Fiesta 1.3LX - 97 First time car?

HungryJoey

Am I mad to go for a 1.3? I hear the 1.25 Zetec is light years ahead.. But whats the main advantages?

I'm looking for a first car on a provisional liscense at the moment.

I know a mate of mine who has a 1.3L 97' LX Fiesta that has recently had an oil and oil filter change, 90K on the clock, 5 new tyres, New Battery, New catalytic converter, New front speakers in door and a new set of 6 x 9's on the rear shelf & CD player. NCT untill next june Etc... He is looking for around 1500 Euros but he said he'll probably give it to me for around 1100-1200 as he wants a quick sale as he already has his new car.I Wasn't planning on spending any more at the moment. I was originally planning on buying my first car this summer and had about 3K to spend but due to certain circumstances that 3K Doesn't exist anymore. I could wait until next january and I will be getting around another 3K then too... Although I really want to start my own car this summer and can maybe get that 3K in advance this summer ( Insurance + Car etc...)



Any advice on whether its a good deal or am I mad ?
And info on the old 1.3L Engine Vs' the 1.25L engine.

Images :



Hj

bazz26

HungryJoey wrote:

Am I mad to go for a 1.3? I hear the 1.25 Zetec is light years ahead.. But whats the main advantages?

I'm looking for a first car on a provisional liscense at the moment.

I know a mate of mine who has a 1.3L 97' LX Fiesta that has recently had an oil and oil filter change, 90K on the clock, 5 new tyres, New Battery, New catalytic converter, New front speakers in door and a new set of 6 x 9's on the rear shelf & CD player. NCT untill next june Etc... He is looking for around 1500 Euros but he said he'll probably give it to me for around 1100-1200 as he wants a quick sale as he already has his new car.I Wasn't planning on spending any more at the moment. I was originally planning on buying my first car this summer and had about 3K to spend but due to certain circumstances that 3K Doesn't exist anymore. I could wait until next january and I will be getting around another 3K then too... Although I really want to start my own car this summer and can maybe get that 3K in advance this summer ( Insurance + Car etc...)



Any advice on whether its a good deal or am I mad ?
And info on the old 1.3L Engine Vs' the 1.25L engine.

Images :

Hj

I would wait for the right 1.25 litre version, it is a cracking engine and light years ahead of the old 1.3 litre push rod engine which originates back to the 1950s. The 1.25 litre engine was designed by Yamaha and has around 75bhp. It is also more fuel efficent that the 1.3 litre.

Also note that the LX model doesn't have power steering as standard. This will mean you will no longer need to go to the gym, just try a bit of parallel parking in one.

ninty9er

it's motoring at it's very basic levels...my guess is that it'll end up costing you more in the long run..

My grandad recently gave his 97 to my aunt as he couldn't justify the hassle of selling it for around €1100...with 67k on the clock and had p/s and s/r.

Anan1

The 1.25 is indeed a better engine, but the 1.3 is fine. Your first car is probably going to have a fairly rough time of it anyway, so I think it makes sense not to spend too much money on it. Assuming it's mechanically sound, that Fiesta sounds just the ticket. Does it have power steering?

HungryJoey

Good point lads. I Was reading about the power steering. I better find out because if it doesnt have P/s, its a definete no no!

Regarding millage, it will be getting little millage really. I probably will keep it for around 1 year max maybe. Depending how well it goes, the fella who owns in drove it for a year for his first car too but the p/s is a serious turn off.

How much do you recon insurance could come to on one of these aswel for a prov. driver ?

Providing the car has p/s and in general is sound, would you's consider it an ok price, Like I amn't being totally ripped off?

Hj

ninty9er

€1100 would be plenty for it...bear in mind you might spend a month or 2 trying to get rid of it unless you're willing to let it go for half that in a year

HungryJoey

Well I'm not too worried about how much for it I may let it go for in a years time.

I think the next thing to do is find out if it has P/s or not. If it doesn't, I think I'll leave it and wait and see whats around the corner!

If anybody else has suggestions for bangers around the same price advertised or for sale anywhere else please feel free to suggest so..

Thanks, Hj

Anan1

HungryJoey wrote:

I think the next thing to do is find out if it has P/s or not. If it doesn't, I think I'll leave it and wait and see whats around the corner!

