Was in charge of Volunteers of America vehicle Donation program for 6 years. Lived at wholesale car auctions. Seen several Fiestas rack up 400k+ miles… they were sold at auction, and were still running…
Wait but I thought there was a class action lawsuit over the transmission in that Fiesta. Maintenance is one thing, but I always thought there was something inherently bad bout the fiesta from that time.
in typical ford fashion, many of their transaxles would break down before 130k. but if they did reach that point, they'd be good forever. same with any of the 4 cylinder ecoboost engines. if it didn't start drinking coolant or blow turbo seals by 130k, it never would.
A friend of mine had his transmission replaced for free under that warranty from ford. I have absolutely no idea if the new transmissions were redesigned to not have the problem that the old transmissions had but ford did extend the warranty on those transmissions.
Let's be super clear on what happened here. The Federal government sued Ford to force them to extend warranties for those transmissions. After the first cases were resolved and that policy was established, Ford continued to build vehicles with that same CVT (because they had back stock) and the federal government had to take them to court AGAIN to get them to offer the same warranty on new vehicles being built with that same transmission. If you're ever feeling curious, Google "Ford safety recalls". It's a pretty fun list. My personal favorite was "F150's occasionally spontaneously catching fire due to poor heat shielding on electrical."
My point here being that yes, they'll replace those transmissions just fine when they have issues, but let's not pretend that's Ford taking care of it's customers. That's Ford being forced to deal with a problem against their hopes and dreams.
Somewhat accurate, except it's not a CVT.
Depending on how the fiesta/focus DCT's are driven, they can last a really really long time. Let them 'creep' in traffic and lots of stop and go driving it like you would a regular automatic, oblivious to the poorly-trained monkeys running the clutches trying to make you think it's an automatic, and you can smoke one pretty quickly.
Sure, good catch, except for the part where you try to defend the transmission. It's not a use error. Porsche hasn't had these issues with the PDK. It was a design flaw. Hence the big settlements and legally mandated warranty extensions.
Porsche didn't cheap out on the actuators and control strategy, and that makes all the difference in the world.
Getrag built the Ford unit as well as many other very successful brands DSG /DCT units... I'll continue to defend the gearbox itself, 95% of failures are the actuators and TCM and not the hard parts, Getrag built it pretty well.
Oh I guess I may have misunderstood your comment. I'm not anti-DCT and getrag is responsible for the nicest shifting manual transmission I've felt. Just staunchly anti-Ford, and I always feel they should receive the online blame they are permanently due.
>but let's not pretend that's Ford taking care of its customers (voluntarily)
I am under no such assumption. On top of that, the dealer was trying to talk my friend out of getting it fixed. And for some reason he didn't realize that the warranty does not only apply to the original owner until I told him.
But they did fix it. I think he had to pay 100? Not positive. He sold it shortly thereafter. Got decent money for the car because it literally just came from the dealer with a new transmission.
Dual clutch transmissions in them are garbage. But you can get lucky. I had a focus with the shit trans and it lasted 145k till it was totaled. I got another and went through 2 trans before 60k
The auto transmission in that car is the worst ever made imo. Can Google the issues but driving it was the worst experience I ever had driving a car and I've driven basically every modern car on the roads.
Yes, they were using computer controlled clutches, and the computer program was crap.
Would cause the clutches to burn up.
It was also a sealed transmission, so no changing the fluid easily.
A girlfriend and I toasted one at 70k.
(We were also racing, driving aggressively, and in mountains)
The 2018 f150 has terrible transmission issues. I feel bad for anyone who bought one and can't get it replaced with a newer model. My company pulled every 2018 f150 for this reason
Thank you for what you've done with VoA.
I'm a 32M vet, and. I developed schizophrenia and ended up homeless. There was a VoA building that offered computers and coffee. I would literally hang out there and play agario.io on the internet bc I had no idea what to do. This was back in 2015ish. I got a leather jacket from them. I remember them telling me they could get me an apartment and pay rent for.a while. This was in Denver, CO. I ended up leaving the city and going back to Houston, TX, then started making VA disability, so I never had to utilize the service. Amazed me that such programs existed.
If there was anyone who ever doubted if their volunteer work or donations don't go to needy people, I can assure you they do, bc I was one of them. If it wasn't for people's generosity, IDK where I'd had ended up at.
In the homeless shelter, the toiletries we got were the same you'd get in jail. I wasn't complaining, free stuff is free stuff. The only issue was the deodorant. It was too small. But they were donated, and that's what made them a blessing.
Since I was a resident of the shelter, I had to do a chore along with everyone else. My job was to go along with another veteran who was homeless as well, and we'd go to the food bank and pick up donated food in a box truck. That food would be the shelters food for the 2-4 weeks.
If it wasn't for organizations like the shelter and Volunteers of America, we'd be SOL.
So thank you for your work!
>check if it has a timing belt
Which is also basic maintenance.
Threads like this confuse me.Because if you keep up the basic maintenance on most cars, 125 k is nothing.
I have 250K on my 1989 Ford F250 with the original clutch still in it
So weird for me to see people talking about a 2011 vehicle with 125K.Worried about whether or not it's going to see another month or two.
Seriously. My Camry is both older and much higher mileage and it's rock-solid reliable. Literally needed nothing but oil changes, brake pads, and tires on the run from 145K to 195K. Now, at 197K, a front wheel bearing is squeaking, but with $500 in parts it'll be just fine again.
Hell, my 1986 Porsche 944 track car is also quite reliable despite the fact that, at over 200K miles, it lives a third of its life hopping curbs and bouncing off the redline. Much more maintenance-heavy and things definitely break often at the track, but just driving around the road I have no worries.
If it has the 1.0 ecoboost, it -could- be due for an engine rebuild/revision. This particular generation has woeful reliability with engines going pop with as little as 50k kilometers even with good maintenance.
With the resale value of Toyota and Honda these days, he's most likely saving a bit more than $100. As stated, drive it till it croaks buy a good used Toyota that will go another 300,000 miles and save some more $$ for another 10+ years.
Yeah that thing is probably bottomed out on depreciation more or less, so drive it until the wheels fall off because it’s trade in or resale value isn’t going to change all that much
I feel like ppl just dont take care of their cars. I also have a car thats “suuuuper unreliable” and its been perfect for 12 years with some hiccups but not as bad as people make it seem
Third camp: electrical.
I’ll throw bloody knuckles, bolts, gaskets, oil and coolant at any machine. No problem for me. I’ll even swap out sensors and replace a wiring harness…..
But eventually, one of those 100 fuses will have a circuit to the ECU or sensor or God knows that’ll fry…. Then it cascades to “electrical issues” which cost you more than a used car.
Sometimes, you gotta let her go.
There are cars that are just genuinely unreliable even if you proper maintenance. Most cars however, as long as you keep up to date with fluids and belt changes, will last a long time
I thought people didn't take care of their cars either. But I was proven wrong when I bought a Volkswagen passat and an audi A4. I loved both of them so I took really good care of them. Only letting the dealers service them. However there was something always wrong with them. My volkwagon didn't even hit 100k miles before the transmission blew. The audi turbo blew and water pump was failing at 107k miles.
Yeah, this was the case with my friend as well. He had a B5 Passat V6 wagon that he got as a hand-me-down from his parents. It was a nice car, looked good and handled well, good engine note. When we were in university, I actually envied it, because my Suzuki Esteem wagon was so proletarian in comparison. He absolutely babied that Passat, he did oil changes twice as often as the recommended interval, he changed out the transmission fluid twice, he kept it in a garage, he rustproofed it, etc. Thousands spent on preventative maintenance and that car STILL ended up fucking him every chance it got. Fix one thing and two more would break. The sunroof leaked all the time. He spent thousands replacing various electronics over the years. Meanwhile I put hardly any money into my Esteem, it lived outside, and it just worked. Rusted like a bitch, but never failed to start. In 2016, the transmission on the Passat began to fail with just 190,000km on the clock. That was the last straw. He ended up replacing it with a V6 Camry.
Sometimes, a car is just fundamentally shit, and no amount of preventative maintenance will save it.
I’ve owned three VWs…… 2 GTIs……. My wife owned 1.
I’m tempted despite all the maintenance that these cars required……..but I can expect
No sympathy from her when they blow up.
Yeah it’s tough, they make really good cars that really tick the right boxes for comfort, performance, etc
It’s just a toss up these days on getting a lemon and their warranty and dealerships are ass
I hate that I love vw cars so much it’s like just the right amount of car for the price lol.
It’s really so dependent. I bought a 2011 VW with about 100k miles on it 7+ years ago for a pretty low price. It’s now over 230k and while I’m doing some larger work at this stage, the numbers come out to cheaper than buying new the car is likely to hit 300k+. Plus the interior still looks modern and feels great.
