Hey All,

Just want some opinions on the cars above and if anyone has any experience with them?

My other half currently owns a Clio Sport 172 but she has decided that maybe it's not the car for her after 4 month's of ownership.

We had a look at some cars that are top of her list over the weekend.

Fiesta ST or even Zetec S (Both from new)
Mini Cooper Chilli Pack (used)
Ibiza 20v t - NOT CUPRA - (used)

From a personal point of view I'd rather she went for a Mini. She's liked them from day one but seem as the prices are coming down etc I think she would be daft not to buy one.
However, there is a soft spot for the Ibiza 20v T that I think will be cheaper in the long run but will loose money a hell of a lot quicker when it comes to selling up again.

Can anyone enlighten me on any of them? Cost, ownership, build & safety etc.

Thanks
Steve

 

Both the Mini and Fiesta would be good choices. The Fiesta has a much roomier interior, and is quite good to drive. Mini is good fun, but too cramped for me (6'3 though!)

 

Remember the new mini is due out soon which may hammer used prices. Just a thought.

 

You don't say why she doesnt like the 172.

If its quality issues then I would say the mini. If its the driving experience she wont find better than clio with any of that lot.

 

Out of the 3, I'd go for the ST in Blue. The young lad in the office has just ordered one off the internet for £11k something. Buld quality of Fords are very good these days, and the exterior looks very nice IMO. Not the quickest about, but a very good car non the less.
As for the Mini, well, as said above, the new one is out soon, and to be honest I wouldn't buy the current Mini for one very good reason. The engine is cr@p. I read an article years ago when it first came out. An ex BMW engineer said that to cut costs to get the Mini to showrooms at a certain price, BMW handed engineers an old MG rover engine and told make it work. That little 1.6l engine weights the same as a Sierra Cosworth engine.
Only when the New Mini comes out, will it have a lighter engine in it. Even then, to reduce costs they've jointly developed the new mini engine with Peugeot.

 

The mini will loose the least value out of all of those cars as it is the most desireable - As has been pointed out though the new one is coming out soon so you could wait till it is released and bag a bargain from the old stock.

My Wife has a fiesta finnesse - The bottom of the range and I am well impressed to be honest - They are good cars but it is likely to depreciate more. Apparently the ST's are cracking cars.

 

Until the market is totally flooded with them. Just look at Subaru. Only a few years ago there was a waiting list on Turbos, STI's etc. Now look at Autotrader etc. Millions of them. You can't give them away.

They'll be ok for a few years yet, but it'll come

 

'The mini will loose the least value out of all of those cars as it is the most desireable'

Yep but prices are finally softening, not the cast iron residual it was (still better than most) but the new model is due which will affect prices a bit.

 

Why not a Cupra..?

 

Sorry should have said from the start.

The Ibiza that we we're looking had did not have a "cupra" badge but had the badges on the right hand side " 20v t" . It did have however the cupra r style wheels that you see on the Leon's.
Not up on the Seat range if I am honest. So it could well have been a Cupra?




I understand what your saying about the Mini and it will loose face once the new model is launched. But I fell that this will hold more value in say a years time when we go to sell the car on again.

Steve

 

Mini has the best looking interior compared to the other choices

 

I have to agree there.

I love the look of the dial (Speedo) in the centre and those little switches remind me of a racing car. I looks like it could be nice on a long drive too.

We are going to have another look this Saturday morning at all three maybe four.

I'd still rather the mini on maybe the "S" 17" alloys.

Steve

 

Nice interior, that's why I had a Cooper S. However, be warned about the S 17" alloys. The handling is better on the 16". If the 17"'s are running on run flats, then change the tyres.

 

The fiesta ST is a great drive and I would certainly buy one if I needed to sell the sti. But I don't, so I won't.

dipster

 

I'm running on run flats on 16" in my MCS,and had to get two front tyres,the garage said they would only put run flats back on and said BMW wouldn't service my car if they weren't run flats

 

the garage is talking bollox i have toyo proxs on my 17 mini split rims i replaced the runflats a long time ago and the car is still serviced by mini/bmw no probs

 

Spend the day test driving all of them if you can. Anyone one of them have pros and cons. Folks like Minis, hate Minis, like Fords, hate fords etc etc..... It boils down to one simple choice, personal preference. Go test drive and make up your own mind . The Wife has a Cooper S and loves it, I perferred the RX-8 she test drove but at the end of the day she wanted the Mini.

Good luck searching, Wolfie.

 

Thought the mini engine was a Chrysler engine? As for the facelift one,looks identical from what I have seen in mags.

Go for a cooper.Definately cheap now.Just to be difficult ask her to have a spin in the Fabia vRS.My wife did.Loved it,bought it,can't get her out of it now

 

My Dad's got a new Fiesta 1.6 16V and I can't believe how much fun it is to drive and how much room it has.

Not driven the ST but imagine it's more of the same.

The mini seems a big car with no room to me, not as good to drive as the Fiesta IMO.
Ibiza I haven't driven but my wife has a Fabia, good car but steering has no feel and handling is numb.

Cheers
Lee

 

it is a chrysler engine as for the face lift its only a few bits that will changeas far as i am aware and most of the pics at the moment are the good old auto car ones which are pump and usually photoshop

 

Why change the tyres? Would you like your other half to be stuck changing a wheel at the side of the road or waiting for the aa to come and do it,or just to be able to drive to a garage and get the tyre changed? Minis look great on 17s and handle great,anything smaller just looks like you couldn't afford to pay the extra when ordering new!

 

changed mine to non runflats as it handels better thats all and got a can of gunk in the boot if i get a flat

and even wrote a step by step guide for the missus