RE: PH Fleet: Ford Puma

[Riggers]

whythem said:

Yeh, yeh, niggles, I get it! Not much, in the recent articles about how fun or not it is to drive. Do you like it, what's it like in the twistys, can you "worry much more expensive metal" is it better than a 5? Does it make you smile? and most importantly would you recommend or buy another? I would!

Abso-blummin-lutely I'd have another. Next update will certainly be more about the driving experience, I promise (it's lovely). And will involve more than just my Puma. Shan't say any more as I don't want to give too much away, but I am very much looking forward to it!

[Ryan9078]

mistergixer said:

Shade said:

The parcel shelf will never sit right, it's a Puma.

I was thinking, I dont remember having that problem. Then my Mrs reminded me, we didnt have a parcel shelf. Cheap fix?

We did however have a mysterious leak in the passenger foot-well that we never got to the bottom of

[r7ehw]

RE The Parcel Shelf.

I had one of these brand new and the parcel shelf was forever coming out when you opened the tailgate. Yes really irritating but made up for in spades by the fantastic drive and raspy little engine.

Oh and the ridiculous range between fill ups!

[Shade]

Kidders said:

I still really miss my Puma, the Zetec S Fiesta we have now is almost as much fun but not quite as special..

I went down this road too, and there isn't a minute where I don't miss the Puma. My Fiesta is better looking, quicker, less rusty and far more reliable. Yet it has nowhere near as much personality as the Puma.

@mistergixer That leak comes from the bung under the bonnet where the wires leave the bulkhead to go to the battery. Best way to fix it is to remove the pollen filter casing and smother the rubber bung and back of casing with silicone. Replace the casing, job done. Fiestas of the same age also suffer with it.

Edited by Shade on Monday 11th June 09:41

[Limpet]

I stuck a set of cheap eBay bottom arms on our old Fiesta Zetec to get it through an MOT, and the bushes were an MOT fail again the following year. Genuine arms are less than £50 if you shop around, and they last a lot longer.

You will definitely need to get your tracking checked after changing the lower arms. Found this out the expensive way. On the plus side, with new bushes and with the tracking done, it sharpens these things up like new.

[Beaverking]

Riggers said:

whythem said:

Yeh, yeh, niggles, I get it! Not much, in the recent articles about how fun or not it is to drive. Do you like it, what's it like in the twistys, can you "worry much more expensive metal" is it better than a 5? Does it make you smile? and most importantly would you recommend or buy another? I would!

Abso-blummin-lutely I'd have another. Next update will certainly be more about the driving experience, I promise (it's lovely). And will involve more than just my Puma. Shan't say any more as I don't want to give too much away, but I am very much looking forward to it!

I recently replaced the bottom arms(£60) track rod ends, bilstein b4 shocks(£120), new wheels n tyres, and replaced the entire rear beam inc discs n calipers with a second hand rear beam in really good nick(£150)fromthe ford center, already had bilstien springs, so it cost, minus wheels, £330 to turn my old 2.0 focus zetec into a weapon, already had exhaust done filter chip etc strip interior a bit no carpets, beast.

[Tyrewrecker]

Beaverking said:

I recently replaced the bottom arms(£60) track rod ends, bilstein b4 shocks(£120), new wheels n tyres, and replaced the entire rear beam inc discs n calipers with a second hand rear beam in really good nick(£150)fromthe ford center, already had bilstien springs, so it cost, minus wheels, £330 to turn my old 2.0 focus zetec into a weapon, already had exhaust done filter chip etc strip interior a bit no carpets, beast.

£330 and your focus is now a 'weapon'

[corradoboy1983]

I've had some bad luck with mine recently. Got it as a shed (at £1400 quid however). Then replaced rear trailing arm bushes, and 4 news tyres. Thought all was good until the cam belt started "pinging" - turns out the variator was gone - £770 later it has new variator, cam belt, alternator belt, and runs sweet as a nut... I seriously considered getting rid, but having already spent out on it, and having owned it less than a month, it made sense to repair it and cut my losses...

Fingers crossed it should now be reliable! Great fun to drive though One of the reasons I bought this over something like an old Honda Civic!

[Beaverking]

Tyrewrecker said:

Beaverking said:

I recently replaced the bottom arms(£60) track rod ends, bilstein b4 shocks(£120), new wheels n tyres, and replaced the entire rear beam inc discs n calipers with a second hand rear beam in really good nick(£150)fromthe ford center, already had bilstien springs, so it cost, minus wheels, £330 to turn my old 2.0 focus zetec into a weapon, already had exhaust done filter chip etc strip interior a bit no carpets, beast.

£330 and your focus is now a 'weapon'

Yes a weapon, where do you live douchebag? Me North West Scotland, where the roads are windy and empty,a stripped out 2.0 focus with four branch, exhaust, filter, chip, bilsteins, nice new wheels and tyres makes an ideal play thing up here, easy and cheap to fix, amazing handling and enough power to keep up with most cars and drivers on these roads, you probz drive an M3 or skyline or porsche, I would badly embaras you in my old focus, you don't need 500bhp to cover windy roads at good pace FOOL!

