Fiesta ST's... whats to know?
- Thread starter Stormster
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
[TW]Fox;18135725 said:
Haha love the bird crap on it
Sadly there a lot of badly looked after STs out there, I looked at a couple of really really sheddy ones (that looked fine in the advert!) before buying mine!
EDIT: Looking at values on pistonheads I think the £6k trade in I was offered a couple of months back for mine (a 2006 car with 18k miles and a few modifications) was rather generous!
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The only 1*2 I'd really be interested in would be the Trophy, and I've said a few times before that I'd consider one if they dropped down to £5k. Well, it seems I shot myself in the foot there as they have - in fact there is one Cat D one for as little as £3500! So I have been doing a little reading.
But my take on it is that any Trophy at £5k is going to need those expensive Sachs dampers refurbishing - from what I've read nearly a £1k job with springs and adjusters.
For that £1k, you could buy some very capable coilovers for a 172/182 cup. So what are you left with? The seats which is part of the attraction to the Trophy for me actually - the 172 has horrible seats and a horrible driving position (I can only assume the 182 is the same) - something which the Recaros being 10mm lower would address, I'd have thought.
Ultimately you're paying a premium to have the Clio how it should be (minus a LSD
), but you still have the unreliability and build issues to contend with, as well as the pains of cam/aux belts etc. Beyond the above waffling, you see I'm not such a Renault hater, I do not subscribe to brand loyalty and I am certainly no fan boy.
Even stock the 182 is a brilliant car, Mike. I hate hatchbacks, I hate French cars and I hate 4 cylinder engines so they really must have done something right to get me praising them.
IMHO it's a better bet than the other junk you've got on your list, stuff that was great, back in the 1990's, but not after 15 years of worth of people have thrashed them to death.
IMHO it's a better bet than the other junk you've got on your list, stuff that was great, back in the 1990's, but not after 15 years of worth of people have thrashed them to death.
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I do not doubt this - the standard 182 just isn't "me".
Driving position is everything to me, I want to feel a bit special behind the wheel, not sat on top of it
Driving position is everything to me, I want to feel a bit special behind the wheel, not sat on top of it
Think that sums up my interest in them as noted earlier... just cheap cheap cheap and still decent inside and out aswell as being fun
pdw8, thats a fair old list of changes, makes the facelift a definite now, no prefacelifts after looking at that list. Is that all largely standard kit??
RSClio lets not lie to eachother, the Clio will break more, and thus cost more to run long term when you have to fix stuff
So what if it's a bit faster. I picked my Golf over a 1.8 or 2.0 Zetec Focus for the same money because it's faster. And...it's cost me, and took some of the fun away. I was looking at 172's seriously at the time of buying the Golf... and I ventured away from them due to reading expenses such as driveshafts, gearboxes, exhausts falling off, expensive belt changes and so on. I don't want to be paranoid about giving it abuse, which seems par for the course when you own a french car. The Ford reminds me of my old little Corsa Sport. Give it abuse and not worry about it and if something menial breaks it's a few quid to replace. Rather than the potential of common driveshafts and stuff breaking. I'm no expert but ultimately the Clio's look dated now and do nothing for me. However a 197.... 
but, well out of my price range.The Golf has cost me a lot in the time I've owned it however, so I guess I can eat my words a little bit, but I genuinely don't doubt the Ford would cost loads less to run and fix than the Clio 182 and even my Golf.
Running costs, simplicity to work on the car etc, in my opinion favour the Fiesta. I love Civic Type R's and all that stuff but as said earlier they're a step above and cost more to buy anyway. 5k would be prettttty damn close to my limit, I'm not minted.
But it's all good to discuss it
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Just to add to the thing about reliability and build quality of the Renault.
One of the ones that caught my eye was this one.
It is less than 5 years old with 40k miles and it has already required;
Two new calipers and carriers and ball joints at less than 40k? This is what I'm talking about.
My ST and I parted ways at 35k, and I gave it a very hard life on some very harsh roads and the only thing it ever required was a bloody rear ARB drop link. Everything else was original and it still felt as tight as, well, you know
One of the ones that caught my eye was this one.
It is less than 5 years old with 40k miles and it has already required;
Two new calipers and carriers and ball joints at less than 40k? This is what I'm talking about.
My ST and I parted ways at 35k, and I gave it a very hard life on some very harsh roads and the only thing it ever required was a bloody rear ARB drop link. Everything else was original and it still felt as tight as, well, you know
Yeah, my golf is due ball joints, wishbone bushes etc... but I was hoping if I can find a newer, lower milage car I can enjoy the sort of "newer car" ownership aspect without replacing everything straight away, which is what happened with my Golf lol. A 4 year old car would feel pretty new to someone like me...in theory anyway, providing it FEEL's new and behaves new.
