Sorry kip - I've been out of town, not thinking about the fiesta. So I got back the other day, temps have dropped in ohio to high 40s or 50's.... Seriously I can't explain this but couple things - the lube the dealer used, actually set into place and there is no creaking or weird feel in the clutch - this results in a 1000% improvement in driving experience. Literally, it just feels so much better without the creak.
Now the next point, those gear clunks, I don't know how this is possible but they've been severely muted. Basically the car feels unbelievably different now. Beyond the amplified noise I still have at 1100 rpms, this is how its supposed to drive, feel, and sound. Could the cold weather really have that large of an influence?
All that said - my dealer got the new clutch pedal assembly in, and I"ll probably still have them install it.... although its weird cause right now, the lube fixed the problem. (the day or 2 after they lubed it - it actually went away, initially it was a different sound after lubing).
Yes, the cold weather absolutely can have a huge impact. You also have to remember that these are economy hot-hatches, with less room for such neat things as sound dampening materials and insulation. My Mustang is so quiet inside I have to roll down the windows to really hear the GT500 axlebacks I put on it unless I put the hammer down, then it sounds like a pissed off lion.
During cold weather months I have had Toyota's where the shocks squeaked going over bumps because the bushings would shrink. I've had issues where the Manual Trans would act strange until it warmed up. I had creaking noises. Weather warms up and it all goes away. Some cars have the same issue but reversed. Tolerances tighten when it's cold out, and loosen when the heat reaches a point where parts might expand a bit.
Sometimes a good lithium grease applied to certain areas of the car will help. Sometimes not. Mustang owners also have issues with clunking (not me, but I read about it every day). Etc. Stiff suspensions and low profile tires will make it worse.
Turn up the radio and have some fun. Ford's make noises (as do Toyota's, BMW's, etc). If you're lucky enough not to hear any noises (which I don't really. My last two Fords have been well put together, my 2009 Ford Focus SES still had the original battery after five and a half years of ownership. And my Mustang is just awesome). It does sound like the creak in the clutch could be eliminated with a proper application of lube.
Sadly, here in the U.S., our road system is decaying at an ever increasing rate. It has gotten to a point where we need to spend billions if not trillions to fix it. When I was a kid, fixing a road meant scraping off the old asphalt and laying down new asphalt for each street. Now they just try to fill in the gaps which come back even worse after a few weeks. The problems aren't necessarily all the car's fault. A lot of the blame should be laid on our decaying road system.
I won't even lower my car because of how bad our roads are. I have scraped the front splitter a couple times at stock height just from a pothole I was unable to avoid. Luckily no real damage was done.
You also need to keep in mind the car you bought. It is a hot-hatch, a performance oriented economy car. Performance cars aren't quiet unless your willing to spend 100+k. Check out the Corvette forums some-time and read about their orange peel and the rattles they are always trying to chase down.