Which car to keep, 306 vs Fiesta?

[Citroenmad]

Strange how our Fiesta Finesse has a Zetec boot badge! It should say Finesse? Did you put it on or has it had a new tailgate?

Anyway, it is a tricky one I will admit that.

If the Fiesta had been a diesel then I would say that, at least its the 1.25 and not the very dated 1.3. I had a 2004 Fiesta 'Zetec' 1.4 on loan back in 2004 and it was a nice little car. Handled well, rode bumps much better than I was expecting and the interior was fairly spacious for a small car. However the engine was a bit crap, seemed heavy on fuel and had little go in it, it was smooth and decent around town though. But on the motorways there was so much tyre noise I was getting a bit annoyed by it. I also hated the interior plastics, very cheap and not at all tactile. Luckily that shape Fiesta seems to have shaken the rusting reputation of the previous version.

Ive never driven a 306 but I believe they are good cars and yours having an XUD should be almost bomb proof. I would certainly bank on that one as being the longer living car. The 306 still looks smart and its the facelift in silver, which is probably the best looking.

Hmm, a Fiesta which you have had from new or a better equipped 306 diesel? 306 and not just because its French

[jamesgmg]

Strange how our Fiesta Finesse has a Zetec boot badge! It should say Finesse? Did you put it on or has it had a new tailgate?

It comes up as a Finesse when ever I've looked up the reg, she has all the docs somewhere... She bought it before I knew her. That's the original bootlid, but her ex "might" have changed the badge, I don't know.

It is definitely the 1.25 zetec engine though and very good it seems too. I've done a little work on it and it's been easy.

I did suggest we sorted it with a race

[jamesgmg]

Hmm, a Fiesta which you have had from new or a better equipped 306 diesel?

The 306 was my dads from a few years old and around 35,000 miles. He kept up 6k oil changes, so it's been looked after pretty well.

[CitroJim]

Peugeot v Ford on FCF ?

Yes, good innit Chris

The Fraud Fester is OK but oh so dull and just functional. Am automotive white good with no soul or fun. I know because I've been close enough to them over the years through family and actually owning three of them, the last a 1.25 Zetec that I hated with a passion because I felt so claustrophobic in the wretched thing. The interior was as cheerful as the inside of a hearse. I found a Fiat 126 felt more roomier...

The 306 is just the opposite. I liken it to a big 205 as it handles much the same and it's a whole barrel of laughs and fun. Something the Fester never is.

So, keep the 306...

[daviemck2006]

I would normally say keep the newer car, but in this case I think I would keep the pug. I owned two of the earlier shape fiestas, a 1.8td on an X-plate, and 1.25 zetec se on an 02-plate. I liked both of them to drive but both were very hard on fuel, the td getting 47mpg and the 1.25 getting only 34mpg. The X reg is now disintegrated in a pile of rust, the 02 was sound enough but ran up the back of an astra at low speed and was sold for repairs. This was the car I took in p/x for for my c5, and my son was learning to drive in it. Ny son in law had a 52 plate finesse 1.3 the same shape as the ops, it was scrapped due to rust holes in the floor and chassis this time last year and he bought a new c1. I generally find fords fine to drive, but they just do what they say on the tin, never been attached to any I have owned and I have had a few over the years. However in this case I think SWMBO will keep her fiesta until it dies.

I actually have a similar dilemma but will start a new thread and not hi-jack this one.

[chrisjvm]

Peugeot v Ford on FCF ?

Yes, good innit Chris

Poor old Fiesta was doomed from the start Jim....
The question was akin to asking Bernard Matthews
If he preferred an aircraft hanger full of Turkeys
Or a family size bag of Tofu twizzlers !

[chrisjvm]

Never mind repairing Citroens ....

Posting is a challenge for me Chris.

[chrisjvm]

[Citroenmad]

Good bit of quoting there Chris

[chrisjvm]

I keep losing reception on my phone mid msg Chris....
Honestly !!!

[CitroJim]

Posting is a challenge for me Chris.

I keep losing reception on my phone mid msg Chris....
Honestly !!!

That's what they all say

[chrisjvm]

You've got me bang to rights Jim!

[Junkman]

Sell them both and get yourself a 605.

[Citroenmad]

Sell them both and get yourself a 605.

As nice looking as they are, im not sure if that is the answer here

Perhaps though, if you can't decide which to keep, sell them both and buy something which will fit your requirements perfectly.

[jamesgmg]

Perhaps though, if you can't decide which to keep, sell them both and buy something which will fit your requirements perfectly.

Did think about that, but we've just bought the Berlingo which is perfect for what we need it for. If we sold both the 306 and the Fiesta, we'd be looking at cars around the £2-3k mark and I'd rather keep a car I know the history of than buy something unknown at that price point.