Powershift

Wife needs an automatic so we are seriously looking at fiesta lx pwrshift. If I have to have an auto then it should be a good one. Rating 5 for safety is a selling point too. Ill let you know how we go.

Boy this went off topic fast but its nice to see you blokes still have your sense of humour.

Insurance is about $450.
Been driving the fes around getting used to the dsg. Ive realised its one competant little car and will take a while before I can explore all its capabilities. Its got a punchy sound system that Im listening to whilst cruising around.

ronsmallford, In Sydney the LX powershift is $22,000 2010 model.
What year is your car and what tactic(trade-in?) did you use to
get below $20,000?

Who is your insurer?

Thanks...am obviously looking at getting one,

...poobah.

Ta mate, I will quote those prices, although for some reason there are cheaper examples in qld and vic than NSW?

Who was your insurer?

...poobah.

Shannons insurance. And it cost $360 not the $450 I said before. But your quote will depend on your driving record, previous claims, age, where the car will be parked, etc.
If you want the best drive then buy the ford. If you want the best price then it doesnt matter what the brand is. Why dont you send the dealers an email saying you are ready to buy a lx pwrshift on the road for $19885 and see who bites?

Yesterday I went for a big drive in the fes up over mt. glorius to wivenhoe dam then on to esk and toowoomba via back roads in the lockyer valley. I wanted to see how it performed on real roads not just the daily commute type stuff. If you want to have a good drive in the glorus area do it on a week day not on the weekend. I saw about a dozen clubman 7 and a cobra and that was it.
I wont bore with too much detail so here is some of the highlights.
Handling wise this car is so well planted and the steering is so good its just a pleasure to drive quickly in hilly, twisty areas.
The gearbox overall did an admiral job in a fuss free way except in one spot going up a steep section from an elbow, a kink then up steep again to an intersection. Anyone that frequents this area will know this bit well, its all or nothing for a small engine. Anyway its happily revving up from the elbow to the kink, momentarily lift off at the kink and in an instant the box changes up and all momentum is lost until it decides to change down again. Hmmm.. strike one against the pwrshift. Okay so if you dont need an auto and you drive in these hilly areas all the time then maybe the pwrshift is not for you.
Now out in the backblocks of the lockyer valley on wide undulating roads this thing will sit on high speeds with ease, anyone that still thinks of the fes as a buzzbox clearly hasnt driven in one.
Finaly at the bottom of the toowoomba range I filled up with e10 and set the cruise control for home along the warrego hwy. After a few kays i noticed the fuel economy improving. After working its way down to 4.8 l/100k it stayed there all the way into brisbane, that was with the aircon on as well, how good is that?
So with all that driving i did find its achillies heal, makes me wonder if like the grade assist button that will hold a low gear going downhill, a similar button for holding the gear going uphill would have been the icing on the cake.
The first mod I would do would be a button called "uphill gear hold assist".
Anyway its not a racing car its a general duties conveyance and as such its just brilliant. Am I happy with it? You bet.