fiestaturbo.com

[heeman10]

Since my original thread turned into a mess, here's a new thread for my Mk6

Copied from the original:

I've been looking for a new car for a while, as I leave uni in under two weeks and will be looking for my first job and somewhere to live. The economy and running costs of the ZT (not to mention my aversion to putting miles on it) make it thoroughly impractical as an everday car, so an economical, cheap-to-run daily car was necessary. I was never a fan of the Mk6 Fiesta, but since having a good look at (and sit in) briggsybaby's (plus seeing loads of pics of it ) I was won over much more. Modern cars will never have the character of older cars, but in the right spec, body shape and colour, the Mk6 can look very agreeable IMO, and that is what I've found after a very difficult search.

I'd settled on wanting a 1.4TDCi (65mpg combined, over 70mpg on the motorway) Zetec Climate spec (body coloured bumpers with front fogs, alloys and aircon). It had to be around 2003 age with under 25,000 miles, and after weeding through a few. I found my new car:


~ 3dr Ford Fiesta TDCi Zetec Climate, Metallic Silver, September 2004 on a 54 plate, 15 months warranty left
~ 21,600 miles, Ford service history (one service at 15,000)
~ A/C, ABS, twin airbags, colour coded bumpers, front fogs
~ Blue interior with silver inserts

I scoured over the body and wheels thoroughly, and came up with one issue (bar about 6 very small, unnoticeable stone chips on the very bottom of the bumper); discolouring around the right rear wheel arch (pic below). There were no scratches or indentations in this area, so I'm not quite sure what happened. That will be sprayed before I collect it though All wheels are perfect with good tyres, all of the same brand.

It was fresh from another dealership which had just taken it in part exchange. I got the salesman to collect it and bring it up for me, it hadn't even been valeted or had its 45 point checkover - the best time to check it over myself really. So, it came to price. As it was taken in exchange, and hadn't had the checkover and service and prepared for the forecourt, it was priced at £1,200 under what it was about to go on the forecourt at I had no room for haggling for that reason, BUT..it will have 12 months' tax starting on July 1st, no MOT required for another 15 months, full set of mats, rear arch sprayed, Ford's 45 point check, full service, and £10 of diesel in it. There was nothing else to try for, the manager was brought in and was just about ready to have me kicked out, looking very uneasy (A bit cross-eyed too, not sure if he was like that before?!! )

I've managed to put off collection until July 1st, which allows me to pack up my room at halls, collect the car, load it up and drive it home the same day. I did NOT want to have to park it on the streets of Preston!

Enough talking, I'm very happy with it, it's much more than I ever could've expected..and from a dealer, complete with over a year's warranty too. Over the moon :D:D Pics!







The discolouring around the R/O/S arch, which will be sprayed for me:



The interior, which looks garish in the photo, but, in my opinion, is very likeable. Looking at Mk5 Zetec S interiors in photo's, they made me think "Urgh, I wouldn't buy one just because of the interior". Mine looks very similar to theirs in this photo I think, but I liked it as soon as I got in. The few dashes of silver liven it up enough, along with the colour of the blue (the two others I've driven made me feel ill with their lifeless grey/browny vile plastics), and the aircon is VERY nice to have:



So that's it! Pick it up next Saturday! Bring on 50-70mpg as opposed to 15-30

P.S. Don't worry, the ZT's going nowhere, just want to keep the miles off it and give myself a chance to work on it. The Metro however... eBay most likely!

[heeman10]

Another batch of pics from the original thread:

New piccies taken tonight

I popped the bonnet to clean the Mk6's engine bay for the first time..the usual bits of dust/light film of road grime to clean off and it looks pretty good. The joy of fresh paint, new plastics etc









The little baby turbo:



A shot of the interior, which I've grown to like quite a lot. It's all very easy on the eye, though it annoys me not having analogue fuel and water temperature gauges (or at least more finely-graduated digital counterparts):



100 miles and it's got about 7,928 flies on it already



Lovely clean door shuts/hinges (which I haven't touched yet) and heated side windows:




Since I modified the ZT's breather pot I hadn't been home to fit it, so I rolled the red one out to do that, and took some pics while they were outside together:













I love both cars in very different ways, but cannot wait to get the ZT back out on the roads

[M4tty]

please leave the number plate off the ZT

[M4tty]

please leave the number plate off the ZT

[heeman10]

So today brings some more news with it. It's been faithfully chugging along for half a year now, and racked up a few miles actually. Generally putting in 425 miles to a tank or so, which isn't fantastic I must say, but if I do mostly motorway miles at 70-75 it just nudges over 500 miles to a tank.

