We are looking at buying one and would like to know:

Any weak areas/items? Places/things to specifically check before buying?

Any good places to look for one specifically? Any owners clubs or such like?

Ta in advance peeps

 

www.fiestaturbo.com mate

 

stu i know they rot the same as all the mk3 fezzes do

 

depends really.

get a late one in the 3.5 shell

 

do they not have the same rust probs as 2i's???? fuel caps, boots, inner arches ???

They tend to be over priced due to the rs badge, the engines just a 130bhp 3i

 

new dog house stu ???

 

Later Mk3.5's addressed the problem with the fuel filler cap but the rest of them still need checking over. They are a nice car and getting rare now so good ones are commanding more money than other mk3/3.5 Fiesta's.

 

Browsing FT.com at the mo Simon... cheers pal


Dunno, thats why im asking some enthusiasts opinions


Like the Escort turbos CVH engine before it then... a 130bhp 3I

How things havent moved on Although i suppose they achieved it without a turbo this time, so thats summat

 

To be honest youd be better off getting a 16v 2i Cheaper and just lacking the cams, ecu and TB to bring it up to 130 spec (Ive done that on mine using 2.0 cams and TB)

its for sale too!

 

i just sold the missuis 95 m reg fiesta si the fuel caps still rot ? as do the rear arches i sold that cus it was a rotter

 

shopping cars gonna be a bit flash

 

at flash ,a 2cv's more flash

 

oi a RS shopping car !!!!!!!!


that IS flash


its dedication to the marque

 

GREAT CAR FOR NICOLE i used to drive one and reckon i could put u straight on 1

 

The Mk3.5 (airbag-equipped) RS1800s are the best Mk3 Fiesta Ford ever made bar none - you can't get the engine to 200bhp like you can with the FRST but you've got the strongest, safest and sharpest version of the handling package available on any MK3 and engine swaps are easynuff, altho you really want to be looking at a Z-t to do the chassis justice.

All imvho though - I know you lot prolly look at them as shopping trolleys

 

 

i know the late ones came with xr2i seats instead of recaros

 

no where near as many rot problems as the mk3's

my girlfriend has the rs1800 little brother, the 1.6 si and it is a little underpowered but is great and has no rust!!!! not bad for a 10 year old ford

the rs1800's are nicer as they have the full 2i kit and recaros etc, they just tend to be a little overpriced as people consider tham rare.

if you could put up with just 110 bhp instead of 130 bhp the late 16v xr2i is a much better buy, as it considerably cheaper

 

Thanks for the help so far guys...

 

for the same money you can have an Rs2000 mk6 which imo are far better

 

www.rs1800.com

 

I'd get the 16v 2i, and then either drop a 2 litre in or put the 130 spec kit on. They all rot, and with the 2i you have a lot more to choose from and for a lot less dollar.

Then again, the RS1800 might be a collectors item one day.....

 

I had one for 5 years they are wicked little cars stu Mine had quite a bit of head work and a few other tricks done to it and had bags of torque alex loved it used to leave a lot of turbo's standing As said though they go in the same places as all mk 3 fez's I do miss mine Really reliable to imo i had mine 5 years and i only broke down once and that was because i snapped a valve spring Started every morning rain, shine or snow

Check out www.rs1800.com

 

Stu,

Banana Fingers had one for about 3 years. He did nearly everything that was possible (even stuck NOS on it and that was before the Fast & Furious bullshit ). He ported the head, camed it, UNICHIP, AP 4 pots, lightened flywheel..... rev'ed like nothing I have ever been in before for that size engine. Would hit the limit in 5th no probs!

He chopped it in once it started to rust up the tail gate.

 

not quite true (I dont think), the later one's had winged seats similar to the Si but the xr2i defo didnt have winged seats, just recaro sports style.

Stu, great little cars, my missus loved hers and it was a lot of fun to drive too! Some pics of ours before she sold it (taken with a 1.3meg camcorder though so not the best pics for detail/colour):

 

The main reason Nicole has opted for this model in her shortlist of cars is:

A) It needs to do 100miles per day trouble free.

