1990 Ford Fiesta Ghia review from UK and Ireland

The electric window switches failed, however replacements were found at a scrap yard.

I had problems with the fuel mixture, the car was running very lean, however this was easily solved after running the car on an emissions tester.

I have owned this car for seven months at the time of writing (September 2003), and considering that the car is 13 years old, I have been very pleased with it.

For a 1.4 engine, performance is very good, the car is nippy about town, and cruises easily at motorway speeds, even with 5 adults on board!

The engine is a little rattly, however this is a characteristic of the 1.4 engine and when driving is not really that noticeable.

Handling is superb, it holds the road very well.

A major plus point is the sheer economy of the car, for example I had to replace the exhaust system not long after I bought the car and I found that the genuine Ford Motorcraft system was cheaper than the fast fit alternative!

Parts can be found at pretty much any scrapyard and many parts are interchangeable between models, when I had to buy some replacement electric window switches, I went to the scrap yard and found that the same switch was used on the Sierra.

The car is well built and feels solid, it really is hard to believe the car is 13 years old, there are no squeaks or rattles from the interior, which has worn well. The car is comfortable for tall people, and holds 5 adults comfortably.

Bodywork wise, the car is in good condition, there is some rust on the drivers' front wing, the front valance and around the fuel filler, however this is only minor and hard to spot.

The lacquer has started to fade on the bonnet, this is not a serious problem and a good polish lessens the effect.

I have not had much contact with my Ford dealer, as I have done most of the servicing myself, an interesting point they did make however was that out of older Fiestas, Ghia models tend to be in better condition, owners tend to care for them more as it was the top of the range car.

If you can find a Fiesta with no structural rust and which is in good general condition it will be well worth buying, they are superb little cars for the money.