1983 Ford Fiesta L review from UK and Ireland
"Cheap, fun car that refused to die"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
For the first 2 years of owning the car, the only things that needed replacing were the tires and an exhaust.
After those 2 years things started going wrong…
I had the entire braking system replaced at least twice.
The heater’s settings were “cold” or “very cold”.
The head gasket blew (1.1’s don’t seem to enjoy 5 hours straight driving with no water).
Just weeks after the head gasket, the whole block failed. Got an entire reconditioned engine for £150.
In the end, it wasn’t mechanical problems that forced me to scrap. Rust had finally beaten it.
General comments?
The mechanical problems could have been due to my driving technique. I didn't exactly drive the car carefully.
The replacement parts were so easy to find (perhaps too easy?)
It was great fun to drive. I could not have asked for a better first car.
It may not have driven like it was on rails, but it always started first time (even with a dead engine).
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| 1982 - Fiesta Popular Plus 1.1 The best car I have ever owned - truly |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.1 petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 3 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 71000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 90000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 8th September, 2003 |