Modifying my car...

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Im looking at adding a few things to my car, basically it's the standard 53 plate ford fiesta finesse 1.3.

Now im wanting to add a few things to it, but ofc trying to not make it look chavvy :p so don't worry I don't want to put a fat exhaust on it, or lexus lights etc. I don't really like the plastic bottom parts at the bottom of the front and rear bumper. I like say for example the zetec sports front and rear bumper. Any suggestions?

Second of all, looking for alloys, I'll post a picture of what the car looks like below, but I need a decent set of alloys, I like the standard Ford's ones, but any recommendations? even alloys from other cars that would look nice, not looking for complete chav sized alloys etc, not thinking of lowering it or anything like that. Any suggestions?

(Same car as this but mine is 3dr, same colour as that, and you can clearly see what I mean by the plastic thats on the front bumper.

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Get that 1.3 engine out of it pronto. I wouldn't spend any money modifying a car with that joke of an engine.

Haha, im not looking to have a bigger engine, im not a mechanic, im not mechanically minded. When I come to get a new car next year I'll get a car with a bigger engine for insurance purposes.

I just want to change a few things like make it look more presentable if you like? im not looking to put the lexus lights, fat exhausts, decals, spoilers etc etc, nothing like that.
 
Get that 1.3 engine out of it pronto. I wouldn't spend any money modifying a car with that joke of an engine.

So what bhp does a car need to make before you change the alloys in your eyes?

Fairly sure a 1.3 for a small hatch is perfectly suited, as well- I guess Ford have looked into it. The things the OP is looking into sound like fairly tasteful mods too. IE ford bumpers / alloys.
 
So what bhp does a car need to make before you change the alloys in your eyes?

Fairly sure a 1.3 for a small hatch is perfectly suited, as well- I guess Ford have looked into it. The things the OP is looking into sound like fairly tasteful mods too. IE ford bumpers / alloys.

Well put it this way, the engine in that car has been about in various guises for half a century. It's a very poor engine by todays standards.
 
Well put it this way, the engine in that car has been about in various guises for half a century. It's a very poor engine by todays standards.

The engine will do. I do quite a bit of mileage, I don't have the cash to pay for excessive insurance, im 19, only just been driving for a year. And combined with petrol costs, road tax, mot's and servicing it's not to bad money wise. I will get a bigger engined car once I start my new job at the end of the month and save some money, until then back to the original post.
 
I'm not telling you to go out and buy a massive engine for it. The 1.3 engine is pants, the 1.25 is much much better and is the same to run and only costs a tiny bit more on the insurance. A Zetec S bodykit and wheels would look smart.

If it was me I'd be looking to replace it with a Zetec engined Fiesta.
 
Can people stop talking about the engine, that's not what he asked!

I'm no expert, but my opinion would be changing the front/rear bumpers for colour coded alternatives from a higher model would look a lot better, and you'd probably have to also take care of the mirrors and that bit of trim along the doors on the side (if the 3dr has that).

In terms of alloys, most aftermarket stuff would look chavvy on that car, so perhaps try and pick up some ford alloys that fit from a fiesta or another model if possible.

*However*, if it were my car, I wouldn't bother. I wouldn't see much point in making it look any different than what it is, especially as you're around my age (young!) and there'll be plenty of time to get nicer cars someday! Use the money to take a girl out for dinner or something! Though it's not my car, it's yours.
 
If you're buying a new car within a year or so why not save the money to go towards that? A Fiesta is never going to look anything other than dull imo.

Having said that, if you're intent on modifying it I'd put some ST stuff on it (bodykit and alloys).
 
Fair point janesy, im not sure if it is the 1.25 in it :P. but then again it's not the zetec. Fair point on the engine though and I take it into account.

Yeah the Zetec S body kit is nice but what kind of cost am I looking at and I don't suppose the breakers would have any kicking about due to the age of the cars? thx
 
If you're buying a new car within a year or so why not save the money to go towards that? A Fiesta is never going to look anything other than dull imo.

Having said that, if you're intent on modifying it I'd put some ST stuff on it (bodykit and alloys).

