1977 Ford Pinto Base model sedan 2.3 from North America

Summary:

Not one of the better cars I've owned

Faults:

Chronic ruster began rusting at two years old and never stopped.

Frequent muffler/exhaust repairs/replacements.

Clutch/transmission went out at about 75000.

Differential seals kept leaking lube onto rear brake shoes.

Seat belt would lock up frequently while trying to hook up.

Wipers would hit the side and bottom windshield moldings.

Glove box door and drivers seat came apart while driving.

Radio quit working at two years.

Drivers side window whistled.

General Comments:

The manufacturer was really trying to pinch pennies on this model: no day/night mirror, one outside mirror, no dome light door switch on passenger door, and nowhere was there any use of the name of the manufacturer or the model of the car on the inside and very little on the outside--on the hood and on the trunk only.

Car had very poor traction in the winter.

Seats offered no lower back support.

I was rear ended twice and car did not explode.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th February, 2008

14th Mar 2008, 13:18

The reason that yours did not explode was because by 1978 I believe Ford had come up with two or three updates to prevent explosions. My parents had a Pinto wagon that they say they loved, and theirs was recalled once for a fuel tank shield to be installed, and I heard mention of the later models having a rubber bladder-like thing inside the fuel tank.

1977 Ford Pinto Base model 2.3 litre from North America

Summary:

Possibly the worst car I have ever bought

Faults:

Exhaust system seemed to last two years.

Extremely hard to start in the wintertime.

Wind would whistle through the drivers window on a windy day, or if the heater blower fan was on high speed.

Glove box door fell off after hitting a pothole.

Seat back screw came out, causing seat to come apart.

Engine never idled smoothly and would often stall.

Car was made of rust.

General Comments:

This car had a trunk instead of a hatch; almost a useless trunk, as it was very small.

The worst car I ever drove in the wintertime. It would slide all over the road and get stuck in a flat parking lot that had been plowed.

Worst quality control ever. A rust magnet!

The seats were very uncomfortable and offered no lower back support.

The windshield wipers would hit the molding on the side of the windshield at low speed.

The car died on the way to be traded in.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th February, 2008

14th Mar 2008, 10:19

Supplement- This was my high school and college car and money was tight-otherwise I would have got rid of it sooner.

14th Mar 2008, 12:14

Wow, for a car that lasted 8 years through the lean school years, I would think you would have a little more appreciation. Maybe you'd have preferred a fancier car that broke down all the time like a used BMW. You'd have looked cool being towed to the garage.

1977 Ford Pinto Squire Wagon 2.3 Gas from North America

Summary:

A great car in its time, but still is now

Faults:

The body rusted out badly.

The driver door arm rest fell off.

The driver seat ripped up badly.

The driver door couldn't be locked from the inside.

The power steering went out.

The dashboard cracked in 2 places.

The catalytic converter failed.

The engine died at 113000 miles.

General Comments:

This was the first car I ever wanted to drive, but never got the chance to, as the engine blew up when I was 11 years old.

She never gave my parents a bit of trouble until the day she died, and always got my dad to and from work safely.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th June, 2004

17th Jun 2004, 15:15

Ford Pinto: the car nobody loved, but everybody bought.