Faults:

Timing belt pulleys (camshaft and jockey pulley) started to break up at 60,000 miles.

Leaking diesel cut off switch.

Alternator failure and the starter failed twice in 1,000 miles (apparently caused by diesel leaking from the cut off switch into it).

Water leak in the boot due to a missing rear light seal!

General Comments:

The car performed well, was very economical but was let down badly by its dubious built quality.

On the other hand it was probably built early in the production run so minor problems were bound to occur. Our Ford dealer was generally very good to deal with, especially when the problem with the timing belt pulleys occured, which they fixed free of charge.

Faults:

Required a new front nearside suspension arm approximately 1 week after purchase. Caused by the disintegration of a rubber 'bush'. Fixed promptly for £120 by a Ford dealer.

General Comments:

Decent car with a lot of life left in it. Only worth about £2500, and yet drives like new.

Is fast enough to easily keep up with motorway traffic, sharp handling, starts well and confident brakes. A sound car.

Faults:

Rear anti-roll bar bushes replaced by the dealer at the 60,000 mile service. Also both rear brake callipers and handbrake cables had seized and were replaced(luckily under extended warranty).

Front door locks internal locking mechanisms broke - this also switches off the alarm system - I have replaced the driver's side lock but as yet not the passenger side.

Water pump failure at 76,000 miles - I had to strip both cylinder heads off it on the drive and replace the gaskets - Ford quoted 20 hours labour plus parts for the job. I would advise a check of any higher mileage V6 water pumps as they are a particularly cheap and nasty part which is relied on to cool several thousand pounds worth of all-aluminium engine. The pump itself consists of a steel shaft with a plastic impeller pressed on the end. There isn't even a pin through the impeller to stop it turning on the pump shaft. The impeller on my pump cracked and stopped turning, seriously overheating the engine.

Both exhaust catalytic converters changed due to a manufacturer recall - check yours has been done.

Rear and centre sections of the exhaust have been replaced - can't really complain about that one due to the mileage - apart from the fact that I had to dealer order the rear section as the aftermarket exhaust dealers did not have the part listed at that time.

New front discs. Rear diskc now need replacing, as do the fronts again, due to warping.

Started pulling to one side under braking and full power on mode. I ended up changing the front lower suspension arm bushes on both sides. TIP - if it happens to you check the bushes in the rear of the front arm on both sides first. They are of a split design, presumably to absorb some movement. The lower arm bushs in the front of the arm are solid and tend not to fail.

Started stalling and not idling - I replaced the idle air valve.

Started misfiring under load - I had to get a new set of leads - dealer part only of course.

General Comments:

Despite the list of faults above, and the fact it has been the most unrelible car I have ever owned, it is also the best car I have owned. It blends in nicely, but 323's can't keep up. It will exceed the stated max speed (on the speedo)quoted by Ford, and it corners wonderfully.

I have added some bits to the car as below:

The car sucks through an after market Escort Cosworth K&N Cone filter - it makes the most wonderful induction roar and is supposed to give 8bhp. Body mods are limited to 16" RS 7 spokes and a twin headlight kit.

I have read other reviews of ST24's on this page. One states that tyres cost £130. I use unidirectional Toyo TS1 Proxes 205/50/16's on mine and they cost less than £85 per side fitted and balanced. A very good tyre both in the dry and the wet.

My car is a Nov 94 model and one of the early V6 models. Therefore it seems to have shown signs of aging before the aftermarket has geared up for spare parts. Consequently most of the spares I have had to purchase have come from my local dealer.