Fez now on the bay pg3

[wackywacerwill]

Just been offered first dibs on my elderly neighbours '89 fiesta. I never seen the car as he keeps it in a garage up the road and only drives on sundays so it could be a mk2(hopefully) or a 3 (still would). He's owned it since new and done a grand total of 33 thousand miles I think it's blue and am told needs rear arch attention, I'll know more when I have a butchers this afternoon.

Thing is, where am I going to hide it from 'er indoors?... suppose he won't need his garage any more either, oh my broken wallet! Still, just been paid so have the month to find cash and head off the tail end of the overdraft.

 

Hoping it looks like this in that tasty invalid blue hue.

 

Should I buy it regardless of not needing another car? It needs to be cheap otherwise I really can't.

 

Of course I'll pass it over to fellow shiters If it's a no go for me but can see it being a great daily wearing the slot mags I have in the garage

[SambaS]

There's a blue mk2 just like that abandoned near me I keep trying to catch the owner, I would love it

[wackywacerwill]

My mum had a Mk2 on a E plate I used to borrow when she was out so there's sentimental value their too...

[Cavcraft]

Of course you should buy it! Prefer the Mk3 myself but a Mk2 would do.

[wackywacerwill]

Well, it's a early Mk3 in moonstone grey. Grot on the rear arch in time honoured style though fairly rust free mostly with just a few spots around the front mudflaps and on the valance. Clutch did that squalky thing they do though that will surely be lack of use/giffer clutch ride? Hard use will fix it one way or another that's for sure! Engine sounds sweet and the mileage is in fact 55 so higher but still low for a 20 year old car.

Some (rubbish) pics

Been kept in this garage since new, he's owned the garage since the 70's and lived in my block since it was built in '66

 

Didn't manage to get a shot of the front, too busy shouting into his hearing aid.

 

Off to phone my insurance now to see what's the best way to do it. I'm thinking I'll daily it for a bit and see how it goes from there

[Shep Shepherd]

I had a three door G-reg 1.1LX in Magenta Red as my first car

[Split_Pin]

I'd totally take your neighbour up on his offer of that one! I love the colour too.

I remember driving Mum_L's 4 speeder 1.1 'Fresco' edition on a J plate when I was 17's. Super little car, nippy and comfy (cramped in the back) and would willingly do a wheelie on request. All my mates with their parent's later spi-equipped 1.1 Fiestas LOLZ'ed at my manual choke though.

[Cavcraft]

Buy it. Don't even think about no doing so. Go round immediately with the money. Do not even think about not doing so.

[R9UKE]

^ spiffing advice. It looks class.

[trigger]

That looks great!, I've had a couple of Mk3's, a L reg 1.3 Ghia and a H reg 1.0 Bonus and both of them were good cars if a bit slow, 1.1 will be dog shit cheap to insure and run as well.

 

What kind of money has he asked for it?.

[cobblers]

My Nan rocks one of these, only it's nowhere near as sweet at this. It's been mega reliable and has only needed an exhaust downpipe replaced and a vacuum pipe clipping back on under the carb in 7 years. It's never been serviced in that time either, she usually just turns up at my house when the oil light starts coming on around corners and I just tip in the dregs of a few bottles of whatever oil I've had left from servicing my own motors and that's it set for about 12 months, when it invariably passes the MOT with an advisory for rusty brake disks and perished tyres.

 

They don't do a lot for me really as far as shite stakes go (I ran one when I was about 18 which was only 8 years ago) but if you need a decent daily then it'll be ideal, just don't let it get bummed by joyriders cos they are easy to get into (bend the door down in seconds)

[RoadworkUK]

Oh, it's glorious! Reminds me of being nine, and marvelling about the fact that the LX had a little optional centre console with switches for electric front windows and tailgate release! Heady days.

 

Buy that motherfucker immediately.

[trigger]

i still remember being 9 and standing in Kelvedon high street with my mum and seeing one of the these for the first time in 1989, i remember it being a F reg and red and looking fantastic.

[greengartside]

Buy this now! It will NEVER go wrong. I had a 1.1 Mk3 and it still carried on, despite regularly driving it with minimal oil and no servicing at all.

