1996 Ford Fiesta Classic Cabaret from UK and Ireland - Comments

There were a few minor faults that were all covered by the garage's warranty, most of these were due to the garage not spending the proper time preparing the car, and not faults with the car itself.

The tachometer started giving erratic readings (e.g. 4500 rpm when it was idling, I hope not!)

Two tyres have needed replacing.

The boot leaks slightly.

I am beginning to see rust under the arches (5 year old car, surely not?!)

It very occasionally pops out of first and reverse gear, and reverse gear is sometimes difficult to engage.

I suspect a small oil leak, but haven't been able to trace it as yet.

Also the engine (tappets?) is fairly noisy, especially compared to a friend's car which is almost identical but two years older.

I like this car.

Although the steering is sometimes heavy, especially when parking, the wheel is perfectly sized.

The one thing that bothers me is the noise of the engine, and I seriously think I'm going to need to get somebody to check the tappets.

It cruises happily at 80 on a motorway, however, and isn't particularly thirsty. I have a fairly heavy foot and manage about 35 to the gallon, nearly 40 on a run.

It isn't a high performance car, but then it isn't designed to be. It does the job of simple transportation, and does that job well.

I find it fairly comfortable, and whilst it isn't fun to drive like my last car (a Volvo 440 1.7), it costs a whole lot less to run, and doesn't need to visit the doctor half as often.

I have found the same with my fiesta about reverse gear it is difficult to engagehave to do some clutch work to get it in also the reverse switch on the gearbox has gone so no reverse light.

Bushes apear to have gone on suspention and rattle from the rear that still to this day cannotbetracedand the warranty has long since expired.

Although an all round good car with no faults and is nippy in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears 1st gear is very short and is almost pointless and 5th gear only seems to lower the revs like an old overdrive would.

I am currently looking to buy my first car which I will be learning in. The Fiesta would be my first choice. My friend has one of the newer Zetec Fiestas with a 1.25 Zetec engine and he says it is excellent to drive and he is very pleased with it.

Anyway, he went with me yesterday to look at some cars and we saw a Ka2 which he test drove. He mentioned to the dealer about the only problem he has with his Fiesta.

It is sometimes difficult to engage reverse gear (as you mentioned). Apparently (so the dealer told us) this is not a fault with the car! After so many miles (cant remember what he said, I think it was something like 60k) the gearbox needs readjusting on the fiestas (or something) but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it so if you take it to be repaired and they say that it is faulty it is not – It just needs adjusting! He did explain it better than me and also why it happens, but I am not at all technically minded so didnt really take it in and cant remember. I think he said it was basically just something gets worn or something and it makes it difficult to get it into reverse. I dunno.