To buy or not to buy? (ZetecS/ST/ST Line)

[Elsie]

Hi. Any opinions/advice welcome, please.

I want a more powerful and better handling version of my little 1.25, which I'm otherwise very happy with.

Looking at 1.0ecoboost st line on 66 plate, 1.6 ecoboost ST3 on 66 plate, or maybe other St or Zetec S 1.6 if I can find them (hard to get where I am, especially in 'proper' Ford colour!). All ready to dash out with my cash, then got very (read very) spooked by the ecoboost coolant and overheating problem reports. Neither of the ones I have in mind have recalls against them, both have good service history.

Not bothered by all the mod cons, don't want to modify it, just want a nice looking and really well handling car with a decent bit of torque - and something very reliable as I plan on keeping it a long time and just don't want any hassle with vehicles. I can't afford to lose what is a lot of money to me to purchase a car and then have the engine go on me (nor the safety angle if it went suddenlt on a motorsay or otherwise dangerous situation). I know it's hopefully a rare event and there's lots of these engines and cars out there, but... Like I said, spooked.

My instinct is to go for the 1.6 motor not the 1.0; but are they OK, and at what plate, what mileage etc? I think that the recall was just 2014 +/- for the 1.6: did models after that have the problem solved and/or the coolant sensor modification done in factory?

Anything else to sway my decision?

Thanks.

 

 

 

[dtulip8]

1.6 in the ST is a very strong and reliable engine, if it’s had the recall done I wouldn’t worry about it. And yes, cars after that point had the recall fitted as standard at the factory. Good car to drive and will lose less money than a standard car. 1.0 is also good, though the 5 speed gearbox can be a bit weak, even at standard power. Again though, all the issues should be ironed out by now. Go for whichever you like more! 

[Elsie]

Thanks.

Now just got to see what the post Lockdown summer buying panic's like, then!

[TJR121]

38 minutes ago, Elsie said:

Hi. Any opinions/advice welcome, please.

I want a more powerful and better handling version of my little 1.25, which I'm otherwise very happy with.

Looking at 1.0ecoboost st line on 66 plate, 1.6 ecoboost ST3 on 66 plate, or maybe other St or Zetec S 1.6 if I can find them (hard to get where I am, especially in 'proper' Ford colour!). All ready to dash out with my cash, then got very (read very) spooked by the ecoboost coolant and overheating problem reports. Neither of the ones I have in mind have recalls against them, both have good service history.

Not bothered by all the mod cons, don't want to modify it, just want a nice looking and really well handling car with a decent bit of torque - and something very reliable as I plan on keeping it a long time and just don't want any hassle with vehicles. I can't afford to lose what is a lot of money to me to purchase a car and then have the engine go on me (nor the safety angle if it went suddenlt on a motorsay or otherwise dangerous situation). I know it's hopefully a rare event and there's lots of these engines and cars out there, but... Like I said, spooked.

My instinct is to go for the 1.6 motor not the 1.0; but are they OK, and at what plate, what mileage etc? I think that the recall was just 2014 +/- for the 1.6: did models after that have the problem solved and/or the coolant sensor modification done in factory?

Anything else to sway my decision?

Thanks.

 

 

 

Wouldn’t bother with 1.0 eco boost fiesta all the strain gets put on the turbo causing engine failure would even go near one, many others would agree !

 

the ST seems like the better

choice anyhow.

 

Hope this helped !

[Tiexen]

12 minutes ago, TJR121 said:

Wouldn’t bother with 1.0 eco boost fiesta all the strain gets put on the turbo causing engine failure would even go near one, many others would agree !

 

the ST seems like the better

choice anyhow.

 

Hope this helped !

I don't see a lot of people on here talking about ecoboost failures, after the inital fault (which was a plastic hose failure) they seem pretty reliable.

The ST will be a lot more Insurance than the 1ltr so check that out as well before buying

[TJR121]

17 minutes ago, Tiexen said:

I don't see a lot of people on here talking about ecoboost failures, after the inital fault (which was a plastic hose failure) they seem pretty reliable.

The ST will be a lot more Insurance than the 1ltr so check that out as well before buying

I’m talking about in the trade, day to day phone calls about this specific engine going wrong, mostly around 70k miles they start playing up. Not all but most. You think 125bhp on a 1 litre engine, all the power is coming from the turbo which causes issues to the engine.

 

yes the st will be more to insure but safer in the long run👍🏽

[Marineboy]

There's no replacement for displacement : - )

[Elsie]

140bhp on the 1.0 triple for the st line. It worries me too; I'm not used to these tiny complicated little things they make these days. Don't see how they can last like older ones did. Maybe they can't...

 

Insurance hopefully isn't a major issue: not a spring chicken! (But with an ST better keep an eye out for those dratted cameras.)