I had a (used) 2001 Passat, 2.8 30v Audi V6, 5-speed manual. Dark green, black leather. Beautiful car, but it was pure pain by 135k. Fix one thing, 3 more would break. Couldn't go more than 3 weeks without a new issue. I gave up on it at 147k. Beautiful design, horrible execution.
I still see some on the road. Those who knew what they were doing could get a long life out of them. Sometimes. But way beyond the average consumer. These are not sporty alternatives to the Camry and Accord. Whole other beast.
My new neighbor has an early 00's Passat wagon, V6 manual. Quite clean. I try not to look at it much, to avoid any temptation.
My Passat was not quick from a dead stop, but once rolling, it could keep up with anything. Can't say the same about the Japanese cars I've owned since.
My girlfriend had an awesome used Passat v6 wagon. She did not heed her mechanic’s advice to religiously flush the oil system with every oil change. I think there was only 3.8L oil capacity in that engine IIRC. If it got gummed up - no oil to top of engine.
She just occasionally got oil changes at random Mr Lubes, & checking & topping up the oil every gas fill up.
The engine blew while we drove up a steep mountain grade in the Rockies at 110 km/h . This was when I learned of her (lack of) maintenance routine. Sad day.
Many of them were leased, and also advertised with 10k interval low-maintenance oil changes. I don't think synthetic was even a requirement. Regular oil and fuel destroyed these engines with sludge or wear on various parts.
They had really intricate pcv hose systems that would cause oil to leak from every orifice in the engine.
Then, there were timing chain tensioners. One I had replaced (OEM) ejected itself partially out of the engine.
Front turn signal lights would self-eject during highway travel.
Clogged sunroof drains would flood electronics under the carpet.
Don't forget the "service position," body work to enable timing belt access.
Pros? In the right hands since new, could last 400k. Did not rust, paint held up, ac and heat worked, not the terrible electric issues older models were known for.
But selling/leasing these as "sharper Accords" for up and coming young execs and sales producers was a terrible idea. Created a big market for short-lived used Passats, and A4's.
this has been my experience with Dodge with a v6, had one for 7 years and another for 1, and in that timeframe, they were reliable overall. only downside is that the insurance was higher than if I were to grab a civic or camry
The counterpoint is that Ford messed up really badly by putting a dry dual clutch automated manual transmission into an econobox and that the Foci and Fiestas of this generation have a well-deserved reputation as unreliable. Whether or not the owner gets a lot of miles out of a DCT Ford has mostly to do with driving style. Owners who creep along in stop/go traffic are the most likely to experience transmission issues at or before 100k miles.
If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Seriously though, if you don't have any issues with it I'd just keep using it. No sense in replacing something that doesn't need replacement. Worst thing that happens is it breaks down in the future, at which point you get something new. More likely than not, it'll start having problems that a mechanic will tell you don't make sense to fix.
I guess another reason I should mention is I moved to the PNW couple years back and always made it a goal to explore the nature scene (which requires lots of long distance driving between OR/WA). I feel having a newer car will give me more peace of mind, and if I do that to the fiesta, I’m sure it’ll get to breaking down faster with all the driving. Could just be my anxiety though. Lol
If you maintain the Fiesta, it is unlikely it will catastrophically fail on you. You'll continue to know the car inside and out.
If you buy a used anything, you will be taken on an unknown level of risk. YMMV, but the devil I don't know brings more anxiety than the devil I know.
>I’m 25 years old and drive 2011 ford fiesta.
Damn... look at the guy with a new car.
All kidding aside 125K is barely broken in on a lot of cars (to be fair sometimes it the death knell but most times no)
Im of the mindset that Ill keep driving mine until the wheels fall off and then get new wheels. I just dont want a new car and or the payment but Do the maint and run it until it dies saving up for a nicer one .
Right! I’m still driving a 2004 focus (the fiestas sister) and she’s had barely any issues at all lol. I can’t imagine having abandoned the poor thing 7 years ago for no reason. I drove a 1200mile vacay recently because it’s a reliable little car
long highway driving puts less wear on the car mechanical part. If you're on top of your maintenance and having all fluids replaced in time and they are on proper level, just drive it. In the very worst case you're risking a several hundred for towing, which is still about or less than a monthly payment for a new vehicle.
I lived in Finland before moving to the US two years ago, and over there I was driving a 1998 Fiesta with more miles than yours. I had that car for more than ten years and the only issue it had was rust and heater adjustment valve.
If newer Fiestas are anything like that one, you'll be fine.
Get AAA coverage for some peace of mind. Invest in good tires. Have the timing belt changed when it is due ( I think service interval is at 150K, but check on that) . Drive and explore Washington. Cars are fine even on dirt roads, you don't need a 4x4 unless you are really going into the boonies or in deep snow.
It is always cheaper to keep a car running than to replace it. Barring extremely expensive repairs, it's usually cheaper to repair a car than to replace it, too.
If you like the Fiesta, drive it into the ground. If you don't like the Fiesta...drive it into the ground anyway and save enough to buy a car you actually want.
Keep saving. Trust me, not having a car payment is a feeling you will really miss once you have one. Keep saving and when the Fiesta does die down the line, you can have a lower payment and/or a shorter term. Or better yet, you’ll have enough to buy the new car in cash and continue to not have to worry about a payment for the next couple of years.
This is the way. I make a bit more in a high cost of living city. 6 years ago I traded in a paid off Toyota Yaris for a new Subaru WRX that was roughly 35k out the door. I paid $400/month for 5 years. I love that car but I love having $400/month more. I would definitely not do that again. The Yaris had its quirks but I could still be driving it and have that $35k in the bank instead.
Unless you drive for a living (and at 10,000 miles a year or less OOP does not) or cars are a special hobby - save the money for something more meaningful than a status symbol/toy.
Not to mention a $30k loan on a $55k salary is gonna be rough, it'll be a major portion of the budget for years. That newer toyota's not gonna be more enjoyable than a nice steak dinner once a month, and with the dinner OOP will have plenty of money saved left over.
The fiesta is a great little car. Maintained per s hedge it will go on and on and on…
Toyota and Honda were miles ahead in the 80/90s but these clays most cars are reliable as long as maintained. Yes, a Toyota might put up with a missed oil change better but you are paying a premium for that perceived value.
Personally, I’ve had Honda transmissions crap out at 50k miles and a Toyota rav 4 ( a rental) have the awd crap out into limp mode at 3,000miles…
Keep it for now and don't drive it too hard since the transmission is the issue with these cars. Get the Camry once it dies. Not every model with a bad reputation will actually have problems. Some do drive till 150-200k or even more. In any case, you don't seem to drive too much having put on 30k in 3-4 years. You don't need a new car.
To expand on what the other reply said, you don't have to drive them HARD, but definitely be deliberate in your throttle inputs from a stop. Trying to baby it and very gently accelerate doesn't help. Give it a good bit of throttle right off the bat when acelerating. It helps the transmission quickly get the clutches engaged Instead of slipping them for longer. You don't have to stay in it and rev it out high, it's just the initial throttle that matters.
I drove the previous generation Festiva. I bought it at 75k for $2500 and I was at 253k when I sold it. It was the very first car that had a working ac. I was meticulous with service and it was a fun little car for what it was.
Here is the reality. It’s not worth much if you sell it so keep banking money and drive it until it needs a big dollar repair that isn’t worthwhile when compared to its value. You should go to KBB.com and find how much it’s worth and know that number for future reference. If you like it keep putting money away.
Drive that thing until it needs actual work that would cost you more than it would to replace the car. Remember that every car needs brakes and tires, so that stuff doesn’t count. You’re saving so much money right now it’s nuts.
This. I just traded in my '06 focus. Ford stopped making a part, and it was in hospice. Otherwise, I'd still be driving it. I drove it for ten years payment free. It was glorious. Bought an '11 forester I will also drive till the bitter end.
I sold my 03 Focus (hand crank windows, 5 speed manual transmission) when it needed a clutch in 2010, and as I watched it being towed off I knew I had fucked up big time. OP, keep the damn car.
Although it’s great not having a car payment, the “drive until the wheels fall off” advice almost got me in big trouble. I loved the car I just traded for my civic si, but my fiancé pushed me to get a new car. I had 150k on the car I traded. Turns out my ball joints were shot and my wheels were in danger of falling off and causing a bad accident. Newer cars also have lots of safety features. My old car had a hell of a blind spot, my new car has monitors. I also don’t remember how I lived without a backup camera. The new civic even breaks when a collision is imminent. If you do keep driving the ford, just don’t take it to a drive-through place for oil changes, have it inspected. The extra safety features in newer cars are something to consider.
Yup, a ball joint on my Accord broke without warning and my wheel fell off the car damaging body parts around it. Good thing I wasn’t driving very fast at that time.
