Bye bye Suzi, welcome Fordie !

[drakkie]

Hi guys,

Totally unexpected I bought another car ! Last few weeks my Suzuki sAlto started having severe problems. The maintenance on it would cost more than I paid for it a year ago and the mileage was getting very high !

So i started slowly started looking around for a new ride, with my dad. This week everything went super-fast, monday I lost 2nd gear. Tuesday the 3rd gear was dying, but with force useable. Wednesday the reverse was gone. Thursday all remaining gears were more or less useable but only with force. Friday I got a loan. Yesterday I bought a perfect looking Ford Fiesta from 2000 with only 61.000km on the counter.

It's a major improvement, though it's not as dynamic and go-kart style like my old Suzi was after my modifications. The engine power is only 70hp, much less than Suzi was after the mods(had 91hp on 580kg last two weeks). But it is mostly a mode of transport for me. My Suzi carried my ass around for about 65.000km in the 18months I had her. I hope the Ford will do it about the same, with as much ease of use and driving pleasure. I will NOT modify this car though, it is as standard as I bought it, when I sold it. Only thing I want again is Cruise Control. My suzi had it and I fell in love with it. Afterwards drove with it on in about 20 different vehicles and it is just a very very nice system and a huge improvement.

Anyways, after making a good pick from the huge amount of Fiesta's for sale, I drove away from home yesterday. About 50 km from target, my gearbox died almost completely. A coffee stop and only 1st gear left, which it was in when parked, we decided to tow her behind the C5. Went well and around the corner of the dealership we started Suzi again and I slowly drove her to the dealer. Luckily he didnt even start it

Anyways, with all the mods he valued my Suzuki at 750€ at first(unseen and by phone) and with a selling price of 3250€ for the Fiesta it'd make €2500 for me to pay. We managed to talk the value of my ride to €1300 based on the mods (new sport shocks,completely new damper system, heavily modified interior made more luxurious then even the most expensive model sold back then, new radio, new sound system, trunk cover, modified bumpers(made from the originals and bits of fibreglass), new grille, welding work on the bottom, modified engine(other carburator, new (sports) engine management systems and many more..

Anyways, I will definately miss my Suzuki but like everything a new start is not always a bad start ! Let's hope my new starts pay off !

Bye bye Suzi,
Welcome Fordie !

ps: in the near future, i hope to get a cheap suzi Mk.1 or Mk.2 to execute my dream project.

[john14]

Congratulations drakkie. It looks like a nice car.

[Rockefella]

Congrats on the new car.

[Roentgen]

Congratulations. Hope this will last you for longer!

[fisetdavid26]

Nice.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Your choice in cars is improving.

you receive a C+.

[johnnynumfiv]

65,000 km in 18 months, thats some drivin! Have fun with the new ride.

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by johnnynumfiv

65,000 km in 18 months, thats some drivin! Have fun with the new ride.

Think so ? I did a total of about 150.000, including the ones in the cars from work But thanks everybody for the compliments ! Egg-nog test follows tomorrow when my camera's batteries are charged.

[cmcpokey]

looks good drakkie... should be fun, and just as tossable as the alto.

[Dantera22B]

The fiesta has always been a neat little handler. Always had fun when i've driven one. I had a spin in 1.6 Zetec S about 6 months ago and to be honest you don't need anything faster on British roads. Fiesta's rock! Good buy Drakkie.

[Ferrer]

But weren't you going to do an Alto with a V8? And another want that was supercharged? And another that was twin engined and all wheel drive? Or something?

Anyway, congratulations on your new car.

[f6fhellcat13]

Nice buy Hope you have fun in it.

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by Dantera22B

The fiesta has always been a neat little handler. Always had fun when i've driven one. I had a spin in 1.6 Zetec S about 6 months ago and to be honest you don't need anything faster on British roads. Fiesta's rock! Good buy Drakkie.

Yea indeed ! Handling surprised me a lot as well ! The 1.3's top speed aint toohigh though, i did 150 on the GPS today. Even my Alto managed better.

Originally Posted by Ferrer

But weren't you going to do an Alto with a V8? And another want that was supercharged? And another that was twin engined and all wheel drive? Or something?

Anyway, congratulations on your new car.

I really wanted to make a bi-moto Alto yes. I made drawings and some calculations. But the price tag was too steep, because the reinforcements to the body were basically too heavy.

[kingofthering]

This should drop your Nuerburgring times.

But it's good to see you choose something more practical.

[Falcon500]

I hope you dont thrash this one like you did the last one.

Looks like a very nice auto though enjoy.