Considering moving from Fiesta to a Focus or should I do something else..?

[Howard]

A Mondeo is more of a "large family saloon" than a medium sized one. I'd say a Focus is more medium sized, where as the Fiesta is a small hatchback. It's down to people's tastes. Just because they can drive a bigger car doesn't mean they want to

I agree, it doesn't take long to get used to them. When I changed from my Cinquecento to my Megane (huge in comparison) I took it out to get some petrol. It was dark, cold and wet. When I got home I felt right at home... So to speak

[Fox]

Try driving a proper large car, then the Mondeo becomes a medium sized car. It really isn't that big.

I'd understand the whole bigger car thing if car prices were logical - but due to market forces, they are not - in the sub £5k market for example a nice W reg Focus will set you back £3500-£4000 but a nice W reg Mondeo with *more* kit in the same condition will cost you £2000-£2500. The Focus isn't £1500 worth of more car - infact, it's a lesser car - technically an inferior car, which is why Ford sold it for less money when new.

[Shorty]

Picked up my Fiesta today... and yes.. it's AWESOME

Considering everything I heard recently about not being any good for motorway, I've just come back from a round trip down the M6 and it's as quiet as a mouse

No longer in noise hell...

Observe my new shorty mobile













Only modifications to come are the factory stereo being replaced with my MP3/Bluetooth Headunit I got a month ago.. and reverse parking sensors

Drives so well but feels huge to my last one (even though it isn't!)

[Fox]

Reverse parking sensors? Oh come off it - it's a Fiesta with a flat rear - it's easy to park, you don't need parking sensors.

Noticing an awful lot of blanks on the dashboard, does it not have aircon, heated front screen, etc?

Hmmm, windup windows as well. Was it cheap?

[Howard]

Base model by the look of it


And I've always been intrigued as to how you put a normal DIN sized head unit in there... Do you hvae to replace the whole of that centre console fascia?

[Shorty]

Reverse parking sensors? Oh come off it - it's a Fiesta with a flat rear - it's easy to park, you don't need parking sensors.

Noticing an awful lot of blanks on the dashboard, does it not have aircon, heated front screen, etc?

Hmmm, windup windows as well. Was it cheap?

Yep. Not a posh model. Im buying a house, so a VERY limited budget right now, plus every other higher model shot the insurance up (I've only been qualified for 12 weeks)

Howard, replacement centre part of dash + DIN holder. Having it done next week

[Howard]

I didn't know they still made cars without electric windows and central locking (A friend of mine's mum has the same car IIRC)
Out of curiosity how much was it?


And why don't you do the head unit replacement yourself? it's fun

[Shorty]

I didn't know they still made cars without electric windows and central locking (A friend of mine's mum has the same car IIRC)
Out of curiosity how much was it?


And why don't you do the head unit replacement yourself? it's fun

Well it's a 2 year old car, they still in those days

I paid a touch over 4k for it including 18 months warranty, Im not complaining (that's dealer price, not private)

I would but I read up changing it in this model and it's a pain in the... Id rather just get it done right.. rather than my bodge job. Im not really a tinkerer when it comes to cars, I leave that to PC's

[Howard]

Well.. Fair enough

Enjoy her!

[Shorty]

I am and will

Shes not the most feature rich or powerful car but she's ton nicer than what I had.. and she was a bargain! Needs must for the next few months, this house is costing me a bloody fortune

[Howard]

And in a year or so you'll be able to get a Fiesta ST

[Shorty]

And in a year or so you'll be able to get a Fiesta ST

I plan to keep this for 2 years.. and then revisit options

[Fox]

Yep. Not a posh model. Im buying a house, so a VERY limited budget right now, plus every other higher model shot the insurance up (I've only been qualified for 12 weeks)

Limited budget? You spent £4k - miles more than most people here have to spend on a car and they don't have keepfit windows and a dash full of switch blanks

[Howard]

Mine's the top of the range model But it's also an older car I guess

[Shorty]

Limited budget? You spent £4k - miles more than most people here have to spend on a car and they don't have keepfit windows and a dash full of switch blanks

I like what I like and what I can INSURE (please do READ my posts first). I've been driving for 12 weeks and thus need to keep the INSURANCE down as well

Did I want something better...? Yes... could I GET INSURED FOR SOMETHING BETTER THAT WAS AS GOOD AND AS CHEAP ON PARTS...? No.

Id have bought a Focus or a Mondeo otherwise

[Fox]

Please don't shout at me, I'm not stupid and I won't suddenly understand something more if you shout.

I'm not particularly bothered if you've been driving 12 weeks or 12 years - it doesn't change simple fact.

Your car, assuming it's a Fiesta Finesse 1.25 is a nice, low Group 3. But a Fiesta LX - which is pretty much the same car only without windows from a 1980's Fiesta, is also Group 3. This means that by shopping around for your insurance (not confused.com) you should be able to insure both cars for the same amount.

And they cost around the same to buy, as well - so the advantages of buying the bottom of the range base model over the LX are absolutely zero - there is no advantage to it. Shouting at me won't change that.

As for cheap on parts - let me know when you find a part for your Fiesta that's cheaper than the equivilent part on a Focus, becuase you probably won't.

I'm glad you are happy with your car and wish you many years of motoring good fortune with it, but my personal opinion is that its a bad buy for £4000 and the reasons you've cited for chosing it at largely reasons which don't actually exist. You claim to be on a tight budget yet you've got 4k to spend on a car - your budget is actually pretty big and you can get some properly decent cars for it. I wish I'd had a budget as big as yours when I bought my car.

It's no cheaper to run or insure than a Fiesta LX but it WILL be harder to shift when you get bored of it, and possibly fetch less money as a result.

FWIW my first car was a 1.9TD Xantia - so don't try and convince me you can only insure cars with windup windows as a first car becuase it doesn't wash

Sorry if I'm come across rather aggresive in this post - but it's largely a reflection on your reply to me.

Edit: I have just noticed you are 31. Blimey, this makes the purchase even more nonsensical - if you are 31 then irrespective of how long you have been driving anything you pick under Group 10 will be cheap to insure. I doubt a Focus 1.6 - a better car in every way - would have cost any more than £100 a year to insure and before you start saying thats £100 a year more, you cant afford it - you could have spent a tad less on a nice Focus using the saving for the marginal extra insurance costs.

The way you were going on about insurance I thought you were 17 - as thats the only time when a difference between Group 3 and say Group 5 should make any difference at all to car choice.