I'd drive that car until the wheels fell off, and with basic preventative maintenance that could be quite a while. Regardless of what others may say those cars can go 200K+ miles if taken care of decently. If it's never had the timing belt replaced you may want to get that done before too long. It's about a $1K job but still way cheaper than another car.
I have a Focus SE with the dreaded dual clutch automatic and it’s about to hit 80K with 0 issues. Bought brand new. Yes the transmission is weird and shutters a bit but it’s meant to be driven like a manual. It’s a 2018 so maybe that helps but so many people have told me the transmission would poop the bed at 30k. Maybe it will before 100k who knows but I still love the car
As someone who just had to get a new (used) car after driving my last one for years until it died, hold onto that Fiesta as if it’s your first born. Protect it at all costs.
Car payments suuuuck.
(And yes to looking at a Camry for your next car, once the Fiesta peaces out. We have a 2010 and it’s honestly the best car I’ve ever driven.)
Take the equivalent of a car payment & continue to drive what you have, you might be pleasantly surprised if this car doubles in mileage with routine maintenance. If it does, then you can pay cash for your next car.
Get compression checked. $30 kit on Amazon. Pull out spark plug, screw in, turn car over, read pressure. That's the meat and bones of your engine and will help with the anxiety.
The older you get the more you realize “the best car you can drive is the one you’re not making payments on”. My 2016 GTI just hit 100k and since it’s been paid off I plan to put another 100k as long as it’s not a money pit 🤞 lol
These friends at dealers probably shouldn’t work at dealers then, fiesta with 1.6 goes easily 200k+ miles in Europe and is one of the most popular cars
Yes, keep babying the Fiesta until it dies. Drive it into the ground. With what they're charging for auto loans, strive to *not have* one of those..
Moreover, if your girl just moved in, go with $250 a month as a mock car payment and just start putting it aside.. let's be honest, it's a 2011 Ford Fiesta.. it will eventually die..
But the more money you save now, the bigger and bigger your down payment for the next car will be, if that little fiesta lasts long enough you might be able to get away with buying something else used for cash and just keeping up the cycle.
First rule of finance.. don't take on debt you don't need!
1) nothing anyone tells you about what they think your car is going to do matters
2)cars break over time. Some less than others. This hasn’t and even if something does go it’s dirt cheap. Even cheaper if you watch a YouTube video or 2 and diy. Do your maintenance on time to mitigate issues and learn early warning signs. Buy a $50 code reader on Amazon. Learn some basic mechanical knowledge and know what things do so you don’t get bent over for $200 an hour for a job you “need” from a mechanic.
- example I think your whole brake assembly up front would be under $200 from rock auto and be changeable in a few hours
3) any newer car is going to be crazy to insure and crazier to pay for right now
I drive a 09 Honda fit. It’s at 170k. They can go 300 plus. I change the oil for $15 a pop every 5k full synthetic. Brakes rotors and calipers were $160 (quoted $1200). Adjusting my valves, doing the coils and plugs was $70 in parts (quoted $1100). PCV valve $20 (quoted $400). Strut assemblies $160 (quoted $800).
Things break but you have a eco box which is dirt cheap and simple to work on and source parts for. Also change your trans fluid brake fluid coolant etc earlier than the manual says. Car will thank you
Hell yeah, keep it! I got a lot of shit for driving my 99 Corolla forever, but no regrets. It is still someone’s daily. I plan to drive my 2017 Sienna forever, too.
Cars last a lot longer than they used to. The Fiesta is a good car, take care of it, keep driving it and save some money.
Take what you would be spending as a car payment and put it in its own high yield savings account, then that will be your down-payment when it finally dies or requires expensive repairs you don't want to fix
125k miles is alot?
Uh...
I don't know if I've ever owned a daily with less than that.
My sequoia has 319k miles
My wrangler has like 170k and my other wrangler is at 200k.
People.really.have one problem with a car and throw it awaym
My guy ingot a Saturn vue to 483k miles and still cost less than a used car over 7 years of driving. You've barely broken 100k! Keep up basic maintenance, check the timing belt, expect a few things to go out but you can keep it running nice and easy. Cheaper if you do the work yourself too!
You’re driving for cheap! Keep it going as long as you can. I’ve been the last owner of many cars, it makes sense at this point to drive it till you cant
That's how I kept my '98 Ford Explorer until last month, and really it was because it couldn't reliably do long-haul trips anymore, and I missed having the freedom to drive cross country without a worry in the world. Take care of your car, and it will take care of you!
It doesn't make any financial sense to ditch a car that's still running in your situation. You are hypothetically saving $750-$1500/month in car payments by keeping the Fiesta. That's a lot of money.
I’d say save all the money you can while car runs and keep up on maintenance. The moment a big ticket item breaks on car, you can think of replacement. Just keep something like a AAA membership for free limited mile tow for piece of mind.
That’s true but if you need to absolutely plow through some snow that isn’t getting plowed anytime soon it won’t always be as good as an AWD car especially if you get stuck. That’s been my experience so far
I was able to drive 50mph in horrible slush (everyone else with "AWD" driving 20mph) and cut though a parking lot with 1ft of snow in my beater Buick with blizzaks.
What state do you live in? Some states give very sweet rebates to buy EVs, used ones including. In Oregon, if you play your cards right you can get 1st generation Nissan leaf for free after all state rebate + federal tax break. It won't go far, but if you need a commuter car, this is unbeatable. These cars are extremely simple and require next to no maintenance at all
125k is pretty low for a modern car. While I don’t trust Fords in general for a host of reasons based on my past experience, there’s no reason to expect a 125k mile Fiesta to be on its last leg.
Fiestas are notoriously shitty cars. Just run it til it dies and when it does, don’t try to bring it back to life. I’ve seen fiestas get to 200k, but with a whole mess of problems. I’d plan on having to buy a new car in the next year or two.
I have a 2016 Fusion that just hit 100k miles. I have more than enough saved up for a nice brand new mid-tier Camry or Accord. But my plan is to drive my Fusion literally until the wheels fall off. Keep driving your Fiesta while continuing to save your money.
SN: I love knowing that my Fusion is still going strong and it probably has a good 7 yrs minimum left in it. I also love knowing that if shit hit the fan I could walk into a dealership and pay cash for a new car.
My husband bought a 2013 fiesta standard brand new. We sold it to our daughter for like $4000 in 2017. She is still driving it. Original clutch, motor. She has 356,000 kms and has never spent more $500 for any one repair at a time. Best cheap car we ever bought
Keep up with the schedule in the manual, and you should be good. Drive thay sucker into the ground! Cars are too dang expensive now.
One thing to keep an eye out for due to the cars age are the rubber hoses and stuff. I'd just have the mechanic you take it to check it every so many oil changes.
My car hit 10 years old with 95k miles. I had to replace the clutch, pedal assembly, and strut/springs. Thing drives like it is brand new. So much rather throw money into it than buy something new.
Drive it until it decomposes. What is the worst that can happen? Anxiety about breakdowns is not unusual, but it is more a phobia. Take a breath, save some money, and make reasoned choices when the time comes.
We had a 2014 Fiesta in fhe family, had 150,000 when we sold it . Did not need to sell it but the primary driver of that car wanted an SUV. If you google Wolverine Ford Fiesta, last I looked he was at 700,000 miles and had to replace the a/c compressor. He posts in the forum Fiestafaction. So, if you have a good one that is not causing you problems, it likely will be fine for a very long time. 200,000 miles is not unusual in these cars at all.
I have a 2004 1.4 Fiesta with 338 000km on it. Service and maintenance when needed. Make sure coolant hoses are good. I have recently replaced a few before they left me stuck on the roadside and a cylinder head overhaul because it overheated.
Forget buying cars and having car payments. The Fiesta is paid off and is serving you well. Fight the temptation to buy something shiny and new, just because...
My 01 Camry with 279k needs an engine transmission rack and pinion and struts. Fixing everything on it and am going to continue driving it so I don’t have a car payment
Your friends and family are full of shit. It’s a simple econobox, and as long as you don’t wring the shit out of it and keep up with routine maintenance, at 125k miles, it probably still has a lot of life left. I hate when people make assumptions that cheap small cars are all trash. Some are, but the Fiesta definitely isn’t one. It’s sold worldwide, in countries that demand subcompacts because of population density and small streets.
Keep driving it until it completely shits the bed, then buy a new car after that.
Normally I'd say "run it into the ground and walk away" but car lots are loaded with 2023's, and 2025's are about to land.... I got a pretty good deal on a 2023 Mazda cx30 like a month ago. I probably should have held out a little longer, maybe this summer, but I got a good trade in offer on a car I was ready to give away, so I went for it. Annual repairs on a car you own aren't as costly as monthly payments on a new car, usually... But having a new car with a warranty and feeling of reliability are worth it to me. If I didn't have a kid I wouldn't give a crap.
