Fiesta ST Motorway Hack!
Discussion
Its been 9,000 miles since I bought my car, just 4 months ago!
I originally bought the car and did a post...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=159...
So a quick update!
As I said i've done 9000 miles in just 4 months. Its been to the north, the west country and averages about 400 miles a week on my commute.
So am I mad for buying this car for so many miles? Not as much as you'd think!
The ride on the motorway is only just about bearable
It bumps up and down over most road surfaces but the smoothest. However the fact that the car is ridiculously fun, puts a proper smile on your face and sounds pretty good makes up for it in my opinion! I could have had a 2.0 diesel which would have done the journey much better, but most days, I literally couldnt care less.
The fuel economy is always in the 40's on mixed journeys and regularly in the 50's on a conservative motorway cruise. Which for a 200hp petrol is amazing in my eyes. Road and engine noise is pretty hushed on the motorway too!
The drive itself is phenomenal. The car just lunges out of corners with its 'e-diff' dabbing away at the brakes for max traction. It sounds pretty good too, with a low down growl climbing to a fizzy rally(ish) sound at the top end. There's a bit of turbo lag across the revs but i'm used to that from cars of old. I've never driven a car that feels so enthusiastic to get up and go all the time. Its addictive.
All in all i'm please. I like the way it looks, drives and doesnt damage my wallet too much at the pumps. Very recommended car this! Here's a pic of her on a recent camping trip to the Yorkshire Dales
I originally bought the car and did a post...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=159...
So a quick update!
As I said i've done 9000 miles in just 4 months. Its been to the north, the west country and averages about 400 miles a week on my commute.
So am I mad for buying this car for so many miles? Not as much as you'd think!
The ride on the motorway is only just about bearable
It bumps up and down over most road surfaces but the smoothest. However the fact that the car is ridiculously fun, puts a proper smile on your face and sounds pretty good makes up for it in my opinion! I could have had a 2.0 diesel which would have done the journey much better, but most days, I literally couldnt care less.The fuel economy is always in the 40's on mixed journeys and regularly in the 50's on a conservative motorway cruise. Which for a 200hp petrol is amazing in my eyes. Road and engine noise is pretty hushed on the motorway too!
The drive itself is phenomenal. The car just lunges out of corners with its 'e-diff' dabbing away at the brakes for max traction. It sounds pretty good too, with a low down growl climbing to a fizzy rally(ish) sound at the top end. There's a bit of turbo lag across the revs but i'm used to that from cars of old. I've never driven a car that feels so enthusiastic to get up and go all the time. Its addictive.
All in all i'm please. I like the way it looks, drives and doesnt damage my wallet too much at the pumps. Very recommended car this! Here's a pic of her on a recent camping trip to the Yorkshire Dales
Edited by willmagrath on Friday 7th October 15:43
Thanks for the replies. And nice car other PH'er with the black st. Yeah I find it quite hard as my old car was very soft! Yeah consumables will be pretty cheap I hope! It's only a light car
I think good mpg is due to the high gearing in 6th. At 70 it only revs at 2600. Which is pretty low for a petrol I think.
I think good mpg is due to the high gearing in 6th. At 70 it only revs at 2600. Which is pretty low for a petrol I think.
GTIAlex said:
I really don't understand peoples issues with the ride.
I go up and down the m6 (midlands to liverpool) all the time and it hasn't even crossed my mind. Yes its not going to be as refined as the usual suspects for this type of driving but its hardly bone shattering.
Cruise control on, sit back and relax.
For comparison, cruise control set to 75 and stretches of 50 road works yeilds a MPG of just over 45mpg and snarled m6 south traffic n a sunday afternoon is around 42.
Lowest iv'e had it is 32.
Yeah I find mine pretty jiggle! Is yours on different suspension though? Looks lowered! I go up and down the m6 (midlands to liverpool) all the time and it hasn't even crossed my mind. Yes its not going to be as refined as the usual suspects for this type of driving but its hardly bone shattering.
Cruise control on, sit back and relax.
For comparison, cruise control set to 75 and stretches of 50 road works yeilds a MPG of just over 45mpg and snarled m6 south traffic n a sunday afternoon is around 42.
Lowest iv'e had it is 32.
Jealous of the cruise control though! May look into getting it fitted
Well, the poor fiesta's stint as a motorway hack is over, i'm finally moving closer to work. I've done 12,000 miles in just 6 months in the poor thing! Apart from the ride quality its done very well.
I'm now very happy that it's gonna have a well earned rest with a briliant 8 mile round trip to work, instead of 96....
Looking forward to not seeing the mileage go up at ridiculous rate too!
I'm now very happy that it's gonna have a well earned rest with a briliant 8 mile round trip to work, instead of 96....
Looking forward to not seeing the mileage go up at ridiculous rate too!
GTIAlex said:
willmagrath said:
Well, the poor fiesta's stint as a motorway hack is over, i'm finally moving closer to work. I've done 12,000 miles in just 6 months in the poor thing! Apart from the ride quality its done very well.
I'm now very happy that it's gonna have a well earned rest with a briliant 8 mile round trip to work, instead of 96....
Looking forward to not seeing the mileage go up at ridiculous rate too!
How have you found the consumables like tyres and fuel in that time? Anything gone wrong?I'm now very happy that it's gonna have a well earned rest with a briliant 8 mile round trip to work, instead of 96....
Looking forward to not seeing the mileage go up at ridiculous rate too!
I totally retract my earlier statements about motorway miles in these, after a few trips up the M6 recently I was finding myself pondering something with a bit of a softer side.
Only cost so far has been a service, under £200.
WCZ said:
really don't know how people are getting this kind of fuel consumption, my girlfriends ST averages 22mpg (12,000 miles a year, mixed roads, spirited driver(!))
Yeah this doesn't sound right, I spent 2 days driving with a very lead foot around the dales a few months and only just dipped under 29mpg, and that was a struggle!mooseracer said:
A drive back from West Cornwall to just outside of Bristol recently I got 29mpg on the computer. If you're regularly getting 40mpg then you are much better at resisting the nature of these cars than me!
I have no issues whatsoever with the ride in my 2016 ST - maybe because of the revised suspension settings?
Oh jeez, on a long journey that's pretty bad! Maybe because the car is newer and the engine is still tight. Over time it'll probably get better!I have no issues whatsoever with the ride in my 2016 ST - maybe because of the revised suspension settings?
Revised suspension eh? Interesting! I find it pretty harsh probably as I came from a 13 year old skoda with 140,000 miles on the suspension...
keo said:
How are you getting on OP? I am thinking about getting a Fiesta ST and i am doing about 24k a year. Other option is a bmw 320d but the st will be more fun.
Hi, well the winter nights and bad traffic got too much for me, I moved close to work. The car still does long journeys but only every so often. I did 6 months of 100 miles a day and tbh, I wouldn't recommend the car for that mileage, it's just top choppy. I'm used to it now I think, but sometimes it got a bit much! Try one out, get it up to speed and stay there for a bit, you might be able to handle it
However off the motorway it's still bloody brilliant.
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