Well saying that my next car I would like would either be the Zetec S or the ST. Again insurance is dire on the ST, well both tbh, but Zetec S won't be as harsh.

And to add to that I don't know where im going to be within a year but if I get this job im supposed to be getting then I would be able to just chuck the insurance on fianance, it will probly be about 2k if so.
 
Well the ones in breakers have mostly been crashed into trees by chavs so many body parts will be broken.

I reckon the £600 or so to do the proposed upgrades could easily cover the upgrade to a better model with a 1.25 engine, full body coloured bumpers and alloys and the extra insurance.

At the end of it you'll have a nicer looking car with the added bonus of having a sweet little engine.
 
Save your cash, there is no way you could get that looking any better.

Keep it as it is, possibly add a bit of an upgrade in the sound, but apart from that just enjoy driving, then save for a better car!

Also you may find that by modding it the insurance will be more expensive than that of the zs or st anyway!
 
Don't mess around with it if you're likely change the car next year. Modifying will put off far more buyers than it would attract, and your basically chucking money away as you'll never make the costs back when you sell. Save your money and buy a nicer next car.
 
I agree that adding mods is not going to help you come sale time..

You could clean it up a bit..

- Colour Code lower front bumper
- Get some multispoke Zetec S style wheels
- possibly small Zetec S roof spoiler
- (very optionally)get the newer lights and fogs..

That's about all I'd consider.. and you can sell the wheels afterwards when you sell the car..

Ignore the 1.25 engine comments, it's still a pants engine, it may be better then the 1.3, but at close to 14 seconds to 60 and just pushing 100MPH it's still very slow. Of course if you bought a new fiesta and could only get the 1.3/1.25 on insurance grounds etc, the 1.25 is preferable, but it's not 'good' by any stretch of the imagination..
 
Ignore the 1.25 engine comments, it's still a pants engine, it may be better then the 1.3, but at close to 14 seconds to 60 and just pushing 100MPH it's still very slow. Of course if you bought a new fiesta and could only get the 1.3/1.25 on insurance grounds etc, the 1.25 is preferable, but it's not 'good' by any stretch of the imagination..

This.
 
i'd just put the money into savings tbh :)

it's dead money spending it on that mate, just be pleased with a reliable car that gets you from a>b
 
So an Aluminium Twin Cam 16v engine isn't going to be any better than a 50 year old 8v OHV engine made out of pig iron and tappets made out of fudge? I sold a 1.3 Escort and replaced it with a 1.4 Fiesta and I can actually go up hills without having to jam it in 1st and rev the nuts out of it.

Obviously if he's planning to change I wouldn't bother spending ANY money but suggesting a better model with better spec and a better engine is not silly by any stretch of the imagination. I'd rather buy a better model then waste money turning the car into something it isn't and then try and sell the thing with all the mods and try and claw some of the money wasted.
 
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Ignore the 1.25 engine comments, it's still a pants engine, it may be better then the 1.3, but at close to 14 seconds to 60 and just pushing 100MPH it's still very slow. Of course if you bought a new fiesta and could only get the 1.3/1.25 on insurance grounds etc, the 1.25 is preferable, but it's not 'good' by any stretch of the imagination..

The 1.3 can trace it's roots back over 50 years and is rattly as a bag of bolts in a washing machine. The 1.25 is a development of the Yamaha design that arrived in the late 90s. Huge difference. K, so it's only a 1.25 and isn't going to set your pants on fire, but it's a very capable engine.
 
Obviously if he's planning to change I wouldn't bother spending ANY money but suggesting a better model with better spec and a better engine is not silly by any stretch of the imagination. I'd rather buy a better model then waste money turning the car into something it isn't and then try and sell the thing with all the mods and try and claw some of the money wasted.

Turning it into something it isn't? What, like a rocking 1.25! :p

Not really a worthwhile upgrade in terms of hassle compared to popping a couple bumpers on and changing some alloys over.

I'm sure the 1.25 is a better engine, but lets not get too carried away.
 
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