Fiesta ST & 325TDS.. my fleet!
Discussion
Afternoon PH'ers
I have been a member on here for quite a while now, spend most of my time lurking blah blah blah you've heard it all before! But I thought I would get a bit more involved and do a thread of my current fleet.
First, my brief car history:
My first love! Alfa 147 1.6 Lusso. Was an amazing first car which I owned for nearly 2 years, but sadly succumbed to many reliability issues, although admittedly some due to my lack of mechanical sympathy at 17/18.
Bought for the princely sum of £600, a Saab 9-5 2.3t SE. The Alfa left me massively out of pocket, so after saving all my pennies from my part time job I bought this, after having a strange fascination with the Swedish barges. Although not a rocket-ship in the opinion of most, 185bhp (I have an incline it was also remapped, previous owner believed so) was rather rapid for an 18 year old! also my first taste of a turbo. Sadly this met it's end only 2 weeks after purchase by dropping a valve, leaving my Saab itch not fully scratched!
Next, an E39 523i SE. I fell in love with the six-pot soundtrack and the (IMO) amazing interior. The E39 proved to be very reliable, with only a dicky battery causing me any real drama during my year and a bit tenure. I also had my first taste of modifying, fitting 18" alloys, shadowline trim, facelift lights, upgraded speakers & a K&N induction kit (sounded awesome.)
Some more pics of this:
By the time I reached 20, I felt after a couple of barges I needed something a bit more 'my age', so to speak. Although an old 5 Series with big wheels was a pretty cool way of getting about at Uni, I wanted something that I could throw around the twisties and really have fun with. I looked into EP3 Type-Rs, MK5 GTIs & MK1 FRS, and almost went to buy an FN2 Type-R, but I got an amazing offer from a family member who works for Ford. The new Fiesta ST had just come out, and I got offered a really good deal on one. With my girlfriend owning the facelift mk7 1.25 I had grown to really like the base Fiesta. taking into account the amazing press the ST was getting, and the fact I think they look amazing, I ordered one in July last year. Lead times were rather long, but I got the car a few days before my 21st in October
Spec is:
ST-2, race red with style-pack.
No optional extras (I was pushing my budget just getting the ST-2!)
Since purchasing it i've added:
AutoSpecialists Induction kit (Bit noisy)
5000k HIDs
Team Heko wind deflectors
DMB sticky front plate
A few photos of her
Bloody amazing car! every drive is a joy, handles like it's on rails, goes quite well too. Interior is also a nice place to spend time, the heated leather recaros being a highlight. Even manage to average 45mpg if really trying, the 47 mpg combined figure a bit optimistic if not impossible IMO.
However, I have just finished my second year of uni. Starting August I am doing a 12 month internship, based in Reading. I currently live in Hertfordshire, giving me a 55 mile each-way commute each day. The Fiesta has a limited mileage agreement (being a lease car) so I needed to buy something else for the commute.
With a budget of £800, I picked up this
E36 325TDS SE manual, 160k miles, T&T with full service history. Exterior-wise it's rather tatty, the rear bumper being a sun-kissed yellow, one of the arches being a bit scabby (not overly rusty mind) with a variety of marks and scratches. Interior is not much better, with saggy headlining & velour seats, badly worn steering wheel & gearknob. Mechanically-wise however, the car is rather decent. Runs very smoothly and sounds almost quiet for an elderly diesel. No noises from any suspension etc, previous owner had replaced the pads recently so brakes are up to scratch.
Funnily enough the BM is probably as economical as the Fiesta, averaging about 40mpg but will rise to around 45 when I start my commuting on the m'way..
I wanted to run the E36 shed style, with only necessary maintenance being taken out and to never clean the thing, but sadly I have already made a few plans for this.
- Full M-Tech kit (Front bumper already bought)
- Tidy up the outside; refinish the rear left arch, machine polish etc.
- fit a leather interior & wood trim
- Upgrade head-unit, currently a clarion tape deck from the '90s
- Fit some nicer wheels, thinking of RC's or Contours if I can find any.
- Lower the car, by springs or eBay coilovers (sorry)
- Blank EGR (done) decat & end tuning chip to take to approx 180bhp
- retrofit climate control, although this looks rather difficult.
- A bloody good service!
Some may say it would be pointless to spend money on such a car, however I'm a bit of a mechanical idiot who wants to change his ways, so the car will act as a sort of project to build up my skills and learn some new things!
Sorry for rambling on.
I have been a member on here for quite a while now, spend most of my time lurking blah blah blah you've heard it all before! But I thought I would get a bit more involved and do a thread of my current fleet.
First, my brief car history:
My first love! Alfa 147 1.6 Lusso. Was an amazing first car which I owned for nearly 2 years, but sadly succumbed to many reliability issues, although admittedly some due to my lack of mechanical sympathy at 17/18.
Bought for the princely sum of £600, a Saab 9-5 2.3t SE. The Alfa left me massively out of pocket, so after saving all my pennies from my part time job I bought this, after having a strange fascination with the Swedish barges. Although not a rocket-ship in the opinion of most, 185bhp (I have an incline it was also remapped, previous owner believed so) was rather rapid for an 18 year old! also my first taste of a turbo. Sadly this met it's end only 2 weeks after purchase by dropping a valve, leaving my Saab itch not fully scratched!
Next, an E39 523i SE. I fell in love with the six-pot soundtrack and the (IMO) amazing interior. The E39 proved to be very reliable, with only a dicky battery causing me any real drama during my year and a bit tenure. I also had my first taste of modifying, fitting 18" alloys, shadowline trim, facelift lights, upgraded speakers & a K&N induction kit (sounded awesome.)
