Due to many problems I have had with my car 1.4mpi I am always thinking about trading it in and the garage I bought it from always said he would take it back off me without any problems and try and do the best deal he could for me knowing I am not entirley happy. With the MOT due in the next couple of month and my suspoension creeking, the steering playing up and a few other minor things I might see if he is true to his word as he has two cars in I quite like the look of. So I was just wondering if anyone had any opinions on the below cars.

Fiat Punto Active 5 door 2002 Reg 44,000 miles - £3295

Ford Fiesta 1.4 ztec 2002 Reg - £4295

The Fiat is much more in my price range and I know it will be brilliant on fuel economy which is the main reason I want rid of my Fabia 1.4 as I can't seem to get better than 25mpg round town. However reading the reviews they say they are known for powersteering, gasket and suspension problems which is pretty much the same as my Fabia so will I be really gaining apart from the fuel economy?

However I know a number of people who have Puntos and they have never seen the inside of a garage and they rave about them.

Secondly the Fiesta I would have to stretch myself a bit but maybe it would be worth it for a hopefuly more reliable car. It is a 1.4 so fuel economy wouldn't be that great maybe about 32mpg round town but I would hope it wouldn't cause to many problems and from what I can tell they are so simply made any problems can be dealt with at a local backstreet garage.

As things stand I probably favour the fiesta more depending on the mileage it has done and what deal I can get for my Fabia.

Does anyone have any experience weither either make?

I just need a half decent run around for mainly town driving so I am not to bothered about performance etc Although I do spend an hour and ahalf a day sat in traffic with my foot on the clutch so something which is economical and has a good cluth (whivh I believe the Punto doesn't have) would be great.

I know I am thinking of leaving the Skoda family and you may want me to burn in hell but any advice would be much appreciated.

Not sure if you've thought of this, as i know you're not fussy about a performance car.

But there's a white Octy vRS in the classifieds for aroudn £3300 (ish) i think.

And that would get you more than 25mpg in town !!

http://briskoda.net/forums/skoda-cars-sale-others/02-plate-octavia-vrs-4-sale-3300-a/104618/

hi there, before i bought the vrs, i had a audi a4 and before that 3 fiats, 1 punto and 2 stilos. all i can say is im never buying another fiat again, if you want trouble free motoring dont get a fiat. the suspension constantly creaked and failed in every one i owned, also the old "fiat electrics" is not a myth, they are terrible, i never had a day of owning a fiat when i thought the car was completly fine, there was always something i could hear rattling, knocking or beeping.

having said this all cars are different and im sure you could get a perfectly fine fiat and it will run for a long time but beware the general rule is skoda are much more reliable than fiat.

one thing though fiat engines are fantastic, very revvy lots of guts and fun for a small engine (i had the 1.2). however the stilos were both turbo diesels and dont come anywhere near the vrs's tdi for economy, refinement or pace.

cant comment on the ford im affraid, why not look at a yaris or a micra, they are bullit proof and probably within your price range, hope you find what you are after for the right price.

hope this helps:thumbup:

neil

having said this all cars are different and im sure you could get a perfectly fine fiat and it will run for a long time but beware the general rule is skoda are much more reliable than fiat.

I must be the exception that disproves the rule then Fiat build quality and reliability has come on in leaps and bounds in the last few years and of the people I know with them, not one has had to go back to the dealership to get things fixed. The same can't be said for the people I know (or my own personal experience) with Skodas!

Honest John is a good resource for known problems with specific models, but not always up to date. Of the two, I'd probably pick the Fiesta as I know that servicing and parts are dirt cheap and plentiful, but I'd agree that looking at Japanese offerings is worth doing too. Our fleet of last-shaped Micras all racked up 100k miles with only routine servicing.

Chris

chris, i think your right about the newer fiats, they seem to have changed for the better, your panda for instance gets rave reviews from everyone ive seen review it. its just that older ones aren't generally reliable, i suppose im a little burnt which explains my previuos post, id love to get another one as i loved all 3 to bits but i just cant, mayber the future of fiat will change my mind. also i suppose if it's under a fiat warranty then who cares, but as the thread opener is after an older one i feel he should tread carefully.

my opinion of course:thumbup:

neil

I know a few people with Fiesta's and all of them have had problems when the cars got past 3yr. Some small niggly problems some quite serious.

I don't know anyone with the newer generation of Fiats. It'll take quite a lot to rid themselves of the stigma of Italian 'build quality'.

Neighbour has had a couple of Toyotas (Yaris and Corolla) they've had no problems with the car that were not caused by dealer incompetence. every time they've had a problem it's been an overtightened something, or a misaligned something.

SWMBOs car has had several Micras. She thinks the one she had 2 cars ago saved her life when she was in a big pile up. Micro got hit very hard front and read with only the passenger compartment left. She got off with seatbelt burns.