Unless you're particularly weak, you really don't need to worry about not having power steering in a Fiesta. It would help with resale, but then again you won't be trying to get much back for the car. At that age, it's really down to condition - a good 1.3 without PS will still be a nicer car to drive than a clapped-out 1.25 with.

patrickc

I had a 98 1.3 fiesta van for my 1st vehicle, I had nothing but trouble with it, and it used more oil than petrol, yet according to ford there was no leak and wasn't burning oil, just beware of that heard other fiesta owners having the same problem.

Mailman

the 1.3 litre engine is extremely simple and there wouldn't be an engine out there for which parts are cheaper. Pushrod design as well so might get very noisy with age but will still keep chugging along.
the 1.25 is a better engine by far but it wouldn't stand up to the abuse a 1.3 litre engine can take.
Me, I'd prefer a KA as it has a better chassis.

HungryJoey

I just found out this has power steering and also has a sun roof.

Hj

Andrewf20

I have a "What Car" magazine used car pull out from a few years ago. They put the 1.25 zetec as the best mini car to by. Twas my 1st car as well. 16V engine was great. Go for this.

ninty9er

patrickc2006 wrote:

I had a 98 1.3 fiesta van for my 1st vehicle, I had nothing but trouble with it, and it used more oil than petrol, yet according to ford there was no leak and wasn't burning oil, just beware of that heard other fiesta owners having the same problem.

Yup the grandad put about a pint and a half in every month, considered normal because the engine is so old....it does move quite nicely though once you get used to the clutch

zilog_jones

I got a '98 1.3 LX last year, also as a first car. For starters I paid about €2500 for mine so yours sounds like a pretty good deal. Mine doesn't seem to be burning any oil, though it's only done 69k so far. The engine's nothing special, but as others have said there's not much to go wrong with them (no timing belt/chain changes needed, etc.) and parts are cheap. However, I wouldn't recommend it if you're driving 100km/h on a daily basis - it gets pretty noisy

I get around 29 MPG in city driving. It does a hell of a lot better out of town - I drove about 50 miles and it used like an eighth of a tank.

Check the heating's working - the heater control valve is known to be shyte in these Fiestas and mine died on me (in the middle of December of course). Also watch out for rust - I'm already starting to get some on the doors.

Also, do you know if it was easy enough to put those speakers in rear? The LX only has 2 speakers normally, and though there's space in the back for 2 more I was never sure if the wires and whatever are there as well.

Henry Ford III

Mailman wrote:

....Me, I'd prefer a KA as it has a better chassis.

The Fiesta and Ka had the same chassis afaik.

1.25 is a sweet little unit btw.

Mailman

Ka is shorter version of Fiesta so it handles much better but the Fiesta was among the better handling of the superminis of that generation.

Jack Bauer999

Mailman wrote:

Ka is shorter version of Fiesta so it handles much better but the Fiesta was among the better handling of the superminis of that generation.

they are great little cars alrite,
same as other poster, the old thing that ever went wrong was the heater but this was fixed pretty cheap,
sold my 98 fiesta, 1.3, 107,000 miles on the clock, in january for 2000 euro to
a dealer. this wasnt as part of a trade in either, was in perfect condition, noting wrong with it at all.

from my experience its a great first time car/learning how to drive. cheap to run, easy to drive and very realiable, also no prob on the motorway,
could do a hell of a lot worse.

HungryJoey

Thanks for all the advice. I currently have mixed feelings about this one though

A mate of mine who's father has been selling fiesta's for a long time, generally taken in on trade - ins said to me to avoid the 1.3 like the plague.

He was saying if i'm willing to just wait he'll more then likely be able to get me a 1.25 Fiesta for cheaper again on a trade in deal. He should be able to look after me if I am willing to wait until the proper one comes up.

So I think I will wait until he gets something for me. He will look after me he says ( A good mate of mine )

Hj

unkel

HungryJoey wrote:

said to me to avoid the 1.3 like the plague

Some people say that, but that's a bit of a harsh comment without further context. Are you mainly going to do city driving, or will there be a good bit of motorway / open road driving? How nippy do you want your car to be? Mrs unkel had a 1.3LX and it never gave a moment's bother. That was a low mileage great condition shopping trolley though

If I were your age with a keen interest in cars, I sure would wait for a 1.25 though

If your mate's father can get you a good condition '97-ish 1.25 for around a grand, by all means, wait for it. As you stated in your OP, you are not in a hurry. It will be dead easy to sell on in a year or two with no depreciation to speak of