Hi

My wife has just passed her driving test and I am looking at getting her a used small runabout. I have a focues and have had for years and am really happy with it but I was thinking of getting her a fiesta probably about 5 years old but getting a diesel because of the fuel costs at the moments. I know the zetec petrol engine I have is great but I have been told some bad things about the diesel version anyone got any experience with them or have any other car recommendations. I was thinking something either 3 or 5 door with a 1.2 or 1.4lt engine. It needs to be reliable safe nothing fancy.

Regards

If she will not be driving any distance , then it's pointless gettting a Diesel , as the first part of the name "DiE" indicates more people are switching to Petrol anyway .
My wife has a Little 2006 Nissan Micra and in 3 years it's never skipped a beat engine is 1.2 and return's about 43 MPG which is not too bad.

I'd agree that the decision on whether to purchase a diesel or petrol engined runabout should be based on the mileage envisaged.. On a personal note, i was done with petrol engines about ten years ago, and don't plan on returning to them anytime soon, but that's just a personal choice. If the car is only doing maybe 100 miles or so per week though, i think i'd be tempted to stick the missus in a small petrol car. Low mileages don't do DERV's any favours at all...

Hi, as your wife has just passed her test get her something cheap and cheerful for a run around. My experience is that the first car gets a few knocks and bumps whilst they builds their confidence. Then get something a little better in a years time. We used an old Mini which they could get used to and cheap to insure, run and fix. We sold it onto other parents who did the very same thing.

[color=#0000ff][size=5][font=comic sans ms,cursive]It's dangerous to let a lady near such a complicated thin such as a car, she would be better off on a bike. I will just go and hide now while the flack come my way from the girls. [/font][/size][/color]

I have a diesel Fiesta Zetec and it's great.

A Ford Fiesta would be a good car for a new driver. A Peugeot 206 is another good option.

I'm only joking but years ago a friend advised me that if a woman wants to learn to drive don't stand in her way

I wanted a small car for my wife but the dealer refused to swap. He said she had too many miles on the clock..
Love her really.....

lol, nicely done Stoney...

I have petrol now, and drive 300 miles per week, to an extent I do miss the diesel, but driving sensibly, I can still go 7 days between top ups, which is what I was getting from the Diesel, just without the "sensible" driving...

I think I have convinced her that a petrol is ok and think the 1.25lt fiesta will be a good one. The issue she had when driving my focus is she felt the pedals where too high as she is quite a small lady. Can you lower car pedals so she can rest her heal on the floor and still work the pedals?

In a fiesta she should be fine, but as far as I am aware, Ford's dont cater for pedal adjustment, just chair and steering.

I would say if the pedals are just that little too uncomfortable on any car, adjust the chair and the steering column, and if that fails, then try a different car. I am sure that the Fiesta or KA should be about right, if all she wants is a little runner!

[quote name='jeebowhite' timestamp='1335446185' post='179630']
In a fiesta she should be fine, but as far as I am aware, Ford's dont cater for pedal adjustment, just chair and steering.

I would say if the pedals are just that little too uncomfortable on any car, adjust the chair and the steering column, and if that fails, then try a different car. I am sure that the Fiesta or KA should be about right, if all she wants is a little runner!
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[color=#0000ff][size=5][font=comic sans ms,cursive]In the handbook supplied with my Focus, on one model shown, there was a foot-pedal adjustment leaver or button on the drivers seat, there is not one on my Titanium, so I don't know to which car it relates, on the other hand a lot of the information in the book doesn't relate to my car.[/font][/size][/color]