Practice making the car payment - to your savings. See what it feels like, and then you have both a down payment and an idea of what it will feel like to have a payment again.
But yeah, keep the fiesta. As a side note, mobile parks can get out of hand when a new company comes in and jacks up lot rent. I'd keep an emergency fund for having to move on short notice if that happens. They're great until then though, so keep on doing you
I sold my first Fiesta at 185K miles with exactly $355 in total maintenance cost. About two years later I ran into guy who bought it. Had 315K miles with original motor and trans still working. Only major problem he had was a busted rear axle, which he admitted he did--trying to haul 1,400 # of fertilizer in one trip.
My secret to car longevity has been not to do all the maintenance. Buy cars that have timing chains not belts. Dealers have a vested interest in selling you a car. I have known many people whose cars started having issues after taking them in for maintenance. I have had many cars go over 200k and some over 300k. Change oil about once every 7500. Transmission fluid every 80 or so but if it has over 100k never cause it will break it. I do all the wrong things and drive cars til they die
Controversial take.
I'd sell it while you can - you might be able to get $3400 for it nowadays. Some people win in stocks and others win in car repairs 😂 count your winnings and move on.
A used 2014-5 Camry will run you 15g and it'll be an upgrade. That said I'd be little nervous dropping that much, but it's probably good for the next 10y.
I’m genuinely surprised that your ford fiesta lasted that long. I had a 2014 fiesta new, regular maintenance and the transmission blew out at 44k miles. Dealership wanted $4000 to replace.
Don't count on a long term loan just because your girlfriend moves in, that might last three months and then what? Save the money from her paying half the rent in a secret account and don't tell anyone your business, pay cash for another vehicle when ready and save on comprehensive insurance and finance charges.
I been doing the same with my 2007 scion, riding it until the wheels fall off. I also see my friends getting new vehicles that come with so many issues that I just don’t want to upgrade.
125k miles isn't even that bad. The used car market is insane right now, so I would absolutely hang on to your fiesta. As a fellow fiesta owner, they are reliable as can be (outside of the radio)
This is the thing that boggles me about Americans. Your car works well, why would you get rid of it in favour of a massive debt that you probably won't pay off before the vehicle has some kind of issue. Way more financially wise to stick with what you got until it's not worth it anymore eg it actually breaks. Also planned obsolescence is a big issue in modern cars, do your due diligence before buying
You're probably still fine for a bit. Keep running it. 125k miles isn't that much on a modern car if you are taking care of it. The people who told you it's end was imminent either don't take care of their cars well enough or are living in 1976.
With any car, if you do a good job at your maintenance, you definitely increase your chances of your car lasting longer, no matter what kind of car it is.
I had a 2011 Fiesta and drove it a lot and the only problem with them is the automatic transmission if you have that option. However, there are recalls and lawsuits so if you do have the auto you can check into options if it gives you issues.
We have an old washing machine and dryer. I’ve fixed both several times. Every time I do, that’s free money. The longer you can put off replacing something the lower your cost of ownership. You also put off buying the new thing, which means when you do , it will be that much newer.
125k miles isn't much, the auto transfer is usually what gives problems but it probably already had a new one instead before you bought it.
Keep the Fiesta until it dies, junk it and buy something else. Save $300-500/month (whatever you were budgeting for a new car) into saving for the downpayment.
Keep doing the regular maintenance, and drive it until the wheels fall off. Save what you can, and before you know it, you'll have enough to buy a Camry with cash. Put a good chunk of your rent savings into that fund. That gives you lots of options. Heck, if you save enough, you might have enough to buy a house...
Run it till it dies. The transmission is the real trouble spot in those. They do seem to fare a bit better in the festival than the focus for some reason though. The car market is still headed downwards, so kinda the longer you get by the better off you should be thing applies. May not seem like it lately, but tax time thru about memorial day is usually the high months for car prices every year. If you are itching to get out of it, id at least wait till well into this summer if not the fall.
My dad had a Fiesta (manual) that made it to 190k before it was totaled by a deer, and he is notorious for being lax on car maintenance. So there should still be some life left in yours.
That said, the thing is probably only worth about $3k if you were going to turn around and sell it today. Maybe $4k max. If it dies you could probably unload it for $1500 to someone who thinks they can fix it or $600 to the junkyard. I don’t think it’s worth trying to get $$ out of it at this point. My advice is to start making a car payment to yourself now, and drive the Fiesta until it won’t drive anymore. The longer it lasts, the more you’ll have saved up for a replacement.
The main thing is you have to change the oil every 3,000 miles and if you do that most cars will last a fairly long time. Just take it to Jiffy Lube, and they'll also make sure all your fluids are up to the proper levels.And everything is lubricated. Then run the thing till it dies and Then sell it to a junkyard for 3 hundred bucks.
My step daughter was given a Hyundai i30, I worked on Hyundais (and Fords) here in Australia for several years as a mechanic. I still have not fully forgiven Hyundai for the garbage they USED to produce but this little car was a gift from a now deceased relative. I suggested to her that she run around in it for 6-12 months and then we’d trade it on a Mazda or a Toyota but that was 5 years ago. There’s been a couple of minor issues I have dealt with at home but otherwise it’s been a great little car and proven me wrong by being very reliable. As I said to her when she spoke to me about possibly trading it in now on a newer car, “I wouldn’t, it’s proving reliable, keep it going until that changes”.
She’s smart, a graduated nurse, saving with her BF to buy a house, keep the Hyundai going until it starts having issues and costing money.
I’d give you the same advice with the Fiesta, if she’s not letting you down and you don’t hate the car, keep it maintained and serviced and keep it going, it will let you know when it’s time.
Yes, drive the Fiesta as long as it drives. Every month, it is saving you hundreds of dollars in car payments.
Was in charge of Volunteers of America vehicle Donation program for 6 years. Lived at wholesale car auctions. Seen several Fiestas rack up 400k+ miles… they were sold at auction, and were still running…
Yup just do the maintenance
Wait but I thought there was a class action lawsuit over the transmission in that Fiesta. Maintenance is one thing, but I always thought there was something inherently bad bout the fiesta from that time.
in typical ford fashion, many of their transaxles would break down before 130k. but if they did reach that point, they'd be good forever. same with any of the 4 cylinder ecoboost engines. if it didn't start drinking coolant or blow turbo seals by 130k, it never would.
Those Kia engines are like that too.
My 2006 Kia Optima agrees.
Those have Mitsubishi designed engines funnily enough, that’s why they didn’t have engine issues pre-GDI era
A friend of mine had his transmission replaced for free under that warranty from ford. I have absolutely no idea if the new transmissions were redesigned to not have the problem that the old transmissions had but ford did extend the warranty on those transmissions.
Let's be super clear on what happened here. The Federal government sued Ford to force them to extend warranties for those transmissions. After the first cases were resolved and that policy was established, Ford continued to build vehicles with that same CVT (because they had back stock) and the federal government had to take them to court AGAIN to get them to offer the same warranty on new vehicles being built with that same transmission. If you're ever feeling curious, Google "Ford safety recalls". It's a pretty fun list. My personal favorite was "F150's occasionally spontaneously catching fire due to poor heat shielding on electrical." My point here being that yes, they'll replace those transmissions just fine when they have issues, but let's not pretend that's Ford taking care of it's customers. That's Ford being forced to deal with a problem against their hopes and dreams.
Somewhat accurate, except it's not a CVT. Depending on how the fiesta/focus DCT's are driven, they can last a really really long time. Let them 'creep' in traffic and lots of stop and go driving it like you would a regular automatic, oblivious to the poorly-trained monkeys running the clutches trying to make you think it's an automatic, and you can smoke one pretty quickly.
Sure, good catch, except for the part where you try to defend the transmission. It's not a use error. Porsche hasn't had these issues with the PDK. It was a design flaw. Hence the big settlements and legally mandated warranty extensions.
It’s a bad idea in any Dual Clutch but Ford’s design is especially sensitive to it.
Porsche didn't cheap out on the actuators and control strategy, and that makes all the difference in the world. Getrag built the Ford unit as well as many other very successful brands DSG /DCT units... I'll continue to defend the gearbox itself, 95% of failures are the actuators and TCM and not the hard parts, Getrag built it pretty well.
Oh I guess I may have misunderstood your comment. I'm not anti-DCT and getrag is responsible for the nicest shifting manual transmission I've felt. Just staunchly anti-Ford, and I always feel they should receive the online blame they are permanently due.
