Faults:

The basic Mazda engine has been extremely reliable, with virtually no problems.

The starter (a ford Product) has failed frequently.

The car can be difficult to start in cold weather (Alaska) due to no fuel lift pump, and a fuel filter that sometimes leaks air and causes system to lose its prime.

I own four of these cars, and many spare parts and would like to find one with a good body and low miles, but am interested in any.

I have consistently got over 40 MPG highway with any of these cars.

General Comments:

The car is a Ford Tempo, and so is small and has poor handling and is not very comfortable, but it is very cheap to run.

Faults:

My carburater has been replaced twice.

My motor stalls unexpectedly.

My carburater keeps flooding, and I experience engine run on when I turn the ignition off.

My rear shocks wore out at 350,000 kilometers.

My air-conditioner blew a seal at 375,000 kilometers.

General Comments:

Despite the eternal carburater problems that I have experienced, as well as the unknown cause of engine stall out, this has to be my favorite Ford to date.

This car is still fairly reliable for it's age and the amount of kilometers.

The cabin is roomy, the dash layout simple and functional.

Performance is more than I had expected from such a sedan, definitely not a sports car, however enough power to pass vehicles safely and smoothly while on the open road.

Faults:

Right after I bought it, the transmission fluid pump corroded in half.

The fuel line sprung a leak (also right after I bought it).

The ignition had to be replaced.

The air conditioner only works if the car has been sitting in the shade for a long period of time.

It de-accelerates and the engine rattles for no reason on the freeway (it hates the freeway in general. Many mechanics have tried to figure the reason out and failed).

General Comments:

It has a bad turning radius

It is "cranky". Very cranky.

The interior is decent though.

Hasn't died yet.

It's tough; If it and a small truck went head-to-head, I think my car would win.

It's pretty agile for being an '85.

It has a small gas tank, but it gets great gas mileage.

Faults:

Not much just a broken alternator bracket, struts, one CV-joint.

Leaky head gasket(never fixed).

General Comments:

Really this car sucked. But it was the best car I ever had. It would not DIE!!

I think I am the only Tempo owner in this world to have one go over 250,000 miles with the original motor and transmission.

It handled like a water bed. Leaked coolant like a busted one, but never died.

Till someone ran over it with an F-150.

Faults:

Well... the alternator will go on every Tempo along with a water pump, hoses, brakes and they have an easily damaged (hehehe) battery and solenoid.

General Comments:

She's a brute and she's the fighter that don't get knocked out! Long live Emiglio (her name).

Get one, beat the crap out of it and run it into the ground. I delivered pizzas in it for a year!... Tell me she won't start and I will laugh at you.. Great car, great value.

Faults:

There was a problem with the computer when the car was new, causing it to stall for no apparent reason. That has since been replaced. There was a hole in the headgasket when it was new, however Ford would not honor the warranty for one reason or another. I couldn't be happier about that because it's still there, but the car still runs.. some things are better left alone. The brakes have been replaced, and the air conditioner conked out in 1998. The heater coil has been replaced twice, and the muffler has been replaced 6 times (The car does not move enough to preserve these parts).

General Comments:

The Tempo is stereotyped as a lemon, however it doesn't need any more special treatment than other cars.

Faults:

The only parts that I have had to replace since I bought the Car new, has been the Battery at 88,000km, the Water Pump at 114,000km and the top radiator hose at 121,000km. The normal wear out parts of brakes and the occasional burnt headlight (3 to be exact) the car has also had the muffler replaced. (Another wear out part). 3 months ago, the dealer recommended replacing the Transaxles, as they were starting to get the recommended mileage on them for replacement before something seized on them. I also replaced the lock-out shifter for the automatic transmission because it broke from fatigue. This is a plastic part and costs all of $12.00. It keeps you from putting the car into reverse when it is going forward. I did the replacement myself.

General Comments:

I bought this vehicle for my wife out of the Ford Dealership showroom, and after she drove it for 90,000km, I bought her a Sport Utility Vehicle because she looked good in it. I now continue to drive the Tempo every day to work and it has just turned over 151,000km. It has been a very reliable, and economical vehicle to own and drive. I believe this year of the Tempo was one of the exceptional ones, and I will keep on driving it until she tires of the SUV and wants something else, and then I will probably have it reconditioned for my son, who will be turning 16 in 2.5 years. I would recommend this vehicle as a good mode of transportation.