Like the fez because....

[morbo]

Sure it drives well and all that but after a few months of ownership there's some really small insignificant things that i like about the car:

- the rear wiper wipes when the front ones are on and the reverse gear is selected
- the can is small enough that you can fill up your car from the 'wrong' side of the bowser. no need for the urinal shake!
- the 'i am driving all by myself secretary' home safe lights that give enough time for me to stumble out of my car, enter the deactivate the alarm code for the house and fumble for my house keys to open the door to the house.

[kiwijohn42]

I like the lane change indicator.
Distance to empty & trip meter gives a good idea of economy as you're driving.
Interior lights stay on long enough for you to sort yourself out when you get in.
Seatbelt holders in the back makes putting the seat down easier.
Urinal shake??

[Ives]

It calls me by name.

[Danny]

Mine used to massage my nuts..... ONLY if I filled it with Mobil Synthetic...

[xurbanx]

Offtopic: Is there any way to get a trip computer/distance to empty component for the WP Fiestas?

I like mine because I've got a year and a half till I pay it off... and also because it's my first new car.

[photn]

I like mine cause it Saved my life....

but i wish the had TC......

apart from that, i loved the interior, i liked how you had that little secret compartment on the drivers side i liked how the bonnet release was on the opposite side... hmm not!

i liked it cause it was MINE, it was a good car, Fuel efficient, sleek, sexy, black and a pram!

[Ives]

It's definitely one of the better looking cars in the market today.

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by Ives

It's definitely one of the better looking cars in the market today.

Fiesta and the Punto... has a Maserati like nose.

I like my Fez because it
- can turn on a dime
- is efficient
- has surprising cargo space
- is solid built
- is safe and reliable and costs virtually nothing to keep on the road
AND
- it got me on the AFF forums

[goop]

Yep, there's some really cool and thoughtful things. I love the interior door handles, and how the car locks from the inside..... The lane-change thingo is cool too.

Photn, I think you mean a DSC-type dealie

[morbo]

Originally Posted by kiwijohn42

Urinal shake??

Yeah when you hold the petrol gun normally, there's a little bit of petrol left so i tend to shake what's left into the thank. Even if its two or three drops. EVERYTHING COUNTS!

When i fill up the car from the other side (i.e. fez to your left, bowser is to your right), the hose stretches over the car and I hold the bowser gun upside down so everything goes in. Ive always driven bigger cars so i never been any to do anything like that before.

Oh yes i forgot about the lane indicator changes. They're good too.

[Ives]

DSC is just as useful as emission figures on cars' spec sheets.

[Als_Zetec]

Originally Posted by morbo

Oh yes i forgot about the lane indicator changes. They're good too.

Am I missing something? It's cool having the indicator stalk on the LHS of the steering. I assume that's what people are referring to?

[ardei]

Originally Posted by Als_Zetec

Am I missing something? It's cool having the indicator stalk on the LHS of the steering. I assume that's what people are referring to?

On the WQ - you tap the indicator and it gives you three flashes in that direction for changing lanes and stuff.

WP isn't as fortunate.

I love the rear wiper thing as well - it's like a well trained dog!
I like the one touch windscreen wipe.
I like how everything (radio controls, gear stick, steering wheel) just feels so right and ergonomic. When I first sat in a Fiesta, I knew it was the car for me.
I like how safe and solid they are, and particularly that they're German built.

But there's a number of things that I dislike and they're just small design fault annoyances:

- The STUPID system where the jack is placed under the spare wheel, then the tow hook and the wrench attach to the jack using plastic clips, then you've got to thread through a long silly bolt to keep them in place. Took me 10mins to sort it out after getting a puncture.
- The windscreen wipers aren't set to Australian settings IMO. The Intermittent one is too slow (and you can't vary it). So you have to go one up and it's too fast!
- You can't fold the seats forward if you adjusted the front headrests up.
- The clock in the WP only works by pushing the button in and it goes by the minute FORWARDS only. So when it's daylight savings and you put the hour 1 back you have to go 23hours forward by each individual minute!
- It has 7 cupholders and only the ones in the back are really useful. The one in the centre is the worst. You put a bottle of water there and you can't get into 1st. In the LHD fez, the cupholder is near 5th though, so this is less of an annoyance on the LHD.
- I particularly hate how the dirty water runs down the side/back of the car when I use the squeejie (sp?) at the service stations to clean the windows. I have to then get paper towels and wipe it clean and then it leaves marks :togo: .

Overall though, I freaking love the car and so does anyone else that's driven it. They all come out saying they want one. And I know I've made the right choice. Plus when you're taking a corner at what would be looked upon as socially unacceptable, and the car comes out of it wanting to go even faster - then it's all worthwhile

[Ives]

Originally Posted by ardei

- It has 7 cupholders and only the ones in the back are really useful.

SEVEN?! man I dont know anything about the Fiesta then.

[Piotr]

[QUOTE=ardei]
- The windscreen wipers aren't set to Australian settings IMO. The Intermittent one is too slow (and you can't vary it). So you have to go one up and it's too fast!
QUOTE]

You can adjust the wiper intermittent speed. Turn it to the intermittent setting and then back to the off position and leave it for how long you want (Within a certain) the pause to be, then turn it back to intermittent and it will remember how long the pause is.