I decided I wouldn't mind attacking the underside of the ZT when I get a chance, but since the Mk6 is so young (2 years 4 months at present) I thought I would treat that to do Waxoyl and Underseal to give it a fighting chance of living a good few years. After all, it's highly likely this would become another project car, specially since the YB/4WD treatment is getting so popular now

Out in the yard with the Mk3 tonight:



Driving it over the pit to get scrubbing underneath:



Tooling up:



Three shots of the underside "before":







I used some warmish water and a dish brush to get scrubbing the pleasantly-thin film of road grime to make the true chassis visible, to spot where any Underseal will need applying, same goes for wax.

Exhaust tunnel - I've ringed the two little protruding screws, one of which already has a small amount of rust on it. Nothing major at all, but it just shows...it can start anywhere, so I'm pleased to be treating it all now:



Front of the chassis where it rises up to the inner wings/bulkhead. Note the clean-cut line where the Underseal stops. A little too far back for my liking:



The rear underbody brace has a few stone chips on it (ringed), so that will be Undersealed as a part of the underside prone to direct hits:



Another shot of the underside - note the two points where the underseal has come away from the chassis. I will be spraying wax into all access holes (such as the ones I've circled), and applying Underseal on areas likely to be hit by stones etc. Again, you can see the clean-cut line where the original Underseal stops. And again, I think it stops too early, so I will continue it a little, then wax the tunnel:



A closer shot of the peeling Underseal:



Work will continue tomorrow

[ianFRST]

you wont need that much black underseal

i bought one when i got my nova, all of 7 or 8 years ago, i did that nova, i did a fiesta turbo, and also painted 3 or 4 fuel tanks with it, and ive still got well over a quarter of a tin left

[heeman10]

you wont need that much black underseal

What do you want me to do, buy too little?! I expect it to go a long way! Got this one and the ZT to do, plus I usually buy more than I need so I don't have to make another one hour round trip just to get more when I run out!

[Al]

Couldn't resist another TD then James Good to see it getting that sort of treatment, my sister bought a 2 or 3 year old Ka a few years back and it was already starting to show signs of rust on the sills within a couple of months.

[heeman10]

Too right! I wanted something economical, new, still a hatchback, and something not so slow I couldn't overtake, but not so fast it made me blast around everywhere. It's still spot on Some young Fords do still rust terribly, Mk6 Fiestas included, so best to get on it early while there is nothing orange in sight!! Don't want it going through on the sills with a 450bhp YB lump lugging it around

[Al]

Some young Fords do still rust terribly, Mk6 Fiestas included, so best to get on it early while there is nothing orange in sight!! Don't want it going through on the sills with a 450bhp YB lump lugging it around

If only people knew this when the mk3 was released, may be a few more sound ones around.

I bought the Pug as they dont rust, but they don't bloody work most of the time either

[rs_fiesta]

You can see a bit of Fords waxoil dripping out on one of the pics,thats probably the only waxoil in that hole and its coming out Deffinatly worth doing if you are keeping it mate

[rs_fiesta]

Some young Fords do still rust terribly, Mk6 Fiestas included, so best to get on it early while there is nothing orange in sight!! Don't want it going through on the sills with a 450bhp YB lump lugging it around

If only people knew this when the mk3 was released, may be a few more sound ones around.

I bought the Pug as they dont rust, but they don't bloody work most of the time either

Your Pug may not be rusty mate but ive seen many a rusty 106 although not on sills and doors etc.They rust in engine bays around the seams and joins of panels and where stuff is clipped in.

[black2]

Good work so far there jimbo.

Some good insight there as well to the underside of the mk6, ie prone areas to underseal peeling off. Its about time i gave the ST a good dosing of the gobby stuff.

Just for the record i recall the conversation i had with the Ford Sales woman when buying the ST : my question was "do new Fords still suffer from rust" and the answer was " They are now guarenteed that they *should* not rust from the inside out any more, but if the rust from the outside in then thats not their fault" TBH i would'nt hold that as being hard statement, im sparying mine too prevent any rust!!

Gareth.

