Do I place an order for a fiesta zetec s?

[guernseyman]

Hi everyone,

I'd really appreciate some help here!

I've test driven the petrol Zetec s and really enjoyed it - thinking of placing an order. The trouble is I live on Guernsey which means stop start driving majority of the time! I've read numerous posts suggesting that the mpg of the petrol engine is not too good. I'm just a bit concerned that I may regret the purchase due to the short mileages I'll be covering on the island. I learnt my lesson the hard way when I purchased a Seat Ibiza 1.8T FR. I ended up selling it after 6 months as the petrol consumption was huge! Maybe it's a question of once bitten twice shy?? What do you all think. Am I worrying unnecessarily? Also, was going to order with the spare wheel option. Will that reduce performance noticeably? Any thoughts on auto light option?

I'd be grateful for your replies.

Thanks.

[mitch84]

Hi everyone,

I'd really appreciate some help here!

I've test driven the petrol Zetec s and really enjoyed it - thinking of placing an order. The trouble is I live on Guernsey which means stop start driving majority of the time! I've read numerous posts suggesting that the mpg of the petrol engine is not too good. I'm just a bit concerned that I may regret the purchase due to the short mileages I'll be covering on the island. I learnt my lesson the hard way when I purchased a Seat Ibiza 1.8T FR. I ended up selling it after 6 months as the petrol consumption was huge! Maybe it's a question of once bitten twice shy?? What do you all think. Am I worrying unnecessarily? Also, was going to order with the spare wheel option. Will that reduce performance noticeably? Any thoughts on auto light option?

I'd be grateful for your replies.

Thanks.

have you considered the 1.25 petrol , that might be a better choice?

[guernseyman]

have you considered the 1.25 petrol , that might be a better choice?

Hi mitch84

I love my driving and have tried all the engines. However, the set up on the Zetec S and performance is just right. I just don't want the same thing to happen 6 months down the line. Maybe its not a fair comparison though...the Ibiza FR is a bit more of a monster than the Zetec S...??

[mitch84]

Hi mitch84

I love my driving and have tried all the engines. However, the set up on the Zetec S and performance is just right. I just don't want the same thing to happen 6 months down the line. Maybe its not a fair comparison though...the Ibiza FR is a bit more of a monster than the Zetec S...??

not really sure , ive just got a 1.4tdci zetec and although i read that it can be sluggish , to me its like a monster conpared to my old c2 1.1.

got to say the fiesta feels really nice to drive even though im yet to drive it for a long distance

[Focus_ST-3]

What about the 1.6 Tdci Zetec S .. it is a good mix of sportiness and economy.

[paulworthing]

I guess it depends on why you want the Zetec S - is it the spec, the body kit, the seats, the alloys???

And yes the fuel economy will suffer if you are only doing short trips all the time - whether you have a small engine, big engine or diesel - thats a fact of life I'm afraid

[jayb]

I have a petrol zetec s with all the extras on it and must say i love it :) i do mostly short journeys too. When i picked it up last Thursday it was doing 23mpg but know thats gone up to 32mpg after 300 miles. Should gradually increase with the more miles i do. Even though the mpg isnt great at the moment, if you can afford it then i cant recommend it enough.

[paulworthing]

I have a petrol zetec s with all the extras on it and must say i love it :) i do mostly short journeys too. When i picked it up last Thursday it was doing 23mpg but know thats gone up to 32mpg after 300 miles. Should gradually increase with the more miles i do. Even though the mpg isnt great at the moment, if you can afford it then i cant recommend it enough.

How long did it take for yours to arrive as the 3 door Titaniums seem to be suffering some sort of delay in delivery

[guernseyman]

I have a petrol zetec s with all the extras on it and must say i love it :) i do mostly short journeys too. When i picked it up last Thursday it was doing 23mpg but know thats gone up to 32mpg after 300 miles. Should gradually increase with the more miles i do. Even though the mpg isnt great at the moment, if you can afford it then i cant recommend it enough.

Thanks for all your replies, but jayb...23-32mpg - that seems less than what I was achieving with my Ibiza 1.8 turbo??

I do really like the car - the firm set up, performance and looks, but when I hear 23mpg...i'm beginning to shudder... :(

[paulworthing]

Only you can make the final decision on the fuel economy = as fiesta zetec-x suggested, maybe look at the TDCi version. Failing that then it is buying a lower spec car with a smaller engine and making it look like a Zetec S with the body kit.

Would say that if all you do is short journeys then you are going to suffer no matter what model, fiesta or otherwise, you buy

[guernseyman]

Only you can make the final decision on the fuel economy = as fiesta zetec-x suggested, maybe look at the TDCi version. Failing that then it is buying a lower spec car with a smaller engine and making it look like a Zetec S with the body kit.