Some more pics of this:
By the time I reached 20, I felt after a couple of barges I needed something a bit more 'my age', so to speak. Although an old 5 Series with big wheels was a pretty cool way of getting about at Uni, I wanted something that I could throw around the twisties and really have fun with. I looked into EP3 Type-Rs, MK5 GTIs & MK1 FRS, and almost went to buy an FN2 Type-R, but I got an amazing offer from a family member who works for Ford. The new Fiesta ST had just come out, and I got offered a really good deal on one. With my girlfriend owning the facelift mk7 1.25 I had grown to really like the base Fiesta. taking into account the amazing press the ST was getting, and the fact I think they look amazing, I ordered one in July last year. Lead times were rather long, but I got the car a few days before my 21st in October
Spec is:
ST-2, race red with style-pack.
No optional extras (I was pushing my budget just getting the ST-2!)
Since purchasing it i've added:
AutoSpecialists Induction kit (Bit noisy)
5000k HIDs
Team Heko wind deflectors
DMB sticky front plate
A few photos of her
Bloody amazing car! every drive is a joy, handles like it's on rails, goes quite well too. Interior is also a nice place to spend time, the heated leather recaros being a highlight. Even manage to average 45mpg if really trying, the 47 mpg combined figure a bit optimistic if not impossible IMO.
However, I have just finished my second year of uni. Starting August I am doing a 12 month internship, based in Reading. I currently live in Hertfordshire, giving me a 55 mile each-way commute each day. The Fiesta has a limited mileage agreement (being a lease car) so I needed to buy something else for the commute.
With a budget of £800, I picked up this
E36 325TDS SE manual, 160k miles, T&T with full service history. Exterior-wise it's rather tatty, the rear bumper being a sun-kissed yellow, one of the arches being a bit scabby (not overly rusty mind) with a variety of marks and scratches. Interior is not much better, with saggy headlining & velour seats, badly worn steering wheel & gearknob. Mechanically-wise however, the car is rather decent. Runs very smoothly and sounds almost quiet for an elderly diesel. No noises from any suspension etc, previous owner had replaced the pads recently so brakes are up to scratch.
Funnily enough the BM is probably as economical as the Fiesta, averaging about 40mpg but will rise to around 45 when I start my commuting on the m'way..
I wanted to run the E36 shed style, with only necessary maintenance being taken out and to never clean the thing, but sadly I have already made a few plans for this.
- Full M-Tech kit (Front bumper already bought)
- Tidy up the outside; refinish the rear left arch, machine polish etc.
- fit a leather interior & wood trim
- Upgrade head-unit, currently a clarion tape deck from the '90s
- Fit some nicer wheels, thinking of RC's or Contours if I can find any.
- Lower the car, by springs or eBay coilovers (sorry)
- Blank EGR (done) decat & end tuning chip to take to approx 180bhp
- retrofit climate control, although this looks rather difficult.
- A bloody good service!
Some may say it would be pointless to spend money on such a car, however I'm a bit of a mechanical idiot who wants to change his ways, so the car will act as a sort of project to build up my skills and learn some new things!
Sorry for rambling on.
325TDS is a good car. Always fancied one, but when I was in the market I couldn't find any reasonably local. In my opinion the e36 is starting to come into it's own looks wise, as most of the chav's that ruined them have moved onto newer cars. I may be biased though.
Lots of parts available for them for not much money, should make an excellent commuter.
Lots of parts available for them for not much money, should make an excellent commuter.
ciaranthemurph said:
325TDS is a good car. Always fancied one, but when I was in the market I couldn't find any reasonably local. In my opinion the e36 is starting to come into it's own looks wise, as most of the chav's that ruined them have moved onto newer cars. I may be biased though.
Lots of parts available for them for not much money, should make an excellent commuter.
I was rather lucky. Mine came up 5 miles from me, being a manual version was a bonus as they are hard to come by, most being autos I believe. I completely agree with you, I find that the car has passed its chav stage, sadly the E46 has taken it's place! It's not quite a classic yet, but I think the shape has aged well. 328i sports are rocketing in prices recently! Lots of parts available for them for not much money, should make an excellent commuter.
Mahoon said:
Great looking cars!
I got my AS induction kit delivered today and i have to agree with you, it is noisy! I like it though.
Also thinking about HID upgrade since the oem ones are crap. Can you recommend any decent kit?
Cheers man!I got my AS induction kit delivered today and i have to agree with you, it is noisy! I like it though.
Also thinking about HID upgrade since the oem ones are crap. Can you recommend any decent kit?
It's a good little kit, I do notice the car feels a little more responsive, and love the spooling noise! the 'dump' does get a bit tiresome though
I agree, with the DRLs the halogen beam looks a bit crap. I got a 5k kit from HID direct.. link here http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/h7-canbus-terminator-...
Really easy to fit, although I find even the 5k A bit too blue, not sure what your preference is but i'd suggest a 4300k kit.
147lusso said:
Cheers man!
It's a good little kit, I do notice the car feels a little more responsive, and love the spooling noise! the 'dump' does get a bit tiresome though
I agree, with the DRLs the halogen beam looks a bit crap. I got a 5k kit from HID direct.. link here http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/h7-canbus-terminator-...
Really easy to fit, although I find even the 5k A bit too blue, not sure what your preference is but i'd suggest a 4300k kit.
Thanks for that! I think I'll go for a 5k setup. It's a good little kit, I do notice the car feels a little more responsive, and love the spooling noise! the 'dump' does get a bit tiresome though
I agree, with the DRLs the halogen beam looks a bit crap. I got a 5k kit from HID direct.. link here http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/h7-canbus-terminator-...
Really easy to fit, although I find even the 5k A bit too blue, not sure what your preference is but i'd suggest a 4300k kit.
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