[heeman10]

Al - Quite a few people were kind to their Mk3s when they bought them new, Ford owners/employees in particular, and those that were given a helping hand live on strong today! My Mk3 was utterly rock solid when I got it, inside, outside and underneath, but I've put 43,000 miles on it in 6 years, and I'd be lying if I said they hadn't taken their toll. I'll see what I can do with the Mk3, still worth getting it over the pit methinks As for your Pug..well...you need a bloody leg to drive it first!

rs_fiesta - Yep, there is still some in there, still some living inside the chassis rails which is good to see, and other bits lurking in other places. In a way I'd like to keep it all original Ford, but when it comes to stopping it rusting, I don't care...it will get a pasting of the black stuff.

black2 - As above really. It'd be nice to leave it all original Ford (yours more than mine, mine isn't as "special" as the ST), or at least strip off the old stuff before applying the new stuff, but I'm far more interested in preserving the chassis than making it look good or original. There's a chance I'll have this car for a good number of years too, so if I feel like it later all this stuff can be stripped back (for a 4WD transmission tunnel, say ) and re-done. Get the ST up in the air and give it some gloopy love! I think with any car I'd do all this if I'd had the foresight...whether it's meant to corrode or not, I'd rather be safe than sorry!

[black2]

black2 - As above really. It'd be nice to leave it all original Ford (yours more than mine, mine isn't as "special" as the ST), or at least strip off the old stuff before applying the new stuff, but I'm far more interested in preserving the chassis than making it look good or original. There's a chance I'll have this car for a good number of years too, so if I feel like it later all this stuff can be stripped back (for a 4WD transmission tunnel, say ) and re-done. Get the ST up in the air and give it some gloopy love! I think with any car I'd do all this if I'd had the foresight...whether it's meant to corrode or not, I'd rather be safe than sorry!

Could'nt agree more with you there, least if its sprayed with wax oyl then it gives peace of mind that it wont rust! I dont really believe what she told me, she wanted a sale

Gareth.

[wakeboardtom]

heeman - what brake set up do you have?

[heeman10]

On this car or the Mk3? Mk6 is totally standard in every way, Mk3 has Wilwood Billet Dynalite 4 pots up front on 285mm discs, RS2000 rear discs on the back.

[D.J]

Everytime i read one of your threads you get thinking that i should consider doing something similar to my car

To get this right in my head, you are going to continue the under seal on a bit more from where Ford had stopped (exhaust tunnel and start of arches), and go back over the bits that had rubbed off. You are then going to spray the whole lot with wax oyl? You also put the wax oyl in the nooks and crannies?

Sorry if you've already covered it before, but needed to get it right in my head... If you've got any links to any helpful websites, that would be cool too

Keep up the good work James

DJ

[rs_fiesta]

Waxoil is meant for chassis legs,doors and tailgates etc,underseal is meant for outside underneath.No point in spraying waxoil on then undersealing over it,it will look crap and will probably come off as waxoil still stays soft.

[Al]

Al - Quite a few people were kind to their Mk3s when they bought them new, Ford owners/employees in particular, and those that were given a helping hand live on strong today! My Mk3 was utterly rock solid when I got it, inside, outside and underneath, but I've put 43,000 miles on it in 6 years, and I'd be lying if I said they hadn't taken their toll. I'll see what I can do with the Mk3, still worth getting it over the pit methinks As for your Pug..well...you need a bloody leg to drive it first!

I think mine was one of those too, still kicking myself (with my good leg) for letting it go, and for so little

[heeman10]

DJ - Yep, I will continue (and overlay with new Underseal) the Ford underseal in places, as I think they've stopped a little short, which is to be expected as they need to keep costs down. I, however, need to do no such thing so will be rather more liberal! It's only a couple of inches that need extending for the most part, but I'll do the undersides of the sills as well. As rs_fiesta says, there is very little point in applying Waxoyl then Undersealing on top of it, as the Waxoyl isn't massively adhesive or permanent, so I will apply all necessary Underseal first, then Waxoyl what remains, meaning if I get any overspray, it'll be Waxoyl on top of Underseal rather than Underseal on Waxoyl. Have a look around on the net matey, Yahoo et al work wonders

Al - Buy it back some time

[heeman10]

Right, well I got cracking with Undersealing the front of the car, all went just fine:







Fine..until I came to spray Waxoyl on the areas that won't be Undersealed. I fitted the high pressure sprayer, pressurised it, and this mess came out of the nozzle:



WTF am I meant to do with that?! Surely it should be a fine spray? Who else has used this kit? Any suggestions, or is this what it should do? If so, it's useless!!

