Hi,

I have narrowed my company car shortlist down from about 150 options to a Fiesta Titanium 1.6 TDCi

Before I take the plunge, I have a few detail questions that are either very difficult to check in a showroom - because they don't always have cars in with a certain set of options - or I simply can't remember from when I did a test drive. Thanks in advance for your help.

ipod integration...

ipod integration. Assuming I get the USB connection and have the correct cable, what does 'ipod integration' let you do? Specifically, if I want to select to play an artist or an album, does it give me those views on the Fiesta display? Can I scroll through a list of artists, select an album and play it? I ask as in the brochure it just shows 'Track 2/95' which isn't much use if you've got 2000 tracks on an ipod and want to find something by someone.

Does the USB integration work the same for other USB sticks plugged in? Will it recognise a directory hierarchy of artists/albums and let you browse through that on the screen?

Other techie stuff...

Does the Tech Pack include front or rear parking sensors or do you have to spec them separately? And with the Tech Pack can you use the keyfob remote as well as touching the door handle to lock/unlock the car?

Does the trip computer show instant or just average mpg? I think it was just instant but can't remember. Does it show range remaining? Sounds like it might from other posts here.

Thanks all,

Jon

Does the trip computer show instant or just average mpg? I think it was just instant but can't remember. Does it show range remaining? Sounds like it might from other posts here.

This is the only part I can answer as I don't have USB or tech pack :/ the MPG figure average since last reset as opposed to current. The trip computer will also show remaining range.

This is the only part I can answer as I don't have USB or tech pack :/ the MPG figure average since last reset as opposed to current. The trip computer will also show remaining range.

Lovely, thanks for that.

Am I allowed to admit to being strangely drawn to the Spa colour? :) I just like that it is a bit different, a bit like the flat grey shade that I've seen on a few (don't know it's proper name).

Cheers,

Jon

Lovely, thanks for that.

Am I allowed to admit to being strangely drawn to the Spa colour? :) I just like that it is a bit different, a bit like the flat grey shade that I've seen on a few (don't know it's proper name).

Cheers,

Jon

I think the flat grey you've seen is probably Avalon, which is a sort of slightly greenish-grey metallic just half a shade darker than the more champagne colour of Spa. I prefer Spa of the two, but it certainly seems rarer. I think both benefit from being on a Zetec or Titanium spec car as the chrome trim lifts the colour - Avalon looks particularly dull on lower-spec Fiestas but there seem to be a lot around in my area in that colour. It's all a bit of a personal, subjective thing of course. The weather (sunny or not) also plays a role in how colours like this look.

And get the 3dr so you can have the Dress Up Pack - it is so worth the £500 . . . .

Hiya,

5dr only I'm afraid. You just know I'm going to spot a load of nice 3drs now...

I prefer Spa of the two, but it certainly seems rarer. I think both benefit from being on a Zetec or Titanium spec car as the chrome trim lifts the colour

Hadn't thought about that but now you mention it, thanks.

Anyone know about the USB stuff?

Cheers,

Jon

I have the USB port (but no Ipod)

It recognises folders up to 2 or 3 levels deep and M3U playlist files.

You can browse through the folders and playlists reasonably easily by using the main 'joystick' in the middle of the radio panel (up down cycles tracks/folders in the current folder, left and right moves up and down the file tree), but TBH doing a major trawl through whilst driving would mean your eyes were off the road for far too long.

Tracks in folders will be in alphabetical order unless you have the track number at the start of the file names. I find playlists work much better, and can even be stores in a separate folder to the music on the memory stick.

If you can find a short memory stick it'll help as the port is quite close to the end of the handbrake. I got one that is only about 5mm when its in the socket!

I'm really glad I got the USB port as its just soooo simple. The stick stays in the socket all the time and the music starts up where you left it within a couple of seconds of turning the key - its alot neater than having wires and an MP3 player in the centre console.

That's really useful. Thanks for that - good to know it does everything you want. Now I just need to decide on colour :) Tempted by Spa having seen exactly one of them in that colour, but it's not listed in the latest brochure. Don't know what my second choice would be. Not silver or white, however nice they are - just having had mostly silver or white cars in the past & fancy something different.

Cheers

Jon

That's really useful. Thanks for that - good to know it does everything you want. Now I just need to decide on colour :) Tempted by Spa having seen exactly one of them in that colour, but it's not listed in the latest brochure. Don't know what my second choice would be. Not silver or white, however nice they are - just having had mostly silver or white cars in the past & fancy something different.

Cheers

Jon

How about Avalon (grey/blue Metallic)?

How about Avalon (grey/blue Metallic)?

Possibly, yes. Aitchess mentioned it above. Funnily enough, I just read through the 15page thread on colours!

I have the USB port (but no Ipod)

It recognises folders up to 2 or 3 levels deep and M3U playlist files.

You can browse through the folders and playlists reasonably easily by using the main 'joystick' in the middle of the radio panel (up down cycles tracks/folders in the current folder, left and right moves up and down the file tree), but TBH doing a major trawl through whilst driving would mean your eyes were off the road for far too long.

Tracks in folders will be in alphabetical order unless you have the track number at the start of the file names. I find playlists work much better, and can even be stores in a separate folder to the music on the memory stick.

If you can find a short memory stick it'll help as the port is quite close to the end of the handbrake. I got one that is only about 5mm when its in the socket!

I'm really glad I got the USB port as its just soooo simple. The stick stays in the socket all the time and the music starts up where you left it within a couple of seconds of turning the key - its alot neater than having wires and an MP3 player in the centre console.

Hiya coysht,

Do you have a link to that usb stick as im looking for a short one too.

Ive been using a maxtor 80GB usb drive which works quite well but is a little slow to search through.

Also can need the usb plug pulling out and in again now and then for the car to recognize it correctly.

I think this is because it requires a little more power than the car outputs.

So ive decided instead to go with a large capacity but physically short/small flash drive.

Or... Thinking about it... i could simply wire in a usb extension cable behind the usb socket which is very easy

to access, and put any size usb flash drive on the end of it and keep it under the seat, where the usb hard drive is at the moment.

This method would leave the socket empty and free for anything else.

The reason i didnt do it this way was because the hdd required this occasional plugging in and out.

Hmmm...

Mark.

Hiya coysht,

Do you have a link to that usb stick as im looking for a short one too.

I bought it off eBay (search for "Nano Flash Drive" or similar) but you can get the same memory sticks from several other places for similar money.

I bought a 4GB one for under £15 delivered from a UK seller. If you need a direct link to the one I bought I can probably find it somewhere.

There are some photos of it in my car in this thread:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index...?showtopic=8089

....which of course is partly an excuse to link you to some pics of my lovely car :P

This was the only super short USB stick I could find - there are loads of thin ones, but that wouldn't really make any difference.