I considered, and drove, a new Elantra earlier this year. What a complete POS. I felt like I was driving a horribly handling empty tin can with a clock/stereo screen from an 80s video game.
Fiesta ST: to buy or not to buy
- Thread starter Serpent
- Start date
Did you drive the Sport model or just a regular model? The Sport is worlds different in almost every imaginable way from the lower models. I drove one a few weeks ago and it was quite enjoyable. Interior isnt the same level as a GLI Jetta but im also not spending 30+ grand on a small 4 door sedan. You can get a Sport for under $25k OTD with a 100k mile warranty.
For a daily commuter I think its a steal.
Not a Sport. I was just looking for a cheap beater lease. For the same $ I got the Jetta which is worlds better. If I was looking for a "nice" DD, none of these cars would have been on my radar
I've been in both the Sport and non-sport. Without a doubt, the Sport is a better machine than the non-sport, which even I liked it. I guess I'm easy to please and would not hesitate to own one.
Why, so they can have another "sporty" offering with shit aftermarket because of a locked-down ECU?
No thanks. If the i30N or whatever their next sporty offering is called, is anything like Veloster or Gen Coupes, its a dead end for anyone who wants to really mod their car.
My buddy is having so much fun with his FiST. He just got a Cobb AP and some tune, and it has the crackle/pop option, and its ****ing amazing. Just the ability to do shit like that is what makes having cars fun. I have to physically send my ecu somewhere for some canned bullshit tune, and we dont get cool crackle/pop exhaust shenanigans.
Also, 275hp from a Hyundai isnt fun with their shit throttle scaling. Had to buy a separate throttle signal intercept module so I could ramp up the throttle signal to my liking, so the response wasnt so goddamn lethargic. Now I have a more natural responding throttle, but that aggravates everyone who drives them.
The Fiesta ST is a decent looking car IMO but the ones you see around here (Cobb stickers galore) driven by the college kids aren't fast. After seeing people on here claim you can get them new for $18k, I looked into a few online and the prices vary from $18XXX through 22XXX. I don't know if the cheaper priced vehicle has rebates taken into effect (I assume so) or is not as well equipped as the more expensive ones but it is still an interesting proposition.
We paid 22-23k for ours (don't remember exactly) and it has every option except a sun-roof. I wouldn't call it fast (on paper for sure), but it def feels peppy. I really like the stiff suspension though. It makes the car feel really light on its feet.
When I build one Ford starts the pricing at $21,140 and has a $2k incentive. The 400A has just about everything except the navigation which is about $800. The recaro seats are nice but for an additional $2k? As I look at it now, I guess those online 2017 (new) priced at $18xxx have the incentives against the sticker and nothing more than the 400A package.
I was in the dealer going to buy one for $19,500 purchase price. They had it listed online for that but I showed up at the dealer and it was $21,500, then it became "oh, well thats after $500 student rebates, $500 military, $500 returning ford customer, yadda yadda". I pulled up the ad and nowhere did it state that. They eventually caved, but then sucked on the financing end and tried to say 4.99% is good apr. Not with my credit score bozo. Then they tried to get 4 of their sales mgr's involved to pressure me. Walked away at that point. If they would have come up with real financing and not tried so hard, they wouldve made the sale that night and id be in a FiST, but the next day Hyundai didnt **** with me, even when I made up bs that their internet sales dept told me $1k under their advertised price, and gave me 1.49% financing on the first try.
Yeah they will try and take a cut of the financing. My Fiancee used to work in dealer finance and said the sales guys would come in all the time with a "rate" they would tell the customer they could get. After getting it pushed through, the rate would come back a few points lower than what they had already told them. They would go to the customer, tell them good news and that they were actually approved for .5% lower than they previously said.
The sales guys would get like $50 or $100 (I can't remember) for every point they over that they sold the customer.
The issue is with the rebates. Online says one thing and the dealer will say another. I couldn't find any of these cars nearby but I did find a few two hours or so away. Two hours to haggle and to find out I don't qualify for that rebate or I need their financing if I want this or that?
Just wait, if these remain sitting the rebate will be solid OR you can get it at 0% apr. ford does that at the end of the year to clear out old models.
Ask 13cobra
Ask 13cobra
^^^yep, Nov/Dec time frame the volume dealers will go balls to the wall, rebates w/dealer matching etc...
Oh yeah, I know how the game is played. The dealer always makes their money somehow, they play the game all day every day whereas the consumer does it once every few years so you are already going up against a superior opponent; its just a matter of how much you are willing to fight with them to get what you feel is a deal on your end.
I have a GT350R and a Fiesta ST ('14, white with two-tone black/orange interior). In white, the ST doesn't attract too much attention.
The cars are as different as you can get, but on the street, the ST is more fun almost every time. The R is great when you can open it up. The ST is fun if you're just going around the block. Even thought it's wrong-wheel-drive, it's as quick as a BRZ but has a real back seat and hatch. My wife drives it to work almost every day instead of her car (Mk1 TT quattro w/ 6-speed). Is it "young?" Sure, but it's FUN and a fantastic city car.
41k on ours and no real issues yet, but I do think I have a clutch hydraulic leak ... I just can't figure out where it's leaking. I bought it used 2 years ago for $15k and I'd do it again 10 times over. I love it.
(For context, my favorite cars are mostly 1980s BMWs and I race an E36, so light, balanced, great handling, and moderate power is a profile I am familiar with.)
The cars are as different as you can get, but on the street, the ST is more fun almost every time. The R is great when you can open it up. The ST is fun if you're just going around the block. Even thought it's wrong-wheel-drive, it's as quick as a BRZ but has a real back seat and hatch. My wife drives it to work almost every day instead of her car (Mk1 TT quattro w/ 6-speed). Is it "young?" Sure, but it's FUN and a fantastic city car.
41k on ours and no real issues yet, but I do think I have a clutch hydraulic leak ... I just can't figure out where it's leaking. I bought it used 2 years ago for $15k and I'd do it again 10 times over. I love it.
(For context, my favorite cars are mostly 1980s BMWs and I race an E36, so light, balanced, great handling, and moderate power is a profile I am familiar with.)
Why don't you have a Miata then? =p
Since we are on the topic of the Fiesta ST. Does anyone know what available colours are on the 2018s?
See the "real back seat and hatch" comment. I love the balance of the BRZ I drove, but I already have a few impractical cars. A Miata could also be super fun, despite the girly reputation. The ST is just as fun, and it is a pretty practical runabout to boot. We've had 4 adults and a 2-yo in a baby seat in the car ... but I don't recommend it, LOL. For 2 adults with 1 young kid, it covers most needs. For a bigger family, no way. Even 2 big dogs would be quite a crowd. Oh, and you can carry people OR stuff, but not really both. Not an issue for us 99% of the time.
Agreed. A friend stole his wife's base Fiesta and we all drove 4 hours to Lights Outs. It wasn't ideal, but we had 5 adults in the car.
2017 is the last year. Ford stopped making them in the US.
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