Faults:

Bought as a non runner after it had been sat on a driveway for 2 years.

General Comments:

This car is a little gem. As above, bought as a non runner with a seized starter motor and clutch. New starter and battery, and she started first time of asking. The clutch was seized engaged, so had to take the gearbox off to free it up.

Once that was done, just needed a new rear wheel cylinder and some tyres, as they were cracked due to age, then the MOT, which she passed.

Very reliable little car in hot or cold, or downpours. Needs a bit of choke in the mornings and she's away. The brakes feel a bit wooden, but stop well enough, and the handling is entertaining as it's a little bit squiggy. Great fun basic car though, that you actually have to drive.

Performance is not what this car is about. I mean in normal driving you don't find it too much trouble, although she can run out of puff going up steep hills. Sits at 70mph on the motorway without too much trouble.

Brilliant little car. Very honest, and will look after you provided you give her a little TLC.

Faults:

Easier to say what didn't.

Radio always worked.

General Comments:

Terrible car. It would hardly ever start in the mornings unless it was left in the garage, and even then it was under protest. Never idled properly, and cut out at nearly every set of lights. If it didn't, it felt like it was about to.

Very sluggish, and you always felt you needed a tow truck following you.

Faults:

Mechanically, absolutely nothing went wrong.

However Ford's rust protection was notable by its absence. Both front wings, bonnet and floor required replacement. It had an appetite for front wheel bearings too IIRC.

Worryingly, it developed stress cracks on both inner wings just aft of the suspension turrets, I think this was down to the weight of the diesel engine.

General Comments:

I will admit I DESPISED Ford's basic tin-box with a passion. They just felt really tinny, cheap and nasty.

However - the 1.6 diesel acquitted itself in my book because of the engine. Although in the Escort this engine was a slug, in such a small, light car as the Fiesta - designed for a 957cc 4 pot - it went better than an old fashioned 1.6 N/A diesel had any right to. Romped up hills with ease, would hold 85 all day, and return up to 55 mpg. It performed at least as well as the 1.3 petrol Fiesta.

The only concern I had was that I really felt the body shell was not strong enough for the additional weight of the diesel engine - see above, and you were really aware of all that weight up front when cornering.

Faults:

Not much, clutch ratchet broke which cost £35.

Gear linkage needed adjusting costing £5.

Normal stuff like pads and discs.

Sills replaced costing £70 and the arches were rusting a fair bit.

General Comments:

Good little car for a learner driver and cost pennies to run. They are a relaible and sturdy workhorse.

Interior was a bit basic and the car only had one wing mirror. I therefore got one from a scrap yard and fitted it.

Still see the car around today and is still in good nick.

Response when driving hard was good and you knew what the car was doing handling wise.

Faults:

Rear torsion (?) bar from the sill to the axle.. Clutch went, but was on its way when I first got the car.

General Comments:

Well almost a year ago.. I paid £250 for it.. its never failed me.. sometimes gives the people that like to look down on older little cars, a surprise when they try overtake ;-)

Faults:

Nothing major. Slight tappets noise now and again. Replaced suspension, Magnex exhaust system, new brakes, new electrical system.

General Comments:

Good fun and nippy motor.

Faults:

Radiator, when raining water gets into ignition coil and won't start.

Fine in cold.

Bumper (due to minor bump).

General Comments:

Fine car but not in the wet, tends to freeze inside during winter.