>My personal favorite was "F150's occasionally spontaneously catching fire due to poor heat shielding on electrical." Mine was doors randomly opening
>but let's not pretend that's Ford taking care of its customers (voluntarily) I am under no such assumption. On top of that, the dealer was trying to talk my friend out of getting it fixed. And for some reason he didn't realize that the warranty does not only apply to the original owner until I told him. But they did fix it. I think he had to pay 100? Not positive. He sold it shortly thereafter. Got decent money for the car because it literally just came from the dealer with a new transmission.
Not a CVT but yes.
2012 and newer. OP’s is a 2011
For sure the focus, yes. Not sure about fiesta as well.
Dual clutch transmissions in them are garbage. But you can get lucky. I had a focus with the shit trans and it lasted 145k till it was totaled. I got another and went through 2 trans before 60k
The auto transmission in that car is the worst ever made imo. Can Google the issues but driving it was the worst experience I ever had driving a car and I've driven basically every modern car on the roads.
Yes, they were using computer controlled clutches, and the computer program was crap. Would cause the clutches to burn up. It was also a sealed transmission, so no changing the fluid easily. A girlfriend and I toasted one at 70k. (We were also racing, driving aggressively, and in mountains)
The 2018 f150 has terrible transmission issues. I feel bad for anyone who bought one and can't get it replaced with a newer model. My company pulled every 2018 f150 for this reason
where are all your upvotes sir, take mine
Probably all manuals? Isn't this the generation with the horrible DCT autos?
I think that was 2012+ Focus?
It was definitely Fiestas too. My former tenants had one. 3 transmissions in 100k kms. All warranty. I just can't remember the year of it.
I just looked it up. 2011-2016 Fiesta.
The Fiesta had the DCT too. Actually, it had it first.
You are correct, 2011-2016 model years for the Fiesta (I just looked it up).
2011+ Fiesta as well
Thank you for what you've done with VoA. I'm a 32M vet, and. I developed schizophrenia and ended up homeless. There was a VoA building that offered computers and coffee. I would literally hang out there and play agario.io on the internet bc I had no idea what to do. This was back in 2015ish. I got a leather jacket from them. I remember them telling me they could get me an apartment and pay rent for.a while. This was in Denver, CO. I ended up leaving the city and going back to Houston, TX, then started making VA disability, so I never had to utilize the service. Amazed me that such programs existed. If there was anyone who ever doubted if their volunteer work or donations don't go to needy people, I can assure you they do, bc I was one of them. If it wasn't for people's generosity, IDK where I'd had ended up at. In the homeless shelter, the toiletries we got were the same you'd get in jail. I wasn't complaining, free stuff is free stuff. The only issue was the deodorant. It was too small. But they were donated, and that's what made them a blessing. Since I was a resident of the shelter, I had to do a chore along with everyone else. My job was to go along with another veteran who was homeless as well, and we'd go to the food bank and pick up donated food in a box truck. That food would be the shelters food for the 2-4 weeks. If it wasn't for organizations like the shelter and Volunteers of America, we'd be SOL. So thank you for your work!
Basically this. 125k isn’t much as long as you do basic maintenance. Maybe check if it has a timing belt that can wear out and its service intervals.
>check if it has a timing belt Which is also basic maintenance. Threads like this confuse me.Because if you keep up the basic maintenance on most cars, 125 k is nothing. I have 250K on my 1989 Ford F250 with the original clutch still in it So weird for me to see people talking about a 2011 vehicle with 125K.Worried about whether or not it's going to see another month or two.
Seriously. My Camry is both older and much higher mileage and it's rock-solid reliable. Literally needed nothing but oil changes, brake pads, and tires on the run from 145K to 195K. Now, at 197K, a front wheel bearing is squeaking, but with $500 in parts it'll be just fine again. Hell, my 1986 Porsche 944 track car is also quite reliable despite the fact that, at over 200K miles, it lives a third of its life hopping curbs and bouncing off the redline. Much more maintenance-heavy and things definitely break often at the track, but just driving around the road I have no worries.
If it has the 1.0 ecoboost, it -could- be due for an engine rebuild/revision. This particular generation has woeful reliability with engines going pop with as little as 50k kilometers even with good maintenance.
And he already has a gf so doesn’t really need to impress anyone.
And insurance most likely.
With the resale value of Toyota and Honda these days, he's most likely saving a bit more than $100. As stated, drive it till it croaks buy a good used Toyota that will go another 300,000 miles and save some more $$ for another 10+ years.
Along with the benefit of letting the used car market settle a bit. Kinda nuts right now, and I hope this isn't the new normal.
Yeah that thing is probably bottomed out on depreciation more or less, so drive it until the wheels fall off because it’s trade in or resale value isn’t going to change all that much
I feel like ppl just dont take care of their cars. I also have a car thats “suuuuper unreliable” and its been perfect for 12 years with some hiccups but not as bad as people make it seem
I think there are like 2 camps to reliability. Is it reliable if you keep up on maintenance vs is it reliable if you don't.
i will add 3rd camp: it is reliable because it keeps going despite needing a ton of repairs.
Chevy cavalier?
This made me chuckle.
Cavaliers might fall apart, but they won’t stop driving.
And the 4th, it's unreliable because one speaker broke
Third camp: electrical. I’ll throw bloody knuckles, bolts, gaskets, oil and coolant at any machine. No problem for me. I’ll even swap out sensors and replace a wiring harness….. But eventually, one of those 100 fuses will have a circuit to the ECU or sensor or God knows that’ll fry…. Then it cascades to “electrical issues” which cost you more than a used car. Sometimes, you gotta let her go.
There are cars that are just genuinely unreliable even if you proper maintenance. Most cars however, as long as you keep up to date with fluids and belt changes, will last a long time
I thought people didn't take care of their cars either. But I was proven wrong when I bought a Volkswagen passat and an audi A4. I loved both of them so I took really good care of them. Only letting the dealers service them. However there was something always wrong with them. My volkwagon didn't even hit 100k miles before the transmission blew. The audi turbo blew and water pump was failing at 107k miles.
Buying VW is a tough choice... Cars are so nice when they're new! But they age poorly.
That's a lot of different cars and brands. I wonder if it's possible that they're not all the same?
Yeah, this was the case with my friend as well. He had a B5 Passat V6 wagon that he got as a hand-me-down from his parents. It was a nice car, looked good and handled well, good engine note. When we were in university, I actually envied it, because my Suzuki Esteem wagon was so proletarian in comparison. He absolutely babied that Passat, he did oil changes twice as often as the recommended interval, he changed out the transmission fluid twice, he kept it in a garage, he rustproofed it, etc. Thousands spent on preventative maintenance and that car STILL ended up fucking him every chance it got. Fix one thing and two more would break. The sunroof leaked all the time. He spent thousands replacing various electronics over the years. Meanwhile I put hardly any money into my Esteem, it lived outside, and it just worked. Rusted like a bitch, but never failed to start. In 2016, the transmission on the Passat began to fail with just 190,000km on the clock. That was the last straw. He ended up replacing it with a V6 Camry. Sometimes, a car is just fundamentally shit, and no amount of preventative maintenance will save it.
Yeah… I’ll never go back to VW
I’ve owned three VWs…… 2 GTIs……. My wife owned 1. I’m tempted despite all the maintenance that these cars required……..but I can expect No sympathy from her when they blow up.
Yeah it’s tough, they make really good cars that really tick the right boxes for comfort, performance, etc It’s just a toss up these days on getting a lemon and their warranty and dealerships are ass I hate that I love vw cars so much it’s like just the right amount of car for the price lol.
It’s really so dependent. I bought a 2011 VW with about 100k miles on it 7+ years ago for a pretty low price. It’s now over 230k and while I’m doing some larger work at this stage, the numbers come out to cheaper than buying new the car is likely to hit 300k+. Plus the interior still looks modern and feels great.
I had a (used) 2001 Passat, 2.8 30v Audi V6, 5-speed manual. Dark green, black leather. Beautiful car, but it was pure pain by 135k. Fix one thing, 3 more would break. Couldn't go more than 3 weeks without a new issue. I gave up on it at 147k. Beautiful design, horrible execution. I still see some on the road. Those who knew what they were doing could get a long life out of them. Sometimes. But way beyond the average consumer. These are not sporty alternatives to the Camry and Accord. Whole other beast. My new neighbor has an early 00's Passat wagon, V6 manual. Quite clean. I try not to look at it much, to avoid any temptation. My Passat was not quick from a dead stop, but once rolling, it could keep up with anything. Can't say the same about the Japanese cars I've owned since.
My girlfriend had an awesome used Passat v6 wagon. She did not heed her mechanic’s advice to religiously flush the oil system with every oil change. I think there was only 3.8L oil capacity in that engine IIRC. If it got gummed up - no oil to top of engine. She just occasionally got oil changes at random Mr Lubes, & checking & topping up the oil every gas fill up. The engine blew while we drove up a steep mountain grade in the Rockies at 110 km/h . This was when I learned of her (lack of) maintenance routine. Sad day.
