OK, so I'm 19 in the summer and that means I can get insured at a reasonable price on something other than a small hatchback.

I currently drive a 2001 Fiesta 1.25 Zetec and I'm torn between a Zetec S of the same age (1.6l) or a Ford Puma (either 1.4 or 1.6).

Both cars have the same chassis and engine, but the Puma looks better imo and because of it's limited production run is unique and "special" in my eyes.

I'll probably be buying from a dealership (possibly a third party dealer if main dealers can't find one) and my budget for buying the car should be upto £4k.

So what I'm asking is if anyone has opinions, experience of the cars, or can suggest some realistic alternatives, leave a message after the beep!

*beep*

The Puma is a slightly higher insurance group (9 for 1.4, 10 for 1.6, compared to 8 for Fiesta) but it is a much more desirable car IMHO, both should be fun to drive if they're well maintained and my guess is you'll be more likely to find a Puma will typically have been loved and cared for better than a Fiesta.

My brothers GF drives a S reg puma 1.4. Its a great car really. Its a little girly for me, but its got pretty decent acceleration, and handling is good.

When i drove it, i did enjoy it, but i dont like the gearbox. It may just be me being fussy, but its very noisy at times.

Apart from that, there a good car.

I was in a similar position not that long ago..and ended up with a Focus. It drove better than any other car I took for a test-drive - responsive engine, fun handling, looks miles better than the Fiesta, and is cheaper to run as well, which is nice.

Out the two though, I'd go for a Ford Probe

Quote from Rtsbasic :

I was in a similar position not that long ago..and ended up with a Focus. It drove better than any other car I took for a test-drive - responsive engine, fun handling, looks miles better than the Fiesta, and is cheaper to run as well, which is nice.

Has to be said the original Focus is a fantastic car to drive and was the 1.6 was very highly rated in Autocar's track group test at Oulton Park a couple of years ago

My mum was looking into getting a Puma a few years back. She really wanted a Cougar but they were a tad too pricey then (I've no idea if they still are). She looked at a Puma, a Focus hatchback and a Focus saloon. She ended up going for the saloon, only because she could see out the back a bit better, and the boot was big enough to live in.

It was a cracking car and it was fairly nippy for a diesel. I think it was when Ford first started bringing out their TDCi engines, and it suited her heavy right foot pretty well. Sadly she had to trade it in for something smaller before moving here to Plymouth as parking here is quite frankly a bitch in a big car.

Either way with the Fiesta S or the Puma, they will both be a good fun little car to drive about, and they love to be revved. But the Puma does shout 'I'm a bit more sportier than you little Fiesta'.

And good man for sticking with Fords.

Quote :

Has to be said the original Focus is a fantastic car to drive and was the 1.6 was very highly rated in Autocar's track group test at Oulton Park a couple of years ago

They are a good drivers car, wasn't expecting that when I first drove one. Nice engines as well - mines a 1.8 Zetec trim, passed the 100k mile mark, and hasn't missed a beat. One figure I was suprised by as well, is the curbweight of a Fiesta ST, is higher than an original Focus, for all the fancy stripes and shiny wheels, one of them is barely faster than a mid-range Focus like mine.

Quote from TiJay :

So what I'm asking is if anyone has opinions

Like you, I've run a 1.25 Zetec-engined Fiesta (mine being of a 1996 vintage), and they're great cars.

The Puma is also a great car. It's also very much a girl's car. I honestly can't ever remember seeing a guy driving one.

Quote from Rtsbasic :

I was in a similar position not that long ago..and ended up with a Focus. It drove better than any other car I took for a test-drive - responsive engine, fun handling, looks miles better than the Fiesta, and is cheaper to run as well, which is nice.

What he said ^

If I was you, I'd seriously consider a Focus if you can't get a Puma. Mine is a 1.6l 03 plate, cost me £5k from a Ford Dealer with 32k miles on it, and it's cost me £1200 to insure fully comp (i was 19 at the time, 20 now). Insurance renewal arrives in September, touch wood i have no claims between now and then.

I took it to some Scottish country lanes over the weekend, had loads of fun with it, the handling is superb, and the engine is very responsive. It now looks like it's done a stage of Rally GB (it was quite muddy up there!).