[Riggers]

Beaverking said:

Tyrewrecker said:

Beaverking said:

I recently replaced the bottom arms(£60) track rod ends, bilstein b4 shocks(£120), new wheels n tyres, and replaced the entire rear beam inc discs n calipers with a second hand rear beam in really good nick(£150)fromthe ford center, already had bilstien springs, so it cost, minus wheels, £330 to turn my old 2.0 focus zetec into a weapon, already had exhaust done filter chip etc strip interior a bit no carpets, beast.

£330 and your focus is now a 'weapon'

Yes a weapon, where do you live douchebag? Me North West Scotland, where the roads are windy and empty,a stripped out 2.0 focus with four branch, exhaust, filter, chip, bilsteins, nice new wheels and tyres makes an ideal play thing up here, easy and cheap to fix, amazing handling and enough power to keep up with most cars and drivers on these roads, you probz drive an M3 or skyline or porsche, I would badly embaras you in my old focus, you don't need 500bhp to cover windy roads at good pace FOOL!

Easy, tiger .

Banter can be quite harsh on here so you just have to let it go sometimes.

Incidentally, Mk1 or Mk2?

[Beaverking]

Riggers said:

Beaverking said:

Tyrewrecker said:

Beaverking said:

I recently replaced the bottom arms(£60) track rod ends, bilstein b4 shocks(£120), new wheels n tyres, and replaced the entire rear beam inc discs n calipers with a second hand rear beam in really good nick(£150)fromthe ford center, already had bilstien springs, so it cost, minus wheels, £330 to turn my old 2.0 focus zetec into a weapon, already had exhaust done filter chip etc strip interior a bit no carpets, beast.

£330 and your focus is now a 'weapon'

Yes a weapon, where do you live douchebag? Me North West Scotland, where the roads are windy and empty,a stripped out 2.0 focus with four branch, exhaust, filter, chip, bilsteins, nice new wheels and tyres makes an ideal play thing up here, easy and cheap to fix, amazing handling and enough power to keep up with most cars and drivers on these roads, you probz drive an M3 or skyline or porsche, I would badly embaras you in my old focus, you don't need 500bhp to cover windy roads at good pace FOOL!

Easy, tiger .

Banter can be quite harsh on here so you just have to let it go sometimes.

Incidentally, Mk1 or Mk2?

Its a 2001 Mk1 zetec, had it for 3 years and its been a faithfull companion, refreshing every bush underneath makes it feel like new, and relax!

[Riggers]

Beaverking said:

Its a 2001 Mk1 zetec, had it for 3 years and its been a faithfull companion, refreshing every bush underneath makes it feel like new, and relax!

Definitely the nicest to drive of the Focuses. Lovely car

[Tyrewrecker]

Beaverking said:

Yes a weapon, where do you live douchebag? Me North West Scotland, where the roads are windy and empty,a stripped out 2.0 focus with four branch, exhaust, filter, chip, bilsteins, nice new wheels and tyres makes an ideal play thing up here, easy and cheap to fix, amazing handling and enough power to keep up with most cars and drivers on these roads, you probz drive an M3 or skyline or porsche, I would badly embaras you in my old focus, you don't need 500bhp to cover windy roads at good pace FOOL!

Good golly, no malice intended! Time of the month?

I am not denying it is fun but clearly we have different definitions of 'weapon' when describing a car. <1minute round knockhill then you're talking (plenty of serious cars take a little longer but lets not get all pedantic eh?)

[Beaverking]

Riggers said:

Beaverking said:

Its a 2001 Mk1 zetec, had it for 3 years and its been a faithfull companion, refreshing every bush underneath makes it feel like new, and relax!

Definitely the nicest to drive of the Focuses. Lovely car

Cheers, I love it, got it from a m8 who's family are into rallying(they have an evo5 rally car, Mcrae mk2 escort and legacy and a ur quattro with 10000 on the clock)it's not that fast but it is amazing in the twisty stuff, it had a new engine fitted when I got it and all the carpets, back seats, aircon removed etc resulting in it being 100 kilos lighter than standard, it really makes a difference. It also has genuine focus wrc bonnet vents the same on Mcrae's focus which I love, its black on white rims and it looks a bit like the rally car and with sparco buckets and steering wheel and the rally four branch it feels so different to a standard car,would never sell it, she is a keeper! And a single track weapon!

[Beaverking]

Tyrewrecker said:

Beaverking said:

Yes a weapon, where do you live douchebag? Me North West Scotland, where the roads are windy and empty,a stripped out 2.0 focus with four branch, exhaust, filter, chip, bilsteins, nice new wheels and tyres makes an ideal play thing up here, easy and cheap to fix, amazing handling and enough power to keep up with most cars and drivers on these roads, you probz drive an M3 or skyline or porsche, I would badly embaras you in my old focus, you don't need 500bhp to cover windy roads at good pace FOOL!

Good golly, no malice intended! Time of the month?

I am not denying it is fun but clearly we have different definitions of 'weapon' when describing a car. <1minute round knockhill then you're talking (plenty of serious cars take a little longer but lets not get all pedantic eh?)

My m8 has 2 sub 1 minute knockhill cars, a turbo corsa b and 400 brake mk2 golf. When it rains which is often these machines are pretty dangerous and expensive to fix and they both require constant maintainance, they will anialate my car but I can use mine effectively more of the time and don't need to spend the time effort and expense of runninig a proper beast.My car is reliable and useable and on twisty single tracks is a proper weapon, my appologies for the harsh words though........peace!