plenty of times, hell, I drove from Wagga Wagga to Sydney on a full tank of 91.

[Nappa]

Originally Posted by robjh80

Usual thing, he being the sales jock jumps in the drivers side (why do they do that?), my workmate jumps in the passenger seat and I hopped in the back, "hang on he says, these little things go like a rocket" or something similar.

That is generally the standard procedure, i always drive the car first before the client, it gives them a chance to get a feel for the car. I'm sure there are people who would rather just drive the car straight away or even on their own, but i've found that plenty of people especially women breathe a sigh of relief when i tell them that i will negotiate the traffic and get the car to a quiet area to drive.

Demo's arnt always a bad buy. you take just as much risk when buying a used car or something from the auctions, who knows how the previous owner drove the thing.

[kiwijohn42]

Originally Posted by Nappa

That is generally the standard procedure, i always drive the car first before the client,

I've test driven a few cars & only had a salesman come twice. This includes the Fiesta, Polo GTI, Punto Sport. The salsman came in the XR6 ute & a 406 V6 Coupe (dreams are free) but only for a high speed blast around the block before letting me take it out with a mate. I don't look that mature?

Anyway, the only issue I've had with the Fez is the rusty suspension, as documented elsewhere, & pitted window sills. These will be replaced next week under warranty.

[Jess85]

My fiesta was a demo. It was my bf's demo car so i knew how it had been driven. Had 5000 ks on it when i got it. Came with all the extras too so i wasnt complaining. Mind you, i didnt pay for it lol..who's gonna complain when they get given a car!
PS- I havent had ANY probs at all with my "silver bullet"

[scooby]

Anyway, Rdster wants to know if he should buy a Fiesta or not. I say take one for a test drive, if you like it, buy it. They are just as reliable as any other new car. I've had other new cars (not Ford) that have had problems that were fixed under warranty, it's just the luck of the draw.

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by scooby

Anyway, Rdster wants to know if he should buy a Fiesta or not.

I'm not so sure I would buy one again given a second chance..........any Ford that is, let alone another Fiesta.

The rust issue I found to be absolutely shocking for a brand new car and Fords Customer Service in relation to the issue was absolutely disgusting.
I have never ever seen such a mess on any new (or old car) for that matter, this will probably be the last time "ol Henry" will bend me over!!

"Ford" and "Customer Service" in this country at least are at opposite ends of the stratosphere in my opinion, Iv'e spoken to many others who have purchased other manufacturers cars and mainly hear of glowing stories that they have to tell in relation to Customer Service in relation to their vehicle purchase.............this really is an area that Ford Oz seem to drop the ball on, they just dont seem to give a damn, no repeat business from me I'm afraid, and many others I'm sure.

Once I get a couple of years out of the Fiesta and hence get my moneys worth out of it............"it's gone!!"

[fordel]

Originally Posted by robjh80

I'm not so sure I would buy one again given a second chance..........any Ford that is, let alone another Fiesta.

"Ford" and "Customer Service" in this country at least are at opposite ends of the stratosphere in my opinion, Iv'e spoken to many others who have purchased other manufacturers cars and mainly hear of glowing stories that they have to tell in relation to Customer Service in relation to their vehicle purchase.............this really is an area that Ford Oz seem to drop the ball on, they just dont seem to give a damn, no repeat business from me I'm afraid, and many others I'm sure.

Amen to that !

As much as I love my ST170, as soon as its sold, I will never be going back to ford to buy anything again, their customer service is just bollocks.

Chris

[Danny]

Originally Posted by robjh80

the "Kings Ransom" of........."oh, say $500?"

Top buys these demos!!......... _

Erm, My car with my options would have been $20,900 (or thereabouts) brand new, I got it for $16,700. Now to an 18 year old, that IS a kings bloody ransom (OR what is lost on your NEW car the second you drive out the showroom..). Oh an I ALSO got to drive the car straight away too, on my OWN. Now please, think about what you say..... not all demo's are treated like bat ****.

Having said that, I agree with rob about buying another Ford. I've had three of them and am SICK of their crap service and attention to customer needs. I got a plan to stay european from now on, and unfotunately european to me does not mean european built, american branded cars.... Goodbye XR5...

[fordel]

Forget cars altogether..

2 Wheels is where its at now

Chris

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Nappa

That is generally the standard procedure, i always drive the car first before the client, it gives them a chance to get a feel for the car.

It may be "standard procedure" to some dealers.............rock solid guaranteed way to p#ss off potential buyers I would say.

Iv'e have ran into this nonsense before, back in 2000 I was looking around for a new car and one of the local Mitsubishi dealers did the same thing, went for a test drive (if you can call going round the block once a test drive?)salesman drove 95% of the way, then asked me if I wanted to drive it back to the yard.........the yard was just down the road!!, I could have walked back in 2 minutes!!, I could actually see the damn yard!!........I just said "nah dont worry about it mate, just drop me back and I'll be off."

Once back at the yard (some 30 seconds later or so) he then starts the "hard sell" trying to get me into the office to sign up the paperwork.........what a clown!!

I then left that yard, drove over the road to the Suzuki dealer, "what a completely different contrast"...........no hard sell at all, saleman threw me the keys and said, "take it for a good run mate, just bring it back when ya ready."

That gave me a real "feel for the car" as you so put it Nappa, I cannot see how sitting in the passenger seat going for a quick squirt around the block gives anyone a "feel for any car"........Male or Female.

Needless to say I placed an order for the Suzuki on the spot when I returned to the yard, what a great car it was too over the years, the salesman was great, the car never even looked like missing a beat, Suzuki Customer Service was everything Ford only pretends to be but doesn't deliver and I was one very happy buyer.................."Oh and it wasn't full of rust either"......unlike the Fez!!....("I have mentioned the rust haven't I?")...... :

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Danny

Erm, My car with my options would have been $20,900 (or thereabouts) brand new, I got it for $16,700. Now to an 18 year old, that IS a kings bloody ransom (OR what is lost on your NEW car the second you drive out the showroom..). Oh an I ALSO got to drive the car straight away too, on my OWN. Now please, think about what you say..... not all demo's are treated like bat ****.

The $500 figure was little more than a guess Danny, I would have no idea how much you save buying a demo?

If you saved some $4000 odd on your car then that sounds like a good deal to me, that's around 20% off the purchase price!!.........I presume this is the Fiesta you're referring to and not the Clio?

As for your "not all demos being treated like bat ****" statement........."how would you or anyone else for that matter know?", it is a complete unknown, but yes you're probably right, in the main I would presume most are treated OK and reasonable care is taken.