Faults:
Usual wear and tear - tyres, clutch, exhaust etc.
Wheel trims fell off & overtook me - car looks meaner without them.
Front Discs needed changing (Dealer con during service?).
Mysterious ignition fault - probably loose alternator lead - causing cars only ever breakdown.
Heater always inefficient - now no heat at all (thank god for the mild winter).
Slight oil leak from bottom end which has never been worth investigating (I just top up every couple of weeks).
Drivers's electric window recently packed up.
Paint on the bonnet faded. Scratches due to vandalism and the kids. 1 small dent due to "Confused little old lady" in Tesco car park who drove off - Bless her!
General Comments:
Good family car, excellent for motorways / long journeys - but treated as a taxi by the in-laws.
The Sierra Sapphire was an ex contract hire car with FSH bought from Ford dealer with 58,000 ? miles on the clock.
Oil leak started just at end of warranty period! Now serviced about once a year by local Ford dealer. (Pro's - They service the engine well replacing emission valves / pipes etc and you get that stamp! , Cons - they try to rip you off for everything else but forget to investigate the things you asked them to i.e. The damn heater!)
To Summarise: The car has proved very reliable with only one ever (no cost) breakdown in 4 years. Other problems listed have been inexpensive to rectify or can be lived with. The car is now approaching 100,000 miles and I intend to replace it probably with another Ford.
27th Jan 2002, 13:42
I have my 2.0i DOHC GLS 3 yrs, and have had no problems, very fast, good road holding, serviced every 3,000 mls, body in original two-tone, not a speck of rust to be found, and that's a 1991, I'd keep it, even if I bought a new car.