Ford Fiesta Manual Diesel

[orli]

Oh crap, now It's getting too technical. I'm a novice who is prepared to learn when it comes to deisel. The vortex is $1.43 near me. IS that good? I'm out west in melbourne. Can't find the bp ultimate either. Thanks for the info Kevino. I'll be sure not to pump up before work as I work with kids. Don't think the parents would be happy!

[break]

Having used both extensively... the BP Diesel Ultimate is worth the effort (and extra price) to get over the Vortex Diesel.

I get better economy with the BP by a noticable high margain (I averaged 4.86L/100km on Vortex Diesel measured from two tanks, and 4.62L/100km on BP Ultimate Diesel measured across three tanks... all driven in similar conditions with similar driving style)

[orli]

Oh thanks mate. Now I just have to find a station near me that sells it!

[orli]

Just found out that the only Bp ultimate station in victoria is within 10-15 minutes from my house. Do you think it's worth the drive every week or 2 to fill up there?

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by orli

Just found out that the only Bp ultimate station in victoria is within 10-15 minutes from my house. Do you think it's worth the drive every week or 2 to fill up there?

240mL per 100k's consumption difference using provided numbers - surely you can decide for yourself on that one

As I said, I'm using Vortex Diesel and my average has just dropped by .1 to 4.2L per 100k's since my last post and that's with an average speed of 42kph. Having tried a few, with Vortex often the cheapest and closest, it's a simple decision.

[orli]

Ok, thanks for the advice. Ok decision made. As there is a vortex diesel near me, I guess I'll fill up there. If I happent to drive past the bp ultimate servo, then I'll give it a try.
I'm guessing by the posts that there is a function on the display screen that allows you to record your driving stats. Is there a manual anyone could send me the link for so I can read up on info more before I collect it? Also, does it have a temperature gage?
Thanks again guys. Four days until I collect it!!!!!!!!!

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by orli

Ok, thanks for the advice. Ok decision made. As there is a vortex diesel near me, I guess I'll fill up there. If I happent to drive past the bp ultimate servo, then I'll give it a try.
I'm guessing by the posts that there is a function on the display screen that allows you to record your driving stats. Is there a manual anyone could send me the link for so I can read up on info more before I collect it? Also, does it have a temperature gage?
Thanks again guys. Four days until I collect it!!!!!!!!!

There's a button on the tip of the indicator stalk that cycles through the trip computer, also a button on the cluster somewhere too. Hold said button(s) to reset any of the readings (cept speedo of course). No temp gauge, not sure what they do when they overheat, probably throw up a message on the ICE display I guess.

Did a quick search for the owners handbook in pdf, can't find anything.

[orli]

Thanks for trying. Just 3 days to go!!!!!!!

[kevino]

Orli give us feedback on what you think of the car and how it performs. I,m looking to buy one next year...huh...finance one!

[orli]

Will do mate. Just 2 days to go!!!! Wondering if the first service will be at 1500kms. Pretty sure but not 100%. This might be of some interest. Safeway have a current promotion of "spend $50.00 get 10c off per litre" for this Sat and Sun and coles have 8c off per litre if you spend the standard $30.00. As I was leaving the car park I see this reciept in a vacant trolley. 8c off but it had to be bloody shell. Oh well!

[asdf1234]

OMG which state is this in? NSW? I want my 10c off from woolies!

[brydie76]

Originally Posted by asdf1234

OMG which state is this in? NSW? I want my 10c off from woolies!

Yup, I saw an ad for it last night. Unluckily for me 99% of the caltexs near me are genuine caltexs that don't accept the vouchers, the only woolies expresses are really out of the way and annoying, haha! Oh well, would still rather pay full price for vortex 98 than get cheap shell v-power.

Originally Posted by orli

Will do mate. Just 2 days to go!!!! Wondering if the first service will be at 1500kms. Pretty sure but not 100%. This might be of some interest. Safeway have a current promotion of "spend $50.00 get 10c off per litre" for this Sat and Sun and coles have 8c off per litre if you spend the standard $30.00. As I was leaving the car park I see this reciept in a vacant trolley. 8c off but it had to be bloody shell. Oh well!

1st service (peace of mind) is 1 month or 3,000kms. My dealer just booked me in for a month after I picked up the car beforehand anyway, which I didn't mind. Bear in mind my Fezza is petrol, but I doubt the diesels would be any different. Service intervals after that on the petrols are 12 months or 15,000kms, and fixed price if you get them done at a "participating" Ford dealer.