[Jay]

Thats how its meant to come out... the tool is meant for poking into holes and filling the chassis rails with waxoyl etc.

If you want a fine spray maybe a pump action bottle like a glass cleaning bottle may work? You can thin the waxoyl down with white spirit if doesnt pump it properly.. then just put a few extra coats on

[heeman10]

Well how very useless! Some people are saying it's meant to come out in slugs, some say it should spray...gawwwwwwwd knows...guess I'll try some Windolene bottle and thinners action and see what happens. This is why I'm using the Mk6 as the test bed before gunking up the underside of the Mk3

[black2]

When i sparyed mine with wax oyl, it came out as if i was spraying paint, mind you i do have an agricultural air compressor so i guess that helps a lot

Surley you need more presure? (please excuse my typimg in drunk!!)

Gareth.

[heeman10]

I'm using the Waxoyl high pressure sprayer kit. It screws into the tin, then you pump it by hand till the pressure relief valve blows off, so the pressure's preset. I chucked a healthy dose of White Spirit in, shook it around for ages and tried again...much better that time, so I'll pour some more in tomorrow, warm it up, then get it done once I've Undersealed the rear half of the car

Thanks for the drunken input

[jayrs]

missed a bit








no you did, where the fuel lines are


there ya go, got it in the right thread now

[heeman10]

Ohhhh! And it all becomes clear! What a moron I haven't missed a bit at all You don't Underseal fuel/brake pipes etc, so I've Undersealed up to each side, and will Waxoyl that strip that remains

[jayrs]

Ohhhh! And it all becomes clear! What a moron I haven't missed a bit at all You don't Underseal fuel/brake pipes etc, so I've Undersealed up to each side, and will Waxoyl that strip that remains

i was half alseep last night while typing
i didnt say under seal the pipes though, i was talking about the strip between them

[Al]

Al - Buy it back some time

Its been up for sale since, but at nearly 3 times what I sold it for . I'll settle for getting the 106 ship shape (especially as its a hell of a lot quicker)

[MarkRS2K]

you wana do mine next

[heeman10]

Yeah course Mark, you're only round the corner, drop it round

[heeman10]

Just realised I forgot to put the "finished" pictures up from last night!

Rear half of the car fully-Undersealed (rear underbody brace removed so the chassis could be Waxoyld, as Underseal would bond the brace to the car):



Different angle (note the black fuel tank, which is plastic, so hasn't been treated):



Chassis now coated with wax where the brace will fit back (mounting points circled):



Spare wheel well waxed:



Shot of the whole of the underside, with the brace back in place, and by this point I'd waxed the front end too



Right, well that last photo's spazzed out, so I'll replace that another time. Also, I've left out photo's of the rust I found, in three locations, which I'll post up for other Mk6 owners to see so they can get onto it sooner rather than later. One was the underside of the rear seat hinge mounting point, one was where the rear tow eye is welded to the chassis, and the other was where two panels met under the car. All three areas were globbed in Underseal, then sprayed over with wax.

[heeman10]

The pics I left out, showing where I found rust.

Rear driver's side up near the boot floor:



Rear tow eye:



Rear seat mount:

[heeman10]

More thrilling updates!

When I bought the car, it had about a 4mm lip all the way round the offside rear wheel arch. It was bought on the condition that Ford painted it before I signed it over. They did it...badly...twice! I discovered that their recent paint (done by a mobile repairs man they contract out) was coming off...and was being replaced by the beginnings of surface rust. Nice! So, a few phone calls later and it was booked into a bodyshop, on their bill.

Some pics:

You can see some funny little horizontal scratches running vertically up the arch, plus the solid line they sprayed up to, and the colour mismatch



More mismatch and splodging visible:



Surface rust..on a September 2004 car with 25,000 miles, nice!



Cleaned it up a bit before taking it down:









I do like this paint a lot when it's cleaned up...I quite like the car too, it feels brilliant!



The job has been done far better this time (not up to my standards, but it's not a show car, so as long as it looks okay from up to 20cm away without inspecting, and as long as it won't rust, it'll do.