Faults:

Lots of suspension work in the last few years, brakes have also recently been replaced. Exhaust sounding rattly, will get it checked out. Clutch feels a bit different in recent years, but no signs of problems.

Services have been carried out to the letter as per schedule. Engine has been great, no issues. A little bit noisier now, but the car is getting on. Flat battery aside, car has never let us down. A/C non operative.

Rear windows have stuck, but they have not been used in years. Interior looks great but exterior is looking very rough, but acceptable due to age. Not much rust, just paint fade and oxidization.

General Comments:

This Fiesta has basically been the family shopping cart for years. Has been a great wee car. Despite how basic and boring it is, I have come to respect its solid reliability.

Dark blue Ghia model, not as well equipped as you would expect though - yes it has front electrics and A/C, but rear windows are manual winders (which have jammed through lack of use) a bit mean considering "Ghia" is supposed to be a top trim level for Ford's. For the car's age it still feels pretty modern inside and out.

With that said, the interior is comfortable for such a small car, seats are very plush, definitely better than basic cars. Quiet and smooth enough for me.

1.4 is not fast, but will do you a good 40 - 45 mpg. Insurance and tax are cheap enough. Repairs vary, but find a friendly local garage and the car will be economical to run.

All in all, you cannot ask for more from a small family hatch. Just passed the infamous 100K mark and shows no sign of giving up, we will keep this car till the very end, next year it will be 20 years old!

Faults:

New steering wheel at 60000 miles; badly peeled. New PVC wheel also badly worn.

Needed a passenger window switch.

Both seats don't lift to get into the back (replaced both once - and cable snapped again).

Windows now slow going up and down.

Driver's sun visor failed to stay up - so replaced it.

New clutch at 60000 miles.

New timing belt and water pump at 80000 miles.

Alternator belt snapped at 60000 miles.

New clutch at 120000 miles.

Starter motor on the way out since 160000. Still haven't changed it.

Has had two new batteries.

Had a coolant reserve tank leak - crack in the tank at 140000 miles.

New rear shocks at 150000 miles.

General Comments:

The car has good handling.

It is comfortable and reliable.

Faults:

Clutch pedal disconnected itself for the master cylinder, this is a common fault with the Fiesta as there isn't a locking pin attaching the pedal and cylinder. This was repaired by Ford.

At 65000 miles the turbo failed. Replaced by Ford.

At 77000 miles the turbo failed again. Replaced by Ford.

At 80000 miles the turbo failed again. SOLD!!

General Comments:

When the turbo was working, the car proved to be very good, especially for running around town. Excellent car for learner drivers as well (said from experience, owned the car since I started learning). However on motorways the lack of space for your clutch foot was annoying, the engine was noisy and revved at 3000rpm at 70mph.

I dearly miss the car despite its faults, because it was a honest car! It had nothing to hide in its design, and was very well thought out, had excellent visibility, excellent engine, comfortable. It was replaced by a Vauxhall Corsa in 2009.

Faults:

Broken seat catch.

Lower dash trim fell off.

General Comments:

The Duratec 1400 engine is not a patch on the previous Fiesta's 1400 Zetec. No torque below 3500rpm means that it has to be thrashed to keep up with traffic. Excellent motorway car provided you keep the speed up, but economy suffers at over 85mph. Sit at 60, and get 46mpg. Sit at 80, and get 30mpg.

Handling is incredible, which almost makes up for the lethargic performance. After fitting Yokohama tyres it's almost as good as a Puma. Hard ride in town though, and a LOT of road noise.

Fantastic standard stereo system, let down by infuriating system which increases/decreases volume with speed. Way too sensitive, you're forever adjusting the volume!

Interior looks more spacious than it actually is, the seats are too hard, too short in the base and lack any form of leg support.

The steering wheel is adjustable for rake, but obscures instruments if you have it low enough to avoid the 'bus driver' driving position you used to have to adopt when driving proper Minis.

All the above (plus the hard ride already mentioned) make it very uncomfortable for long journeys.