New member - order placed

[UbF]

Morning Folks,

Been punting around in a 2014 White Fiesta ST3 for the last 3 years ... great little car apart from the ride. As most of my commute is now in traffic and the roads down south are ever more clogged with roadworks, traffic and potholes ... i've really grown tired of it.



Test drove a Puma 125 ST Line X MHEV yesterday with the 7 speed automatic and unless something horrific appears on the 2nd test drive today, that will be ordered next week.

Spec wise I NEED the winter pack, want the parking pack ( reverse camera is handy) and would quite like the full LED headlights. Will definitely be ordering the first two. Colour, preference is changed to Solar Silver. Didn't feel like I was missing out on the 155bhp either.

Felt like it did all of what the Fiesta does where it matters and i'd not miss the bits it didn't do - i've a Z1000SX if i want to go fast and scare myself.

Fords current PCP scheme is just far too good an offer to ignore, even if the Puma wasn't as good as it is.

[Vendee]

Hi and welcome. I agree with you that the 125 is good enough for most people. If I lived in north Wales, Scotland or anywhere quite hilly I might have gone for the 155 but here in East Anglia I'm happy with the 125. As for your other options, its your call obviously. I'm lucky to have the Vignale with pretty much everything but if I was forced to chose between the winter pack and the LED lights I would probably go for the LED lights. Yes the heated seats and wheel are lovely but those LED lights are superb and make night time driving a fair bit safer in my opinion.

[UbF]

Aye. Not so worried about main beam, LED dipped is good enough. I can always retro fit later if I change my mind. 2nd test drive just ad good as the first. The seats and suspension are what my ST should have had!

Really looking forward to the change.

[Ron240]

Welcome, and thats a nice Fiesta ST you've got.
I agree that Winter Pack to get heated seats and a rear view camera are must have options for the Puma. Having got used to it on a few different cars I wouldnt want to be without a rear view camera now, and to get it on my Puma ST I had to specify the Driver Assistance Pack at an additional £650.
I still have not driven my Puma in the dark so dont know how good the headlights are, but LED are always better than Halogen anyway.
Regarding seats and suspension in your Fiesta...you cant have an ST model without fully supportive sports style seats and stiffer suspension.
Speed and thrill wise as you say your bike is more than capable of that. I have always liked Kawasaki and owned 3 new ones back in the 90's.

[UbF]

That stiffer suspension thing ....

Puma ST line Sports suspension - good feedback. Sharp handling. Reasonable compliance. Doesn't pogo you. Bumps stay in the suspension.

Fiesta ST suspension - sharp handling but lousy compliance. Pogo bouncy choppy ride. You feel bumps right through to your bones.

I was never sure if it was over sprung, over damped or both but it was the one thing I never got on with.

The Puma feels supple but still pleasantly firm - as a compromise, it's a far better balance for 90% of the driving I'll do.

Just sorted a full mat set for megabox, boot and seats plus a set of contoured fitted mud flaps.

[Ron240]

That stiffer suspension thing ....
Puma ST line Sports suspension - good feedback. Sharp handling. Reasonable compliance. Doesn't pogo you. Bumps stay in the suspension.
Fiesta ST suspension - sharp handling but lousy compliance. Pogo bouncy choppy ride. You feel bumps right through to your bones.

I have never owned a Fiesta ST but did test drive one when they first came out, and remember thinking it was similar to driving a go kart.
Have you driven a Puma ST, because I find the ride to be quite comfortable and have no complaints whatsoever...so I always find it strange when I read reviews of it being stiff.
I would expect the ST Line to feel softer but the point I am making is that an ST needs to be stiffer up to a point, but maybe the Fiesta went beyond this point.
I have owned 2 Focus ST's and just like the Puma they were comfortable and I had no complaints.

[UbF]

Far and away beyond. Equally I'm not 20 anymore and my tolerance for handling at the expense of everything else has waned

[UbF]

So after a little chat with my local dealer ... I've negotiated full driver pack, winter pack and full led lights for £3 a month more than the original quote.

Happy as beans with that. I did hover over the sunroof but tbh it'll probably just leak or whistle after 2 years and that'd drive me mental.

Now to get a delivery date!!!

[Ron240]

So after a little chat with my local dealer ... I've negotiated full driver pack, winter pack and full led lights for £3 a month more than the original quote.

It always amazes me how these things work, but Ive never bought a car on PCP.
Thats £2050 worth of extras for only £3 per month extra.
Obviously I dont know the full details but on the face of it makes the original quote seem like very poor value if it didnt include any of these options.
Result!

[UbF]

'shy bairns get nowt' or in Queens English, if you don't ask, you don't get.

Dealers make money on finance not cars. A cash deal will get you no wiggle room.

I'm very happy with that spec and if / when I do sell it, it's a spec that someone else would want too. It's also a spec I can enjoy for the time I own it.

I've never bought a car on PCP either but here's the man maths.

2nd hand 2 year old car with 20k miles is £22k. On HP with the current crap rates, that's like 400 a month Inc my car as deposit.

PCP at 0% and my car works out about £340 a month for a brand new car. At 2 years old I can walk away or take out a loan for £16.5k to buy my known history car.

It's a total no brainer.