Faults:

Nothing at all. Slight click from an outer CV joint (right) - nothing to worry about.

General Comments:

For a 1991 model with only 117,334 km, it is a very good find. Auto air conditioning is perfect, in fact too cold. Manual steering - less to go wrong and leak. Interior almost factory new. Ratty sound system - retro fitted radio/sound from the Falcon. Laser speakers "had it". Will find better speakers and fit them.

Front seats were mounted a bit too low. I raised the rear of the front seats two inches with proper spacers and high tensile bolts; now perfect.

No leaks, no drips - nothing wrong at all.

The 1.6 litre SOHC engine is actually a "feisty" little unit despite being the lowest rated engine for the KF Laser series. Perfect for an old codger.

Check in twelve months and see how things are.

Faults:

The only things wrong with the car have been normal wear and tear.. The muffler got gutted and fell apart.

Small oil leak from transmission.

Reverse gear is a little tricky to get into. A tip would be to always test the reverse gear in Ford laser GHIA models as they have a special synchro for that gear that may be worn out. This just makes the transmission "Click" when you try and put it into reverse.

General Comments:

The Ford Laser was surprisingly good to drive. It has great performance, and the engine is really quick and pretty strong in the higher rev ranges. (1.8 liter EFI)

I must add that the car does lose significant power with the air conditioner on.

Handling is good in normal conditions, but you have to drive like a grandma in the rain or the wheels will lock up as with any older car (no sharp turns etc). It does suffer from under-steer at speed.

The interior can get a bit worn out, as my door trim snapped off when one of my mates tried to close the door too hard, but then again, some of the glues used are like 20 years old.

Fuel economy is AMAZING! I have driven 480km on a full tank, and this is with "enthusiastic driving" such as changing gears at 6000 rpm and constant hard acceleration (the car really gives you a kick).

The hatchback is SO SPACIOUS... I have thrown 2 tonnes of fire wood in the back with the seats folded down... moved a small fridge around... too easy.

Overall you will be VERY surprised when you drive this car... You would not expect such performance from a little Ford Laser, and it really opened my eyes when I first put my foot down in gear 2.

Faults:

Everything - despite regular servicing.

3 head gaskets replaced (very expensive)

Every rubber component - hoses, pipes, you name it.

Original air conditioner seized, and two replacement compressors did the same. Extremeley inconvenient in a hot climate where summer temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees. Gave up after the second replacement, went without air con for 2 years.

Pieces of interior trim fell apart - speaker grilles, glove box, dashboard controls.

Both passenger and driver's side locks had to be replaced, and the glove box refused to lock as well, after a while.

Starter motor replaced.

Alternator worn out.

Radio very difficult to operate, stopped working just before the car was 'disposed' of. Tape deck never worked.

Had a tendency to overheat in traffic.

Dipstick snapped and required replacement.

The headlights and digital clock were temperamental - electrical issues.

Broke down several times.

General Comments:

We bought this car for my mother - she wanted something that had plenty of room, was reliable, easy to drive and fuel efficient - the Laser Wagon seemed ideal, however it proved to be a complete nightmare. My mother, who is not a woman of great means, was so dismayed at the cost of replacing the head gaskets that she actually cried the last time, and suffered through sweltering summer heat due to the air conditioner failing.

I would not recommend a Ford Laser to anyone. It was not overly comfortable, not good looking, nor fuel efficient. It was most certainly not reliable. The car itself seemed tinny, especially the doors. The sound system and radio were useless, and the car was noisy and unrefined. The only thing that didn't require replacement was the automatic gearbox, although it was most certainly nothing special.

We don't blame Ford, because after-all this is a re-badged Mazda, and several other Fords we've owned had few problems. However this car was a complete lemon, and it was eventually sold for $400. Where it ended up, we don't know. Some poor, unfortunate person is probably driving it. The irony is, they'll probably have no problems with it because we replaced every single conceivable thing! Avoid this model like the plague.