Just Joined, And A Few Comments And Questions

[Enduser]

I have owned several Fords over the years, A MK2 Mondeo Ghia, a Ford Direct vehicle, still going strong, A MK3 Mondeo Ghia, and a Focus MK2 Ghia, full leather, heated seats, powered drivers seat. I have recently bought a Fiesta MK7 1.6 Titianum, registered 30/Sept 2011.

The spec differences are realy odd, The Fiesta, which is the second from top spec, only has electric windows on the front doors, and then only the one touch lift on the drivers door, no rear courtesy light in the rear, [mine is a four door, even though Etis says it has]. The global opening and closing of the windows is missing, a very useful option on my previous fords, no front, or rear arm rest, no third rear headrest, has a drivers door grab handle [head height !!] instead of a sunnies holder, no rear AC socket, no door sill kick plates, I could go on. The Focus Ghia had all of these.

Here are some questions that I cannot find the answers to.

1. Are the powerfold mirrors are adjustable. I have a pair, and when folded they touch the door !

2. When the engine is started the instrument lights, display, and radio [sony head unit] lights come on, which led me to think that the exterior light were also on, wrong, they were not. This is the first cat that I have ever owned, of any make, where the instrument lights come on when the external lights are off. Is this usual, or is there a setting that would alter this arrangement. Do the instrument lights come on only when it's dark, or all the time, with the engine. As far as I can see the only lights that come on with the external lights are the heater control lights.

3. Do all the Mk7's have low profile tyres, or was this specified by the first owner.

Any answers gratefully received.

[iNath]

2. Yes instrument lights are on even with with lights off, caused me to leave petrol stations at night with my lights off a few times!

3. Standard tyre size are 195/45/16 or 205/40/17 depending on your alloy size.

[Enduser]

iNath ~ Many thanks for the very prompt reply, unlike another forum that I posted on. Good to know that this is the real deal. The light bit is weird, I shall check the tyre size when it stops raining !

The low profile tyres make for good road holding but for a little to firm ride, comfort wise. Thanks again.

[Divszy]

For the powerfold mirrors, I dont think they are adjustable. will check on mine to see if they touch the door but I'm sure they don't

[DaveTheDog]

In the old days, Ford always had base models, limited edition models, sports models and luxury models.

Having two Titanium models is not necessary surely?.

Having said this, I do remember the old Granada 2.8 Ghia then they had the option of the X pack, so maybe Ford have always offered their cars in this way.

The power fold mirrors should not hit the bodywork, this sounds like a fault.

[E5GDM]

Fords aren't the only ones to have the instruments lit without the lights on.

[Bilbo Baggins]

My Skoda Superb has dash lights always on, as does SWMBOs Yaris.

Thought this was now normal, and I assume my new Titanium X will do the same when I get in on 23/4

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Ford OC mobile app

[Stoney871]

Vauxhall (yuk!) have permanently lit dashes too.

I recently had to drive one of our Forces new Astra patrol cars (Traitors ;)) to deliver it to another station and the dash is lit up like a christmas tree with the headlights off, it's quite distracting.

[Enduser]

It just seems an odd thing. The overtaking indicator option, which seems a good idea, you can select on and off ! whereas your just stuck with this.

My friend, who has an Astra, is hacked off with the neessity of having to depress the clutch pedal before he can start the car.

[Bilbo Baggins]

My Titanium x is keyless start and needs clutch depressed, as has every car I have had in the past 10 years. Don't see what the problem is, no different to having to shut the door first imo

Sent from my Hudl HT7S3 using Ford OC mobile app

[Ru4hie]

Surely you have to put the clutch into get it into gear or to stop you jumping forward if you leave it gear anyway, so dont see why putting it in to strart the car would make any difference.

I like the instrument panel always illuminated as well every car I have owned has done this, must be an age thing :P

[Nighthawk]

Always a good idea to start any car with the clutch in, reduces strain on the starter motor and I bet dmf too.

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[Philf1]

Welcome Jim.

You can tell if your external lights are on as there is a green warning light on the dash. If I leave mine in the on position they automatically turn off when I get out the car and come back on next time I start up.

I suspect the previous owner of your car must have specified certain options but not others when they ordered it. Some of them you can always add yourself, sounds like a potential project for you to get it up to the specs you really want.

[Enduser]

Thanks everyone for all the replies and comments. I am sure that a lot of the features are there for safety reasons, but it just seems odd to me that in theses days of huge menus / options on things that there is so few options to select more features on or off. Bearing in mind that a car is probably the second most expensive thing that people buy it would seem to be very screwed down in the options department, almost in an arbitrary way. The city pack which is an option consists of powerfold mirrors and rear parking assist, why not the front as well. I am sure that it is all down to manufacturing cost, but the options seem to be very extensive, as someone commented, the Titanium is supposedly the second from top spec, but a lot of useful features are missing. I have owned a large number of cars over the last forty odd years and I still cannot remember a vehicle where the instrument lights came on when the engine is started. I cannot even understand why this 'feature' is there at all. Other than that I am quite please with the car, and it suits my current driving needs. However if I win multi millions on the lottery I probably wont go out and buy a new Fiesta Titanium X cos I expect that it wouldnt come with all the options.