I've heard rumours that the built quality has gone down since Renault took over but I've nothing to back that up.

I'd avoid used French cars.

Yaris or the Aygo would be a good bet for something cheap, economical but tough.

I'd avoid used French cars.

Me to I had a 106 it was a nightmare or I thought it was until I got a Fabia. I used to go through exhausts for fun and the garage told me it was the same with a lot of the french cars.

What wre the problems with the Fiesta's? the only worrying thing I can find with them is that the pannel can stop working which sounds a bit serious.

Fiat - from the Punto I had, no problems at all till you start to go above 50k and more than 5 years. The heater matrix rots and leaks and means the front dash/steering wheel has to be removed to get at it. The head gasket was an issue with first gen puntos especially with 8v FIRE engine version. Not heard anything about the later models. Suspension - like any other car especially on our sort roads after years of use. Punto active watch out for Friday afternoon ones - gearbox and clutch problems, also bad fitting of doors.

Fiesta - know someone who has a 1.4 petrol, same age. No problems so far. You may like the idea of a quick clear windscreen but it's more expensive to replace. You will take a hit though with road tax on the 1.4 thanks to this goverment's obsession with CO2.

Both cars cheap spares and servicing.

1.4 litre 'Durashift' automatied clutch manuals prone to losing 'drive'.

"M Module and gear actuators of 1.4 'Durashift' automated manual prone to failure after 4 - 5 years and replacement likely to cost £1,500. "

"The weld seam securing the brake unit mounting plate to the rear axle may not be to specification on a small number of vehicles. Check the production date code and replace the axle where necessary"

Is anyone able to tell em what they mean I found them on honest John.

Thanks

Durashift is probably like a lot of "autos" in small cars - because of cost and space, instead of a conventional auto box, they fit a manual gearbox and clutch with motors and linkages etc which in effect do what you would normally do in a manual car. I did read somewhere that one manufacturer used the motors from a household appliance in there "auto" box.

Durashift is probably like a lot of "autos" in small cars - because of cost and space, instead of a conventional auto box, they fit a manual gearbox and clutch with motors and linkages etc which in effect do what you would normally do in a manual car. I did read somewhere that one manufacturer used the motors from a household appliance in there "auto" box.

So is that a automated system on the manual car or a automatic car with manual pieces in.

I'm confussed :confused:

So is that a automated system on the manual car or a automatic car with manual pieces in.

I'm confussed :confused:

As a driver, it appears to be an automatic - it's just how the automatic box is implemented is different. If you buy a manual car you shouldn't be affected

Chris

As a driver, it appears to be an automatic - it's just how the automatic box is implemented is different. If you buy a manual car you shouldn't be affected

Chris

Just what I want to hear

Thanks

You may like the idea of a quick clear windscreen but it's more expensive to replace.

Unless it's changed from when I had my Focus with quick clear there is no penalty. I asked specifically about that when I was getting ins quotes for it. My Renault was the same and it was heat reflective with light and rain sensors.

You'd be right if you've not got windscreen cover.

Unless it's changed from when I had my Focus with quick clear there is no penalty. I asked specifically about that when I was getting ins quotes for it. My Renault was the same and it was heat reflective with light and rain sensors.

Yeah that's what I found too. While the screen is more expensive, the insurance excess doesn't appear to change.

Chris

Oh well the fiesta had done 70,000 miles so I ruled that one out and was still not convinced about punto reliability after reading the reviews so I went for a corsa.

51 plate, 46,000 miles, 1.0litre engine

As all my driving is mainly done round town the 1litre engine should just be what I need and should give me 40mpg instead of the 25-28 I get at the moment with my fabia.

The only worry is that there have been reports of steering rack faliures on them which could be a nightmare. Although saying that most car reviews especially fiat and Skoda also have known power steering problems so I suppose it's just one of those things.

The 1 litre engine will easily manage 40mpg and you'll probably be looking at 50mpg or more. I drove a V-reg one and was quite surprised how refined the car was considering it was missing a cylinder

Enjoy

Chris

Cheers

Hopefully I will have more luck with this one but with my curse I doubt it lol

Even if things do need replacing on it even the rack I am hoping the vauxhall engine should be pretty reliable and keep going for a pretty long time.

The corsa is a good car and the engine is nippy, I test drove one for a laugh back in the summer before I bought the fabia when myself and SWMBO were looking around at another car to replace the focus, quite a nippy car in 1.0 form but the dealer was not playing ball with me for a trade in price on the focus, so I walked.

I had considered a fabia and a new one as well (mark two), as well as a diesel focus but it was SWMBO's brother who told me to get the vRS for fun and economy.

I am sure your corsa will provide endless amount of fun and the ecotec engine is a good unit as well.