1989 Ford Fiesta XR2i review from UK and Ireland
"King of the Cruise"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator failed and needed replacing.
Thermostat got stuck shut causing over heating after 2 minutes of idle.
Valve stem oil seals needed replacing.
Rust, rust everywhere!
General comments?
I owned my XR2i for just over two years, in which time it was broken into or molested in some way 4 times. Being a hot hatch it was a target for thieves which lost me over a thousand pounds worth of stereo equipment in one incident alone.
A side this though, it was generally very reliable and hugely fun to drive. I even found it to be marginally quicker than my friends Nova GSis and a like. I especially liked the admiring looks I got while driving it, albeit only from other boy racers.
The exhaust had a nice bassy tone to it, but was let down by the engine that sounded like a bag of bolts being dragged down a cobbled path.
I was very sad to see her go, but she was getting on a bit and I was ready for a new car, in step a Toyota MR2!
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 65000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 93000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 22nd May, 2003 |