1994 Ford Tempo review from North America

1. Control arm broke.

2. Flat Tire (not the car's fault).

3. Back driver's side door won't open.

4. Front driver's side automatic door lock won't work.

5. Front driver's side door won't stay unlocked, so you always have to have a key to open it from the outside (this is very annoying in winter, when one wants to let the car warm up while one scrapes snow and ice off of the car) (it is also annoying when you take the car to have the oil changed and forget to warn the people at the oil change place and they lock your keys in the car).

6. Front drivers side window won't close.

7. Brakes needed to be replaced (normal maintenance).

8. Front drivers side seat belt broke.

9. Car developed an annoying habit of loosing power and dying anytime all of the following conditions were met; a) outside temp over 80 F, b) engine had been running for 30 min or more, c) you attempted to slow down or stop for any reason. After pushing the car out of the road and letting it sit between 10-30 min, it would start right up and usually run fine. I took it to two Ford dealers and 3 other mechanics and none of them could find anything wrong with it. One of the Ford dealers accused me of making it up.

This car likes the speed limit. This is a good thing because in my other cars I had a problem with speeding (and the tickets that result), but with this one I mostly obey the speed limit. However, people who equate high performance with speed would not be happy with this car.

It gets OK gas mileage (20-25 mpg), but I'd be happier if it got better.

I don't know if other people have had the stalling issue I've been having all summer, but it's the only major headache the car has given me.

I think I probably paid too much for it used, and I think when I decide to sell it or trade it in that I probably won't get enough for it; but isn't it always that way with used cars?

It's an OK car. I've had cars I've been happier with, and I've had cars that have been less reliable. The strange thing is that one car I have had was BOTH less reliable, and I was happier with it.

I would not recommend this car to others, but neither would I discourage others from trying it for themselves.