I also visit friends around the country quite often, and it's a very easy and comfy car to drive on the motorways too.

Isn't the Puma just a Fiesta with a different bodyshell and the Cougar a Mondeo with a different bodyshell?

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Isn't the Puma just a Fiesta with a different bodyshell and the Cougar a Mondeo with a different bodyshell?

The Puma uses Fiesta mechanicals, not sure about the Cougar.

Puma is a decent little car, very chuckable, mechinically sound, you can pick them up dirt cheap nowadays too.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm glad the Puma is a good choice

Quote :

The Puma is a slightly higher insurance group (9 for 1.4, 10 for 1.6, compared to 8 for Fiesta)

I've checked some quotes out and it's not much more than I'm paying now, thanks to a student loan it's affordable too.

Quote :

The Puma is also a great car. It's also very much a girl's car. I honestly can't ever remember seeing a guy driving one.

Haha, that's true but a (male) friend of mine had one, the girls seemed to love it and he didn't get too much stick from guys

Quote :

I was in a similar position not that long ago..and ended up with a Focus. It drove better than any other car I took for a test-drive - responsive engine, fun handling, looks miles better than the Fiesta, and is cheaper to run as well, which is nice.

That's interesting because I did look at some Focus' (only on Autotrader) and put myself off them because they're a bit "family car". However, I'll definitely look again and check out some insurance quotes after the replies here.

The Probe and Cougar look very nice too but are way out of the question right now

Me thinks you posted in wrong thread

Wrong thread James.

EDIT - Wow "Working" In An IT Lesson really slows my posting down!

Quote from danowat :

Me thinks you posted in wrong thread

yh thats wierd, i thped the answer in the console advise thread, ok lets copy it over lol

and i know i was in the right thread cos i remember reading the start of your post again half way through typing it

Quote from Jakg :

Wrong thread James.

EDIT - Wow "Working" In An IT Lesson really slows my posting down!

yes i know jack im not going mental i didnt think this was that thread i typed it in the other thread but it ended up here

Quote from TiJay :

That's interesting because I did look at some Focus' (only on Autotrader) and put myself off them because they're a bit "family car". However, I'll definitely look again and check out some insurance quotes after the replies here.

I'd go and test drive one, they're big enough to have the advantages of a full sized car and should you ever need it have much more luggage space and with seats folded down they're as good as a small estate car. They're also far more refined for motorway use and nicer to travel in than other cars of their age and class, as well as having good rear leg room. They've got a lower insurance group and are totally inconspicuous, which may be a good or bad thing for you

Hmm, the practicality sounds strangely appealing... The Focus seems like one of those cars where I can't actually think of a downside to it.

The only things I've come up with so far is "it doesn't look as flash as a Puma" and "I won't need to buy new adapters for my head unit if I get the Puma"

Whereas with the Puma, there's no rear legroom, you can't see a thing out of the back, I could end up getting one without air con, the tax is stupidly expensive... But it looks sexy.

Aslong as you don't get a "new" Focus, man, that car is pants, had one for a month, hated it.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of new Fords. They killed the Fiesta AND the Focus. And don't even mention the bloody Verve... Ugh.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

Isn't the Puma just a Fiesta with a different bodyshell and the Cougar a Mondeo with a different bodyshell?

Confirm that, the Cougar had Mondeo underpinnings, including it's 2.0 I4 and 2.5 V6 engines.
Notably, it was sold as the Mercury Cougar in North America.

Quote from TiJay :

Yeah, I'm not a fan of new Fords. They killed the Fiesta AND the Focus. And don't even mention the bloody Verve... Ugh.

I think the new focus st looks abit like the old focus rs which i live quite close to one. The last gen fiesta st was better. Or the old focus st in orange. the perfect chav *cough* boy racer car.

I say Fiesta is the car you want to drive, since your other option is to look like a gay hairdresser...which is bad... unless you are a gay hairdresser

Quote from Luke.S :

I think the new focus st looks abit like the old focus rs which i live quite close to one.

They're nothing a like.

Bright orange, chavy bodykit, ... enerally fat and bloated.


An attractive and purposeful l ... ted in a tasteful colour.