Tip too, perhaps look into roadside assist for the first 12 months of ownership. My dealer told me that the MyFord one only kicks in after your first "proper" service, ie after 12 months of ownership. Up to you, but I think it is worth the $80 or so bucks I paid for an extra 12 months with NRMA in case I get a flat or something (and no, I don't know how to change the tyre on the Fezza- could on my old car easy, but don't want to try it and stuff up on my lovely new car, haha!)

Either way, enjoy your new car! Have had mine for just over a month now, and I love it to bits. They are great little cars, and all my Falcon-crazy friends are jealous too, which says something!

[4.0i OHC]

The diesel, to me, is worth every extra cent. Heaps more torque than the petrol. In my opinion, small cars such as the Focus and Fiesta are where diesel makes the most sense (can't really see the point of it in, say, a Territory). As well as this, I personally love the seat trim of the LX.
However, don't go for the diesel if you travel on motorways any less often than once every 2-3 weeks. In this case, if you do all your driving in the city, the extra torque will go unappreciated, and the fact that the petrol is quicker 0-100 might prove more useful. This isn't the case in your situation, so I definitely recommend the diesel.
Nice to see you're sticking with manual either way.

[orli]

Thanks again guys. The safeway deal is on here in Vic and not sure regarding the other states. I will be driving my diesel on the freeway 5-6 times a week so it makes perfect sense. Just bought some christmas presents from woolworths for my daughter who adores Ariel. I figured I would have bought them anyway and seeing they were so cheap, done deal! Regarding the servicing: I thought it would be around the 1500km mark. 3,000 is fine though. One last thing, looks like I'll need a spare right? Which one does one recommend to fit in the boot. Never had to do thid before!!!!

[Caydus]

I had a thread about it a while ago. I think diesel should be pretty much the same in the boot as it is in the petrol WT fiestas.

Changing the wheel on a Fez is pretty much the same as any other car, the entire sill under the doors can be used as a jacking point.
It's just that the Fez doesn't come with a jack, wrench or a spare wheel. So prob just need to make a run down to your local SuperCheap or Autobarn to buy the tools and anywhere, where you can find the right rim. Fiestas are starting to get common so maybe wrecking yards will start to get more of them?

[orli]

Hi all. Happy to report that my new diesel is tucked away asleep tonight. I picked it up around noon. Can I say that I was left with a bit of a bad after taste at city ford Melbourne. Put it this way, won't be going there for its first service!
The car wasn't washed/detailed upon inspection. It was full of dust inside (had to dust it) much to my dismay. But worst of all was that I left with a half of tank. When I asked the reason for it, I was told that it was standard to leave half of the tank full.
Personally, I think this is what can make you or break you as a dealer. For the misely difference between a half and full tank, the customer drives out happy and comes back. I will contact ford about this tommorow and have a vent. Just can't believe the car wasn't clean and the tank wasn't full. What are peoples thoughts on this.
The car drives so well. It really wants that freeway. I find it drives best between 80-110p.h. My himbo moment was constantly pulling down the right leaver to turn the wipers on. Gonna take me a while to get used to it. Also, voice recognition is getting the best of me too. Will need to read up more.

[trumpy73]

Half a tank is 10l more than what I got.
Not cleaning is bad form though. This is why I NEVER pay for dealer delivery and any other stupid charge because I know full well with most dealers all they do is tick boxes without really checking anything. Happened to me with a brand new bike as well as the half-arsed job they did with my wife's Fiesta.
If you've negotiated waiving those bshit costs, at least you won't feel too cheated.

[vhcbm]

Congrats on the car.

Caydus the WS had a spare and kit so I don't know why they stopped it all in the WT, probably cost cutting and weight etc. Is the space under the floor there?

[Caydus]

As I understand it, it was only the WS Zetecs which carried the spare, and a space saver spare at that. Not a bycicle wheel style space saver mind you, just a slightly smaller wheel/tyre combo than the 4 regular road tyres.

The well can accomodate a full sized spare, however it sits a bit high and the boot floor sits on the spare instead.


Half a tank is pretty much the same as what I got. The interior was clean but the outside was a 10min job with a high pressure hose with no soap.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Caydus

As I understand it, it was only the WS Zetecs which carried the spare, and a space saver spare at that. Not a bycicle wheel style space saver mind you, just a slightly smaller wheel/tyre combo than the 4 regular road tyres.

The well can accomodate a full sized spare, however it sits a bit high and the boot floor sits on the spare instead.


Half a tank is pretty much the same as what I got. The interior was clean but the outside was a 10min job with a high pressure hose with no soap.

