Ford Fiesta: worth the gamble?

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My father bought a 2009 cobalt manual new in 2009 for 10 grand. We got 200,000 miles and 10 years out of it before the rust killed it. Motor and transmission were in as good of shape as ever, it seemed. If that car is simple and it doesn't get abused, it'll probably end up being a workhorse and a good buy.
 
Aside from the terrible automatic (DCT) transmissions, I haven't heard a single bad thing about Fiestas. Since this is a manual, that's not an issue. I wouldn't call this a "gamble" at all. I'd call it "buying a quality vehicle that will last many years at a very good price." I'd buy one without hesitation if I was in the market for such a car. Mine would have to have power windows though.
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I must be getting old-I think crank windows are a GOOD thing, I'm tired of messing around with power window motors, harnesses, switches, & related wiring & fuses. My xB needs a $350 (OEM) RR window motor, the aftermarket doesn't make them.
 
Originally Posted by Fawteen
Originally Posted by Elkins45
It has a backup camera...and crank windows LOL.


Why is a backup camera funny? It's mandated on all vehicles under 10,000 lbs that are built after May 2018. Since that one is a 2019 it would only be odd if it did not have a backup camera (and it wouldn't comply with FMVSS 111).

Originally Posted by zorobabel
The backup cam is pushed as a feature, but it's on all cars today because visibility is greatly reduced.


It's not on all cars today because visibility is greatly reduced, it's on all cars today because it's mandated to be on all cars manufactured after 2018. Mainly because people are too stupid to look behind them when backing up.


The camera isn't funny, the contrast between such a high tech feature with manual windows was what I found amusing. It's like finding a butter churn on the space shuttle.

I don't have a problem with manual windows or locks. Less to go wrong, but I realize you really need power locks if you're going to have keyless entry. My 07 Corolla had power locks and windows but not keyless entry. I told the salesman I wanted him to locate me one without them but they sold me the one they had on the lot for the same price.

Generally the fewer items on the window sticker the happier I am. AC is the only non-negotiable other than 4x4 in the case of trucks. My first new vehicle (81 Toyota 4x4) didn't have air nor power steering. I think I could live without the power steering even today.
 
I would say go for it, in a manual transmission that car should last you plenty long.
Either that or a nissan versa, both should be great and inexpensive.
I myself have been looking at craigslist for a cheap beater, problem is that anything in my area under 4-5K is absolute junk or has 200+k miles.
 
What's even better is the number of interior and some exterior parts that you can interchange between the fiesta, focus, ecoboost, and escape. Need a part? your local junkyard probably has one of these 4 vehicles you can strip.
 
10,000 bucks for a new car with warranty that, most likely, no one else has [censored] in? I would be all over it.

For me these days PWs are a must as I roll my windows down a lot to get onto base for the badge checks required.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
10,000 bucks for a new car with warranty that, most likely, no one else has [censored] in? I would be all over it.

For me these days PWs are a must as I roll my windows down a lot to get onto base for the badge checks required.

Based on stories read on here, that warranty is not worth much.
 
Not much of a gamble with a brand new, manual equipped Fiesta or Focus. A used Honda or Toyota, now that's a gamble.

Not too long ago I was looking at Prius hybrids, since rust in CA is not an issue. But after reading the head gasket and batteries going at about 180k mile mark and chatting with The Critic about these, I will not touch them, unless it's a screaming deal.
Craigslist is full of them at about 180k miles, so the owners/Uber drivers know when it is the time to unload them and still ask huge sums of money. I will leave others to take that gamble.
 
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Well, I'm going to go look at it tomorrow if it's still on the lot.

I figure there's probably some sort of catch and I'm going to leave in a mixture of rage and shame. Some sort of "that price is only valid under these completely oppressive and costly conditions" type of a deal.

Like a timeshare on wheels...
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike
10,000 bucks for a new car with warranty that, most likely, no one else has [censored] in? I would be all over it.

