Ford Fiesta

Funkstard

What do you all think of the new ones? My mother's on the lookout for a replacement to her '99 206, the budget is €15,000 and under. I quite like the Fiesta Steel, especially the little alloys. You don't usually see such a well fitted out supermini.

http://www.cbg.ie/Car_detail.asp?ID=573268

They all seem to be around €14k-€15k, but she thinks it's too small as there's 3 sons all over 6ft in the family who will be driving the car aswell as being the passenger.

What else would you recommend? She'd love a Focus but I reckon they're too expensive, same with Golfs

EDIT: Just looking around, Polo's seem to be in the price range. I wouldn't mind a 1.3/1.4 though, alot of them are only 1.0

fletch

Funkstard wrote:

What do you all think of the new ones? My mother's on the lookout for a replacement to her '99 206, the budget is €15,000 and under. I quite like the Fiesta Steel, especially the little alloys. You don't usually see such a well fitted out supermini.

Wouldn't exactly call them "little" alloys, they're 16inch....anyway class little car, cant go wrong really especially with the Yamaha 1.25 engine

Funkstard

Are they? Even better so, they just look small in the pic

fletch

Funkstard wrote:

Are they? Even better so, they just look small in the pic

I think it's just the way more modern cars seem to need bigger and bigger alloys to look good....like the new 5-series beemer needs at least 17s b4 it looks well....anyway meandering completely off topic so I'll stop

bazz26

Funkstard wrote:

What do you all think of the new ones? My mother's on the lookout for a replacement to her '99 206, the budget is €15,000 and under. I quite like the Fiesta Steel, especially the little alloys. You don't usually see such a well fitted out supermini.

http://www.cbg.ie/Car_detail.asp?ID=573268

They all seem to be around €14k-€15k, but she thinks it's too small as there's 3 sons all over 6ft in the family who will be driving the car aswell as being the passenger.

What else would you recommend? She'd love a Focus but I reckon they're too expensive, same with Golfs

EDIT: Just looking around, Polo's seem to be in the price range. I wouldn't mind a 1.3/1.4 though, alot of them are only 1.0

The Fiesta Steel is probably one of the best equipped cars in that class for that kind of money. They have 16" alloys, a sunroof, cd player, heated electric mirrors, front fog lights and remote central locking. With the facelifted model now on the scene they will become a bit cheaper. The 1.25 engine is very lively and is designed by Yamaha. Take one for a test drive as it is hard to judge from a picture.

The Polo is the same size as the Fiesta and you will not find one as well equipped as the Fiesta for that kind of money. Also the 1.2 Polo is very underpowered like most entry model VWs. The Polo might be worth a bit more come resale time but overall imo the Fiesta is a better alround package.

If you are interested in something around the size of a Focus then take a look at the Skoda Octavia or Seat Leon. Based on the VW Golf, they are excellent value for money. The 1.4 is sluggish but they will manage to carry 3 people around in comfort and is more suited to urban runs. Both are hatchbacks also so this makes them very practical, you should be able to pick up a 03/04 for less than €15k.

Seat Octavia:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=290915

Seat Leon:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=257766

Dilbert75

Colleague had the same dilemma a couple of years back - 3 kids too tall for the back of a Fiesta. Ended up getting a 1.4TDCi Fusion. Not a particularly good looking or special car but plenty of space and the diesel engine seems to be a cracker, regular 50mpg+.

bazz26

Dilbert75 wrote:

Colleague had the same dilemma a couple of years back - 3 kids too tall for the back of a Fiesta. Ended up getting a 1.4TDCi Fusion. Not a particularly good looking or special car but plenty of space and the diesel engine seems to be a cracker, regular 50mpg+.

Forgot about the Fusion.

The Fusion is kind of a mini mpv version of the Fiesta and uses most of the same parts. The only thing is the nice 1.25 engine is not available in the Fusion. Also they are a tall car so head room for 6ft plus people is good but remember that the boot is only marginally bigger than the Fiesta.

Look for the Fusion 2 or Fusion 3 models as they are the best equipped with air conditioning and alloy wheels, etc. Not as popular as the Fiesta so prices should be similar.

Here you go:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=316303

Funkstard

I looked at them, but they're hideous.....

There's not much room in the 206 now anyway, the Fiesta would be around the same size wouldn't it?

Stephen

I'm 6 ft and drive an old model (2000) fiesta. Plenty of room in the front seats, but the back seats are awful. Not enough room for a normal size adult, fine for kids.

The 1.25 zetec engine is great as mentioned above

unkel

Funkstard wrote:

They all seem to be around €14k-€15k

Those prices are outrageous. The brand spanking new list price of a 1.25 Zetec Steel is €15.5k, so if she is a cash buyer she need not part with more than around the €14k mark for a '06D

If you need more space, a well reasonably well specced Octavia 1.4 Ambiente is €19k list, so a one year old one would be around budget

lalorm

I had a 206 for 4 years. My wife has a 2003 Fiesta(new style)LX. Great car, can't complain about it at all. The seats are better than the 206, but they feel a little short on the legs,
Also the styling inside is nice and looks well.
The 206 feels slightly bigger on the inside but not much. I love driving it. At the moment I'm driving a Primera, but I' moving to a Focus in the new year. My wife and I love the fiesta and she's getting a new fiesta next year also. The new one feels better inside. More quality. Also the Steel is a good spec even if the 2006 steel doesn't have leather steering wheel as standard.
On motorway's the fiesta handles great, but I would say that there is more road/wind noise than in the 206. Also even with the heating off, my legs do start to feel warm in the fiesta so heat is coming in from the engine!
My verdict, get a fiesta you won't go wrong. Great car.
Mike