Faults:

Timing belt replaced at 160,000kms.

Battery has to be replaced at 162,000kms.

Ball joints and bearings replaced at 165,000kms.

Brakes and rotors had to be replaced at 170,000kms.

Muffler replaced at 177,000kms.

General Comments:

Overall, my 1997 Ford Escort Wagon was a budget-friendly and safe car to drive.

Over a course of a year and a half, I drove this car mainly between two cities that were around 500kms apart (one-way). It did its job and it did it without any complaints. I was sad to see it go after an accident. But, it did what it was supposed to do when there is an accident - it protected its passengers and did it quite well.

Highlights

1. Good interior window/car design allowing the driver a very good view of areas surrounding the car.

2. It seated 4 adults comfortably. No-one every complained that they did not have enough space in the front of in the back seats.

3. A lot of storage room compared to a sedan.

Concerns

1. The seats were not the best for 5 hour rides, but were decent and acceptable with one or two rest stops on the trips.

2. The cupholders were not able to hold regular water bottles. Regular coffee mugs/cups were not a problem though. No cupholders in the back seats.

I would recommend this car to first time car owners that are looking for a starter car. Its purchase price should not be too expensive, and the maintenance costs are relatively low compared to similar models of similar years by other manufacturers. Of course, its resale value is not high, but if you're looking for a reliable and safe car, this is one of those.

Keep in mind that each car is a product of its previous owners. Owners that have neglected the car's maintenance schedule or treated the car harshly will likely decrease the life of the car. You should not use this guide as a definitive factor in deciding to purchase a 1997 Ford Escort. You should bring the car to a mechanic you trust before purchasing it.

Faults:

Nothing!!!

General Comments:

We love our green jellybean. It's reliable and economical. Bought it used and has been a great car for the kids. Kids had two choices; drive this car or walk. They love driving it LOL.

Faults:

Nothing went particularly wrong with this car, aside from necessary maintenance issues, until it died. Suspension is cheap on this model. Had to replace ball joints, and all the struts were almost useless when the car died. I had to replace an oxygen sensor 5000 miles after I bought it, and the previous owner had replaced it 20000 before I got it, so it seemed to burn through these. Ran fantastic until it started misfiring. Changed the spark plugs, and it seemed to run fine, but started misfiring again and blew the engine apart, stranding me in the middle of nowhere. This all happened in a 1 week span.

General Comments:

Started ridiculously well, even when it was -10F and the battery was half dead. Pretty cheap to run. Not a huge amount of power, but that was great for me because I just wanted a cheap ride. Worked well on the freeway at 80-85 mph. I wasn't a big fan of the cloth seats; they were a little cheap. Overall I was very pleased, but a complete and sudden engine failure at 140000 miles seems a little premature. I'm not buying another escort unless it's a dirt cheap beater.