Ford Fiesta 1.6S Ownership Review

[F4frewin]

Here is TN, it would cost 50k to get registered a 7 year old car. I think it's worth considering a 1.6 S. I would suggest to get behind the wheel of both and feel the drive. I guess 50 or 70 k diff. is not going to mean much.

Fiesta S aka 'poor man's BMW' is worth considering.

 

[Music_Swift]

After seeing your thread for nth number of times,I feel like I wanted Fiesta 1.6S for myself but couldn't find one in Hyderabad.But,if I find one in good condition,it will be mine.

BTW,this is my 2000th post.

 

[1989rs500]

Indeed, Was searching one for him and that's how I was updated about your car shown on olx as well ;)

Err... Is it so ? It was referred to a BMW cause of the amount of feedback it's steering gave and how much of a good driver's car 1.6S is right ? I've thought the same way.

It was referred to BMW for many reasons, BMW 320SI too had this gorgeous Blue colour as an option, again the feedback dynamics etc of 1.6S is considered so good that many motoring enthusiasts and journalists said if BMW made a FWD sporty sedan it would be the Fiesta 1.6S.

Here is TN, it would cost 50k to get registered a 7 year old car. I think it's worth considering a 1.6 S. I would suggest to get behind the wheel of both and feel the drive. I guess 50 or 70 k diff. is not going to mean much.

Fiesta S aka 'poor man's BMW' is worth considering.

I will keep this in mind as well, because I was thinking of upgrading to new Figo 1.5 TDCi Titanium but the new Figo is inferior to even the current Figo I drive and I have to shell out extra 5.5 lakhs to get into a new Figo if my current Figo fetches around 1.8 lakhs, so if I get a new 1.6S for around 3 lakhs, the new registration paper work etc etc all will only lead to maximum of 4 lakhs ant still its cheaper than buying a new TDCi Figo.

 

[vishnu vichu]

After seeing your thread for nth number of times,I feel like I wanted Fiesta 1.6S for myself but couldn't find one in Hyderabad.But,if I find one in good condition,it will be mine.

BTW,this is my 2000th post.

There had been few S lying around in Hyderabad. Unfortunately all of them are sold.
Hey congrats man

It was referred to BMW for many reasons, BMW 320SI too had this gorgeous Blue colour as an option, again the feedback dynamics etc of 1.6S is considered so good that many motoring enthusiasts and journalists said if BMW made a FWD sporty sedan it would be the Fiesta 1.6S.

I will keep this in mind as well, because I was thinking of upgrading to new Figo 1.5 TDCi Titanium but the new Figo is inferior to even the current Figo I drive and I have to shell out extra 5.5 lakhs to get into a new Figo if my current Figo fetches around 1.8 lakhs, so if I get a new 1.6S for around 3 lakhs, the new registration paper work etc etc all will only lead to maximum of 4 lakhs ant still its cheaper than buying a new TDCi Figo.

Do keep your eyes wide open. You'll surely see as many plenty cars around for sale.

 

[F4frewin]

It was referred to BMW for many reasons, BMW 320SI too had this gorgeous Blue colour as an option, again the feedback dynamics etc of 1.6S is considered so good that many motoring enthusiasts and journalists said if BMW made a FWD sporty sedan it would be the Fiesta 1.6S.

I will keep this in mind as well, because I was thinking of upgrading to new Figo 1.5 TDCi Titanium but the new Figo is inferior to even the current Figo I drive and I have to shell out extra 5.5 lakhs to get into a new Figo if my current Figo fetches around 1.8 lakhs, so if I get a new 1.6S for around 3 lakhs, the new registration paper work etc etc all will only lead to maximum of 4 lakhs ant still its cheaper than buying a new TDCi Figo.

I drove the new Figo and it's nowhere close to the old Figo you drive. Here are my observations of the same.
1. Build quality is far inferior to old gen Figo. I can't comment on the weight comparison but overall feel is not up there.
2. The core strength of old Figo- steering and suspension is a big let down on the new Figo. The car is too soft with its suspension and it's more tuned to city comfort than highway. The car itself was pitching all the time very similar to old Hyundai's. The assuring steering feel of the old Figo is far superior to any in its class. The steering of the Figo was vague and it was difficult to hold a line even during straight runs.
3. The big positive though is the 1.5 TDCI and what a gem of a engine. It's the new torque king and I find the torque more useful in the mid range even when compared to VW 1.5 and that's something.
4. ICE - A big letdown by Ford on the new figo.
5. Apart from space I don't think that's an upgrade.

