Author Topic: 'Weighty feel' Fiesta vs Jazz (Read 2856 times)

guest1521 · « **on:** July 23, 2012, 04:05:05 PM »

In my neighbour's near new Fiesta the other day and again noted its doors are a heavy(ish) pull and shut with a 'thunk.'

That's compared to my GE Jazz's doors which feel very light and tinny in action... though they do have a satisfyingly PRECISE 'feel.' (As with the hatch, most switches and the ever so sweet manual gear shift.)

The 'feel' of Fiesta's doors' 'action' contrives to make it appear a significantly more substantial/robust/safer car than the Jazz. The feel of Fiesta's ride adds to that perception, too.

Yet the kerb weights are not so very different. Surprising, I thought, given that pronounced difference in 'feel.'

I wonder... why/how the difference? KGs of insulation against noise? And/or a clever engineering illusion on Ford's part?

chrisc · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2012, 05:17:37 PM »

They often spray tar inside the door panels to improve the "clunk" sound. There was an article in a 1970's American car magazine which explained the tricks auto manufacturers got up to, to create an impression that their car was better engineered than someone else's. "Zero torque" locks became popular since you did not have to slam the door against the weather seal to close it.

Tar (and polyurathane) sprayed inside the door panels also prevents rust. I once looked at a Renault 12 which had been assembled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) that had nothing at all sprayed inside the doors. They made an awful clanging sound when shut and within 6 months of being kept outside here (we are quite close to the sea) went rusty big time from the inside out.

My daughter's Golf 6 has door panels 0,8mm thick! Yet it closes with a very refined clunk.

culzean · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2012, 08:57:17 PM »

Rest assured that your Honda doors will still be opening and closing when the Fiestas doors are quietly rusting away in a scrapyard somewhere - the words Ford and precision engineering should never be used in the same sentence. How many old Ford cars do you see driving around, now count the number of old Civics, Accords, Preludes etc.

Ford pioneered and perfected the art of making cars with built-in obsolescence.

By the way, that new Fiesta is a Mazda 2, but with Ford badges. And the new Ford Ka is based on Fiat 500 chassis and built in Poland.

chrisc · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2012, 11:31:58 AM »

The Ford Cortina in the 1970's had the dubious distinction of having the thinnest sheet metal used in any car to date. When the car was about 3+ years old, you could see ripples behind the door panel from continual closing of the doors.

The thinner metal made the car lighter and hence notably improved acceleration. My Dad had a 1965 Cortina GT and the sales gimmick was, "It appears the same, but disappears differently". He had the car for about 5 years, then the tops of the shock absorbers broke through the housing inside the engine compartment.