Ford Ecosport feedback please

FlashSA said:
Thanks for the share. Sent to my wife and ended with "not going to happen"

I settled hers in January this year after only 11 debit orders (Stuck it to Ford Credit) and have zero intention of replacing it as it only does 10 000km per annum and I can extend the 4 year warranty by another 2 years for less then R10k before the current warranty ends.

Great second car!
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*does some maths* You paid R190k off in only 11 installments? That means you paid R17 000/month excluding interest, that's damn impressive!

I admire your restraint, paying off debt that rapidly on an Ecosport, where so many others would have been tempted to go for something far more expensive and pay it off in five times the time period.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
*does some maths* You paid R190k off in only 11 installments? That means you paid R17 000/month excluding interest, that's damn impressive!

I admire your restraint, paying off debt that rapidly on an Ecosport, where so many others would have been tempted to go for something far more expensive and pay it off in five times the time period.
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When I bought the Ecosport I had about R90k parked in the bond but didn't want to put it into the car at that stage. I wanted to settle in one massive EFT as that became my 2015 reason to save. My "road to settlement" spreadsheet forecast May 2016 for settlement, but December was very good to me ;-)
 
FlashSA said:
When I bought the Ecosport I had about R90k parked in the bond but didn't want to put it into the car at that stage. I wanted to settle in one massive EFT as that became my 2015 reason to save. My "road to settlement" spreadsheet forecast May 2016 for settlement, but December was very good to me ;-)
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mmm ... this is inspirational stuff, and I don't mean to pry, but as a non-homeowner I don't understand what 'R90k parked in the bond' means. So this means that to help you settle the car you ended up effectively transferring the debt from a car loan and into your house bond, which was presumably a good thing because the interest rate would have been lower? The only reason this is so interesting to me is because (like most South Africans) I'm dutifully slogging my way through a lengthy 60-month car loan, so when I hear 'paid off in 11 installments' it's naturally very interesting. Show me the path, Yoda.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
mmm ... this is inspirational stuff, and I don't mean to pry, but as a non-homeowner I don't understand what 'R90k parked in the bond' means. So this means that to help you settle the car you ended up effectively transferring the debt from a car loan and into your house bond, which was presumably a good thing because the interest rate would have been lower? The only reason this is so interesting to me is because (like most South Africans) I'm dutifully slogging my way through a lengthy 60-month car loan, so when I hear 'paid off in 11 installments' it's naturally very interesting. Show me the path, Yoda.
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I had R90k in savings parked in the access bond. Basically I was ahead in bond repayments by R90k. I store all my savings in my access bond because the current rate SA Homeloans charges me is 10.5% on my loan balance. For every rand extra I pay into the bond I effectively save 10.5% interest on it. I see it as earning 10.5% on my savings and it is tax free.

When I need the money it takes a phonecall and they EFT it back to me. I am currently working on getting these savings up to R300k this time. Once I reach that figure, I intend doing home renovations. Doing stuff for cash and not taking on extra debt is my preferred way, even if it means a 3-5yr savings plan first.
 
Pretty cool FlashSA :) I wish they'd teach us practical financial planning tips like yours in High School, and maybe a bit less of the useless **** (not sure when I'll ever need to make a model volcano in the real world). Thanks for sharing.
 
Something has been bothering me about the EcoSport towing capacity.

I do believe the Automatic (aka Powershift) can only do 400ish kg (400kg on UK info and 429kg SA info) braked and unbraked, due to the auto gearbox.

Lets focus on the Ambiente (aka Zetec in UK) model. The cheapest one, the 1.5 litre petrol manual. The manual ones are were the problems with the towing specs come in. SA Ford site had the Towing Capacity are 623kg for both braked and unbraked. UK sites have it as 675 unbraked (about half the Tara as should be) and 750kg as braked capacity

Across all models on SA Ford website both unbraked and braked towing weights are exactly the same to each other (not exactly 623kg though).

Maybe Indians don't tow, can find nothing about tow rating on Indian websites.

So what is in fact the truth I wonder? Just copy and paste mistake on Ford SA website?
 
supersunbird said:
Something has been bothering me about the EcoSport towing capacity.

I do believe the Automatic (aka Powershift) can only do 400ish kg (400kg on UK info and 429kg SA info) braked and unbraked, due to the auto gearbox.