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My replacement, near 5 year old 1.6 Focus feels just as tight as my <2 year old ST did, apart from a noisy steering rack which is being replaced under warranty (I doubt it is a common issue, though).
(I doubt it is a common issue, though).
Thats the kinda thing I wanna experience for a year or 18 months without having to replace stuff... I've had my Golf 17ish months now and it's had a new flywheel and clutch, cambelt, waterpump, thermostat, loads of stuff really too much to list... so you can gather what I've spent, which has taken the fun away from it being around 200BHP. Then of course the front end is now feeling a bit loose so more money needed... I'm tempted to just cut my losses and get a car I can feel I will enjoy if the new car experience does indeed last
I do not doubt this - the standard 182 just isn't "me".
Driving position is everything to me, I want to feel a bit special behind the wheel, not sat on top of it
Have you actually driven a 182 and then driven a trophy to compare it with?
Genuine question.
I do not doubt this - the standard 182 just isn't "me".
Driving position is everything to me, I want to feel a bit special behind the wheel, not sat on top of it
Which I guess is why you drive a Focus 1.6, and previously had a Vauxhall Corsa.
Seriously, the Trophy is excellent but you are acting as if it's a completely different car, when it isnt.
Soldato
Some gear boxes go pop on the ST, it's a bit of a random thing which seems down to pure bad luck rather than anything else. I've heard of them going on standard cars yet cars with 300bhp odd have no issues, etc.
I've had mine for a year and a half and had no issues. I'd get a face lift though, the interior is much nicer than the pre-facelift.
I've had mine for a year and a half and had no issues. I'd get a face lift though, the interior is much nicer than the pre-facelift.
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[TW]Fox;18138190 said:
Actually, the driving position in the VXR wasn't bad - OK it wasn't on coupé level, but it was decent with a lovely supportive seat.
I've driven a 172, and wasn't too keen - although the seat/driving position ruined a lot of it for me, which is why you'll hear me driving on about it so much.
Edit: If I went this route - I'd be sure to test a 182 as well
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Yess please test a 182! Make sure it is the full fat version. You will not be disappointed guaranteed !!!
Not sure why people nock the driving position? It's a strange one as I never really notice why? Just feels like anyother car for me. The steeing is superb on the 182s so much feedback, the newer clios don't have this somewhat, its more assisted.
You can get a mint 182 FF with all the belts done for £4K on a private sale, I cant see really how you cannot resist! There wont be much more £££ for it to go wrong. Certainly no more than any other motor. They all have bits that can fail.
!!!Not sure why people nock the driving position? It's a strange one as I never really notice why? Just feels like anyother car for me. The steeing is superb on the 182s so much feedback, the newer clios don't have this somewhat, its more assisted.
You can get a mint 182 FF with all the belts done for £4K on a private sale, I cant see really how you cannot resist! There wont be much more £££ for it to go wrong. Certainly no more than any other motor. They all have bits that can fail.
RSClio lets not lie to eachother, the Clio will break more, and thus cost more to run long term when you have to fix stuff
But it's all good to discuss it
How will the clio break more? I have owned mine for a while now and the only part I have bought is an Miltek exhaust (£400) and 4 new tyres (£400) Nothing has broken, passed the MOT. The only issue I have is the Engine light on due to the cat being removed. It has being flawless. The engine loves to be revved and has not put a foot wrong. Take it steady and you will get 36MPG on a good run. Middle 20s if you take it for a blast down a B road.
A 182 looks dated? I'm not sure about that one
Just to add to the thing about reliability and build quality of the Renault.
One of the ones that caught my eye was this one.
It is less than 5 years old with 40k miles and it has already required;
Two new calipers and carriers and ball joints at less than 40k? This is what I'm talking about.
My ST and I parted ways at 35k, and I gave it a very hard life on some very harsh roads and the only thing it ever required was a bloody rear ARB drop link. Everything else was original and it still felt as tight as, well, you know
See above. You have picked one cherry out of a bunch and its a bad one! Just like any other car.
Soldato
Are you really trying to argue that a Renault Clio is a more reliable car than a Ford Fiesta?
Are you really trying to argue that a Renault Clio is a more reliable car than a Ford Fiesta?
Erm, yes and no! Parts will be around the same costs. Breaks, pads, oil etc the common servicable parts. I can't see how a Fiesta will be much more relaible? Does the Clio have somesort of supercar running costs? No they dont. Yes a Fiesta may be ore reliable, but how much so? Please do explain.
Both cars can break and will do at some point. Its how well you maintain and look after the car. Abuse and treat a Clio sport and yes it will fall to bits.