Ford Fiesta 2008 Problems

Styling of the latest couple of generations of Ford Fiestas is bold and their stunning, almost futuristic, looks appeal to many, particularly those moving down from larger cars.The Ford Fiesta is sold as a three-door or five-door hatchback. The three-door has a sporty appearance, but the five-door certainly isn’t on the staid side. Getting into the back seat of the three-door Fiesta isn’t too difficult for the kids, but large adults will find it a hassle.Once in the back seat, occupants will find it reasonably spacious. The front seats are larger than average for a car in this class and are reasonably comfortable, though some may find them on the firm side in the German manner.Ford Australia is keen to please drivers looking for more than mere transport so imports its small cars from Europe. This makes them slightly more expensive than products from Holden, which are often made in South Korean factories, but Ford Oz has managed to keep prices down.The Fiesta comes in plenty of different variants. Most use a 1.4- or 1.6-litre petrol engine and offer a couple of drivetrain options. The WZ series Fiesta, introduced in August 2013, has an interesting pair of turbocharged power units, in particular a willing little three-cylinder 1.0-litre with plenty of spark in its response. Even better is the 1.6 turbo-petrol in the Fiesta ST, it has strong torque over a wide spread of revs and can be regarded as a low cost alternative to full-on hot hatches.The Ford Fiesta XR4, introduced in June 2007, is a genuine hot hatch, not just a dressed up standard model.  Inside, there are sporting seats with leather bolsters. Fiesta XR4 has lowered suspension and rides on Pirelli P-Zero tyres. Ride comfort is surprisingly good for the hot-hatch class.The XR4's big Duratec 2.0-litre engine gives plenty of performance in a light car such as this. Some will be disappointed that only a five-speed gearbox is used. However, it has nicely chosen ratios and the change action is slick and positive.A fascinating new model was launched in November 2009. The Ford Fiesta Econetic is a super-economy model that's powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine tuned specifically for low consumption. It has good torque, uses higher than normal gearing and runs on special low-rolling resistance tyres. The result is fuel consumption below four litres per hundred kilometres during easy motorway running and only five to seven litres per hundred kilometres in day-to-day suburban driving.A good home mechanic can do a fair bit of their own work on a Fiesta, but the underbonnet area is cramped. Leave the safety items to the experts. There are plenty of Ford dealers Australia wide. While uncommon parts for Fiestas may not be held in all country dealerships it usually only takes a couple of business days to have parts freighted out there. We seldom hear any real complaints about prices of parts or servicing. Plenty of mechanics running their own independent businesses will have had formal training while employed by Ford dealers in the past.Insurance premiums for the standard Ford Fiesta models are about average for its class. Some companies may charge more for the XR4 hot-hatch and the hot-ish Fiesta ST, though not outrageously so.WHAT TO LOOK FOREuropean cars aren't built to the high standards of Japanese ones, so be sure to arrange for a full professional inspection. Carefully check the interior for signs of damage due to poor assembly, also for damage done by rough or bored kids.Listen for squeaks or rattles when driving on rough roads, not necessarily outback tracks, just suburban surfaces that have seen better days. The Fiesta engine should start easily and idle smoothly virtually from the moment it kicks over. Listen and feel for a manual gearbox that hesitates or crunches during fast changes.Try the steering on full lock at low speeds both all the way to the right and the left. Listen for the clicking sounds that indicate worn universal joints. A Fiesta XR4 that has been driven hard can often be identified by uneven tyre wear. Also look for lowered suspension, big-diameter wheels and additional instruments.Rust isn't going to be a problem unless a car has been poorly repaired after a crash. Look for paint finish that doesn’t match from panel to panel and for overspray on non-painted areas.CAR BUYING TIPA simple way to check for rust repairs is to hold a magnet against a suspect area. It will stick to metal under the paint, but not to plastic fillers.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the first and second generation Ford Fiesta between 2004 and 2015 as a used buy.

There was no more crowded or competitive market in 2008 than the small car segment, which Ford contested with a new Fiesta. Despite modest engine capacity, it was rated as a driver's car and there were ample options and variants, from base CL three-door to sporty Zetec to Econetic turbo diesel.As the car market moved away from the big cars that were Ford's bread-and-butter, the company had to change as well. The reality was that smaller cars, and small cars, represented the future.Being the company's global small car the Fiesta was one chosen to help shove Ford into a new Falcon-less future. But was it the car to take on the big players in small cars? Given the raft of terrific littlies from Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia, it had to be very good.Ford had for some time tried to be funky to appeal to hip young buyers, and the WS Fiesta certainly had the looks to appeal.Older buyers who might have preferred a sedan were overlooked - Ford limited body styles to three and five-door hatches.The WS range at launch consisted of three models, the entry-level CL in both body styles, the five-door only LX and the sporty Zetec, also five-door.Two engines were available, but curiously the larger 1.6-litre was available only with the five-speed manual gearbox. If you wanted an automatic, it was coupled with a 1.4-litre.Not only did you have to accept a smaller engine, you had to contend with a four-speed auto when a five-speed would have been infinitely better for both performance and fuel economy.If performance was your priority the 1.6-litre manual was the way to go, zippy and frugal at the same time. The 1.4-litre plus auto drivetrain was sluggish and less economical.There was some relief late in the WS series when Ford released the Econetic, a five-door hatch with a 1.6-litre turbo diesel four that delivered exceptional economy.Lesser models in the range earned only four stars from ANCAP, but still had ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution. To get five stars you had to buy a Zetec, gaining extra airbags, stability control, traction control and emergency bake assist.You could have all of that in the lesser models by shelling out extra for the option pack.The good news for anyone considering a WS Fiesta is that it came from Germany. The WT that followed it was built in Thailand and build quality arguably slipped.The other good news is that the WS missed out on the sometimes troublesome double-clutch (DSG) auto that was fitted to the WT.The auto in the WS was a conventional torque converter automatic, which is largely trouble-free.The downside is the four ratios which, in tandem with the 1.4 that struggles for torque, means performance and fuel economy aren't great.Peter Smith and his wife are very pleased with the 2009 Fiesta Zetec they bought new. It's only done about 22,000km, it has always been serviced at a Ford dealership and it has never needed a warranty claim or any other attention. Peter's the main driver and says it's the best car that he's ever had.The things they dislike are the aircon's performance, which isn't up to the Queensland climate, reverse gear is hard to select and there's apparent cost cutting in some areas. On the plus side, they love the handling and the fuel economy.Tony and Aly Hicks love their 2010 Fiesta CL, which they bought new. The car has exceeded expectations - they really rate the automatic - and the road olding is excellent.It's a real driver's car despite the 1.4, and has been trouble free over the 54,000km it has done.The WS is standing up well in service. There's nothing that should be of serious concern to anyone looking to buy one.Before handing over your cash make the usual checks, ensuring there's a credible service record.Also make a thorough check of the body and paint, looking for dings and dents that might affect the value, and look closely for signs of crash repairs.Operate all ancillaries to make sure everything is in good order and functions as it should.A test drive is always recommended. Don't let the seller take the wheel; drive the car yourself. That's the only means by which you can tell if the car is right for you. It also gets around the situation of the seller driving in such a way as to conceal any issues.