By the way, you can find1.6S not more than 2.00 lakhs in other states if you bargain hard. You can spend 40 odd to register in Kerala. The big reward will be your drive back home which you'll remember for lifetime. Meanwhile do check on parts cost and maintenance from your Ford ASS and it will be reassuring.

 

[1989rs500]

I drove the new Figo and it's more where close to the old Figo you drive. Here are my observations of the same.
1. Build quality is far inferior to old gen Figo. I can't comment on the weight comparison but overall feel is not up there.
2. The core strength of old Figo- steering and suspension is a big let down on the new Figo. The car is too soft with its suspension and it's more tuned to city comfort than highway. The car itself was pitching all the time very similar to old Hyundai's. The assuring steering feel of the old Figo is far superior to any in its class. The steering of the Figo was vague and it was difficult to hold a line even during straight runs.
3. The big positive though is the 1.5 TDCI and what a gem of a engine. It's the new torque king and I find the torque more useful in the mid range even when compared to VW 1.5 and that's something.
4. ICE - A big letdown by Ford on the new figo.
5. Apart from space I don't think that's an upgrade.

By the way, you can find1.6S not more than 2.00 lakhs in other states if you bargain hard. You can spend 40 odd to register in Kerala. The big reward will be your drive back home which you'll remember for lifetime. Meanwhile do check on parts cost and maintenance from your Ford ASS and it will be reassuring.

Sure
I too had same observations regarding new Figo, Its a good car but thats about it, its not the best drivers car it used to be,
So I will be keeping an eye on the 1.6S for sale in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well
I once tried to swap my current Figos engine with a 1.0 ecoboost by buying a Crate engine, but it wont work, reason is new 1.0 ecoboost has diffeernt hydraulic mounts compared to the 1.6 and 1.2 rocams and 1.4 TDCis and the gearbox too has a different synchro , add to it ECU complexities I dropped that plan, so Fiesta 1.6/1.6S is again back to mind

 

[F4frewin]

I've seen an Aquarius blue on Olx and he looks for 2.50. The car is in Ahmedabad and he is ready to get NOC. It's 2011 model, very rare to find. Most 1.6S you find are between 2008 and 2009. It ran 82000kms and I guess the car will be good. I missed it when I was in the look out. With some good bargain, you can bring the price down to 2.25 which I think is still high but it depends on the condition of the car.
There was one in Mumbai which got sold for 1.60 lakhs which ran 33000kms. It had quite a bit of rusting on shocker mounts and bay. It's just for a price comparison though. The exteriors were impeccable. You'll only find cars with fewer mileage in big cities..

 

[vishnu vichu]

I've seen an Aquarius blue on Olx and he looks for 2.50. The car is in Ahmedabad and he is ready to get NOC. It's 2011 model, very rare to find. Most 1.6S you find are between 2008 and 2009. It ran 82000kms and I guess the car will be good. I missed it when I was in the look out. With some good bargain, you can bring the price down to 2.25 which I think is still high but it depends on the condition of the car.
There was one in Mumbai which got sold for 1.60 lakhs which ran 33000kms. It had quite a bit of rusting on shocker mounts and bay. It's just for a price comparison though. The exteriors were impeccable. You'll only find cars with fewer mileage in big cities..

My friend took a WB car for around 2.2 which was done only 28K km's . He now re registered it to KL and pretty much of a bargain deal it was

 

[F4frewin]

Wow! 28k would be one of the lowest to find. Low mileage helps with lower cost of restoration. 2.2 is a big bargain!

By the way, what's the mileage you get with the car. I'm getting 13 overall.

 

[F4frewin]

We checked the brakes extensively yesterday after the pedals felt spongy lacking the initial bite. I drove a diesel Fiesta to compare the brake feel. The diesel car performed to my expectation but no other petrol car was there to compare.
We inspected the brake line for vacuum leaks and found to be okay. The difference between a diesel and petrol was there was a separate vacuum pump in diesel however on petrol vacuum is created from the air intake manifold resulting in less vacuum created. The booster and ABS module were changed and test driven, but the difference was anything but unnoticeable. I would prefer the car to have some more bite on its brakes but there was no other petrol car to compare. We have decided to revisit this issue this week after taking a test drive of new petrol figo. This would help us ascertain if there is really any scope for improvement. Do you also feel the brakes to be spongy?.

