Piston Slap: The Fiesta's Rocky Road Ahead?

Clark writes:

Hello Sajeev,

I currently drive a 2007 G35S that works great and has been dead nuts reliable since I bought it lightly used a couple of years ago. It also works just fine for my duties of pickup/drop off of my toddler at daycare. Despite being plenty quick, it’s kind of dull. I really miss having a daily driver that doubles as an autocross/occasional track-day car.

A few weeks back I attended a ford ecoboost event and got to hustle a Fiesta ST around an autocross course. I was pretty impressed and now I’m strongly considering switching over. I also like that it gets ~50% better fuel economy and the 17″ wheels mean cheaper replacement tires than the staggered 18″ setup on the G35 (plus, I think I may be harder on tires than most). Lower running costs wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit.

My wife is less impressed. She thinks the interior feels cheap (compared to the Infiniti it is) and is too small. It is a real tight fit to get a rear-facing child seat in the back. The G35S is the first car I’ve ever owned with 4 doors and a usable back seat; all of my previous cars have been sports cars. Compared to my Miatas or Corvettes and the like, the G35 feels huge, and the smaller Fiesta still seems like a wonderland of practicality. I don’t need luxury, just something sufficiently practical for hauling my child (or perhaps children) and fun to drive.

Is there anything I may not be considering that would make me regret trading down?

Sajeev answers:

What’s that phrase about walking a mile in someone’s shoes? Oh my damn, son.

You say you “don’t need luxury” but do you “want” it? I coulda/shoulda spent 10+ years restomodding a Fox Body Mustang, but I chose my Fox Cougar instead. Why? I like the extra bits and am okay with the extra 400 lbs or so of ballast.

But you aren’t me (lucky you) so I seriously doubt you’ll regret the downgrade, unless your wife’s/child’s needs grow to the point that a Fiesta is impractical. As the kid grows up and you take their friends to school/movies/dates, you might regret selling the Infiniti. And perhaps your career/social life demands a more prestigious vehicle for the valet lot? Or your wife’s career/social life?

Then again, you’ll probably want another car by the time your child is ready for the Prom…so perhaps throwing up roadblocks is unnecessary. I won’t answer this question, rather I’ll ask everyone to consider the total lifetime expenses of this purchase.

• Fuel, wear and tear items (Fiesta’s advantage)
• Depreciation expenses (Fiesta will depreciate more percentage-wise than the Infiniti)
• Insurance price differential

Is it worth owning a Fiesta ST for a while when you might wind up selling it 1-3 years from now? Tough call, glad I don’t have to make that decision for you!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.