Would say that if all you do is short journeys then you are going to suffer no matter what model, fiesta or otherwise, you buy

I understand what you're saying paulworthing. I suppose I'm just hoping to get a sporty car without having to compromise too much on fuel economy - which is why I was taken by Ford's fuel consumption figures... however the reality is obviously a lot different... I've never been able to get used to the 'sound' of diesel cars :(

[paulworthing]

Bearing in mind that all manufacturers are going to be shoing the best MPG figures that they can achieve, legally, and they will all suffer when doing short journeys, I would have thought that comparing the urban MPG figures will give you a guide as to how economical they are in relation to each other model you might be interested in. You then have to accept you are not going to get that MPG

[jayb]

How long did it take for yours to arrive as the 3 door Titaniums seem to be suffering some sort of delay in delivery

Mine took just over 8 weeks. Ordered it March 31st and picked it up on 4th June so quite good compared to how long the wait seems to be now.

[paulworthing]

Mine took just over 8 weeks. Ordered it March 31st and picked it up on 4th June so quite good compared to how long the wait seems to be now.

So having had yours for almost a week - are you bored with driving it or just standing and staring at it yet??

[jayb]

So having had yours for almost a week - are you bored with driving it or just standing and staring at it yet??

No still keep finding reasons to drive it and constantly clean it :) lol cant recommend it enough, had none of the problems i have heard about on the forums yet which is good. Just love it :)

[Flic]

So having had yours for almost a week - are you bored with driving it or just standing and staring at it yet??

I've had mine 3 weeks and I STILL can't stop driving it and staring at it. Just last night I went to the petrol station and when I looked outside at it from the queue it almost took my breath away! Such a beautiful car.

In answer to your original question guernseyman, should you order a Zetec-S? My answer, yes yes yes! It's such a beautiful car and wonderful to drive, I too only do short journeys, though since having it I am driving around aimlessly for the sake of it, but I'm sure that will pass. My average fuel consumption is about 37MPG if I recall correctly! I would probably love it no matter the fuel consumption though... I'm off to go and gaze out the window at mine :D

[MichellefromEssex]

No dont buy the zs, there are far too many on the roads now as it is lol. I have gotten just under 50mpg on a motorway and most days average late 30s early 40s and I have the mountune upgrade so I really boot it alot lol. My car is 6 months old and done 4100 miles.

[Flic]

No dont buy the zs, there are far too many on the roads now as it is lol

I've not seen a single one yet in my town. Looooads of 5 door Zetec's though! A couple of 3 doors. But so far mine is the only ZS in the village :D

[guernseyman]

No dont buy the zs, there are far too many on the roads now as it is lol. I have gotten just under 50mpg on a motorway and most days average late 30s early 40s and I have the mountune upgrade so I really boot it alot lol. My car is 6 months old and done 4100 miles.

Haha yeh ok maybe i won't get one then! Your mpg figures MichellefromEssex (esp. considering you've got the mountune upgrade) and flic's sound a bit 'healthier'. Btw, guernsey's not renowned for its motorways! The other thing I should mention is I'll be using the car daily for work so averaging about 15 'urban' miles daily i.e. stop start driving visiting clients.

If I do get it was going to order one in Frozen White (is that a kind of pearlescent finish?). Do you think car looks better with or without the side skirts? What about spare wheel - will that detract from performance?

Thanks again guys for your help!

[Nightowl]

For those of you with brand new cars (and thus - brand new engines) - you will gradually notice much better mpg each time you fill up

due to the piston rings embedding into the cylinder walls. This will give a good gas seal. * I'll try not to get too technical here ;)

Basically - from new - a modern engine doesn't really need to be 'run in' like the old days. Having said that - it's still advisable (I feel)

to not exceed 5000rpm for the first 500 miles or so. It sounds a little bit weird - but the more miles you do from new - the better the mpg.

I'm very wary of car sales people and their "technical expertise" advice, years of experience has taught me one week many of them are selling cars and a week later they're selling settees (which was a case in fact with my Citroen), or vice-versa. Unless they can prove to me that they are completely competent in mechanical engineering I assume they are just ordinary folks making a living.

This "treat it like its ready to be run at any speed" to me is foolhardy, our cars are an extremely expensive investment, so why take the chance of ruining it on the word of someone who might have arrived the week before you bought it and might be gone tomorrow?

[MichellefromEssex]

Yeah our mpg has definately improved over the miles, Frozen white is not pearlescent its more luminous lol, you will love it and you can have that colour as you dont live near me ROFl xxx

oh and def go for side skirts, we have not got them, I want them, OH does not want to spend any more money on the car -already spent a small fortune on it lol x

[Flic]

Definitely go for side skirts I say, but I am Biased :D

[guernseyman]

Yeah our mpg has definately improved over the miles, Frozen white is not pearlescent its more luminous lol, you will love it and you can have that colour as you dont live near me ROFl xxx

oh and def go for side skirts, we have not got them, I want them, OH does not want to spend any more money on the car -already spent a small fortune on it lol x

Gee thanks Michelle that's real kind of you hehe! Luminous paint - geez never heard of that option on a car! ;-) It's just worrying that different owners have such vast differences in mpg figures. Of course I realise it's how you drive the thing, but you're getting up to early 40s and that's with the upgrade!?

[guernseyman]

Definitely go for side skirts I say, but I am Biased :D

Actually, they do finish the car off - look good with the lowered bumper sills. Might be on my own here, but if I do order in Frozen White, not going to get privacy glass option. Think it detracts from the overall white finish...?

[AlexB]

I think side skirts are a must-have.