brum brum.

[Paddy]

Anybody know anything about cars? Preferably Ford (UK) ones?

[Rags]

You bet. You have a question?

Rags

[Paddy]

Here is car A: The Fiesta Finesse



"Fun and practical, it has all the benefits and driving characteristics you expect at an affordable price.
In addition, all Finesses are equipped with power steering, driver's airbag, immobiliser and body colour bumpers as standard."

A bog standard fiesta with a 1.3i engine. I could afford the metallic paint and CD-player with this one.

or here is car B: The Fiesta Zetec



(model in pic shown with optional metallic paint, which i cant afford

"The stylish Fiesta Zetec combines flexible power and smooth acceleration with stunning looks. White instrument dials set in a metallic grey facia confirm the refined sportiness of Zetec. Body-coloured tailgate spoiler and door mirrors add to the impression, while 14" alloy wheels and colour co-ordinated seat trims complete the picture."

Tarted up with a 16valve 1.25 engine.


---

Which one would you go for?

a: but with metallic paint and a CD-player

or

b: as is...


--edit--

UBB code!

[This message has been edited by Paddy [MU] (edited 17 January 2001).]

[Rags]

I would go for b, because it has a much better motor in it, and it's suspension is also better (not to mention it just looks nicer).

I never go for factory sound systems if I can avoid it, I prefer to make my sound systems in cars the way I like it

Rags

[Ant]

I thought the Fiesta was a girls car.

[Hunsow]

I know it is.

[dZeus]

Maybe his girlfriend wants one, and he can decide which of the two

[ayoub_ibrahim]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Ant:
I thought the Fiesta was a girls car.</font>

I'm sure Paddy would be only too pleased to take them out in it!
Seriously though Paddy, you should get the finesse even though the 1.25l twin cam zetec is a more modern & a better looking motor. Why am I saying this, you may ask?
Well, when you start using hospital car parks,something you'll have to do in the near future,,the vandals(too many of them around IMO) go for the nice cars with alloys & not the boring models, so if you take avoidance measures by getting the boring model, you'll be doing yourself a favour in the long run!
ps get one with a front heated screen!

[SCompRacer]

Now here is the classic question that has haunted man since the beginning of time...needs and wants.

Since I always lost those practical arguments, go with B.

SO how much more is the metallic paint?

[Gurm]

Err... what's your budget? Under no circumstances would I ever EVER buy anything from Ford other than a truck.

If you can't afford something European, at least buy something Japanese. Honestly, there's a reason it's called FORD:

(F)ound (O)n (R)oad (D)ead

And the FIESTA:

(F)ix (I)t (E)very (S)econd (T)uesday (A)gain

- Gurm

------------------
Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Paddy]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I thought the Fiesta was a girls car.</font>

Cheers Ant! What about the KA - know thats a girlie car! - Can you recommend anything better>

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">[get] the boring model, you'll be doing yourself a favor in the long run!</font>

I have to go fully comp anyway...I zetec is much more comfey inside...everything is height adjustable etc...

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">ps get one with a front heated screen!</font>

Out of my price range i'm afraid! I was up at 5:30 this morning scraping ice of my g/fs car!

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">SO how much more is the metallic paint?</font>

£250

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Err... what's your budget?</font>

~7.5K

---

I need to get a new car becauase i must have the free insurrance with it as the cheapist premiums are around £1.3K!

Gurm, I went for Ford because they give away 60% no-claims with every new car...

• Must be low insurrance - ie 6 at max
• Must be cheap
• must be nippy
• Must make me look hard infront of my mates
• Must come with free insurance etc...

Any ideas?

[ayoub_ibrahim]

Paddy, doesn't ford do an options plan whereby after a deposit & fixed monthly repayments you get the car for 2 years after which you either give the car back & walk away or buy the car outright with a final lump sum?
premium £1.3K is outrageous!

[Gurm]

Wow, yet another HUGE difference between car buying in the USA versus the UK.

If the insurance is that much of a big deal for y'all then you're pretty much stuck with the Ford, no?

Kinda sucks. Me personally, I'd spend US $5000 (what's that in pounds, about 3K?) and get a nice used BMW.

But that's just me. I'd rather drive a 15-year old Bimmer than a brand new... well anything else.

In fact, last summer I bought an 8 year old Bimmer instead of a brand new Japanese car. Around here, that works out to MUCH lower insurance, but I don't know about your situation.

And with Julie pregnant, you couldn't pay me enough money to let her ride in anything that wasn't crash proof.

I know I'm not going to gain any converts, but it's something to think about. My Bimmer has 125,000 miles on it and runs like it did new. I fully intend to put 300k on it before selling or trading it. Julie's Volvo has 100k and I intend to drive it for the next 20 years. Most Volvos make it 500k miles, and many make it a million.

Fords make it... oh... err... not that much. At 100k a Fiesta is a hurting little puppy.

Like I said, I'm not delusional. I know money reality. But for my hard-earned bucks, I'll take a used version of the best car in the world rather than a car that was only $10k new. Just my opinion.

- Gurm

------------------
Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Paddy]

I am having to borrow the money anyway, paying in installments just complicates things - it would be cheaper to buy it and get the free insurance.

So the consensus is:

The Zetec is a better car, but may draw unwanted attention to yourself.-right?

[spoogenet]

First off, I would buy anything with "finesse" in the name if I wanted to look "hard" in front of my mates. If I drove anything with "finesse" in the name, I would probably look more appropriate picking up potpourri and changing diapers.

Zetec sounds much more manly.

Really though, (F)ix (O)r (R)epair (D)aily cars aren't that great. Yeah, lots of people in the US buy them, and I still haven't figured that one out yet. However, I must admit, that the European models of Fords are much better than the US models. Wait a minute, the European models of all cars are better than the US models. That sucks dude....for the US.

How 'bout a used Mini? Or a Reliant Robin? Oh yeah, you'd be stylin in a Robin.

Especially with a fixed budget, I would definitely consider used cars more than new. Think of it as being "new to you." Not sure how the used market is in Europe, but generally if you shop around a bit in the US at least you'll be able to turn up a good car for a good price.

To wrap things up, "finesse" just doesn't have the zing to it that "zetec" does. Ford is notorious for naming cars poorly. In the US they have the "aspire," which is similar looking to the fiesta, although probably smaller. I figure it's aspiring to be a real car. I would drive it if it were free. (Note: I currently drive a POS, so that's pretty bad)

b