1993 Ford Granada Scorpio 24v Cosworth 2.9i 24v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Try before you die!

Faults:

The brake discs and pads have had to be replaced.

Sunroof doesn't work.

General Comments:

What can I say? This car is a great find.

It's a Rolls Royce for second hand Ford money!

Which other super luxo barge can you get for a tenth of the original price whilst still only having less than average mileage on the clock?

Full service history, 3 owners, 68000 miles, most front and rear legroom in its class, every possible toy fitted in the factory, except for a heated steering wheel disappointingly!

This car even has electrically reclining rear seats (I ask you!)

The interior is seriously pornographic (and the leather just wipes clean, so no sticky mess at all!).

Back to business!!

After replacing the discs and pads, then fitting Avon ZZ1's all round, total cost of around £600 - £700 (please don't let that put you off!). Let them bed in for 500-800 miles, then take it up to about 80mph straight line speed, make sure that nobody is following you, choose a lamp post or marker in the distance that you think that you can stop before. Whack the big stop pedal, ABS cuts in, you feel like you're face is coming off or you are dropping out of light speed in the Millennium Falcon, steering wheel does not even twitch.

Then accelerate back up to 80mph to get to the marker that you chose!!!

The brakes are absolutely AMAZING! (Try it to believe it!!)

Engine is as sweet as a nut and virtually bullet proof, just keep regular sevices up.

Will cost you £88 every 10000 miles for a minor service, and about £165 every 30000 miles major service.

Do services more often if you do a lot of short journeys!

OK so the car uses loads of petrol, LPG gas conversion will cost you about a grand, but apparently gives you more power due to the conversion of the air intake.

You could probably get rid of those nasty, expensive cat's too!

And hey, who cares if it uses loads of petrol??? If you cared about that sort of thing then drive a Fiat Seicento!!

The reason why I marked running costs as average is because parts and servicing are so cheap. You try buying a trim clip for a Saab or something like that... cost you a tenner, go to the scrappy for anything Ford and you will find it for next to nowt.

Great car, great value for money, great car for not getting pulled loads by the cops (even though it will go past spoilerised Nova Bad Boys and almost suck them off the road), great fun being a Baddass Gansta Grandad at 140mph!

Altogether a fantastic car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th June, 2001

29th Jun 2001, 01:03

Have to agree with you, had the same vehicle, very nice, very reliable, but suspension too wallowy round bends. I have just bought a 24v Senator... sweet mother of Jesus!!

Sorry but everything the Granada did well, this does it so much better!

Once I have had it for a while I while do a proper review, but for now I recommend that when you come to change your car, test one of these!!

11th Feb 2004, 15:02

Had a Granada Cosworth-unbelievable, brilliant, excellent.

Borrowed a 24v Senator whilst working in the motor trade and am sorry, but I wouldn't insult the backside in my overalls by even sitting in one again. Granada owners have nothing to worry about.

PS.A Cosworth with good suspension goes around corners better than anything of it's size.

6th Jun 2021, 14:47

Old but good review. Interesting comments. Back in the day I have driven all these cars (Granada 24v and Carlton/Senator 24v) so as for the above comments, I can tell you there is no need for rivalry - these cars are like Coke and Pepsi. Slight difference but much the same, just depends on what you prefer. You could say the same (to this day!) about Ford and Vauxhall in general.

The main point about these old executive offerings from Ford and Vauxhall is they were much cheaper than German alternatives, while offering similar abilities. Ironically enough, because they are so rare, they would probably cost more in the long run to run as a classic car, in comparison to a 5 series BMW or whatever from the same time period, at-least they have more of a following and still lots of those older BMW's about. Whereas I cannot remember the last time I saw an 80s or early 90s fast Ford/Vauxhall, except for maybe in re-runs of the old Bill on ITV.

1993 Ford Granada Scorpio 24v Cosworth 2.9 24v petrol from UK and Ireland

Faults:

Brake discs all worn, oil leak from timing housing, gearbox clunk, gearbox leak, wheel bearing, aircon not very cold, window switches, aircon fan.

General Comments:

Very comfortable and good hard suspension controls car at high speed.

Engine only pulls well above 3500 rpm. 22 mpg. Suffers from early gearbox failure and worn cam chains that cost £600 + to replace. Engine has 190 + BHP but needs to be thrashed to realise it. They soon feel tired.

Compared to other cars for the money though, feels expensive and loads of goodies Better than 800/Carlton competitors, prefer a BMW 535 though.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd December, 1998

15th Mar 2001, 12:59

I've just bought a 1991 model with FSH, it's a nice motor indeed, who cares about 18-20 mpg local nicer than any Beamer any day of the week.

Not as common and gets more looks!

Dave.

26th Mar 2001, 10:55

I arranged 18inch wheels and tyres for mine and now it is complete!

This car is definately fords best kept secret?

23rd Jun 2001, 04:00

I have a 1991 Granada Cosworth which is a fantastic car, loads of power and smooth with all bells and whistles... luxury and performance, what more do you need! Very stable at speed and will do double the UK speed limit (on the autobahn of course). Only problems have been Air Con condenser getting cracked and power steering rack leaking (very cheap to replace!) If you want a big car that goes and handles with toys and loads of space... this is the one!

26th Jan 2003, 12:24

1991 24 valver, I've put all new disc's and pads around mine, the rear cat's are now thru pipes, I currently get 32 mpg on a run with the cruise control set at just under 80 mph! the secret to the urban mpg is, not to open the progressive throttle until the second big barrel opens and to cruise around streets steadily, that way you get noticed.. Screeching tyres is for Nova drivers! 23 mpg urban is perfectly acceptable, especially with a K&N panel filter.. What a carriage!

Dave Stoke-on-Trent.

5th Jul 2005, 04:13

I had one of these... If ford had marketed this car properly, and improved its quality only slightly, and not changed the shape to make it look like an inflatable car, then, it would have been a realistic affordable alternative to the BMW 5 series. And by now (10 years after they scrapped it) there would be more of these on the roads today than there are BMW 5's.