[greenfoam]

Well that's the thing with Ford, they have no money to spare and it's painfully obvious at the dealers when you ask about warranty's. Imho once you buy the car you are pretty much on your own with Ford, it's not really the dealers fault with the lack of warranty enthusiasm they show... it's from being repeatably beaten down from higher up the chain. My dealers told me they have enough trouble getting the money for the rust repairs all Falcons and Territory's generally need before the 5 year body warranty is up on them let alone money for anything else.

Still the European Fords are for the most part great cars, obviously I'm not a fan of sending those Alloy wheels they came with to Australia because they just weren't up for the task and it's clear a WS Fiesta never made a single lap around Fords test track because if it did not a single wheel would have made one complete lap.

I don't know how the warranty on cars like Hyundai and Kia are but I'd assume since those company's are booming and full of money it wouldn't be such an issue. About Fiesta being outsold by the Mazda and other small cars, you have to wonder why, the Fiesta has had plenty of good advertising and most people know it's just about the best small car money can buy so what's left... does everyone just leave the Ford dealers with a bad taste in their mouth, bad enough that they buy an inferior car.. it seems that's what happens.

P.S if I had a Fiesta with a persistent pinging problem I couldn't fix any other way, I'd probably back the timing off at the crank sensor? if that's where it's timed? I'm not sure but lets say it is... There might be a adjustment slot there or if there isn't you could make it slotted and wind back a couple of degrees. I know that's a trouble but it would fix it