1989 Ford Fairmont EA 3.9 multipoint injection

Summary:

For a secondhand car you could not ask for more

Faults:

The left hand side front door window has stopped winding up or down.

The fuel pump had to be replaced at 223000 km.

General Comments:

This car has been totally reliable. I live in Tasmania and the winters here can get pretty cold. The car is outside all the time, and starts easily every morning.

I am a concrete and paving contractor, and am always carting a tandem trailer loaded with gear. This car can tow it with ease.

My car is comfortable as well as reliable; it is all I could ask for from a second hand car.

The car has plenty of torque, but is also a great family car with plenty of space to put all my kids things.

This car is a great cruising machine.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th April, 2008

1989 Ford Fairmont Ghia 3.9

Summary:

Great cruising car

Faults:

About 6 months after buying the car, the transmission blew up... cheap to fix as its only a 3 stage.

Put on some free flows and big bore... heaps more power.

A bit heavy on gas round town.

Car radio had a tape deck + FM radio.

General Comments:

Car is very roomy and very comfortable.

Easy to drive. Cruise control stopped the "dead foot" on long drives.

Very powerful; great for towing anything.

No real cost other regular services.

Gets around 500kms on the open road.. for a tank of gas.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th August, 2007

1989 Ford Fairmont EA 3.9

Summary:

Comfy and fairly quick - very unreliable and guzzles fuel

Faults:

Lots.

Front wheel bearings needed replacing

Starter motor replaced twice

Replaced worn out engine

Unknown intermittent faults. Has been known to stop and fail to start for no apparent reason.

Replaced radiator

Overheated once and damaged the overflow tank

Replaced distributor

Replaced belt tensioner pulley on motor block.

Power steering pump needed replacing

Power steering rack needed replacing

Still leaks a lot of fluids.

Probably a few other things that I've forgotten about.

General Comments:

Nice to drive - not very reliable & guzzles fuel.

I converted her to LPG as soon as I bought her - which was a good move.

It has started to get noisy as the door seals don't keep out wind noise and the cat convertor is leaky.

With 380k on the clock she's had a long time at the crease, but she's still a nice car and I'll keep her going for a few more years yet. Seriously, despite everything, she's very comfortable to drive and performance is good.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 7th September, 2006

1989 Ford Fairmont EA 4 litre

Summary:

Total pile of junk

Faults:

I have owned this car for approximately 6 months, and in that time the following has gone wrong:

The digital speedo started reading 188 constantly

The climate control developed a mind of it's own

The trip computer stopped work and beeps all the time

The Auto Trans has become very jumpy and sluggish

It overheated.

General Comments:

In my opinion this car is a total pile of junk. My grandparents have owned it since new and gave it to me for my first car. It has been well looked after and despite that it's totally unreliable.

Just before I owned it, it had a new engine professionally installed. However on a mildly warm day it runs really hot and I don't even risk driving on a hot day.

None of the windows winds up or down because all the electric motors are burnt out.

The driver's door doesn't open from the outside, but it doesn't matter because the window doesn't wind up either (just open it from the inside)

Nothing electrical works on the car, besides the brake and indicator lights. None of the interior lights, headlights, wipers, radio, dash lights, speedo, tacho, horn, a/c, fan, electric mirrors, nothing.

It uses so much fuel it's not funny. Although the odometer doesn't work (like everything else) I drive to work and back 5 days a week, 90km round trip mostly on the freeway, and go through two tanks of fuel each week, about 120 litres of fuel for approximately 450-500 km's at a constant 110 km/h.

Actually, one thing I like about the car, is that the brakes are really responsive and powerful, but that's all. And the fact that the parts are really cheap because they're all in the wreckers.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 22nd May, 2006

22nd May 2006, 17:20

Those damn high mileage (200,000 km) cars and their pesky problems. They should run perfectly forever!

2nd Dec 2006, 00:40

Take the Toyota Cressida for example: apart from the head gasket on the later ones, these things go forever without a hitch.

3rd Mar 2007, 03:11

I've got a 1990 ford fairmont that's done nearly 400,000 ks and its still runnin great. My brothers got one too. From my experience, with the usual maintenance they are reliable as and are so easy to work on and find part for. They look grouse done up too.

3rd Mar 2007, 15:40

Let's see, it was 17 years old when you got it, and you're complaining. Although your grandparents surely did not abuse the car, they probably didn't actively take care of it. You hear the same story about lots of "old people vehicles." They look great and are in great shape, but need lots of catch-up maintenance. The problems that you describe are mostly attributable to routine maintenance being neglected--the sluggish transmission, running hot, AC needing recharge.

30th Oct 2007, 04:36

I'm afraid those economy figures are simply not true, I am a pizza delivery driver and the ghia is my deliver vehicle. 460 kms from its 68 litre tank is what I get and that's in a worst case scenario, peak hour urban driving.

6th Mar 2009, 20:43

Give the guy a break, he obviously had to deal with a lot crap with this car. Besides the EA Falcons were notorious for being unreliable heaps. My grandfather owned one in the early 90's and it blew a head gasket at 80 kays. I've heard heaps of other stories of EA Falcons unreliability. That's probably the reason why those era Fords are so cheap now because they were unreliable pieces of rubbish compared to Japanese cars made in that era.

1989 Ford Fairmont Ghia wagon 3.9

Summary:

Brilliant wagon

Faults:

Needed new battery month ago.

Over heats sometimes because I need new radiator, drivers electric window jammed down because need new electric box.

General Comments:

Overall a good tow wagon. Very powerful motor. Handles very well, It is good to overtake in even though it's only 3 speed.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th November, 2004

1989 Ford Fairmont Ghia 3.9 MPFI

Summary:

EA2 is not too bad

Faults:

Trans solenoid #2 failed at 255k

Water pump failed at 260k, misc belts flew off in all sorts of directions and the radiator cracked.

Injector heads damaged at 288k.

Head Ggsket blew at 296k, head also warped.

General Comments:

A very solid car, if driven hard things break.. as it would be for most manufacturers.

Parts were cheap and redily available.

Overall, the car feels solid on the road.. however it's no race car.

This particular one had some extra head work done when we redid it.. so it tended to blow most VN 6's out of the lights ;-)

The interior is awesome.. try finding another car at this price.. that's got digital dash, climate control, cruise control, limited slip diff, full velour seats and trim and a trip computer.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd August, 2004

31st May 2005, 05:01

I'm only going to say 1 thing it's a old car with what I've read lots of km nearly 300,000km congrats on keeping it on the road.