1998 Ford Escort ZX2 2.0 DOHC

Summary:

A race machine needed to be let out

Faults:

The driver side door panel is split. This was due to the seat belt not retracting all the way back to the correct position before the door is closed.

General Comments:

My ZX2 is running about 11-12 seconds on the quarter mile. the top speed I got my ZX2 was 142, that's being clocked with police radar. If your wondering how, my cousin is a cop so he clocked me.

The car handles "OK", but if I still had the rear independent suspension from my 92' escort, it would handle better.

The motor on the car lasted me till now, and the only thing replaced that was factory was the timing belt. Now the whole motor was basically redone with, Esslinger performance cylinder heads, a stage 2 turbo and now I have yet to test it out. It is pushing around 250 HP, and about 235 HP to the wheels. The car is great and beat all V-Techs without NOS.

If you have any problems with the car, then why do you have it, if not, then keep and improve...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th August, 2003

1998 Ford Escort SE

Summary:

This car may last forever

Faults:

I had to replace the rear brake cylinders and the front brake rotors and shoes at 67,000 miles.

The windshield leaked during the first few years and eventually became very serious. However, it was more of a dealer problem than a repair issue.

The radiator had to be replaced at 62000 miles. It had leaked for three years, but no one including me could find it. The car ran normally and never overheated. I had to add about a quart of antifreeze every winter, but that was the only inconvenience until a mechanic finally found the leak.

The battery had to be replaced at 52,000 miles.

General Comments:

A great car!

Most of the parts on this car seem to last a very long time. It still has factory rear brakes aside from the brake cylinders.

It also still has the factory tires.

Except for a few repairs this car has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.

The brake components seem to last a long time, but damage to rotors and other brake parts occurs quickly when a problem develops.

This car was in two accidents caused by two separate idiots, but it still looks and runs great.

This car still has the original starter and master cylinder and has never failed to start.

The hard part of owning this car has been finding a mechanic as reliable as the car on the rare occasions it has needed repairs.

I believe if maintenance is kept up on this model it will run forever.

I have never owned a car that handles better than this one does in snow and ice. It will climb any hill no matter how icy the surface.

This is a very tough hard-running car!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th July, 2003

8th Jun 2005, 20:20

Thank you very much for your review. I am shopping for my first car. I am 17. I found a nice 1998 Ford Escort SE sedan, and I wanted to research it a bit before I went any further with the purchase. After reading your review I am fairly certain this will be a great starter car for me. I will of course make my own review after I have owned the car for awhile, but nevertheless, thank you very much for your insight. - Mike M. NY.

14th Aug 2010, 22:57

We have a 1998 SE. What a little machine; reliable, fun (ish) to drive. We bought in 2001 with 35000 on it.

As of right now, August of 2010, we've replaced the clutch and radiator, both of those last well over 100k miles! And the exhaust a few times, just a short piece of steel "flex" where it turns coming out of the engine. This thing has 180000 miles on it now and some rust, not much though. The best money we've ever spent on a vehicle.