[Mash]

These always remind me of my HOT English teacher, I remember she was on about getting a new car one day in class and I mentioned the new Fiesta was coming out, showed her a copy of Autocar the next day. I was only 13 so didn't get any extra curricular bonuses.

 

Did I mention she was totally hot?

[Cavcraft]

I remember being 47 and standing in DatestampGarage Street with my son and seeing this one for the first time in 2011. I remember it being a K reg and blue and looking fantastic.

 

[eddyramrod]

Billy!

 

And yes, definitely buy it. Even if the Finance Director does turn up her nose, it shouldn't be too tough to punt on to somebody here, we always want cheap dailies!

[wackywacerwill]

Cheers chaps, knew you could be relied upon. Mash reminding me of a fit maths teacher and secondary school having one sealed the deal.

 

It's as good as mine, full report coming soon.

[wackywacerwill]

 

Don't really need another car but that's no real reason to not buy it. Small engined cars are good fun to drive and since selling the 205 there is a gap in the fleet, might need to shift a bike or two to sort the finances but the fez will be burning up that tank of fuel tomorrow afternoon

[wackywacerwill]

More than a bit jealous of your rear arch there

 

It's here, 100 miles done in the last few days and what a cracker it is too, phone cam does it no justice.

 

 

 

After sitting as a passenger for my neighbours last spin before he hangs up his driving gloves I can safely say that the world is now a safer place. Gawd nose how he did 55k without spanking it up big style, can see why the clutch grumbles too! Top bloke though and obviously looked after the little ford, all but one stamp missing from the book, spare oil, plugs and fan belt in the boot along with HBOL and a socket set (he kept the tartan blanket).

 

Have given it a wash, wax and fluid check followed by a merciless thrashing down the A2 to clear out the cobwebs of which there were a few. Used around the doors today and all seems well, must recheck (and change) the oil at some point soon. Clutch is liveable and doesn't slip under load, just that arch that needs cutting out really.

 

Not doing anything unessential to this one as my time should be better spent getting the other ford back on 4 wheels, just going to enjoy the new car novelty and see how I feel about it in a few months.

 

Small cars are great, this one handles worst than the 205 but feels less basic in every way. Not sure how that will work out long term but we'll see, for now I like it a lot.

[Albert Ross]

Seeing as it has the factory sunroof, watch the outer sills for corrosion under the root of the B pillars. They tend to get a touch flaky, a trait handed on to the successive model. Nice looking car. Well Jell.

[wackywacerwill]

Seeing as it has the factory sunroof, watch the outer sills for corrosion under the root of the B pillars. They tend to get a touch flaky, a trait handed on to the successive model. Nice looking car. Well Jell.

 

Ta, will do. All looks solid other than 1 x rear arch and it does seems dry inside but then again has been garaged all it's life so we'll see. As soon as this pissing rain eases up I'll crawl underneath for a full assessment.

[barefoot]

I'm struggling to get excited about that,

but I had one as a company car many years ago & it was a shite company.

[cms206]

Bloody excellent buy - never owned one but did a few miles in an M-reg 1.1i and it was bloody good fun, in a not entirely fun miserable sort of way.

[eddyramrod]

Have to agree, that does look like a good buy. Is Mrs impressed? Or at least, prepared to tolerate it?

[Morgan84]

Very nice little car,and very tidy.Slap loads of waxoil under the arches and behind the front and rear valences where they do rot out. Get it well rust proofed and it will last for donkeys years

[Craig the Princess]

Always liked those in a not very involved way. My brother's first car was an H reg one with Hammerite sills and an entire panel of rust under the fuel filler. Was a nice car to drive until the rust killed it.

[retrogeezer]

nice score - great colour for one of them too.

[Lord Sterling]

Thats a great little car Will, great buy. I have a bit of a soft spot for mk3 Fiestas as ole Ma_Sterling used to have a just-above-basic spec 1990 1.0 Fiesta Popular-Plus finished in Radiant Red (G886KAW). I think she would still have it if it hadnt had been crashed onced, stolen + crashed twice. Apparently, despite being written off in around 1998, G886KAW lived until around 2003.

[wackywacerwill]

good fun, in a not entirely fun miserable sort of way.

 

Sums it up a treat

 

The Mrs likes the colour too and can see it's merit, she's a bit pissed that I've diminished the cash flow but you can't have it all.