First car: 2001 MK5 Ford Fiesta 1.3
Discussion
Hey guys,
Passed my test four months ago, since then I've been searching for insurance and cars; finally found a quote for £2,200 (London, 17yrs young guy, actually pretty reasonably unfortunatly); once that was done it was time to find the car. I've always been a blue oval fan so it was only fair that I hunted down a Fiesta; my budget and my dislike for the MK6's styling meant the MK5 was the way to go, and the rattly old Endura 1.3 was by far the cheapest to ensure. Picked it up today, love it already; it's not much and it might not be very PH but it's a car, a Ford at that, and it's mine. It's also not a Corsa, which is always a bonus.
Only got one picture for now;
1.3l Flight 3dr, 44k miles on the clock. It's pretty basic; hasn't even got a rev counter! Which also means right now I can't drive with the heater or the radio on because I can't hear the engine and don't know when to change gear; in time habit will kick in though, hopefully.
Haven't got any short term plans for it other than a PH sticker and a Zetec spoiler for the bootlid, if I can find one (IMO finishes off the MK4/5 shape very nicely).
I've yet to drive alone, my parents won't let me (And since they're loaning me the cash for my first year of insurance they've got a say in it's use) but it's great fun and I wouldn't want anything more as a first car to be honest!
Passed my test four months ago, since then I've been searching for insurance and cars; finally found a quote for £2,200 (London, 17yrs young guy, actually pretty reasonably unfortunatly); once that was done it was time to find the car. I've always been a blue oval fan so it was only fair that I hunted down a Fiesta; my budget and my dislike for the MK6's styling meant the MK5 was the way to go, and the rattly old Endura 1.3 was by far the cheapest to ensure. Picked it up today, love it already; it's not much and it might not be very PH but it's a car, a Ford at that, and it's mine. It's also not a Corsa, which is always a bonus.
Only got one picture for now;
1.3l Flight 3dr, 44k miles on the clock. It's pretty basic; hasn't even got a rev counter! Which also means right now I can't drive with the heater or the radio on because I can't hear the engine and don't know when to change gear; in time habit will kick in though, hopefully.
Haven't got any short term plans for it other than a PH sticker and a Zetec spoiler for the bootlid, if I can find one (IMO finishes off the MK4/5 shape very nicely).
I've yet to drive alone, my parents won't let me (And since they're loaning me the cash for my first year of insurance they've got a say in it's use) but it's great fun and I wouldn't want anything more as a first car to be honest!
Edited by Gooly on Friday 9th March 16:11
Good choice, I had a mercedes e200 for my first car and i have to say i feel left out,
My friends were driving around in hatchbacks that picked up the chicks and i must've looked like a lady killer, being 17 and driving an "old mans" car!
Where abouts is that pic taken it looks familiar!
Steve
My friends were driving around in hatchbacks that picked up the chicks and i must've looked like a lady killer, being 17 and driving an "old mans" car!
Where abouts is that pic taken it looks familiar!
Steve
Do regular oil & filters and that 1.3 engine is bulletproof 
Have one in my Escort, and a friend has a near-identical Fiesta to yours on 140,000 miles. Not as revvy as the 1.25 but very solid if looked after
As a previous poster has said, the other point to look after is rust; they do go easily.
Have one in my Escort, and a friend has a near-identical Fiesta to yours on 140,000 miles. Not as revvy as the 1.25 but very solid if looked after As a previous poster has said, the other point to look after is rust; they do go easily.
You'll learn to change gear through a combination of your senses rather then just listening in no time I should think.
Good cars those, a mate has a Mk4 with the 1.25 Zetec in it which pulls surprisingly well although I think the 1.3 is slightly down on power it shouldn't be too bad compared to a 1L Corsa or similar.
ETA: When are you ever going to learn to handbrake turn if your parents are in the car?
Good cars those, a mate has a Mk4 with the 1.25 Zetec in it which pulls surprisingly well although I think the 1.3 is slightly down on power it shouldn't be too bad compared to a 1L Corsa or similar.
ETA: When are you ever going to learn to handbrake turn if your parents are in the car?
Same as me, almost!
No rev counter, pah better that way. Bit surprised you don't know how to change to gear though without a rev counter? You'll hear the engine screaming out for a gear change :haha:
Mines on 123k near enough right now, loads of life left in it. Better than my mate's corsas etc.
Thread here if you're interested, http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
Here's a photo of it with some rubbish TVRs
Enjoy it mate, nothing like your first car. What a whopper, get practising some lift of oversteer.
No rev counter, pah better that way. Bit surprised you don't know how to change to gear though without a rev counter? You'll hear the engine screaming out for a gear change :haha:
Mines on 123k near enough right now, loads of life left in it. Better than my mate's corsas etc.
