1995 Ford Escort LX 1.9L

Summary:

Very reliable, affordable and an overall great car to own

Faults:

CV Joints replaced twice.

Electric seat belt cable broke on driver's side, motor clicks when door is ajar.

Had to replace head gasket at 190000 miles.

Timing belt shredded twice ~199000 miles and again at ~250000 miles.

A/C issues, repaired but some odd months later the compressor blew at ~260000 miles.

Have replaced popcorn bulbs in dash.

Have replaced headlights and taillights once each.

Seals/o rings need to be replaced, leaks/burns oil.

Have changed oil and other fluids approx. every 4-6k miles.

Cooling fan died, some electrical issue between fan and relay.

Spark plugs and cables replaced at 280000 miles.

Had to replace sway bar straps at 287000 miles.

About to replace the clutch at 287000 miles.

General Comments:

Great car and very reliable for as far and as long as I have driven it.

Gets ~33/34 mpg so it's great on gas.

Has a great turning radius.

Interior has held up all this time and is in good condition except for the carpet.

Very roomy in the back but no so much for the driver and front passenger.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th July, 2008

17th Jul 2008, 12:42

Few people really realize what great buys these tough and reliable little cars are. I'm a mechanic, and I have a handicapped friend that I have advised and assisted in several car purchases over the past 30 years. It is very important that he have a solid and reliable car.

I advised him to buy a new Escort in 1993 and the car performed flawlessly until it was totaled in an accident in 2001. He replaced it (against my advice) with a 2001 Dodge Neon. Although the Neon is still going strong with no problems at nearly 100,000 miles, I don't feel it has the quality and safety of the Escort.

The Escort is an economical and very reliable car, and can be bought for half the price of the over-rated imports that are far less reliable.

1995 Ford Escort GT 1.8

Summary:

Average

Faults:

Water pump, timing belt, tye rods, brakes and the list goes on. All this BEFORE 160,000.

The CD player was garbage as well.

General Comments:

Good looking car, but wouldn't buy another one.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th March, 2008

7th Apr 2008, 14:01

I'm surprised that you had to replace all of that that soon, but I'm not surprised. These cars need regular maintenance, and neglecting it causes them to destruct. It's the same with the GT I drive. The outside was taken care of, so it's in good shape, but the mechanical work was only done when something broke, so it's all going now. I've replaced half of the front end. But I love the car, and the way it can accelerate, handle, and drive, and still return 400-700 km (250-438 miles.) on a tank.

1995 Ford Escort LX 1.9L

Summary:

Reliable cheap car

Faults:

Muffler.

Clutch kit.

Air conditioner.

Mass airflow sensor.

Timing belt.

Back right shock.

General Comments:

This car was my mother's, and I ended up getting it as my first car, which I still drive today.

It's got the most basic of features. The cabin is moderately comfortable. Long drives on highway sometimes bother me because I can't tilt the steering wheel.

The car does not have as much zip as I want, but it does get me from point A to point B, which I am happy with.

It's a pretty reliable car, and has outlived my expectations of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd March, 2008

1995 Ford Escort LX

Summary:

A good first car; cheap, and fairly reliable

Faults:

Massive oil leak

Horrible heating system

Not very powerful at the get-go

Idles high even when warm.

General Comments:

A really great first car. I owned 2 1995 Ford Escorts. One was auto and one was standard. The standard one drove much better then the auto.

This is a very economical car; you can get cheap tires, cheap parts (these cars are everywhere at auto wreckers), and most importantly, cheap gas!

A comfortable car, but not meant for tall people.

The doors often froze shut in the winter - I had to climb through the hatchback numerous times.

It was a good car until the motor blew up!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th October, 2007