1991 Ford Fiesta XR2i 1.6 EFi from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Great fun to drive and own

Faults:

Rust around the petrol cap area, a classic MK3 Fiesta fault, Ford have made a revised panel for the fuel cap area which costs only £25.

Clutch a bit stiff, I am just going to see if it gets any worse before I replace it.

General Comments:

Very quick acceleration, good pulling power from the 110Bhp engine.

Noise levels could be better; overall it could be a bit more refined.

Handling could also be better.

Gear ratios could be taller, first and second are a bit too short.

Superb interior and a very good spec.

A superb car, always attracts looks, looks as good and fresh today as when the vehicle was first launched.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th November, 2001

14th Oct 2002, 10:22

Since the review I've replaced the clutch and the clutch cable as well as the pedal ratchet. Its now on 84,500 miles and is shortly due a full timing belt service. The car drives as new it does not burn any oil.

It is very important that these CVH engines are run on quality oil such as Mobil one or at least a fully synthetic oil. You should change the oil every 3k if you want to keep it in tip top condition or at least every 6k. The rust around the petrol cap has not come back since the new panel was welded in. The car has also been fully waxoyled as the Ford build quality is to say the least fragile!!

It is also a safe bet to put Slick 50 in with the engine oil at least every 12k. Overall it has been the best car that I have owned to date, and I plan to keep it for some time.

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1991 Ford Fiesta Popular Plus 1.1 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Poor build quality and poor performance, but looks good

Faults:

A little body rot evident around the jack points, rear wheels arches, fuel cap area and front and rear skirts. I made the mistake of not using Waxoyl on the infected areas and this lead to costly repairs. When you buy a Fiesta, the first thing to do is Waxoyl the entire vehicle.

Clutch went at 85k, this was quite cheap at just over £100.

Exhaust went at 86k.

Front shocks at 90k.

Exhaust again at 92k.

Head gasket at 94k.

Steering rack at 98k.

Lower front suspension arm at 98k.

General Comments:

Interior OK, dashboard pleasant enough, steering wheel looks too big for a small car.

The car looks good from the outside, and in my opinion looks just as good if not better than the mk4 Fiesta.

Poor handling, tracking always needs adjusting.

The 1100 HCS engine is noisy, slow and crude, but is reliable and well proven. Feels it has less than the 53Bhp that is on tap.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st November, 2001

1991 Ford Fiesta S 1.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A fast reliable good looking Ford

Faults:

The drive shaft fell off just the other day.

Engine mounts are coming loose.

General Comments:

I was so surprised that this car was so fast, compared to my last Fiesta.

The car is so easy to modify, I put a K&N air filter on and this made the performance even better. It is now faster than an XR2i. I also put all of the RS1800 bodykit on, and this makes the car look stunning.

The interior is perfect, and it has a nice fat steering wheel.

It is cheap on the insurance, and petrol.

I would advise anyone to buy this car instead of an XR2i.

It is a real babe puller.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd March, 2001

31st Jan 2002, 08:52

How can you suggest anyone buys this car instead of an XR2i? The XR2i has a better interior, stiffer suspension, and a stronger chassis and fuel injection. And yes the XR2i (8-valve or 16-valve) is quicker than your vehicle.

25th Jul 2002, 16:29

Although the Xr2i is faster and looks great, they are more tempting to thieves and therefore more expensive to insure. I am 18 and have recently purchased a Ford Fiesta S and the insurance was fine (the same price as a Fiat Panda!). I had found an Xr2i that I wanted, but when enquiring about insurance, not one company would even give me a quote with me being under 21. The RS Turbo is my ambition for the future!

10th Aug 2006, 05:56

Suspension on the 1.6 S is borrowed from the xr2i.