B) Needs reasonable fuel economy.

C) Needs to be an RS with reasonable insurance premium.

D) Needs to be cheap per mile motoring ideally.

That rules a lot of the older Rs's out of the picture unfortunately. If she needs to go fast she just takes the cossie for a good hiding.. so ultimate horsepower potential is not relevant.

 

im sure the recaros was a option on the later cars to save ford money

 

They are a wikid little car. The later models came with the non rusty fuel cap anyways and some last of the liners are full of extras.

Look for rust infront of the fuel tank/ back of the footwells too.

and stu u need to check the site

www.rs1800.com

lots of useful info and some very nice cars on there for sale too.

 

I really like the RS1800 Fiesta for a cheap budget RS...... or the Mk6 RS2000 Escort, much less hastle than the turbo charged cars

 

they only made 500 rs1800's and i've seen alot of them as spares or repair so there cant be many true rs1800's left. as u'll find ALOT of the ads say theyre rs1800's but there really 16v 2i's as thats the trouble my mate had when he was lookin for one. so make sure the one ur lookin at is genuine it should have a plate with what number it is (like the rs500's do) if u can find a early one as they come with more toys (recaros etc) as ford started to get tight towards the end of production so the later ones are a bit naff when it comes to extras. its an early zetec engine so its tough as nails and will keep up with standard rs turbos all day long.

like all mrk3's they rust in the same places if not looked after but on the hole ther very underated cars and u can get bloody good mileage from then aswell

 

i dont see the point in chipping/camming it and all that. buy it for what it is and enjoy it!

i had all the same pre-conceptions of it before i tried going out in one. wildheart on here bought one last summer and i was really impressed by it - loads better than the FRST when both in original form!

 

petrol cap
rear arches, at the bottom corner behind the kit
check passenger footwell for wet / water
peel back door rubbers, bottwm left corner sill rots

there the main hidded ones, find one with out that and im sure it will be sweet

 

not quite true, it was actually summat like 493... making it more rarer than the RS500 of which think it was 496 that were released... yeah if only

apparently 493 were made in Britain or summat, the other 9,500+ were made abroad, so they dont have a limited edition plaque and there were plenty of them made Some say that the 493 are genuine RS1800s and the one's abroad are 130ps XR2i's, not true, the one's made abroad -for abroad- were 130ps XR2i's, the one's made abroad -for the UK- were RS1800s.

again not quite They are 130ps compared with the FRSTs 133bhp and so a common misconception that the FRST has only 3bhp more, however that means that the RS1800 is actually 120+bhp and its peak power is at 7k revs, it doesnt do too much below 5k but does kick with the revs, the torque alone of a standard FRST is enough to see off an RS1800 0-60, but they are still good nippy cars and will certainly see off XR2i's and the like

 

Stu i used to do 130 miles a day in mine for 3 months solid was brilliant but it was not cheap on fuel it drank it Alex banned me from using it as it was costing me so much and made be take the orion till i nearly set the back bumper on fire so then got the cabrio to use for work And there not cheap insurance either really Same as a turbo

 

i have 2 of them 1 early and 1 late and both great cars, the later car is the best because of the power steering abs and twin airbags even if it is missing the recaros, leave it standard and enjoy.

 

Escort RS2000 mk6 is trouble free, economic, I found it was actually cheaper to insure, handles alot better, is as fast if not faster, has recaros not wing seats has more extras ie heated screen, air con

 

I know where there is a K plate one thats for sale, would be quite cheap as it's sat for a while but could be a very nice car, insurance is very high for what they are though so I'd recommend getting a few quotes before buying one Stu, if your interested PM me for contact details.

 

PMSL@ Bannana Fingers

Shaun
Didnt he have a FSE Powerboost valve on it too

 

I got a mk3.5 mint one wanna buy it

 

Thanks for all your help guys and gals...