There are a few things I would like to address in the car.
1. There is irritating vibration that emulates from inside bonnet till 2000 rpm in any gear and that could be due to some loose parts or mounts.
2. The wiper at its first setting behaves funnily by stopping in the middle multiple times in a single wipe motion.
3. Clutch seem to be on the heavier side comparatively. I did change the oil and bled for any air holes created. I guess a change of clutch is necessary after 10-15k kms. 100k kms is a good distance for the clutch to last.
4. There is a slight juddering at low speeds felt and it could be from Onyx alloys as I experienced when I fitted them on my Vento which was later replaced. The alloys have arrived but I want the mechanical side to be fixed first.
5. The Apollo Alnac 4G is holding its ground much to my surprise but I'm not sure how long. I'm tempted to go for MC5 but these tyres have done only 6k and trying to be prudent. I've got an offer for 1000kms done MC5 for 3000 per tyre and that keeps me busy pondering.
6. Timing belts need to be changed after 6 years or 1 lakh kms. It's past that and I intend to change them in the next service.
7. The head lamps had turned pale and yellow. Even after some cleaning I couldn't restore it. A new one cost 4300/ lamp. I'll keep it for later as of now.

 

[vishnu vichu]

Wow! 28k would be one of the lowest to find. Low mileage helps with lower cost of restoration. 2.2 is a big bargain!

Yes, The only problem it had while taking was a kaput right rear wheel ABS sensor. Everything else is running fine. Recently changed the tires as well and the odo is standing around 41K now

By the way, what's the mileage you get with the car. I'm getting 13 overall.

I was getting around 11ish before the air filter change and I think I'm also getting around 13-15 Kmpl now.

We checked the brakes extensively yesterday after the pedals felt spongy lacking the initial bite. I drove a diesel Fiesta to compare the brake feel. The diesel car performed to my expectation but no other petrol car was there to compare.
We inspected the brake line for vacuum leaks and found to be okay. The difference between a diesel and petrol was there was a separate vacuum pump in diesel however on petrol vacuum is created from the air intake manifold resulting in less vacuum created. The booster and ABS module were changed and test driven, but the difference was anything but unnoticeable. I would prefer the car to have some more bite on its brakes but there was no other petrol car to compare. We have decided to revisit this issue this week after taking a test drive of new petrol figo. This would help us ascertain if there is really any scope for improvement. Do you also feel the brakes to be spongy?.

That is strange. While checking for my car, I came across a black car which had done around 1.18L kms which had the same or similar issue from what you said. It too had very little bite and pedal used to go all the way down before getting the confident bites. It had ABS warning lamp on and as per the guy, it was a faulty ABS sensor, to be frank I felt it was something more serious.

I had a similar issue on my 2000 Vtec. The pedal used to go all the way down and suddenly the tires lock up. It was hard to get a progressive bite feel . We checked and found out that vaccum was not building up and the Brake Booster Unit was kaput. Changed it and the whole feel was different.

How did you swap the brake booster master cylinder assembly and checked it ? From a different car ? That is a tiresome job right? I personally believe it is something with the brake booster.

No, I never felt the brake spongy. It is kind of progressive and yes it is not sufficient for the car on spirited driving , but the bite felt enough and equally progressive for me.

There are a few things I would like to address in the car.
1. There is irritating vibration that emulates from inside bonnet till 2000 rpm in any gear and that could be due to some loose parts or mounts.

Engine mounts ?

2. The wiper at its first setting behaves funnily by stopping in the middle multiple times in a single wipe motion.

Try overhauling the wiper motor. It should go away.

3. Clutch seem to be on the heavier side comparatively. I did change the oil and bled for any air holes created. I guess a change of clutch is necessary after 10-15k kms. 100k kms is a good distance for the clutch to last.

My clutch felt a bit heavy comparing to my friend's 75K done car. Happy news for you is that the prices of clutch was recently dropped down to around 40-45%

5. The Apollo Alnac 4G is holding its ground much to my surprise but I'm not sure how long. I'm tempted to go for MC5 but these tyres have done only 6k and trying to be prudent. I've got an offer for 1000kms done MC5 for 3000 per tyre and that keeps me busy pondering.

