2000 Ford Fiesta Zetec review from UK and Ireland

Since new:

* The engine has never seemed to be properly tuned although Ford insist it is (rattles, sometimes misfires, small oil leak that cannot be traced).

* Brakes and wheels were not correctly balanced from new, which lead to me having to replace 3 tyres due to uneven wear and poor braking performance.

* Poor starting during the 1st winter caused by water in the electronics. Which will indefinitely stay there because of Ford's incompetence.

* Battery went dead in the Spring. Unexplainable??

* Needed a replacement radiator due to an unexplainable hole?

* Needed new shock absorbers after 10000 miles (maybe the councils fault for the excess of speed bumps!)

* Central locking failed to work several times, each time I had to have the remote reconfigured by Ford, cost £15 each time even though it wasn't my fault!

* Radio buttons broke, £130 for a new radio, the only solution according to Ford.

* Water leaking onto the seats due to apparently poor design.

* Rattling dashboard, can't stop it, very irritating on a long drive!

* Rust on the bottom of the doors, Ford manage to come up with a load of cobblers as to why it's not covered by the 7 year corrosion guarantee, MY FAULT as I didn't spot a small chip caused by a stone at an earlier date.

* Rust around the boot seal, again no point having the corrosion guarantee.

* Sunroof leaks from near the handle.

Having read the reviews of this car I thought it sounded perfect, but sadly I was mis-informed as many of us appear to be. It's drastically overrated. Ford demands you take a closer look, I wouldn't, you may find a lot you dislike. Personally I think the car has the following bad points:

Poorly built.

Noisy ride.

Very bland to look at, practically the same as 1989 except a few more curves.

Uncomfortable and uninspiring poorly manufactured interior.

Very unresponsive engine and gearbox, what can only be classed as a 'long' ratio gearbox.

Unreliable.

Ford do not want to know, once you have bought the car you are on your own. Utterly appalling customer service. Everything is YOUR FAULT, not the incompetent manufacturers or the dealers.

Thank goodness it's nearly September, the time of the new car, I will definitely be returning to the Vauxhall Astra which gave me 8 years of trouble free motoring before. Thankfully my finances are running much more smoothly than this Ford Fiesta...