Fiesta on Consumer Reports 2017 list

[Wjones14]

and not the good list...

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability/10-least-reliable-cars/

My interest is in replacing my 2003 Mini daily driver for something more reliable. I started looking at the FiST recently after reading a 2014 Car and Driver comparison of the Mini Cooper S, Fiat 500 Abarth, and the Fiesta ST - where the FiST won.

I love driving the Mini because it's small, easy to maneuver, has super-quick steering, and is just fun. I have two sets of rims with summer and winter tires, so it's great in the snow. And it averages 27 mpg city, though it does use 91. Definitely a practical commuter. But, with 106,000 miles on it, it's more or less falling apart. Seems like there's always something going wrong, and I'm afraid it's going to leave me stranded at some point.

So the FiST seems just as much fun (or more because of the engine), even more practical than the Mini with 4 doors, and hopefully a better reliability rating. I was looking at some 2015/16 CPO cars under 15,000 miles around the $16,000 range, and was getting serious, but then I saw that CR list, and worried a little about the car.

Does anyone know if CR is talking about the Fiesta models below the ST? Are the transmission problems with automatics in the lower models, or the ST's manual? I'd like to know more details about how the car ended up on CR's year end list, if anyone here knows.

 

[felopr]

the only thing bad they talk about the fiesta st, "The sporty Fiesta ST version is truly a treat to drive ... if your kidneys can handle the stiff ride. Sync 3 has replaced the MyFord Touch infotainment system". and it is not that bad, it is a sports car, it supose to be kinda stiff, but is not stiff , is bad dampers imo, and sync 3 is good

 

[kivnul]

It is the automatic transmission in the other models that drags the score down. The manual in the ST has normal reliability.

 

[calvinw]

Just my own experience: my ST transmission exploded at ~33500 miles. It was covered under warranty, but needless to say, it’s disconcerting. Transmission still acts funny - grinding 2nd gear, funky noises when I lift off.

I love my FiST. I hope to get the problems worked out. My car hasn’t been the most reliable.

As for nimble, the steering is quick. Really quick. One of the things I love. But the turning radius is atrocious. Really atrocious.


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[kivnul]

.... But the turning radius is atrocious. Really atrocious.


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Had to double check that you were not talking about the FoST.

 

[Dpro]

Just my own experience: my ST transmission exploded at ~33500 miles. It was covered under warranty, but needless to say, it’s disconcerting. Transmission still acts funny - grinding 2nd gear, funky noises when I lift off.

I love my FiST. I hope to get the problems worked out. My car hasn’t been the most reliable.

As for nimble, the steering is quick. Really quick. One of the things I love. But the turning radius is atrocious. Really atrocious.


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Really you think the turning radius is atrocious? It's really not, it's actually really good. Try the Focus ST if want to see a bad turning radius lol. If a car can pull a u turn on a two lane street it has a good turning radius and the Fiesta ST can do that with ease , something my Sentra SER Spec V could not.

 

[Quisp]

Really you think the turning radius is atrocious? It's really not, it's actually really good. Try the Focus ST if want to see a bad turning radius lol. If a car can pull a u turn on a two lane street it has a good turning radius and the Fiesta ST can do that with ease , something my Sentra SER Spec V could not.

Amen to that.

 

[Business6]

I think the FiST turns around just as well as my Miatas did. Turning radius definitely isn't a shortcoming at all.

Those weather seals, though...

 

[felopr]

Just my own experience: my ST transmission exploded at ~33500 miles. It was covered under warranty, but needless to say, it’s disconcerting. Transmission still acts funny - grinding 2nd gear, funky noises when I lift off.

I love my FiST. I hope to get the problems worked out. My car hasn’t been the most reliable.

As for nimble, the steering is quick. Really quick. One of the things I love. But the turning radius is atrocious. Really atrocious.


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I really want to know what what car is your standard for a good turning radius, a smart?

 

[DaveG99]

The turning radius is good. I daily drive a 4 door 2016 silverado pick up so the fist is like a go kart that can spin on a dime!

 

[Zissou]

I really want to know what what car is your standard for a good turning radius, a smart?

Mercedes C-Class. I had a 2000 one that the turning radius was insanely small. Could 180 on a 2 lane road small. Compared to that anything seems huge.
But the Fiesta's is fine.

 

[codestp202]

So why is everyone blowing up their transmissions?

How much is a replacement used unit? Is anyone selling transmission build kits? I figure if it blow up mine at the track, I'll go LSD at the same time.

 

[DaveG99]

So why is everyone blowing up their transmissions?

How much is a replacement used unit? Is anyone selling transmission build kits? I figure if it blow up mine at the track, I'll go LSD at the same time.

they aren't. Our transmissions have held up fine at ungodly amounts of HP. The automatics are garbage though.

 

[HardBoiledEgg]

Drive the Titain I've been driving for two weeks while my Fiesta is down lol


There is no such thing as pulling into a spot. It's at least back and forth once depending how tight the lane is

 

[calvinw]

I just compared turning radii of different cars and the FiST to my surprise compares OK.

My statement about turning radius was based on personal experience. My previous car was a ‘03 325i - that car felt bigger and was bigger and could easily U the street I lived on. The FiST has to 3-point that same street.

But apparently (now that I’ve looked up some other cars) that old 325i had an unusually small turning radius.


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[me32]

So why is everyone blowing up their transmissions?

How much is a replacement used unit? Is anyone selling transmission build kits? I figure if it blow up mine at the track, I'll go LSD at the same time.

Because they can't drive and go from 3rd gear at 6500rpm into 2nd. Thats how they blow them up

 

[calvinw]

So why is everyone blowing up their transmissions?

How much is a replacement used unit? Is anyone selling transmission build kits? I figure if it blow up mine at the track, I'll go LSD at the same time.

I’ve never raced my FiST. I’m normally putting around town with my 6-year-Old daughter in the backseat. I wasn’t doing anything weird when the trans exploded. I was at a stop, making a right to go onto a freeway onramp. The trans blew up between first and second.

But my car was acting weird before that.

It was fixed under warranty at no cost.


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[XR650R]

I’ve never raced my FiST. I’m normally putting around town with my 6-year-Old daughter in the backseat. I wasn’t doing anything weird when the trans exploded. I was at a stop, making a right to go onto a freeway onramp. The trans blew up between first and second.

But my car was acting weird before that.

It was fixed under warranty at no cost.


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What year is your car? I remember some bad trannys in the early models. Just pulled the trigger on a new '17. Hoping they got that sorted out by now.

 

[calvinw]

What year is your car? I remember some bad trannys in the early models. Just pulled the trigger on a new '17. Hoping they got that sorted out by now.

I have a 2015. It was built in October of 2014.


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[Hijinx]

Just my own experience: my ST transmission exploded at ~33500 miles. It was covered under warranty, but needless to say, it’s disconcerting. Transmission still acts funny - grinding 2nd gear, funky noises when I lift off.

I love my FiST. I hope to get the problems worked out. My car hasn’t been the most reliable.

As for nimble, the steering is quick. Really quick. One of the things I love. But the turning radius is atrocious. Really atrocious.


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He’s right about the turning radius. I have my ST, 16’ Civic, my wife’s Fiesta SE and now my GTI. The Fiestas have the worst turning radius and the GTI has the best. The first time I went to lock in the GTI I thought something was wrong because I went 1.5 more turns than the Fiesta.


Edit- I googled this for the facts and it turns out you can find each cars turning radius lol. I was way wrong, as the GTIs turning radius is bigger than the Fiesta. Subjectively, it feels better...but I guess that’s why the wheel has more turns lock-to-lock.



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