1978 Ford Cortina TE GL review from Australia and New Zealand
"Ideal first car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Gear selector stick assembly kept popping out of the gearbox.
Power brake assembly needed replacing/repairing soon after purchase.
Bad rust in the boot area, and the sills (not too bad anywhere else though).
The car was really only running on three cylinders when I bought it (rings shot) and as a result the car was burning oil like Saddam Hussein... (well, like one litre every month). I never fixed the problem.
The car usually leaked coolant, but I wasn't sure where from.
General comments?
This car is not a bad performer for a 4 popper. I could get the car up to 160 km/h. I recommend the 4 speed manual version, as the automatics on these old cars were quite 'sloppy' (slow).
Parts are plentiful, and if you look in the right places, quite cheap (even now, for a vintage car!).
It makes a good first car, and not too bad on petrol. Nice to go on long drives in.
Recommended Reviews:
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| 1978 - Cortina Ghia 4.1L 250ci X-Flow An untapped source of potential |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 petrol Manual |
| Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 270000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 285000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Datsun 200B |
| Date of Entry | 21st April, 2003 |