JackieR Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi. Until Saturday I had a 55 Reg Zetec s but traded it in for a brand new Fiesta Zetec 1.25 in Panther Black. Now, although it is gorgeous and I love it, it's just soooooooo slow ! It had only done 5 miles when I picked it up so I know it's brand new etc, but does it ever get any better going up hills ??!!! On the flat it's brill coz i'm not the speediest driver out, I am a typical girl, I go for looks, but when it comes to hills I feel i'd be quicker getting out and pushing !! Is it just coz it's so new and it'll get better ?? I've never had an engine so small but on reflection, when I took one out for a test drive, there was no hills !! I originally was going to order the 1.4 but the salesman said he could certainly sell me a 1.4 but to be honest, the difference was marginal. Did I make a mistake ??? Any advice/tips/sympathy will be gratefully received :o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRC89 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Small petrol engines aren't great at going up hills... I used to own a 1.25l Mk6 Fiesta, and living in a hilly part of Wales, I feel your pain! A bigger engine or diesel would handle hills better, however, you should find the car is just about capable of climbing most hills. All I can advise is try anticipate hills earlier, keep in low gears, build up your speed before reaching the hill where possible, if there's a car ahead allow it some space so you can take a good run up and not have to slow down. You should be alright, I used to drive my old one up fairly steep hills, even the occassional mountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_60 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi There is nothing marginal about the 1.25 60ps or 82ps against the 1.4 96ps engine My 1.4 96ps Goes up hills in 4th whereas my girlfriends 60ps style has to be in 2nd or 3rd Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Small petrol engines aren't great at going up hills... I used to own a 1.25l Mk6 Fiesta, and living in a hilly part of Wales, I feel your pain! A bigger engine or diesel would handle hills better, however, you should find the car is just about capable of climbing most hills. All I can advise is try anticipate hills earlier, keep in low gears, build up your speed before reaching the hill where possible, if there's a car ahead allow it some space so you can take a good run up and not have to slow down. You should be alright, I used to drive my old one up fairly steep hills, even the occassional mountain I know it'll get up them ok, it's just the speed it gets up them at !! I clearly took my zetec s for granted. Bad Girl !!!!! Thanks tho. I just wondered if it got better with age (and engine loosening off) or am I destined to tootle along like a Granny now until I decide enough is enough and get my 3rd zetec s ??!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi There is nothing marginal about the 1.25 60ps or 82ps against the 1.4 96ps engine My 1.4 96ps Goes up hills in 4th whereas my girlfriends 60ps style has to be in 2nd or 3rd Jamie Yeah, mine is an 82ps .... I wish he had just let me spend more of my hard earned on a 1.4 now !!! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroodoN Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 yup, welcome granny to the club :) I have got 1.4 and I used to have 1.8 vauxhall. Mk7 1.4 is much slower but not as much as comparing to 1.6 ad probably a little bit quicker. I only had once a drive test in 1.6 and i do remember it was better driving than my ex car 1.8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 yup, welcome granny to the club :) I have got 1.4 and I used to have 1.8 vauxhall. Mk7 1.4 is much slower but not as much as comparing to 1.6 ad probably a little bit quicker. I only had once a drive test in 1.6 and i do remember it was better driving than my ex car 1.8 Hey, less of the Granny sonny !!! I can say it, but you can't !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggsy Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 my 1.25 style+ 82ps MK7 goes up hills in 4th alright on a 30mph road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 my 1.25 style+ 82ps MK7 goes up hills in 4th alright on a 30mph road. Oh, like I said before, it goes up them, it's just the dual-carriageway between home and work ... it's a fast road and have to slow down for roundabouts and then hills at the other side ! Guess i'll just have to get used to it or wait until the engine is a bit not so new ! Still only done 68 miles so the poor wee sod is probably wondering what the heck has happened to it !!! Would be an excellent town car tho and it's lovely to look at :o) Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poshpawsfiesta Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 trying filling it with Shell v power u might notice some gain in power :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan9684 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 if i ever see a woman in a black fiesta struggling up a hill i'll give you a push :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRC89 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I know it'll get up them ok, it's just the speed it gets up them at !! I clearly took my zetec s for granted. Bad Girl !!!!! Thanks tho. I just wondered if it got better with age (and engine loosening off) or am I destined to tootle along like a Granny now until I decide enough is enough and get my 3rd zetec s ??!!! I had the 1.25 mk6 between 2,000 and 30,000 miles. The engine should loosen a bit between new and 2,000. But in the mileage I covered, it never got noticeably better with hills. Dropping from a 1.6 to a 1.25 is quite a considerable drop so you would notice it's lack of power more. Really underpowered car for steep hills unfortunately. Maybe look at trading it in while it still holds value, although you will still lose money, either that or plan a new route to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reel105 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'd have to agree with the salesman and say the difference between an 82ps 1.25 and a 1.4 is marginal. For the extra £500+ (maybe more, can't remember exactly), it's only going to get you from 0-60mph about a second quicker and the top speed is a mere 5mph more (which you're never likely to reach anyhow). Compared to the significant difference in the 1.6 models, I think marginal is a fair way to describe the 1.25-1.4 difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 if i ever see a woman in a black fiesta struggling up a hill i'll give you a push :) LOL ... between the 2 of us pushing we'll get there eventually eh ??? In Glasgow next week-end but not taking the Fiesta, I want to get there on the same day I leave Aberdeen !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 trying filling it with shell v power u might notice some gain in power :) Thanks for that, i'll give that a bash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 I had the 1.25 mk6 between 2,000 and 30,000 miles. The engine should loosen a bit between new and 2,000. But in the mileage I covered, it never got noticeably better with hills. Dropping from a 1.6 to a 1.25 is quite a considerable drop so you would notice it's lack of power more. Really underpowered car for steep hills unfortunately. Maybe look at trading it in while it still holds value, although you will still lose money, either that or plan a new route to work! I've got it on the Ford options so not sure how that works. Still waiting for them to get my own plate on it so i'll feel guilty if I go back with it now ! I'll give it a few months and see if I can handle the slowness, and if not then i'll have to do something about it. So much for me trying to grow up and act my age !! SIGH ... I miss my Zetec S but where we are, the snow this Winter was really bad and my car was awful, so that was another reason for a change. We used to be in Aberdeen but moved about 13 miles outside town. Unfortunately there's not another way to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieR Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'd have to agree with the salesman and say the difference between an 82ps 1.25 and a 1.4 is marginal. For the extra £500+ (maybe more, can't remember exactly), it's only going to get you from 0-60mph about a second quicker and the top speed is a mere 5mph more (which you're never likely to reach anyhow). Compared to the significant difference in the 1.6 models, I think marginal is a fair way to describe the 1.25-1.4 difference. It's interesting to hear other people's take on it .... thank you. I know £500 isn't a lot but it would still have been annoying if it hadn't made that much difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have the same engine in my fiesta,and have no problem going up hills,you just need to understand that it is not a turbo-diesel or a high-powered petrol engine,kick it into lower gear,push the pedal and voila! The important thing is you need to know how to get the best out of every car you drive,than you can be fast as hell even with a citroen saxo 1.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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