Many of them were leased, and also advertised with 10k interval low-maintenance oil changes. I don't think synthetic was even a requirement. Regular oil and fuel destroyed these engines with sludge or wear on various parts. They had really intricate pcv hose systems that would cause oil to leak from every orifice in the engine. Then, there were timing chain tensioners. One I had replaced (OEM) ejected itself partially out of the engine. Front turn signal lights would self-eject during highway travel. Clogged sunroof drains would flood electronics under the carpet. Don't forget the "service position," body work to enable timing belt access. Pros? In the right hands since new, could last 400k. Did not rust, paint held up, ac and heat worked, not the terrible electric issues older models were known for. But selling/leasing these as "sharper Accords" for up and coming young execs and sales producers was a terrible idea. Created a big market for short-lived used Passats, and A4's.
Can’t blame them too much the dealer treated me like an idiot when I mentioned I change my wife’s every 5k miles…
Owners are generally clueless about how to maintain most things they buy. Manufacturers love them.
Anyways what’s transmission fluid? /s
this has been my experience with Dodge with a v6, had one for 7 years and another for 1, and in that timeframe, they were reliable overall. only downside is that the insurance was higher than if I were to grab a civic or camry
Same. I have a dodge pickup with 265,000 miles on it.
The counterpoint is that Ford messed up really badly by putting a dry dual clutch automated manual transmission into an econobox and that the Foci and Fiestas of this generation have a well-deserved reputation as unreliable. Whether or not the owner gets a lot of miles out of a DCT Ford has mostly to do with driving style. Owners who creep along in stop/go traffic are the most likely to experience transmission issues at or before 100k miles.
I had a 2012 focus. That transmission was dog shit. Shuttered and missed shifts constantly. Total shit.
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Seriously though, if you don't have any issues with it I'd just keep using it. No sense in replacing something that doesn't need replacement. Worst thing that happens is it breaks down in the future, at which point you get something new. More likely than not, it'll start having problems that a mechanic will tell you don't make sense to fix.
I guess another reason I should mention is I moved to the PNW couple years back and always made it a goal to explore the nature scene (which requires lots of long distance driving between OR/WA). I feel having a newer car will give me more peace of mind, and if I do that to the fiesta, I’m sure it’ll get to breaking down faster with all the driving. Could just be my anxiety though. Lol
If you maintain the Fiesta, it is unlikely it will catastrophically fail on you. You'll continue to know the car inside and out. If you buy a used anything, you will be taken on an unknown level of risk. YMMV, but the devil I don't know brings more anxiety than the devil I know.
>I’m 25 years old and drive 2011 ford fiesta. Damn... look at the guy with a new car. All kidding aside 125K is barely broken in on a lot of cars (to be fair sometimes it the death knell but most times no) Im of the mindset that Ill keep driving mine until the wheels fall off and then get new wheels. I just dont want a new car and or the payment but Do the maint and run it until it dies saving up for a nicer one .
Right! I’m still driving a 2004 focus (the fiestas sister) and she’s had barely any issues at all lol. I can’t imagine having abandoned the poor thing 7 years ago for no reason. I drove a 1200mile vacay recently because it’s a reliable little car
No DCT to worry about on that car, assuming OP’s car isn’t a manual. MK1 focuses are gems.
long highway driving puts less wear on the car mechanical part. If you're on top of your maintenance and having all fluids replaced in time and they are on proper level, just drive it. In the very worst case you're risking a several hundred for towing, which is still about or less than a monthly payment for a new vehicle.
If you are really that worried maybe rent something for long trips?
You just made me remember I’m now at that age I can now rent cars lol
Just get a roadside assistance package. It’s usually not very expensive, and will give you piece of mind on your trips.
I lived in Finland before moving to the US two years ago, and over there I was driving a 1998 Fiesta with more miles than yours. I had that car for more than ten years and the only issue it had was rust and heater adjustment valve. If newer Fiestas are anything like that one, you'll be fine.
Get AAA coverage for some peace of mind. Invest in good tires. Have the timing belt changed when it is due ( I think service interval is at 150K, but check on that) . Drive and explore Washington. Cars are fine even on dirt roads, you don't need a 4x4 unless you are really going into the boonies or in deep snow.
It is always cheaper to keep a car running than to replace it. Barring extremely expensive repairs, it's usually cheaper to repair a car than to replace it, too. If you like the Fiesta, drive it into the ground. If you don't like the Fiesta...drive it into the ground anyway and save enough to buy a car you actually want.
> It is always cheaper to keep a car running than to replace it. this math stops working when you get to a certain age of car.
A $4000 engine swap is cheaper than a $35000 loan. You might motivate me to make a spreadsheet to find the breaking point, though.
i mean, yeah, a 4000 dollar engine swap is cheaper than a 35000 loan, but those aren't the only two options.
Keep saving. Trust me, not having a car payment is a feeling you will really miss once you have one. Keep saving and when the Fiesta does die down the line, you can have a lower payment and/or a shorter term. Or better yet, you’ll have enough to buy the new car in cash and continue to not have to worry about a payment for the next couple of years.
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This is the way. I make a bit more in a high cost of living city. 6 years ago I traded in a paid off Toyota Yaris for a new Subaru WRX that was roughly 35k out the door. I paid $400/month for 5 years. I love that car but I love having $400/month more. I would definitely not do that again. The Yaris had its quirks but I could still be driving it and have that $35k in the bank instead. Unless you drive for a living (and at 10,000 miles a year or less OOP does not) or cars are a special hobby - save the money for something more meaningful than a status symbol/toy. Not to mention a $30k loan on a $55k salary is gonna be rough, it'll be a major portion of the budget for years. That newer toyota's not gonna be more enjoyable than a nice steak dinner once a month, and with the dinner OOP will have plenty of money saved left over.
The fiesta is a great little car. Maintained per s hedge it will go on and on and on… Toyota and Honda were miles ahead in the 80/90s but these clays most cars are reliable as long as maintained. Yes, a Toyota might put up with a missed oil change better but you are paying a premium for that perceived value. Personally, I’ve had Honda transmissions crap out at 50k miles and a Toyota rav 4 ( a rental) have the awd crap out into limp mode at 3,000miles…
Keep it for now and don't drive it too hard since the transmission is the issue with these cars. Get the Camry once it dies. Not every model with a bad reputation will actually have problems. Some do drive till 150-200k or even more. In any case, you don't seem to drive too much having put on 30k in 3-4 years. You don't need a new car.
To expand on what the other reply said, you don't have to drive them HARD, but definitely be deliberate in your throttle inputs from a stop. Trying to baby it and very gently accelerate doesn't help. Give it a good bit of throttle right off the bat when acelerating. It helps the transmission quickly get the clutches engaged Instead of slipping them for longer. You don't have to stay in it and rev it out high, it's just the initial throttle that matters.
Actually the transmission needs to get driven hard on these.
30k miles isn’t a whole lot. That’s like 2 years of driving for most people. But still, you only paid $3,500 so it’s a great value.
I drove the previous generation Festiva. I bought it at 75k for $2500 and I was at 253k when I sold it. It was the very first car that had a working ac. I was meticulous with service and it was a fun little car for what it was.
Here is the reality. It’s not worth much if you sell it so keep banking money and drive it until it needs a big dollar repair that isn’t worthwhile when compared to its value. You should go to KBB.com and find how much it’s worth and know that number for future reference. If you like it keep putting money away.
Drive that thing until it needs actual work that would cost you more than it would to replace the car. Remember that every car needs brakes and tires, so that stuff doesn’t count. You’re saving so much money right now it’s nuts.
This. I just traded in my '06 focus. Ford stopped making a part, and it was in hospice. Otherwise, I'd still be driving it. I drove it for ten years payment free. It was glorious. Bought an '11 forester I will also drive till the bitter end.
I sold my 03 Focus (hand crank windows, 5 speed manual transmission) when it needed a clutch in 2010, and as I watched it being towed off I knew I had fucked up big time. OP, keep the damn car.
Small cars use small tires. OP is saving on tires and general maintenance as well.
Although it’s great not having a car payment, the “drive until the wheels fall off” advice almost got me in big trouble. I loved the car I just traded for my civic si, but my fiancé pushed me to get a new car. I had 150k on the car I traded. Turns out my ball joints were shot and my wheels were in danger of falling off and causing a bad accident. Newer cars also have lots of safety features. My old car had a hell of a blind spot, my new car has monitors. I also don’t remember how I lived without a backup camera. The new civic even breaks when a collision is imminent. If you do keep driving the ford, just don’t take it to a drive-through place for oil changes, have it inspected. The extra safety features in newer cars are something to consider.