Lets focus on the Ambiente (aka Zetec in UK) model. The cheapest one, the 1.5 litre petrol manual. The manual ones are were the problems with the towing specs come in. SA Ford site had the Towing Capacity are 623kg for both braked and unbraked. UK sites have it as 675 unbraked (about half the Tara as should be) and 750kg as braked capacity

Across all models on SA Ford website both unbraked and braked towing weights are exactly the same to each other (not exactly 623kg though).

Maybe Indians don't tow, can find nothing about tow rating on Indian websites.

So what is in fact the truth I wonder? Just copy and paste mistake on Ford SA website?
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Save pages from Ford.co.za. Then tow. If it brakes under warranty then you have marketing material to cover you.

I wouldn't really like to tow with the 1.5. Ours gets a move on if you rev it, but below 4000rpm there's not much under your right foot. Fuel consumption would suffer big time. Diesel or Ecoboost for towing only IMO
 
FlashSA said:
Save pages from Ford.co.za. Then tow. If it brakes under warranty then you have marketing material to cover you.

I wouldn't really like to tow with the 1.5. Ours gets a move on if you rev it, but below 4000rpm there's not much under your right foot. Fuel consumption would suffer big time. Diesel or Ecoboost for towing only IMO
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Nope, unless Ford give me a 10 year warranty on the Turbo... that's how long I plan to keep my EcoSport if I get one. I'm pretty sure the engine will last that long without issue, so such a warranty not required for the engine (bad experience with turbo vehicles and the subsequent costs, from others in the family) .

And I can tow with my 1.4 Figo no probs. Could tow with my old 1.3 Ikon as well. And by tow I mean a normally 500kg luggage trailer as is allowed by the Tara and specs. With the EcoSport I might want to tow a 580kg Sherpa Tiny Rought Roader caravan, which is braked, and that has a GVM of 750kg.

And you got it the wrong way around, the Ford.co.za is the one with the wrong info in my opinion...
 
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Assuming it is a 2016 and not a 2010 (impossible year) as listed, R30k off for 1600km of usage is a bargain. Go for it!
 
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FlashSA said:
Assuming it is a 2016 and not a 2010 (impossible year) as listed, R30k off for 1600km of usage is a bargain. Go for it!
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EDIT: Dealers still have the FORD CREDIT offer going on Ecosport so you could probably get a brand new one for close to that DEMO price. I can get a 1.5 Ambiente for R205k whereas list is R235k....

Even if you are paying cash, finance through Ford Credit, pay 1 debit order and then settle (finance must be below R250k to not be penalised)
 
I have been looking into the compact suv market for about two months.The entry level ecosport 1.5 gets poor power ratings across the internet.I have test driven it,its not too bad.I currently have an old opel 1.4 corsa bakkie which is only 66kw so i guess driving an 85kw vehicle would impress me.The ecosport is fairly heavy at about 1250kg so its a heavy body for a smallish engine.
The Renault Duster 1.5 diesel drives nicely and has good power,however im no renault fan and the inside looks like the china mall.
Pity theres not much else in the R200k - R230k price range.
 
saflyfish said:
I have been looking into the compact suv market for about two months.The entry level ecosport 1.5 gets poor power ratings across the internet.I have test driven it,its not too bad.I currently have an old opel 1.4 corsa bakkie which is only 66kw so i guess driving an 85kw vehicle would impress me.The ecosport is fairly heavy at about 1250kg so its a heavy body for a smallish engine.
The Renault Duster 1.5 diesel drives nicely and has good power,however im no renault fan and the inside looks like the china mall.
Pity theres not much else in the R200k - R230k price range.
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I've checked the Prices, there's the Citroen C4 Cactus, Renault Captur, Nissan Juke, Kia Soul, Suzuki Vitara, Peogeot 2008 in that sort of price range, some new, some demo, low mileage. We'll have to wait for the Hyundai Creta and Toyota CHR prices in that sort of segment.
 
The citroen doesnt appeal to me with those venier patch type doors or whatever those door covers are??
The renault captur has a low spec 66kw and then an 88kw but only in automatic
Juke 1.2 looks good
Vitara looks underpowered
Peugeot ive never heard good things in this country abt them.
The Hyundai creta looks good but no idea when its coming to SA.Likewise the CHR
 
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