1980 Ford Escort GL review from Australia and New Zealand
"A respectable second car, worthy of sitting in your driveway"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
An extremally reliable car, the only part that has been replaced was the air filter.
The gearbox is starting to make some strange noises when in third gear. This could be lack of transmission fluid in the gearbox, or the gearbox needs to be replaced.
General comments?
This car is cheap to run about in and can win its fair share of wins off the traffic lights (this reviewer encourages you to drive responsibily) due to the light weight of the car (approx. 950kg kerb-side weight) and the 1.6 litre 47kw engine is quick and responsive.
The cabin is a bit lackluster, only giving you the most basic of dials and displays and the large steering wheel seems a bit of place for such a small car, but does come in handy when you are parking the car in a tight park. With most cars this age, the vinyl seats are starting to look a little second hand so a seat cover would go astray to improve its looks and also to save you skin from feeling like it is on fire during the summer.
A well maintained car this age would only show some signs of rust. In this case there is only rust on the boot lid.
I would recommend these cars as a second car for the family to take to work, or for a first car. Those who would like a little extra 'oomph' may opt to go for the 2.0 litre, 73kw guise.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 5/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 68000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 80000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Holden Camira |
| Date of Entry | 20th July, 2002 |