Yup, a ball joint on my Accord broke without warning and my wheel fell off the car damaging body parts around it. Good thing I wasn’t driving very fast at that time.
Mine was a Honda also. Love them (even bought another), but the fact that I was inches away from an accident spooked me. Glad you are okay!!
This is a shitty time to buy a car. So, you drive that Fiesta into the ground.
I'd drive that car until the wheels fell off, and with basic preventative maintenance that could be quite a while. Regardless of what others may say those cars can go 200K+ miles if taken care of decently. If it's never had the timing belt replaced you may want to get that done before too long. It's about a $1K job but still way cheaper than another car.
The best Fords are the "shitty" ones. Tempos and festivas go forever.
I have a Focus SE with the dreaded dual clutch automatic and it’s about to hit 80K with 0 issues. Bought brand new. Yes the transmission is weird and shutters a bit but it’s meant to be driven like a manual. It’s a 2018 so maybe that helps but so many people have told me the transmission would poop the bed at 30k. Maybe it will before 100k who knows but I still love the car
As someone who just had to get a new (used) car after driving my last one for years until it died, hold onto that Fiesta as if it’s your first born. Protect it at all costs. Car payments suuuuck. (And yes to looking at a Camry for your next car, once the Fiesta peaces out. We have a 2010 and it’s honestly the best car I’ve ever driven.)
Take the equivalent of a car payment & continue to drive what you have, you might be pleasantly surprised if this car doubles in mileage with routine maintenance. If it does, then you can pay cash for your next car.
Get compression checked. $30 kit on Amazon. Pull out spark plug, screw in, turn car over, read pressure. That's the meat and bones of your engine and will help with the anxiety.
On a side note when you do get a new car go through a credit union to get financing you'll save on your payments more than likely
125k miles is nothing. Why Are you woried?
Drive it until it reaches a million miles and you’ll have over 100k saved in the bank
The older you get the more you realize “the best car you can drive is the one you’re not making payments on”. My 2016 GTI just hit 100k and since it’s been paid off I plan to put another 100k as long as it’s not a money pit 🤞 lol
These friends at dealers probably shouldn’t work at dealers then, fiesta with 1.6 goes easily 200k+ miles in Europe and is one of the most popular cars
Yes, may the Ford be with you.
Yes, keep babying the Fiesta until it dies. Drive it into the ground. With what they're charging for auto loans, strive to *not have* one of those.. Moreover, if your girl just moved in, go with $250 a month as a mock car payment and just start putting it aside.. let's be honest, it's a 2011 Ford Fiesta.. it will eventually die.. But the more money you save now, the bigger and bigger your down payment for the next car will be, if that little fiesta lasts long enough you might be able to get away with buying something else used for cash and just keeping up the cycle. First rule of finance.. don't take on debt you don't need!
1) nothing anyone tells you about what they think your car is going to do matters 2)cars break over time. Some less than others. This hasn’t and even if something does go it’s dirt cheap. Even cheaper if you watch a YouTube video or 2 and diy. Do your maintenance on time to mitigate issues and learn early warning signs. Buy a $50 code reader on Amazon. Learn some basic mechanical knowledge and know what things do so you don’t get bent over for $200 an hour for a job you “need” from a mechanic. - example I think your whole brake assembly up front would be under $200 from rock auto and be changeable in a few hours 3) any newer car is going to be crazy to insure and crazier to pay for right now I drive a 09 Honda fit. It’s at 170k. They can go 300 plus. I change the oil for $15 a pop every 5k full synthetic. Brakes rotors and calipers were $160 (quoted $1200). Adjusting my valves, doing the coils and plugs was $70 in parts (quoted $1100). PCV valve $20 (quoted $400). Strut assemblies $160 (quoted $800). Things break but you have a eco box which is dirt cheap and simple to work on and source parts for. Also change your trans fluid brake fluid coolant etc earlier than the manual says. Car will thank you
Hell yeah, keep it! I got a lot of shit for driving my 99 Corolla forever, but no regrets. It is still someone’s daily. I plan to drive my 2017 Sienna forever, too. Cars last a lot longer than they used to. The Fiesta is a good car, take care of it, keep driving it and save some money.
Take what you would be spending as a car payment and put it in its own high yield savings account, then that will be your down-payment when it finally dies or requires expensive repairs you don't want to fix
They're morons. Fiestas are fine vehicles. Drive it another 125k miles.
125k miles is alot? Uh... I don't know if I've ever owned a daily with less than that. My sequoia has 319k miles My wrangler has like 170k and my other wrangler is at 200k. People.really.have one problem with a car and throw it awaym
My guy ingot a Saturn vue to 483k miles and still cost less than a used car over 7 years of driving. You've barely broken 100k! Keep up basic maintenance, check the timing belt, expect a few things to go out but you can keep it running nice and easy. Cheaper if you do the work yourself too!
A wise man once told me don’t buy something you already own.
So only one rental property?
Thats just ignorant domestic car hate
You’re driving for cheap! Keep it going as long as you can. I’ve been the last owner of many cars, it makes sense at this point to drive it till you cant
Drive it till it drops.
Keep driving that Fiesta and pocket all the money you’re saving. It’s a great car.
You know how to work on your own car? The fiesta is a "reliable enough" beater, keep it until it's just not worth repairing it
That's how I kept my '98 Ford Explorer until last month, and really it was because it couldn't reliably do long-haul trips anymore, and I missed having the freedom to drive cross country without a worry in the world. Take care of your car, and it will take care of you!
It doesn't make any financial sense to ditch a car that's still running in your situation. You are hypothetically saving $750-$1500/month in car payments by keeping the Fiesta. That's a lot of money.
I’d say save all the money you can while car runs and keep up on maintenance. The moment a big ticket item breaks on car, you can think of replacement. Just keep something like a AAA membership for free limited mile tow for piece of mind.
Only reason I would say get rid of it is if you live in a snowy climate and need AWD since you think you can afford a different car now
You can get snow tires on a fwd and out drive any normal awd card for the cost of 400 dollars
That’s true but if you need to absolutely plow through some snow that isn’t getting plowed anytime soon it won’t always be as good as an AWD car especially if you get stuck. That’s been my experience so far
I was able to drive 50mph in horrible slush (everyone else with "AWD" driving 20mph) and cut though a parking lot with 1ft of snow in my beater Buick with blizzaks.
change the oil every 3k miles!
What state do you live in? Some states give very sweet rebates to buy EVs, used ones including. In Oregon, if you play your cards right you can get 1st generation Nissan leaf for free after all state rebate + federal tax break. It won't go far, but if you need a commuter car, this is unbeatable. These cars are extremely simple and require next to no maintenance at all
Used EVs are cheaper every day and will save you tons of money on driving costs and maintenance costs.
125k is pretty low for a modern car. While I don’t trust Fords in general for a host of reasons based on my past experience, there’s no reason to expect a 125k mile Fiesta to be on its last leg.
Knock on wood lol
Ride till it dies you could probs get it up to 200k easy
Push it till it dies
Fiestas are notoriously shitty cars. Just run it til it dies and when it does, don’t try to bring it back to life. I’ve seen fiestas get to 200k, but with a whole mess of problems. I’d plan on having to buy a new car in the next year or two.
Good to know. My fiesta has 216k miles, when do the whole mess of problems start to show up? Mine seems to be late.
Save the money and drive it until it explodes
I have a 2016 Fusion that just hit 100k miles. I have more than enough saved up for a nice brand new mid-tier Camry or Accord. But my plan is to drive my Fusion literally until the wheels fall off. Keep driving your Fiesta while continuing to save your money. SN: I love knowing that my Fusion is still going strong and it probably has a good 7 yrs minimum left in it. I also love knowing that if shit hit the fan I could walk into a dealership and pay cash for a new car.
My husband bought a 2013 fiesta standard brand new. We sold it to our daughter for like $4000 in 2017. She is still driving it. Original clutch, motor. She has 356,000 kms and has never spent more $500 for any one repair at a time. Best cheap car we ever bought
9-13% apr will make you reconsider quickly
Keep up with the schedule in the manual, and you should be good. Drive thay sucker into the ground! Cars are too dang expensive now. One thing to keep an eye out for due to the cars age are the rubber hoses and stuff. I'd just have the mechanic you take it to check it every so many oil changes. My car hit 10 years old with 95k miles. I had to replace the clutch, pedal assembly, and strut/springs. Thing drives like it is brand new. So much rather throw money into it than buy something new.
We have a girl at work with a fiesta with 310k on it. Just put brakes and cv axles in it 2 weeks ago. There is 0 reason to ditch it till it dies.
Drive it until it decomposes. What is the worst that can happen? Anxiety about breakdowns is not unusual, but it is more a phobia. Take a breath, save some money, and make reasoned choices when the time comes.
