I own a 2.9 xr4x4 and it's one of the best cars I've ever owned. It's a toy mainly for weekends and shows etc, but it does get used occasionally thru the week. On long runs it does 29mpg; that's good for an old car with 140,000 on the clock, it's a lot better than all the euro boxes on the road. It's got character, its 20 years old but can still show newer cars up off the lights and round the bends.

My last Sierra was written off by a 7.5 tonne lorry hitting me at 50mph. I got out without a scratch. I wouldn't like to bet on what would have happened in a newer car; back then cars were built properly to last.

I have to take issue with the last comment - Built to last? Sierras? You are having a laugh, right? Don't get me wrong, I love them and still own one - but the Sierra was the very personification of the throw-away reps car. Built with an estimated design life of 8 years or so, it's fair to say that virtually all of the Dagenham built cars had been cubed by age 10 due to advanced underbody rust. It was also one of the first cars to feature huge plastic wrap around bumpers - a cost and weight saving exercise, there is just empty space behind the plastic.

Have look at the sierra crash test video on youtube to see how substantial Sierras aren't.

The Double-OverHead Cam (DOHC) engine used in the later Sierra's suffers from this complaint something chronic. The chain is generally thought to last about 100k miles, after which you are in "god's good hands".

Keeping the oil changed frequently with the CORRECT grade (about 10w-40) will lengthen its life, but make sure the chain is changed every 100k at the very least.

They also suffer from cracked cylinder heads, and are prone to overheating and blowing head gaskets - often this is all linked!

Other than the minor niggles, they will return up to 40 MPG if driven carefully, yet are satisfyingly responsive. Mine is a '91 Ghia with a 2.0 EFi in it, and it's done 150k on the original engine. I'm replacing the head gasket at the moment, but this is by choice rather than anything else.

Jim Christie, Secretary, Ford Sierra Owners Club.

http://www.crustworld.co.uk/

Purchased 2.0i (dohc) from sister inlaw at 104000 miles as cam chain had gone, causing the usual top end damage.

Now runs very well, but not happy with rear end wander on wet or uneven road surface conditions.

K reg march 93.now showing 115000 miles.

I have had my 2.0GLX for about 9 years. The comments about head gasket and cam chains are true. Appears to be a design weakness here. My 'fors' are: good fuel consumption, excellent low end torque and drivability. 'Againsts' are: poor steering geometry (leading to regular replacement of rubber bushes and poor front tyre wear. Poor handling. Engine life short compared to rivals, including the Cortina which it replaced! Hydraulic tappets become noisy. Overall: reliable until the explosion. It has been a good car despite the various weaknesses!