[kiwijohn42]

I see what you mean Morbo, I do that too.

[photn]

yer i figured that out after a while. sorta freaked me RIGHTOUT!

[ardei]

Originally Posted by Piotr

You can adjust the wiper intermittent speed. Turn it to the intermittent setting and then back to the off position and leave it for how long you want (Within a certain) the pause to be, then turn it back to intermittent and it will remember how long the pause is.

Cheers! I really need to get myself an owner's manual!

[photn]

You can have mine

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Ives

DSC is just as useful as emission figures on cars' spec sheets.

You're kidding, right?

[goop]

I didn't realize it was just the WQ with the little rotatey thingo to alter the wiper speed. I feel kinda spesh : shh xr4 owners

And though I get no use out of it at all, I like the funky light raisey whatsit too..... light goes up, light goes down, light goes up, light goes down.........

[Ives]

Originally Posted by Danny

You're kidding, right?

Im as serious as a heart attack.

[photn]

Originally Posted by Ives

Im as serious as a heart attack.

ohh i dunno.. they seem pretty silly to me. rofl.

[Steffo]

That WQ thing (3 blinker flashes with a tap) sounds annoying.

Originally Posted by ardei

- The STUPID system where the jack is placed under the spare wheel, then the tow hook and the wrench attach to the jack using plastic clips, then you've got to thread through a long silly bolt to keep them in place. Took me 10mins to sort it out after getting a puncture.

Yeah that super long screw thing was annoying. I took it out once to see the spare and never closed it again until I took it to a service and they did it... hahaha.

Originally Posted by ardei

- The clock in the WP only works by pushing the button in and it goes by the minute FORWARDS only. So when it's daylight savings and you put the hour 1 back you have to go 23hours forward by each individual minute!

If you hold down the button it will start to go up by minutes ultra superfast. But if you're aiming for a certaim time, its best to release it a little before... like say you want 5:30... I'd let it go at 5:00, the computer takes time to "hit the brakes," so to speak... so you'll end up at 5:10 then just do the rest one push at a time. And I agree, that clock used to me off to no end.

Originally Posted by ardei

- It has 7 cupholders and only the ones in the back are really useful. The one in the centre is the worst. You put a bottle of water there and you can't get into 1st. In the LHD fez, the cupholder is near 5th though, so this is less of an annoyance on the LHD.

Where did you count seven? I counted five... the one on the centre console, one in the driver's door, one in the passenger's door and one each in the little side thing in the rear passenger compartment. The one in the centre is one of the best cup holder's I've used personally, it fits the McDonald's XL coke (the really big one), one of the few I've ever used that does.... hahaha. Agree though, with a larger bottle in there, putting it in first is a bit of a task. The worst for me was 600mL Powerade... used to smash my finger into it without fail. :

[Danny]

Originally Posted by Ives

Im as serious as a heart attack.

So you can skillfully Brake individual wheels, and Retard engine speed to correct an impending and impromtu accidental slide BEFORE it happens? :

ESP isn't that Bad Ives! ;) Its a great "just in case" system.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Danny

So you can skillfully Brake individual wheels, and Retard engine speed to correct an impending and impromtu accidental slide BEFORE it happens? :

ESP isn't that Bad Ives! ;) Its a great "just in case" system.

Don't forget about modern, advanced types of ESP like in new Ferraris and Porsches that actually make even race drivers faster. That technology will eventually be passed on to "lowly," sports cars like the XR4, like everything else was.

[mitch_lx]

Originally Posted by Ives

DSC is just as useful as emission figures on cars' spec sheets.

I disagree and it would seem that you havent had an opportunity for this system to prove itself in a real world situation.

Slippery patches of road and moments where you push your car too hard brings this system in and makes sure that your car doesnt oversteer or understeer like Photn's.

Yank the steering wheel in the wet through a round about and see what happens in an XR4 fiesta with the ESP off... and then if the car is still in one piece try the same thing with the system turned on

[Danny]

Good Points Steffo and Mitch. I say, don't knock what you haven't tried

[photn]

ive felt the ESP kick in when i was riding with luc in his XR5T.. and DAMN! it really KICKS in!

I understand where ivan is coming from though.

If you are a good enough driver and alert and smart you shoudlnt need ESP.

But there will always be that moment that you are caught off guard and esp definately helps.

[mitch_lx]

Photn, what you probably felt was traction control, which is slightly different from ESP/DSC.

Traction control reduces wheel spin, on certain cars this system can be quite aggressive if you arnt smooth enough.

On my GTI if you release the clutch too quickly with too many revs it really kills power.
If your smooth and slip the clutch from 2,200 rpm gently then it absolutely takes off like a rocket and traction control doesnt kick in.

ESP controls sideways forces and is quite smooth in its operation, you cant have it be too rough through a corner otherwise it would potentially de stabilise the car even further. When ESP activates if feels almost like your driving through a very strong head wind, just buffers the feeling slightly. As danny mentioned, potentially serious collisions are avoided by a few simple blinks of the esp light in the dash.