Thread here if you're interested, http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
Here's a photo of it with some rubbish TVRs
Enjoy it mate, nothing like your first car. What a whopper, get practising some lift of oversteer.
A Mk4/5 Fiesta is pretty PH really; it's the same chassis as a Puma so it's no slouch in the handling department. I took mine on track days a few times and it was a hoot.
IIRC Maximum speeds in gear are
20mph in first
40mph in second
62mph in third (funny that)
80mph in fourth
and however brave you are in fifth
although for sensible road driving dividing those speeds by two will get you upshifts just shy of 3000rpm, which is about right for the engine. As has been said above, service it properly and it'll keep running until the body falls off the engine.
IIRC Maximum speeds in gear are
20mph in first
40mph in second
62mph in third (funny that)
80mph in fourth
and however brave you are in fifth
although for sensible road driving dividing those speeds by two will get you upshifts just shy of 3000rpm, which is about right for the engine. As has been said above, service it properly and it'll keep running until the body falls off the engine.
davepoth said:
A Mk4/5 Fiesta is pretty PH really; it's the same chassis as a Puma so it's no slouch in the handling department. I took mine on track days a few times and it was a hoot.
IIRC Maximum speeds in gear are
20mph in first
40mph in second
62mph in third (funny that)
80mph in fourth
and however brave you are in fifth
although for sensible road driving dividing those speeds by two will get you upshifts just shy of 3000rpm, which is about right for the engine. As has been said above, service it properly and it'll keep running until the body falls off the engine.
Oh aye, maybe I should've told the OP that as well.
When going for it in mine, 20 for 1st, 50 for second, 70 in third then after that it's irrelevant as I whack it in 5 haha.
IIRC Maximum speeds in gear are
20mph in first
40mph in second
62mph in third (funny that)
80mph in fourth
and however brave you are in fifth
although for sensible road driving dividing those speeds by two will get you upshifts just shy of 3000rpm, which is about right for the engine. As has been said above, service it properly and it'll keep running until the body falls off the engine.
Oh aye, maybe I should've told the OP that as well.
When going for it in mine, 20 for 1st, 50 for second, 70 in third then after that it's irrelevant as I whack it in 5 haha.
Oh I do know how to change gear without a rev counter, I never used to look at the one in my learner Corsa, but the heater drowns out the engine sound and on the first drive back I didn't really know the gearbox too well so it was interesting to say the least. I've gotten used to it now, sound or no sound I'm running through the gears pretty well (I love the gearbox as well, anything that doesn't feel like stiring soup with a baseball bat is a bonus after the Corsa I learnt in), however after some calm time with the car I have noticed that the clutch seems to be on it's last legs, which is worrying considering it's "only done 44k miles". The biting point seems to be in the last 1/4 of travel.
In other news, some b
d key'd it on both sides :/. Hopefully it'll polish out, gonna give the whole car a thorough clean and polish on Saturday. I'm loving the car otherwise and I love how basic and simple it is. Just me and the car and that's it, everything is where you want it to be and there aren't any unnecessary distractions.
In other news, some b
d key'd it on both sides :/. Hopefully it'll polish out, gonna give the whole car a thorough clean and polish on Saturday. I'm loving the car otherwise and I love how basic and simple it is. Just me and the car and that's it, everything is where you want it to be and there aren't any unnecessary distractions.
Gooly said:
Oh I do know how to change gear without a rev counter, I never used to look at the one in my learner Corsa, but the heater drowns out the engine sound and on the first drive back I didn't really know the gearbox too well so it was interesting to say the least. I've gotten used to it now, sound or no sound I'm running through the gears pretty well (I love the gearbox as well, anything that doesn't feel like stiring soup with a baseball bat is a bonus after the Corsa I learnt in), however after some calm time with the car I have noticed that the clutch seems to be on it's last legs, which is worrying considering it's "only done 44k miles". The biting point seems to be in the last 1/4 of travel.
.
Please tell me you checked the service history (i.e receipts/bills) as well as just stamps in the book - as suggested in the previous thread?.
44k around down, 10 year old car... not necessarily unreasonable for the clutch to be going, but that is the type of thing you should notice on the test drive!
If the clutch is shagged the you could try and get some help from the dealer.
Also, sorry to hear about the keying (jealous mates?), but you would be crazy to claim for it on such a low value car.
I didnt really notice the clutch wear because that test drive was the first time i had driven a petrol manual so I was quite caught up with that, and i didnt really notice just how far up the biting point was.
And yeah I'm definitely not going to claim it on insurance, a non fault claim will kill my renewal next year. Its not a deep scratch so it should polish out hopefully.
And yeah I'm definitely not going to claim it on insurance, a non fault claim will kill my renewal next year. Its not a deep scratch so it should polish out hopefully.
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