3rd Oct 2001, 12:24
The Saxo VTR is a young kids car. The VTS is an older persons car, because they are expensive to insure when your free years runs out.
I keep hearing all this tosh about VTS Saxo being far superior than the Zetec S. Well read this: There is absolutely no point in having a car which is so unreliable, squeaks, misfires etc. Hence I disgustingly disgarded the heap of French junk called the Saxo VTS and got a Lupo. Although the Zetec S was my second choice.
Yeh the Lupo is slower than a VTS, but then my VTS didn't move much, it was always in the dealer with some stupid fault.
This says reliability and build quality are the most important, not tenths of a second quicker to 60 mph.
1st Jul 2002, 08:46
I prefer the way Ford have done things over Citroen. They've given the Zetec S moderate power, but from bulletproof mechanicals which are ripe for tuning if that's what the owner wants. This is preferable to the VTS which has an inherently unreliable engine which is overstressed out of the box (hence the oil leaks, rattles, knocks and running problems which are common on Saxos with as little as 30,000 miles on them.)
Ford have also included a class leading chassis which can easily cope with 135+ bhp without further modification, the best steering of any small hatch, and a super slick gearbox. Best of all though, they've actually built the basic car properly, which is something even the most blinkered Citroen enthusiast can't claim. If you must tune your Zetec S, just £250 is enough to match a Saxo VTS on bhp. Then various options between £400 and £1800 will liberate anything up to 170 bhp (and 0-60 in under 6 seconds).
14th Oct 2004, 08:59
You have all said the zetec-s can be tunned on the cheap, but what can be done other than a viper induction kit?
30th Mar 2006, 09:48
I think your friend is confused! The old vtr with wouldn't hit 137 unless it was speeding down a very big hill!
22nd Apr 2006, 09:19
I raced (legally!) a zetec with my VTR on a 1/4 mile strip, and won. The margin of victory wasn't huge, but the VTR did win. The VTS would leave the zetec for dead, from a standing start. Reliability can be a problem with Citroen, however I have had no problems with my VTR.
The zetec is a good car, but lacks power from its 16v 1.6, as is shown by the fact that it lost to a 1.6 8v VTR. And before anyone says its down to the driver, I lost to the VTR when I was driving the zetec, which I drove for three of the six runs. The zetec only won once.
2nd Feb 2007, 03:55
Hi,
As I was reading the comments I just had to reply to the one dated 23rd Mar 2006 137mph VTR. Total RUBBISH. I will put up my car which is a 206 gti 2002 for pinks with this tin can 137. I can only get 135 and it's a 2.0 wake up and don't talk total RUBBISH.
2nd Feb 2007, 11:34
137mph from a VTR... not a chance.
And why hy is that your stereotypical VTR/VTS owners all seem to believe that putting an induction kit on it will give them an extra 20-30bhp. When the reality is, they'll be lucky to get 2-3bhp extra.
9th Jul 2007, 17:25
No way any induction kit is going to get that much of an increase. Top kits will add a couple of BHP at most, and only when combined with other breathing mods like exhaust/manifold, will be advantageous. I have a VTR 2003 model, and it seems to have the edge over the Zetec-S off the lights, although at high speeds they are absolutely neck and neck.
The Fiesta is overall the better built and higher quality machine though.
2nd Dec 2007, 15:29
I'm tempted to get the Zetec S phase 2; but how do you tell the difference from them? Also, what ways could I tune it up for an extra bit of bhp, without spending over 200?
21st Jun 2008, 16:37
Can anyone tell me the complete component list for a 1.7 Puma transplant into a Zetec-S. I'm just about to start it, but don't want to be left without a car due to rushing into things. I've got the engine with the engine loom and ECU with transponder (immobiliser receiver) and key. Just wondering whether I'll need the clocks, and is there a body control module on the car?
Cheers.
11th Jul 2008, 09:05
I've heard from a couple of people that the Zetec 1.6s has roughly the same 0-60 as the VTR. On paper, the VTR is 9.1 and fiesta 9.9. But to keep the insurance down, when Ford did the tes run they packed a full tank of petrol and more than one person in. Because there is no official standard for car testing, they can get away with doing it. Not sure whether or not this is true, but my brother really knows about his cars, and he backs this claim. I really can't decide which car to get; the VTR is so much cheaper to buy but...
23rd Jul 2008, 15:01
Hi people, I have just bought my first car, which is a Zetec S. Since I purchased mine 3 people I know have also got them. Mine is the quickest by a small margin as it has a Magnexx straight through on it, but does anybody know how I can make quicker (I just want to be able to beat the others Zetec Ss; I'm not talking stupid power here?)
7th Aug 2010, 05:24
Got my Zetec S a few months ago, and god it can move. The car was already modified with cams, induction kit, remap, 1.7 Puma box, FRP inlet, leads and hoses, and loads more! Paid £1,875 and got a lot of car for the money. I'm thinking of getting a 4-2-1 Milltek system for my 20th birthday in September haha.
2nd Jul 2001, 08:41
How can a Zetec-S have the same engine as a VTS?
They are made by different manufacturers, and produce different torque and power figures. The VTS is quicker and more powerful, but that doesn't mean better. I have known a few people who have totally fried the engine in their Saxo's - they don't seem to like being thrashed.
The Zetec could easily produce 120bhp with some fairly minor modifications, and wouldn't blow up!