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Mega's down-sizing experment/2

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  • Mega's down-sizing experment/2

    AS many of you know i traded my vRS Skoda (VW Bora GTI) of 12 years for a new Ford Fiesta 1 lite 3 cyinder, the story so far:-

    New car fine except a few things:-
    "Sports seats".............they only support the bottom half of you back, if you throw it round a Conner you fall out the top half.
    "Gear Ratio's"............Ford are trying to use this engine to power everything up to a Queen Vic size car, thus they given the 1st 2 gears (1 & 2) very short ratio's......then they gone long on 3,4,5 (5 speed shift stick).

    This means its a pig to drive in certain places were 2nd is too short & 3rd too long, not too impressed with the brakes either. Its a Disk/Drum set up...disk on the front, drums on the rear. They are tiny next to the brakes i had before & the last 20 years i had (Large) Disk on the front & rear.....i only had to stroke the brake pedal & i shed vast speed.....not now. I got a strange "two-speed" pedel, push a bit & the front disk bite, push more & you can feel the rear drums come into play. I run this set up before but never has it been this apparent.

    It does go around bends very nicely, but no where as good as my Old Fiesta RS1800. The Trouble is the roll centre is higher and it feels it.

    Still i can't bitch about the gas miles...........what used to cost me £66 before now costs me £39....a very handy saving. I think i save in all about £1500 a year, given that the Ford cost me £13,000 ish then in 2 years it will of effectively cost me £10,000. I get £4,000 on trade in thus it cost me £3,000 a year, not bad.


    I used shift stick all my life & i said i go auto with this one, however given the mileage i do each year 18,000 miles & the cost of a VW or Mini would have been TWICE that of the Ford. No deal, so i keep the Ford for awhile (2 years)......i am hopeful that ALL new cars will have GPS tracking embedded into them & some sort of advanced anti-theft device that can "see" its YOU so the nasty scumbags can't attack me for it.

  • #2
    Re: Mega's down-sizing experment/2

    Probably myself changing my Renault 2006 clio 1.5 diesel for a Volkswagen up. This is also a 1 liter 3 cylinder "coockroach" but not so small.
    I shall have opportunity to "road test" one soon and shall see.

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    • #3
      Re: Mega's down-sizing experment/2

      My Hyundai Accent (similar to the Ford Fiesta but bigger inside) had the nicest seats of any car I've ever had. They gave me a lot of lateral support going around corners. For a little car it was terrific, but I'm glad to be driving a Crown Vic again. I get so much more respect on the road...

      Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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      • #4
        Re: Mega's down-sizing experment/2

        Bought a '66 Chevelle. Love it. I can't drive the car without feeling like I'm in some sort of a parade. My family is totally embarrassed by the attention. I don't want to drive anything in between a bad ass Crown Vic and an electric nothing...which of course I do drive. But when I'm really driving, well, I'm really driving and enjoying every moment of the sunset of real cars.

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        • #5
          Re: Mega's down-sizing experment/2

          My favourites in order of ownership:

          1961 - Austin 7 Ruby with 2 bearing crankshaft, no starter motor, instead a hand crank; leather seats with rubber bag seat springs; wonderful fun car.

          1964 - Mark 1 Standard Vanguard; very sophisticated engine with wet cylinder liners; best of all, flat floor through the car with no drive shaft hump and thus the front bench seat could be wound up to the dash board, making the back into your own personal lounge. No further comment necessary.

          1968 - Jaguar Mark 2, manual with overdrive. Bought it at auction, listed as "slight misfire at high revs" to discover the exhaust valves were burnt out. Completely re-built the top end, new valve seats and guides done by a local shop and the rest myself; started first turn of the key...... Loved that car, but had to sell it to pay for my part of a new business start up.

          1972 - Jaguar E, 4.2 short wheelbase roadster soft top with wire wheels. Managed 2,500 miles to a set of front disc pads, 6,500 miles to rear tyres, 8,000 miles to rear wheel re-spoke. First car I ever owned where I could watch the fuel gauge move; ~ 11 gallons per hour. But then again, 5, yes Five hits to my driving license and, (even when I was driving quietly within the limits), discovered that others on the road were quite prepared to try and drive me off it. In the end, looking back, a very bad idea to purchase it and would not do so again knowing the trials and tribulations involved with such a car here in the UK.

          After that, nothing special comes to mind. Looking back, my misspent youth stands out.

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          • #6
            Re: Mega's down-sizing experment/2

            Yep, if (or when) i have to replace the Fiesta i think i go back to VW (may be Audi A1) 1.4 (soon to be 1.5) engine 150-160 bhp & 190 flbs for torque. That plus a 7 speed DSG box with extra safty kit will do fine, although i am not impressed with VW build Q right now........i see LOTS of complants about shoddy build Q.

            Mike

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