Faults:

Nothing has actually gone wrong with the car since my ownership. The gearbox seals (small leak) and front shock absorbers had to be replaced (leak) after a month (the car had been stood in dry storage for 3 years before I started using it!).

Been using the car for 2 years now, and clocked up 26,000 with no problems!!

Has been well maintained all its life, and I've continued to look after the car with good oil (5w30w PS), plugs, filters etc...

The Escort also has NO RUST!!... It has never been taken out in the rain since I acquired it, I've continued to wash and wax the car on a regular basis, and the paintwork still looks stunning and no rust has appeared!

General Comments:

This is my first car, and it's been a great experience, very fun to drive even for such a small engine. I'm glad I've experienced a semi old car, as I feel it's made me a better driver for the future (I got the car at 18).

I don't plan to sell it any time soon; with only 45,800 miles on the 1.3 OHV engine, the car runs very smoothly and returns great MPG.

Top speed: 100MPH!! (Scary)

To see a video of my car on Youtube, check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZkmKpye3c

I can highly recommend a Ford Escort Mk4. Find one that's been well looked after, and continue to maintain it!

Faults:

Makes horrible grinding sound at 25-30mph.

When wheels cut left, the front right tire scrapes the body of the car.

Paint is in horrible shape.

Even though tires are in good enough shape, when making some turns the car squeals.

VERY slow going off the line. The highway, you can forget about that.

Cannot drive it for over 10 minutes without it overheating.

Sunroof is broken, it won't open right.

Gas gage is broken.

Dashboard has cracks.

Car sometimes doesn't start, I have no idea why. (It's not the battery or it overheating, I looked into that)

General Comments:

Interior is extraordinarily small, and there is no back seat, it's literally a ledge with a pole running on the edge of it.

Seats are very uncomfortable, absolutely no leg room.

Car gets extremely hot in summer... its unbearable.

It runs like a snail stuck in molasses, and the more I drive it the worse it gets. It should NOT run like this with only around 40,000 miles on it basically.

Faults:

Died on me at 10,000 miles. Dealer brought back to life,

At 11,500 miles it began to idle slower until finally it would not idle at all.

Dealer said he "fixed" it.

13,500 it started to idle slow again, dealer again, again he said "Fixed it".

16000 miles slow idle, again back to dealer again, said he drove it all over town, didn't do anything.

Went to pick it up and cranked it, and it started doing it again.

Got on the freeway and tried my dangest to blow the friggin thing up. All it did was keep running, but it still would not idle.

20000 miles, slow down more on idle and I raised it up several times over the course of 6 months until I finally traded it off for an Olds Cutlass with a quad 4. Hey don't laugh, it ran like a bat out of torment.

General Comments:

Ran strong, never used a drop of oil, but it never did idle; it would always die.

Faults:

Quite a few different fuses.

Fuel pump (3 times).

Alternator quit.

Replaced battery.

Throttle body.

Fuel injector.

Fuel filter.

Ignition Switch.

Ignition box on comlumn.

Horn never has worked.

Turn signals quit working.

Headlight bulb went out 5 times from getting wet.

Broken motor mount, which cause the car to vibrate quite a bit, but you get used to it.

General Comments:

I bought the car about 6 months ago for $700 with 82,000 miles on it.

I've put almost 10,000 miles on it since I've had it and probably a couple hundred dollars.

The car is a little slow, (around 90 hp) but I've gotten it up to around 95 mph.

It gets about 25-30 mpg which isn't bad.

Overall, it's a pretty easy car to work on, parts aren't very expensive, and it has been reliable. But I'm not sure if i'd buy another one.