Faults:

About 45000, my serpentine belt broke while driving on the thruway.

100,450 miles, the stabilizer bar broke.

Pipe leading into the heating core broke (multiple holes).

Finding and replacing fuel filter.

Car shakes when idles/shuts down.

General Comments:

Finding and replacing the fuel filter was very hard. Hoping if you do this, you find a friend with long arms. Just take out the air intake system.

Fixing the pipe leading into the heating core pipe was only $50, but the time to take it out and the extreme patience to put it back in were priceless.

Car doesn't shake anymore, replaced the fuel filter and replaced the stabilizer bar, wondering which one of the two helps more, but car almost never shakes anymore. Hope this helps with other people's problems.

Faults:

I have had 0 problems other than normal maintenance; tires, oil changes, wipers, etc.

General Comments:

My wife saw the car on the road and said what is that? I seen it was an Escort and went directly to a dealership. Ask at four dealers and they told me NO such car. This is the most fun I have ever had. Glad I persevered and found my yellow s/r. I like my 2009 MKS, but love my S/R.

Faults:

The air conditioner died early on right after the warranty was up (of course), but the Ford dealership fixed it at no charge.

I did have one of the belts break, but got that fixed.

Now, mine has the vibration that everyone has talked about, but my mechanic found that it was because 3 motor mounts were cracked. While waiting to save the money for the repair, I would put the car in neutral while at a light and the vibrating decreased dramatically.

General Comments:

Overall, I have been very happy with the car. I wish the tires were a size that was a bit less expensive. I had a Celica before and those tires could be bought cheaper.

I love the look of the car: it's a 2000 model, and I hate the grill on the new ones... anyway, the car was inexpensive and I have been very satisfied.

Faults:

Air conditioner stopped working, so had to replace the computer in the first year.

Then the PVC had to be replaced twice because it was making a load squealing that was real annoying, and it kept wanting to die at a stop.

We had to replace the bands in the transmission at around 80000.

The water pump developed a small leak. Didn't get it fixed quick enough, and and blew a head. Had to replace the engine.

Now the transmission went out this weekend; has metal in the transmission pan, and also like everyone else it shakes enough to scramble eggs.

But all in all, it has weathered all we have thrown at it, and fixing it hasn't been as bad as most.

Also had to replace the tie rods. After this, should have an almost new car again.

General Comments:

The car is very economical and gets great gas mileage.

However it has serious concerns with the transmissions, and Ford should recall that component.

Faults:

Oh boy! Owning this car for almost 10 years from brand new...

Power steering shot at 30,000.

Tranny went at 60,000.

Both oxygen sensors shot at 80,000.

Tranny shot AGAIN at 100,000.

All tierod ends and parts that hold all that crap went every 30,000.

Head gasket and radiator went about every 40,000 miles.

Seats are worn bad.

I would NOT buy this model again... but I would buy another model.

General Comments:

For the most part, if you have the money to fix this car ALL the time, it can be a very nice car.