1980 Ford Fiesta Reviews

Never had any problems with the car.

Is always kept regularly serviced etc.

Ford Fiesta MK1 Supersport, a great little MK1 Fiesta, with lots character and easy/cheap to run and maintain.

OK, it's not the fastest or the most comfortable Fiesta, but it's still really great fun to drive.

Lovely simple interior, with just a speedo, rev counter and temp/fuel gauges in front of you, all mounted inside a simple pod.

Fiesta MK1's have a fantastic club scene as well, so parts and help are always available, if needed. Have a look at -

www.fiesta-mk1.co.uk

Front brakes seized on after car was stood for 6 months.

Seats badly worn.

Mystery water leak.

This is a top little car and offers great town driving.

This car has a genuine 35000 miles on the clock and has been in our family since new.

The interior is a little sparse, but we can forgive the old lady that.

Nothing much. It almost always started at the first turn of the key. It sometimes took three or four turns in wet weather though.

The one annoying fault was the stalling. This was particularly evident in wet weather too! My wife used to get very upset by this! She maintained that the car did it in a sly sort of way. She would pull up at a junction & comment on how quiet it had gone. The only noise would be the rubbing of the windscreen wipers still playing their merry tune, back & forth across the window. Then she would look down & notice those little square lights on the dashboard. The red one with the battery on it & the orange one with the oil can. She's not a big user of swear words, but that scenario used to lead to a few being used!

These stalling episodes revealed another frustration that comes with all Fords. You have to turn the key back first before attempting to re-start the engine. The first time my wife "stopped" she didn't know this. the car had chosen to stall while she was queued in a busy roundabout too. The car behind nearly drove into us while she desperately battled with the keys.

Apart from the stalling this was the best little car either of us has ever owned.

The acceleration was great from an engine so small.

The reliability was great too. It never let either of us down, always re-starting after the "stalling" episodes.

I'd have another tomorrow if I could find one.

Well, since the car was modified (in 1991), the only things that have gone wrong were simple adjustments, which had to be made in order for it to run properly, such as re-jetting the carburetor. The worst thing that ever happened was when I replaced the lower ball joint and didn't seat the locking bolt properly. The joint let go when I was slowly pulling out of a gas station. It was an easy fix, though.

The Mk1 (1978-80) Ford Fiesta is a wonderfully engineered car, which is simple to work on. It has a bullet-proof 4 speed transmission and comes stock with an in-line 4 cylinder, all-iron, Formula Ford (Kent) racing engine. All 78-80 Fiestas have this engine! Once you get past the Fiestas problem areas (brakes and engine cooling), you'll have an indestructible and inexpensive little pocket rocket. There are a few companies which are still dedicated to selling Mk1 Fiesta parts. Parts are inexpensive and most are readily available.

My fuel pump went bad.

My water pump went bad.

This is the first car I picked out for myself and it runs like a dream. I love my little red Fiesta.

I dont mind spending the money on parts for my car. I will spend whatever I need to keep my car running.

An electric fuel pump which I fitted in the engine bay didn't work until I fitted it beside fuel tank under the floor. Always read instructions supplied with new products.

Engine mountings must be renewed to cope with the extra power of 1.6 CVH engine. XR2 gear-box mounting also recommended.

Constant Velocity Ball Joints in the drive shafts must be kept greased and covered with fresh rubber boots.

The Mk1 Ford Fiesta is an ideal first rally-car for anyone serious about progressing in front wheel drive rallying.

They handle superbly.

Parts are cheap.

The shell is extremely versatile accepting parts out of most Fords of its era and today.

At 20 years old the Mk1 Fiesta is rapidly replacing the Mk2 Escort as the car that the average motorist learnt to drive in. People have fond memories of these cars.