[TJR121]

1 minute ago, Elsie said:

140bhp on the 1.0 triple for the st line. It worries me too; I'm not used to these tiny complicated little things they make these days. Don't see how they can last like older ones did. Maybe they can't...

 

Insurance hopefully isn't a major issue: not a spring chicken! (But with an ST better keep an eye out for those drafted cameras.)

Yes exactly, a little engine pushing out over 120bhp  not the best idea in the first place, plus the st will hold its value more.

[Marineboy]

Yeah, go on, you know you want it🤣

[TJR121]

3 minutes ago, Marineboy said:

Yeah, go on, you know you want it🤣

😂 I wouldn’t mind one lol!

[Marineboy]

I’ve always had this idea of buying a cheap Silver Shadow and converting it to Calor gas or something cheap.  Chip fat maybe? You just wouldn’t get the opportunity to wear an engine like that out.  If it was serviced when you got it, you’d probably be able to do 50,000K before you touched it.

[Luke4efc]

The only reason you'd buy a Zetec-S/ ST-Line is if you couldn't afford to buy or insure the ST.

[TJR121]

22 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

The only reason you'd buy a Zetec-S/ ST-Line is if you couldn't afford to buy or insure the ST.

😂 so true unless you didn’t want the added power and the less mechanical issues😎

[Elsie]

Less mechanical issues????!!!! (Goes into panic mode again 😉 )

[TJR121]

26 minutes ago, Elsie said:

Less mechanical issues????!!!! (Goes into panic mode again 😉 )

Meaning the st will have less issues with the engine, unless you drive like Nigel!

[Elsie]

Ah, silly me. RTFR! Calmness reigns again 🙂

[Jim H]

22 minutes ago, Elsie said:

Ah, silly me. RTFR! Calmness reigns again 🙂

I know what RTFM means, but is that Read The F...ing Rules?

Anyway. One thing to think about if considering an ST is Ride comfort. The ST being the sportiest model in the range has quite stiff suspension. This is great on a quick open road, but around town or bumpy roads can be very hard, you can feel every bump, pothole, etc. The Zetec S or ST-line is a great compromise, sportier (harder) than standard, but not as hard as ST. Another thing is do you want 3 or 5 doors? A 5 door Fiesta mk7 ST is (or was) quite rare and hard to find. I have a feeling the older ZetecS was 3 door only.

[Elsie]

You know what, I have absolutely no idea what the R stands for (reply, I think) - if, indeed, it wasn't the blinking auto spell correct again, and is wasn't even meant to be an R...

 

Stiffness - yes, aware of reports of that. Guess that a test drive will tell. Our rural roads aren't too bad, considering (I ride an old-ish bike over them without too much cursing), don't do towns/cities much at all. (And I have a reasonably padded posterior.) It might have to be a compromise for handling.

Hoping to look at a 5 door mk7 ST3 soon.

 

[Luke4efc]

A 5 door mk7 ST is about as rare as rocking horse *****.

[Elsie]

1 hour ago, Luke4efc said:

A 5 door mk7 ST is about as rare as rocking horse *****.

66 plate. Is that still mk7, or into 8? I thought 7 from the interior. ST3.

If so, seen a fair few up here: I had to double check that they did indeed make a 5 door, but apparently they did for a year or so.

[MarksST]

Mk7 went upto 17 plate.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

3 minutes ago, Elsie said:

66 plate. Is that still mk7, or into 8? I thought 7 from the interior.

Both the ST and ST-Line became available with 5 doors towards the end of the run of the Mk 7.5. Don't see many about though - 5 door Mk 8s are much more common (generally 67 plate onwards, though some early press cars/demonstrators were registered on 17 plate.)

 

[jace1969]

I also had a bit of worries that a little 3 pot 1 Litre car was getting pushed by a Turbo as a few said on here in places.

I have the old Mk7 Titanium 2011 but going on the engine (if I'm not mistaken) the ST 1.6 as the same block as mine but the ST has a lot of more stuff on the engine.

I would go for the 1.6 ST if it was me for one main reason it's been tried and tested over a lot of years.

In 7 years i have not had 1 problem at all just serviced every 12 months and still only 31k.....Test drive/check etc and see what you like as we all have different opinions.

[Matthew McGuinness]

I had a mk7.5 titanium 1.0 100bhp for about a year and half, had no issues, I now have a mk8 1.0 140 st line x and currently have not had any issues (11,500 miles on the clock). 

The only reason I did not go for an ST was due to insurance as I am 21 and don't live in the best of areas.  Id say if you are considering the ST and can afford it then do it. Yes the Zetec s/ st lines are great cars, but I think you would possible regret getting one of them if you have been considering the ST.