BODY
Before buying your Fiesta, choose which model you’d prefer. The 1.0 Ecoboost was available in three- or five-door form, with the latter being more practical but less sportylooking.
The early Zetec S was three-door only, boasting funky bodykit, sporty grilles and 16in alloys (later upped to 17in). The mega-popular 140PS Red and Black editions were three-door models, with black 17in alloys and contrasting roof/mirror colours. The ST-Line was also offered as a fivedoor, and you can add the bodykit to an earlier machine if desired.
Rust doesn’t seem to be affecting the Mk7 like Fiestas of old, but it’s certainly worth checking the rear wheelarches, door bottoms or anywhere panels may meet and rub together.
Corrosion is a warning sign that the car has received some non-factory paintwork, which would generally mean it’s been in a prang of some kind. Many EcoBoost Fiestas are in the hands of inexperienced drivers, lots are on finance and some are even uninsured; the chance of finding a previously-damaged (and possibly badly-repaired) example are high.
Mk7 panels are cheap and plentiful second-hand, so when minor accidents occur, many owners simply replace with used components in the correct colour; bumpers and front wings, for example, bolt into place, so check for evidence of spanners having been used on the bolt heads.
Make sure all of the panels line up, and look out for Ford stickers with part numbers, which show they’ve been replaced.
Examine the underside for creases, fresh paintwork/underseal and signs of overspray; look out for overspray, too, on window rubbers, lights and glass. Similarly, runs in the paintwork and orange-peel finish are warning signs.