1986 Ford Tempo Base review from North America
"Ford had a great thing going. 310K miles"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
A few fuel pumps.
Two alternators.
The entire A/C system except the compressor.
Speedometer died at 200,000 miles.
General comments?
This car, being that it is a diesel, had to have tons of servicing. Filters and fuel pumps got clogged all through the winters. Even with the fuel additives. My mechanic says that it is because of the small diameter of the fuel lines. We have a 2004 F-250 diesel that has never clogged.
This is the best part. On the highway the car gets a real 46mpg at 60mph in 5th gear.
In town the car gets 33mpg.
The engine finally gave out last week. I was told that the oil has got full of coolant, but the head gasket is fine.
Due to the fact that parts cannot be bought anywhere for this car, we have sent it out to the pasture with all the other junkers that we have accumulated.
The car was a pleasure to own and proved quiet reliable for a 22-year old car. The engine and transmission are original.
I wish that Ford had not stopped building the Tempo.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 1986 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 380 miles |
| Most recent distance | 310000 miles |
| Previous car | Buick Wildcat |
| Date of Entry | 29th February, 2008 |