For me these days PWs are a must as I roll my windows down a lot to get onto base for the badge checks required.

Based on stories read on here, that warranty is not worth much.


The cars I have had under warranty are as follows
1998 Z28
2001 Z28
2002 Jetta TDI
2004 CTS
2004 5.3 Chevy 1500
2005 Equinox
2013 Equinox
2014 Caprice
2015 Malibu
2017 Silverado 3500HD

The 1998 had warranty work done on the rear end when I broke it at the track no questions asked.
The Jetta had a ton of warranty work done, but they were pretty good about it. They complained about a couple of things but covered it.
The CTS went in for a Thermostat at like 30,000
The 2005 Equinox had a valve cover leak and steering wheel replaced under warranty. The steer wheel leather had nick in it, drove me crazy.
The Caprice got a new electric steering rack under a recall during warranty.
Nothing else has gone back for warranty work
Maybe I have just gotten really good cars, but when I did have warranty work I never had an issue.
Plus I do I don't go in all upset acting a fool. I have seen people do that and it does not help.

I think Trailer Warranties are the worst. I had some warranty work done on mine before the year was up and they even fixed a leak in slide even though I couldn't prove I sealed the trailer every six months.
7 years later that trailer has been a solid unit with very little work being done to it.
 
The Fiesta S supposedly comes standard with A/C. The 1.6L is a good engine and the only way to buy one is with a manual transmission. $10k is a SMOKING deal, if they will actually sell you one for that price (I'm VERY skeptical, see below). If so, you will easily get your money's worth out of it.
The reason that I'm skeptical about the price is that $10k is over $3.5k under dealer cost, even after the holdback, and Ford doesn't have that big of a rebate on it. I have a sneaking suspicion that the price they are advertising may be a total of lease payments. We had a Kia dealer here that was doing this kind of misleading advertising, the way that they were able to get away with it for any length of time was that in their advertising they said "drive" the car (not "buy" or "purchase" the car) for X dollars. Potential customers only saw the "X dollars" and RAN to the dealer. The authorities eventually put a stop to it.
 
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Go for it. I've never driven a Fiesta, only been a passenger in them. They seem to handle like a go-kart. You might be able to talk the dealer down in price if it's been sitting on the lot for so long.
 
I almost bought a Fiesta ST for my daily commuter- but I couldn't find one with Recaros and without a hole in the roof.
 
I bought it. $9995 plus tax and title. My wife is taking me back to bring it home tomorrow. I briefly considered a 2008 Corolla w/ 132K miles but it had some cosmetic issues and some New York underbody rust.

There was a small bit of a catch with the price: it had to be financed through Ford Motor credit, so I couldn't just write a check. I had to finance $8K for 36 months, but the good news is that there's no prepayment penalty. All that will end up costing me is the loan filing fee. I suppose I could have held out to have that waived but I think sometimes you should just be happy with good enough.

Pictures to follow tomorrow.

They had more than one of them. Here's the listing just in case someone is interested: https://www.mikecastrucciford.com/new/Ford/2019-Ford-Fiesta-41a5aca40a0e0ae9715ec9337bb83753.htm
 
Originally Posted by Elkins45
I bought it. $9995 plus tax and title. My wife is taking me back to bring it home tomorrow. I briefly considered a 2008 Corolla w/ 132K miles but it had some cosmetic issues and some New York underbody rust.

There was a small bit of a catch with the price: it had to be financed through Ford Motor credit, so I couldn't just write a check. I had to finance $8K for 36 months, but the good news is that there's no prepayment penalty. All that will end up costing me is the loan filing fee. I suppose I could have held out to have that waived but I think sometimes you should just be happy with good enough.

Pictures to follow tomorrow.

They had more than one of them. Here's the listing just in case someone is interested: https://www.mikecastrucciford.com/new/Ford/2019-Ford-Fiesta-41a5aca40a0e0ae9715ec9337bb83753.htm

You qualified for all of these for the price? Sounds like 1 in a million

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