1996 Ford Escort GTi review from UK and Ireland
"A great robust, practical and overall fun car to drive"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
2000 miles after buying the car I noticed the car was spluttering on acceleration in mid revs, this pointed to the Air Flow Meter on the air box, £10 later from the scrap yard and the car was running as it should. The other small thing that went were the wishbones, it appeared the rubber bushes had worn and so the car was pulling to one side when accelerating, these were only £18 each from a motor factor, easy job to do if you have a little mechanical knowledge.
General comments?
One thing I noticed as soon as I took the car out was that it handled like a go kart round the corners, with it being a 3door the body was more rigid than my previous 5door GTi and the suspension seemed to cope through the corners great even at speed.
The Zetec engine is very robust and loves to be revved, it pulls great after around 3000rpm and the ABS works a treat.
The ride is comfortable in the half leather seats and the gear changes are tight and precise. The steering is quite sensitive and this could prove either a positive or negative depending on your driving style.
Overall the car looks great, mine is mettalic black and personally I think the side skirts and rear spats of the bodykit set it off a treat.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 16v Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 86000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 91600 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Escort |
| Date of Entry | 3rd May, 2006 |