I love my Fiesta Zetec 1.25, however have severe reservations over its stabillity. Is it me or when the car hits a tarmac ridge in the road or a hole it the steering wandars quite eratically, and feels quite unstable. I thought it was just the one car but I have just aquired a new one after a write off on black ice, and I feel this is the same! Both seem to want to pull slightly to the right also. Finally absolutely crap in the snow and ice! Anybody relate to this?

I agree mine is poor in the snow and ice, but after one year and 10,000 miles I cannot say I have noticed any of the other issues.

Only car I have ever owned which felt unstable was a 1996 Volvo 960.

Stewart.

Summer tires and snow = crappy behaviour, thats physics

I do not have any stability problems, maybe sometimes in corners on bad tarmac the rear jumps a little, but nothing serious.

Summer tires and snow = crappy behaviour, thats physics

I do not have any stability problems, maybe sometimes in corners on bad tarmac the rear jumps a little, but nothing serious.

Thanks for the reply - what tyre pressures do you use?

I find mine rather fun to drive, certainly not unstable.

I love my Fiesta Zetec 1.25, however have severe reservations over its stabillity. Is it me or when the car hits a tarmac ridge in the road or a hole it the steering wandars quite eratically, and feels quite unstable. I thought it was just the one car but I have just aquired a new one after a write off on black ice, and I feel this is the same! Both seem to want to pull slightly to the right also. Finally absolutely crap in the snow and ice! Anybody relate to this?

I thought it was just me but mine at times pulls slightly to the right although it doesn't feel unstable.

It's hopeless in the snow, I don't even try and drive it when there is any snow or ice.

Mine sometimes tramlines a bit whilst going over a heavy rut but I put that down to the size and width of the tyres. Apart from that I've found that dynamically the car's superb to be honest.

Mines solid enough, tho I have the softer suspenion on teh Tit, if you allow it to boat a little the car will hold teh corner, can say I have felt any tourqe steer pulling away hard from a standing start either.

Mine sometimes tramlines a bit whilst going over a heavy rut but I put that down to the size and width of the tyres. Apart from that I've found that dynamically the car's superb to be honest.

Same here.

I've just put winter tyres on my daughters Yaris and it made a great difference in snow etc.

I love my Fiesta Zetec 1.25, however have severe reservations over its stabillity. Is it me or when the car hits a tarmac ridge in the road or a hole it the steering wandars quite eratically, and feels quite unstable. I thought it was just the one car but I have just aquired a new one after a write off on black ice, and I feel this is the same! Both seem to want to pull slightly to the right also. Finally absolutely crap in the snow and ice! Anybody relate to this?

Obviously its your driving style thats unstable! You've all ready written one off and blamed black ice. You need to slow down and you might find it more stable, Seriously I'd be questioning your driving style!

99.9% of cars are crap in snow and ice thats not exactly rocket science, thats why they drum it into us not to use our cars when road conditions are bad!

And exactly how do you drive a car on Black ice?

considering you can be the most caussious driver in the Uk, doing a low speed and never know it was their with the human eye from the cabin of a car.

i know what you mean by the tram lining side of things, but its only very minor, other than that i have never had a problem ~*touches wood*~

you should consider buying some winter tyres (if you havent done it already) if you want more grip in winter conditions....

i also have a mk7 1.25,and find the handling just superb,goes into corners beautifully at really high speeds with almost no body-roll (even beter when on 17" rims and tyres),it handles way better than the new polo,clio,corsa,ibiza etc...

Obviously its your driving style thats unstable! You've all ready written one off and blamed black ice. You need to slow down and you might find it more stable, Seriously I'd be questioning your driving style!

99.9% of cars are crap in snow and ice thats not exactly rocket science, thats why they drum it into us not to use our cars when road conditions are bad!

Is there any need for this? Really? I think not.

You have no idea under what circumstances the OP's first car was written off - for all you know someone could have skidded off the road on black ice and hit it while parked. Their mother may have crashed it after seeing a sheep in the middle of the road and swerving etc etc etc.

The purpose of this forum is to share knowledge and experience - which is what the OP is asking for, so get off your soapbox please.

Edited December 30, 201015 yr by DanGull

-

Edited December 30, 201015 yr by DanGull
Point taken - it wasn't advice, it was an observation, but I can see how it could be taken as such. Also, my fault, I meant to delete the quote only but deleted the whole post.

I love the handling of the MK7's

You having a laugh? My 1.6 ZS is more stable than any other car i've had and alot more stable than alot of my mates cars!

Harsh or what? I only asked! Oh and by the way I am not a boy racer and I did not write my first car off, it was done for me by my son. Thanks for all the positive replies

all the motors i've had have tramlined on motorways due to the grooves in the road that i'm assuming hgv's can cause (as when you go out to lane 2 and 3 its not as bad).

it's worse when you have wider lower profile tyres that are fairly hard compound.

i get it a little bit, i'd say it was normal. maybe you wouldn't experience it in a mondeo or a focus but it is a fiesta afterall, not everything will be as good as it could be, with the car aimed at lower budgets (supposedly). you could get the tracking re-done just to be sure :)