Ascertaining the build date of a new Fiesta?

Montala

Montala

Montala

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Herefordshire (U.K.)
My first post in here, so please be gentle with me! ;)

I would like to find out the build date of a new Ford Fiesta Zetec I am about to buy.

It is not actually in this country at the moment, but is being shipped over from Belgium by a Ford main dealer, so I haven't seen any paperwork for it yet.

Would the dealer have access to the VIN of the car in advance, and if so can the build date be ascertained from this, or will we have to wait until it actually arrives in the showroom, as it were?

The reason for my enquiry is that I understand some changes were made to the new 2013 models early in January, and I would like to be sure that the vehicle I am buying is one of those.

Thanks.
 
The dealer might be able to give you a copy of the factory order confirmation and production schedule. I got this when I bought a new Golf a few years ago. They told me when they expected to start production for my car.

If they won't help then threaten to cancel your order :p.
 
Thanks for the two quick replies, but just to clarify the position I do know that manufacture of the so called 2013 models with the new grille actually started back in November 2012.

This particular model has already been built, and as I said earlier is now on its way over here from Belgium.

I do however understand that some changes (the exact details of which I am currently unaware) were made during the first week of January 2013, and I am therefore interested to ascertain, before I finally commit myself to the purchase, whether it was actually built before or after this date.

I do not know whether this type of information can be obtained from the VIN (once I know it) or not... although I am sure someone on here does!

I am sure the dealer will be willing to give me whatever information he has, but if the vehicle is not actually in his possession yet, then how much would that actually be?
 
If it has a registration number or the VIN then you can stick any recent Ford model in and find out here:
http://www.etis.ford.com/

But I'm guessing as it has not arrived in the UK yet, it'll probably not been registered yet?
 
Indeed, it has been made, (I would like to know when) but didn't have a buyer, and I am now (probably) buying it. It does however have one of the new 1.0 80PS engines.

It has not arrived in the UK yet, and (assuming that I do buy it) the intention is that it will be registered on 1st March on a 13 plate.
 
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The OP knows it's a facelift, he is trying to figure out if this specific car has had whatever the update / changes were that were made to those produced in Jan 13 on.

Your dealer should be able to find this out but as said above you might need to wait till it's in the UK. Only way to find out is to call them and give them a bit of a push on it.
 
geuben said:
The 1.0 80PS engine isn't one of the ecoboost ones
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's true, will check

Edit: no, you're right enough it's not. That's a reasonable output for a na 1.0 but it's hard to look by the 1.0t, will be a much better little car - i found the zetec S diesel unbearable an 80ps petrol will be much, much worse
 
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I had read that models with the 100PS engine are probably a better buy, but £600 is quite a bit extra, and as it will be driven solely by my wife, (think Helen Mirren, rather than Daisy Duke!) on her own for the majority of the time, I am sure she will find the performance at least equal to that of the Ford Ka she has been happily driving for the last 12 years!

She has owned it since new but we have decided to get rid of it now, before suddenly being saddled with an unexpected, and possibly high, bill for something or other!
 
It will only be used as a second car (I have a Freelander), but she does like to be independent, and I think that after 12 years she deserves a nice shiny new car!
 
Completely your choice, but you might want to take a step back and have a think about some of the info that's been given above. For £600 now you could potentially have a car that's worth more than £600 over the equivalent non turbo in say 5 years time. It'll probably be at least as good on fuel, doubt insurance will make any difference and it will be a bit nicer to drive.

£600 is also only what a couple of percent more given the cost of the car for a far more desirable model?

Appreciate your wife has been driving a Ka but remember that is a bit smaller
 
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She may well keep it for another 10 years or so, as she has done with previous cars, but I do take on board the points made in the above posts, for which I thank those who have contributed.

One of the attractions of the smaller engined Fiesta was the 19.5% discount I had managed to negotiate though!
 
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