Faults:

A Balance weight came off the drive shaft on a fairly long journey, leaving me a long way to drive home with a disconcerting noise coming from the n/s/f wheel, but it got fixed for very little as a part of a service.

Fan belt snapped, cost £6 to be replaced by the RAC at the side of the road, definitely worth the joining fee!

Air line to the engine used to come away sometimes when the car was started, so there was no back pressure and the car would shake a lot if you could get it started! Once the RAC bloke showed me how to fix it I used to just shove it back in.

Rust was starting to win the battle with the bodywork under the wings by the time I got rid of it, and around the filler cap was a bit bad too, but I think that's because my mum always spilled petrol when filling it up!

General Comments:

This was my 1st car although it had been my mums since new and it was very reliable over the 70000+ miles we had it.

The 1 litre engine is not fast at all, 0-60 took about 18 seconds, and the 4 gears made it a bit loud on the motorway.

It was a very comfortable car to drive over long distances, and is a much better car than the other small cars of its age, seems newer inside and better looking on the outside.

It was quite economical used to do about 35mpg around town.

I really loved my little fez and I'd buy another one tomorrow if I thought it stood a chance of being as reliable.

Faults:

Blown vacuum hose (easily replaced).

Fuel cap has rusted away from bodywork, making refueling 'interesting.'

Back nearside brake cylinder went at 98000 miles, leaving me losing brake fluid. Air got into the brake pipe meaning that I drove along, pressed the pedal and nothing happened! Good thing I was on an empty straight road...

General wear and tear of the interior.

Central locking broke - needed to fit replacement motor and locking unit - purchased from Ford dealer for £40.00 and fitted at home in an afternoon.

Interior light is very intermittent.

Drinks oil and petrol at a ridiculous rate.

General Comments:

This was my first car. I bought it last year from my stepsister.

It's the Ghia spec Fiesta, which means it comes with little luxuries - Central Locking, Electric Windows - things you wouldn't expect on a 1990 supermini.

The interior is a little worn with age, but the seats are big and comfy and there's enough room for four mates, as long as they get on well!

The manual choke is very annoying on a cold morning. Whilst the choke is out, the car is unresponsive and jerky. Without the choke out, it's prone to stalling until the engine's been running five minutes or so.

Motorway driving is very hard work - the 1.1 litre engine struggles to provide any power at speed and the interior is not very refined - the engine noise, tyre rumble and wind roar combine to deafen you. Learn sign language.

Country lanes are fun, the car's small size gives you an impression of speed as you whizz down the lanes. Don't try to overtake anyone - there's not enough torque to draw on - and watch out for the understeer. It weighs next to nothing, but has an alarming tendency to drift wide at any tightish corner.

Despite the engine's diminutive capacity, it drinks fuel and oil like a fish. Maybe it's simply due to it's age, but the 40+ mpg quoted by Ford is totally unachievable in this car. 300miles out of a full tank is a barely achievable target.