Did you check how much the Alnac's will fetch you back ? If it equals out somewhat , then got for the MC5

6. Timing belts need to be changed after 6 years or 1 lakh kms. It's past that and I intend to change them in the next service.

How much does it cost ? any idea ? My Fan belt is up for a change and it sometimes produce a weird noise with the AC on.

7. The head lamps had turned pale and yellow. Even after some cleaning I couldn't restore it. A new one cost 4300/ lamp. I'll keep it for later as of now.

You can get it restored from 3M or any similar detailing shops for around 1000 for both the headlamps. Or you can even do a DIY with some Colgate and try your luck

4300/pair is from Ford or what ?

 

[Sw19]

4300/pair is from Ford or what ?

Not pair, it's per piece and the entire set is around and above 8k depending on who you know (discounts and whatnot). Normally it's 8k for a non s fiesta as well.

 

[vishnu vichu]

Not pair, it's per piece and the entire set is around and above 8k depending on who you know (discounts and whatnot). Normally it's 8k for a non s fiesta as well.

Oh yes, That's what I meant, Sorry. But here they are quoting around 12k for a pair Why is such a price difference ?

 

[F4frewin]

It's been quite a busy few days. I've got a few of the things taken care. I would love to get the car painted in a different shade of blue. Meanwhile, I've got few things fixed.

1. Engine oil and filter- replaced
2. Fuel filter - replaced
3. Brake fluid - changed
4. ABS module found to be defective and that was the cause for spongy brakes. The module was not pumping oil to one of the wheels. Replaced with a used one. New one costs 54k????!!!!!
5. Gear oil - replaced
6. Clutch assembly and tensioner bearing- replaced
7. Accessory belts - replaced
8. Air filter- replaced
9. Front windshield - replaced as old one had scratches. Didn't want my wife to have any visibility issues.
10. Sourced missing 1.6 logo. Will fix it after a paint job few months later. Also got S and TDCI and rear and front monogram new. Kept as stock to be used after paint job.
11. Aluminium pedals - managed to source accelerator pedal. Still waiting for clutch and brake covers. Same part for both.
12. Found issue with wiper getting stuck in middle at level 1 that was found out to be a rat chew issue. Fixed.
13. Timing belt - changed.
14. Rotors - changed
15. Exterior mirror pads - changed for better visibility.
16. Ordered headlamps - waiting for them.
17. Damaged weather strip- to be changed
18. Damaged door beadings to be changed.
19. Ordered steering wheel with leather cover - the one on car has worn out on leather surface. Waiting for it to arrive.

That's a quite a few. I hope to get the car back soon so that I can handover the keys to my wife. It's her car and I'll get a borrowed drive as and when required.

 

[1989rs500]

It's been quite a busy few days. I've got a few of the things taken care. I would love to get the car painted in a different shade of blue. Meanwhile, I've got few things fixed.

1. Engine oil and filter- replaced
2. Fuel filter - replaced
3. Brake fluid - changed
4. ABS module found to be defective and that was the cause for spongy brakes. The module was not pumping oil to one of the wheels. Replaced with a used one. New one costs 54k????!!!!!
5. Gear oil - replaced
6. Clutch assembly and tensioner bearing- replaced
7. Accessory belts - replaced
8. Air filter- replaced
9. Front windshield - replaced as old one had scratches. Didn't want my wife to have any visibility issues.
10. Sourced missing 1.6 logo. Will fix it after a paint job few months later. Also got S and TDCI and rear and front monogram new. Kept as stock to be used after paint job.
11. Aluminium pedals - managed to source accelerator pedal. Still waiting for clutch and brake covers. Same part for both.
12. Found issue with wiper getting stuck in middle at level 1 that was found out to be a rat chew issue. Fixed.
13. Timing belt - changed.
14. Rotors - changed
15. Exterior mirror pads - changed for better visibility.
16. Ordered headlamps - waiting for them.
17. Damaged weather strip- to be changed
18. Damaged door beadings to be changed.
19. Ordered steering wheel with leather cover - the one on car has worn out on leather surface. Waiting for it to arrive.

That's a quite a few. I hope to get the car back soon so that I can handover the keys to my wife. It's her car and I'll get a borrowed drive as and when required.

Thats a lot, should have costed at least 1.5 lakhs for the whole set up right,
And what new colour are you trying to apply? New Blue like this Focus RS blue