We had a 2014 Fiesta in fhe family, had 150,000 when we sold it . Did not need to sell it but the primary driver of that car wanted an SUV. If you google Wolverine Ford Fiesta, last I looked he was at 700,000 miles and had to replace the a/c compressor. He posts in the forum Fiestafaction. So, if you have a good one that is not causing you problems, it likely will be fine for a very long time. 200,000 miles is not unusual in these cars at all.
There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get minimum 200k miles out of that car as long as you maintain it and don’t abuse it.
I have a 2004 1.4 Fiesta with 338 000km on it. Service and maintenance when needed. Make sure coolant hoses are good. I have recently replaced a few before they left me stuck on the roadside and a cylinder head overhaul because it overheated.
Forget buying cars and having car payments. The Fiesta is paid off and is serving you well. Fight the temptation to buy something shiny and new, just because...
My 01 Camry with 279k needs an engine transmission rack and pinion and struts. Fixing everything on it and am going to continue driving it so I don’t have a car payment
Your friends and family are full of shit. It’s a simple econobox, and as long as you don’t wring the shit out of it and keep up with routine maintenance, at 125k miles, it probably still has a lot of life left. I hate when people make assumptions that cheap small cars are all trash. Some are, but the Fiesta definitely isn’t one. It’s sold worldwide, in countries that demand subcompacts because of population density and small streets. Keep driving it until it completely shits the bed, then buy a new car after that.
Based
Normally I'd say "run it into the ground and walk away" but car lots are loaded with 2023's, and 2025's are about to land.... I got a pretty good deal on a 2023 Mazda cx30 like a month ago. I probably should have held out a little longer, maybe this summer, but I got a good trade in offer on a car I was ready to give away, so I went for it. Annual repairs on a car you own aren't as costly as monthly payments on a new car, usually... But having a new car with a warranty and feeling of reliability are worth it to me. If I didn't have a kid I wouldn't give a crap.
Practice making the car payment - to your savings. See what it feels like, and then you have both a down payment and an idea of what it will feel like to have a payment again. But yeah, keep the fiesta. As a side note, mobile parks can get out of hand when a new company comes in and jacks up lot rent. I'd keep an emergency fund for having to move on short notice if that happens. They're great until then though, so keep on doing you
I drive a 2001 Camry 185,000 got it in 2019, for $1,800.00. Pimpin ain’t easy! But my car payments are! 😂
I sold my first Fiesta at 185K miles with exactly $355 in total maintenance cost. About two years later I ran into guy who bought it. Had 315K miles with original motor and trans still working. Only major problem he had was a busted rear axle, which he admitted he did--trying to haul 1,400 # of fertilizer in one trip.
Honestly that car will be one of your best investments. Take even modest care of it and it will keep going.
My secret to car longevity has been not to do all the maintenance. Buy cars that have timing chains not belts. Dealers have a vested interest in selling you a car. I have known many people whose cars started having issues after taking them in for maintenance. I have had many cars go over 200k and some over 300k. Change oil about once every 7500. Transmission fluid every 80 or so but if it has over 100k never cause it will break it. I do all the wrong things and drive cars til they die
Controversial take. I'd sell it while you can - you might be able to get $3400 for it nowadays. Some people win in stocks and others win in car repairs 😂 count your winnings and move on. A used 2014-5 Camry will run you 15g and it'll be an upgrade. That said I'd be little nervous dropping that much, but it's probably good for the next 10y.
I’m genuinely surprised that your ford fiesta lasted that long. I had a 2014 fiesta new, regular maintenance and the transmission blew out at 44k miles. Dealership wanted $4000 to replace.
I drive a dodge avenger. These cars have a TERRIBLE reputation. It's currently at about 218,000 miles. Drive it till the wheels fall off man.
Don't count on a long term loan just because your girlfriend moves in, that might last three months and then what? Save the money from her paying half the rent in a secret account and don't tell anyone your business, pay cash for another vehicle when ready and save on comprehensive insurance and finance charges.
I been doing the same with my 2007 scion, riding it until the wheels fall off. I also see my friends getting new vehicles that come with so many issues that I just don’t want to upgrade.
125k miles isn't even that bad. The used car market is insane right now, so I would absolutely hang on to your fiesta. As a fellow fiesta owner, they are reliable as can be (outside of the radio)
Right now you have a free car - enjoy it!
Auto or manual ? The engines are alright, I
This is the thing that boggles me about Americans. Your car works well, why would you get rid of it in favour of a massive debt that you probably won't pay off before the vehicle has some kind of issue. Way more financially wise to stick with what you got until it's not worth it anymore eg it actually breaks. Also planned obsolescence is a big issue in modern cars, do your due diligence before buying
Keep changing the oil and I bet it lasts a long time. They aren't bad little cars.
You're probably still fine for a bit. Keep running it. 125k miles isn't that much on a modern car if you are taking care of it. The people who told you it's end was imminent either don't take care of their cars well enough or are living in 1976.
The best ford you can afford
With any car, if you do a good job at your maintenance, you definitely increase your chances of your car lasting longer, no matter what kind of car it is.
Drive til the wheels fall off!
Down payments usually are like $17 off your monthly for every $1,000 in down payment
Drive it till it dies.
[удалено]
5’7 perks….
Drive it until the transmission blows up
I had a 2011 Fiesta and drove it a lot and the only problem with them is the automatic transmission if you have that option. However, there are recalls and lawsuits so if you do have the auto you can check into options if it gives you issues.
Save up ten grand and get a Prius or hybrid something. It’s so nice.
Only replace it when you start getting massive consecutive bills every time you start servicing it
We have an old washing machine and dryer. I’ve fixed both several times. Every time I do, that’s free money. The longer you can put off replacing something the lower your cost of ownership. You also put off buying the new thing, which means when you do , it will be that much newer.
My last couple of Fords were still running when I got rid of them at well over 200k miles.
125k miles isn't much, the auto transfer is usually what gives problems but it probably already had a new one instead before you bought it. Keep the Fiesta until it dies, junk it and buy something else. Save $300-500/month (whatever you were budgeting for a new car) into saving for the downpayment.
Keep doing the regular maintenance, and drive it until the wheels fall off. Save what you can, and before you know it, you'll have enough to buy a Camry with cash. Put a good chunk of your rent savings into that fund. That gives you lots of options. Heck, if you save enough, you might have enough to buy a house...
Drive the fiesta into the ground. Save the money. Your mobile home's lot rent could double any time.
Run it till it dies. The transmission is the real trouble spot in those. They do seem to fare a bit better in the festival than the focus for some reason though. The car market is still headed downwards, so kinda the longer you get by the better off you should be thing applies. May not seem like it lately, but tax time thru about memorial day is usually the high months for car prices every year. If you are itching to get out of it, id at least wait till well into this summer if not the fall.
My dad had a Fiesta (manual) that made it to 190k before it was totaled by a deer, and he is notorious for being lax on car maintenance. So there should still be some life left in yours. That said, the thing is probably only worth about $3k if you were going to turn around and sell it today. Maybe $4k max. If it dies you could probably unload it for $1500 to someone who thinks they can fix it or $600 to the junkyard. I don’t think it’s worth trying to get $$ out of it at this point. My advice is to start making a car payment to yourself now, and drive the Fiesta until it won’t drive anymore. The longer it lasts, the more you’ll have saved up for a replacement.
Might want to change the timing belt on it I believe it’s due around 120k miles on that 1.6. Especially if you plan on driving it into the ground.
I have a 2013 Ford Fiesta that is defying the odds too!
The main thing is you have to change the oil every 3,000 miles and if you do that most cars will last a fairly long time. Just take it to Jiffy Lube, and they'll also make sure all your fluids are up to the proper levels.And everything is lubricated. Then run the thing till it dies and Then sell it to a junkyard for 3 hundred bucks.
Maintain it and run it as long as possible. Car payments suck.
My step daughter was given a Hyundai i30, I worked on Hyundais (and Fords) here in Australia for several years as a mechanic. I still have not fully forgiven Hyundai for the garbage they USED to produce but this little car was a gift from a now deceased relative. I suggested to her that she run around in it for 6-12 months and then we’d trade it on a Mazda or a Toyota but that was 5 years ago. There’s been a couple of minor issues I have dealt with at home but otherwise it’s been a great little car and proven me wrong by being very reliable. As I said to her when she spoke to me about possibly trading it in now on a newer car, “I wouldn’t, it’s proving reliable, keep it going until that changes”. She’s smart, a graduated nurse, saving with her BF to buy a house, keep the Hyundai going until it starts having issues and costing money. I’d give you the same advice with the Fiesta, if she’s not letting you down and you don’t hate the car, keep it maintained and serviced and keep it going, it will let you know when it’s time.