Faults:

Radiator and Hoses leaked and were worn. Replaced in June '07.

Brake rotors replaced because of gouges and grooves, which were caused by lack of maintenance.

Small oil leaks have developed.

Runs rough when not warmed up. due for an extreme tune-up.

Valves are in need of either repair or replacement. They clatter loudly when engine under heavy load. (driving up hills)

Emergency brake light flickers frequently. Worked fine a few weeks ago.

Broken driver's seat. Won't hold, and a leg has snapped. A rim is holding the seat in place, but is loose.

Radio is not connected.

Brake master cylinder is wearing out. Brakes less than satisfactory. started almost a month ago.

Brake caliper replaced. Was leaking and seized.

Driver's side front axle replaced. Housing broke, damaging it.

Stalls frequently when not warm.

General Comments:

The car never left us stranded, and It's always started (not necessarily willingly) and Has always gotten us from A to B.

The car looks like a little raccoon, because the grille and headlamp surrounds are black, giving a distinct mask, the colour is a faded and peeling grey, the headlamps are like eyes, and so on.

The car goes pretty good when It wants to, but never leave it sitting for more than a few weeks, or it doesn't want to go. The interior is roomy, and the trunk is cavernous. Overall it really is a great car.

Faults:

Broken driver's seat backrest.

Mysterious high oil consumption.

Several electrical failures.

Blown seal in brakes.

Body damage from hitting a deer.

General Comments:

This car, at all of $1500 in 1993, had been my most expensive car to date; with only about 60,000 miles on it and being standard shift (and therefore unlikely to have been a rental), you'd think there was plenty of life left in it, right?

Wrong. A few months into owning it, it started to demand constant oil top-ups. There was no visible leak or blue smoke, it just made the oil disappear. It was then that the mechanic told me that Ford 2.3s don't last well, often throwing a rod before 100,000 miles, and my best bet was to buy el-cheapo oil by the case and just keep pouring it in.

Before the seat bracket broke, this was an uncomfortable car; it had those horrible Ford seats that force you to slouch. After it broke, the car became excruciating (as well as unsafe); even after the repair the driver's seat gave me backaches at age 21 (which disappeared after the Topaz was gone).

I can't believe I actually drove the car 50 miles with that blown brake seal, using the brakes ever so gently and adding fluid at every oil stop. Man, I was stupid back then!

After hitting a deer sideways, the car was still driveable, but not worth fixing. I replaced it with a 1987 Dodge Colt that was brilliant. A year or so later, I rented one of the last Ford Tempos and found that they still hadn't fixed the seats!

Faults:

The two parts of the Topaz that were replaced were the brake drums, and the alternator.

General Comments:

Great family car!

However the dome light never worked.

Brakes were not very sensitive.

Fan belt couldn't be more irritating in winter by the loud screechy noises it made.