Beeblebrox237's Cars: '07 Fiesta "Fred"

I didn't do a great job of updating this thread but I've now quite quite a big update. In September of last year the Yaris failed its MOT on emissions and due to a hole in the floor (which apparently had been there quite a while, and a previous owner had made a poor attempt to repair it). Since I didn't need a car I sold it for scrap, and I was quite sorry to see it go. It was a bulletproof little workhorse and despite being an appliance it was quirky enough that it wormed its way into my heart. But not to worry, for I've gotten around to replacing it with something a little nicer:

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This is a 1.25 Fiesta, but unlike my first 1.25 Fiesta it's a Mk6 and has such safety features as ABS, stronger pillars, and a driver who has hopefully learned his lesson. Unlike the Yaris it's got quite a lot of kit as it was the top model variant (Zetec Climate) available with the 1.25 engine. As you'd imagine the aircon needs a re-gas but everything else works as it should and despite a few dents and some dirt from previous owners it's in generally good condition. It's much more fun to drive than the Yaris as the steering has reasonable feel and the chassis is more balanced, but unfortunately it's also a lot more thirsty. Where the Yaris would get maybe 35 mpg in city traffic the Fiesta will do 25, and on the motorway where the Yaris would do 50-55 the Fiesta will do 40-45. Still not bad numbers for a petrol car but I knew that the Yaris was going to make pretty much anything else look thirsty. I've done about 750 miles in it so far and I'm starting to bond with it, especially after a good clean of it today. And I hit this minor milestone:

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So far, so good. I'm taking it down to London tomorrow for a job interview, and if that goes well then at some point I may be adding a company car to this thread. But for now I'm very happy with my new Fiesta.
 
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homeforsummer
Before you have such a thing done, have the system leak-tested. Always ask yourself how the gas escaped in the first place if it needs a re-gas...
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It's okay, everything can be solved with a re-gas. :P I did actually get quoted for a leak test and re-gas and I probably wouldn't bother getting it refilled with refrigerant before a test since, as you say, it did get out somehow. I'm not sure it's worth the £100 at the moment but once I get sorted out with some income then I'll probably get it checked over.

I do think I read somewhere that on average you'll lose about 15% of the gas in the system a year which seems high at first, but I can see it being somewhat accurate given that the rate of pressure loss will decrease over time. I did also read that if you don't run it at least once a month to keep everything in good working and order and all the seals in proper condition then it will deteriorate faster, which goes some way towards explaining why a fairly high percentage of older used cars here have non-functional aircon while in the US car aircon systems seem to keep going for longer without needing servicing or repressurisation.
 
Even in the UK I run aircon pretty much all the time in everything. It's amazing how stuffy a car can feel without it, because UK weather seems to be quite humid however hot or cold it is outside. Throw in the demisting benefits and the fact most cars now have enough power not to really notice when AC is running and there's little point switching it off.
 
homeforsummer
Even in the UK I run aircon pretty much all the time in everything. It's amazing how stuffy a car can feel without it, because UK weather seems to be quite humid however hot or cold it is outside. Throw in the demisting benefits and the fact most cars now have enough power not to really notice when AC is running and there's little point switching it off.
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That's true, though I do still tend only use it when it's quite warm. In most new cars, however, it's definitely a bit more comfortable and doesn't have much effect otherwise.
 
Took the Fiesta on a few long drives in the pursuit of employment (sadly didn't get the job), and it performed admirably. I do need to get the gear linkage bush changed at some point but fortunately it's never a serious issue in terms of drivability, just a nuisance. It's nice having an aux port compared to the Yaris, which didn't have a working stereo, and it was a bit more refined than the Yaris despite doing about 5-10 mpg less on average.
 
Well, I'm late to the party, but I reckon you did yourself a favour rolling the original Fiesta :D

That Yaris was a decent looking little car, especially as a 3-door, shame it had to go. Just one word of advice with this Fiesta - keep an eye on the sills, because they're prone to rust, especially at the rear. It's certainly got more kit than my first car!
 
lbpomg95
Well, I'm late to the party, but I reckon you did yourself a favour rolling the original Fiesta :D

That Yaris was a decent looking little car, especially as a 3-door, shame it had to go. Just one word of advice with this Fiesta - keep an eye on the sills, because they're prone to rust, especially at the rear. It's certainly got more kit than my first car!
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Thanks! Yeah, the sills look good so far but I definitely know the reputation Fords of this era have.
 

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