1990 Ford Sierra GLS 2.0 DOHC
Summary:
Loads of car for your money, but maintenance costs can get out of hand with a "bad" one
Faults:
Head gasket (twice!)
Heater matrix
Radiator
Fuel tank.
General Comments:
I liked this Sierra. It was my first car so I'm maybe looking back with rose tinted glasses a little bit, but I always enjoyed driving it. There are still plenty of the 2.0 DOHC Sierras about, and these days the ones left are more and more likely to be the good ones.
To drive it was nice. It was excellent on the motorway and fun in the country lanes. Solid, well behaved, rear-wheel drive and a decent amount of power (so you can have a bit of fun if you're that way inclined and it won't give you any nasty surprises - tail steps out on cue, etc.) And being the GLS it was very comfortable and had all mod cons, despite its age.
Usually the bodywork is rotten and the engine is alright with Sierras, but mine was the opposite. Bodywork was fairly sound (except for one wing) and there was never any major cause for concern. However engine cooling issues cost me two head gaskets.
As a result I would implore anyone looking at one of these to make damned sure the coolant is clean and the heater works well - not because you care about the heater, but because if the heater matrix is clogged then the radiator will be too! The combination of poor fitting radiator cap and clogged up cooling system knackered up two head gaskets in quick succession which proved extremely expensive (new head gasket/new engine in these - take your pick - they cost about the same!)
Other than that I had no trouble (except repairs due to damage caused by cowboy maintenance of the guys who did one of the engine changes who I now wouldn't trust with my mower!) until it failed the MoT needing a new fuel tank.
Someone bought it for £100 and I suspect they got a good car out of it to be honest - I'd already got to the bottom of all the serious problems, but ran out of money and the inclination to run a car (moved to London so didn't need it any more).
Finally, I must stress to anyone scared off by the head gasket story that so far as I'm aware and have been told by many others, this Ford power unit is a good one and it is still well worth considering the chain-driven 2.0 DOHC Sierra/Granada - if you find a clean, well maintained one for a good price it could well be trouble free motoring for years.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 30th August, 2005
1st Sep 2010, 16:20
I would just like to agree with everything that has been said, and add that I seem to have been blessed with all the aforementioned pros without the head gasket problem! The Sapphire GLS is my second car (I came from a 1.3 Escort Encore, which as you may imagine is quite a step!) and I had it off a friend for just £60! Not bad when I made 55 back on scrapping the Escort...
Frankly I'm amazed that these cars are still in the condition that they are. As above, mine has superficial rust damage to the outer sills, and I confess it needed a huge amount of cleaning after its previous owner (who was a builder!) but structurally, mechanically and even electronically (I have just fixed the electric passenger window) it is completely sound! And with a cleaned out interior and proper stereo, it seems ridiculous to think that this car is now as old as I am! Great motor.
21st Apr 2010, 13:53
Hi, I have a GLS, it was my dad's only brand new car and our family car. He is in the RAF and was an engineer, so he serviced and looked after it immaculately. It was then used as a second car, then went to my sister where the head went for the second time!
After sitting for a year, I have decided I want a go in it, and am getting the head skimmed as we speak.
The comments on the previous review are spot on. Lovely cars, pokey engines, but they do seem to kill the head gaskets.
Luckily the body work on mine is very good, with minor rust, though the sills have been replaced in the past.
As it has been well maintained, I have decided to put the time into it, and there aren't a huge amount of them about.
Notes have been left on this one asking to buy and leaving numbers, so there is still a following out there. Though if you look, they all seem to be RS or Cosworth; how many of those things did they make!