There are after market false floors available for some cars, they're made from polystyrene foam and lay over the top of the existing boot floor and raise it a few inches so a full sized spare can be used and the existing boot cover sits flat. I have seen them in some Jap cars, it wouldn't be that hard to design something suitable yourself if your handy like that

[Fiesta_Man69]

That's poor form by the dealer. Half a tank? How tight. Wouldn't go back there. I'd be using an independent mechanic for all your services - they are 60% cheaper than Ford and DO NOT void your warranty.

Just ask around in your local area and go to a mechanic who has been around for years and has a good rep - they're not hard to find. That way you can use the money you save to buy better oil/plugs/K&N filters etc and still come out on top.

Just contact Ford every 6 months or so and ask if they have any new PCM updates for your car and your nearest dealer is obliged to upgrade your ECU for FREE. I've done it several times already.

Price comparison - For 45K service Ford offered me a 'fixed' price service of $285 - oil and filter change only: mineral oil only too. My local mechanic charged me $80 labor - I bought synthetic oil and ryco filter for $60 - so cost me half price for superior products and installed by a mechanic who has run his own business for years - and has a vested interest in doing the best job possible, unlike the apprentice mechanic that you can often get at a Ford dealership.

[GoesLikeAZetec]

Unfortunately with the fuel situation unless you stipulate it before you sign up, they dont have to give you anything. Just a trap when your new to buying a new car and also believing the dealer will do the right thing by you.

We got them to write it on the condition of sale "full tank of fuel, free mats etc"

If they did nothing to clean the car, id ask for 1/2 the delivery fee back.

[In Focus]

I haven't had a full tank of petrol in a bought car since 1983. By the late 1990's, a voucher for $20 was the norm.

Besides, they'll throw in the cheap stuff, 91RON for petrol for example. I do agree, however, that it's not a big ask to clean the thing properly AND put a full tank in there.

Especially on a new car that you've spent $20k+ on.

[Caydus]

Originally Posted by Russ

There are after market false floors available for some cars, they're made from polystyrene foam and lay over the top of the existing boot floor and raise it a few inches so a full sized spare can be used and the existing boot cover sits flat. I have seen them in some Jap cars, it wouldn't be that hard to design something suitable yourself if your handy like that

Yea, shouldn't be too hard, I reckon I could probably cut up a piece of thick plywood for the boot flooring to sit on and shape some foam pieces to distribute the weight across the whole boot.
But meh, it only sits slightly above the steel floor and i dont carry anything excessively heavy in my boot.

[orli]

Thanks guys. I rang up ford today and they are calling me back in a couple of days to see what they can do. My uncle who I've been going to for years will service it after the first run in service. I will make sure they're aware that it's all part of the dealer delivery if they don't budge. On a good note, loving my diesel! But I'm being a bit meticulous! Can anyone recommend any mods to the car?

[vhcbm]

Originally Posted by Caydus

As I understand it, it was only the WS Zetecs which carried the spare, and a space saver spare at that..

No all of them did (maybe not the CL)

You can get the bicycle wheel one from Ford for the WT though.

[In Focus]

Any idea how much for the bicycle wheel for the WT? I'm looking at getting one for the Mrs' car.

[mik]

Originally Posted by 4.0i OHC

The diesel, to me, is worth every extra cent. Heaps more torque than the petrol. In my opinion, small cars such as the Focus and Fiesta are where diesel makes the most sense (can't really see the point of it in, say, a Territory). As well as this, I personally love the seat trim of the LX.
However, don't go for the diesel if you travel on motorways any less often than once every 2-3 weeks. In this case, if you do all your driving in the city, the extra torque will go unappreciated, and the fact that the petrol is quicker 0-100 might prove more useful. This isn't the case in your situation, so I definitely recommend the diesel.
Nice to see you're sticking with manual either way.

why would`nt you want to save 3 or 4 litres per 100k in your terri as well?

[orli]

Hi guys. I just completed my first full tank of diesel. I got 815 kms out of it with with an average of 4.2 ltr per 100 kms. I drove it to work every day in traffic and did a few country drives as well. Didn't use the cruise controll either as you're supposed to wait till after the vehicle has completed 3,000kms. I am really happy with the vehicle and noticed how effortlesly it climbs the hills, as was the case on my trip to Anglesea. I'm using Caltex Vortex and will stay on it as I've heard good reports. It's also pretty affordable for premium diesel.
All in all, a big thumbs up!

[Caydus]

Well diesel is a little more expensive per L than petrol, but you use much less of it which makes up for the price. There's better torque, which most city drivers want over high end peaky power (whether they realize it or not) and now considering how much better they've got at reducing the sounds diesel engines make and the smoke that comes out of it, it makes so much sense for any car in the city.