Faults:

Bodywork was slightly rusty from the start.

Tyres needed replacing at 83,000 miles.

Cylinder head needed replacing at 86,000 miles.

Engine started leaking oil during final 3 months of ownership.

General Comments:

For its age, the Escort was a reliable and solid starter car which gave good value for money.

At 11 years old, it cost a bargain £400.

Lost its value quickly.

One year after buying the Escort, I traded it in and got just £250 for it.

Saw it on the road as recently as 1999, by which time it was 21 years old.

Faults:

Gearbox started rattling after 129,000 miles and had to be replaced.

Brake cable snapped after 136,000 miles and was also replaced.

Started to go rusty towards the end.

General Comments:

Engine was as smooth as silk right up to the end. Bodywork started to show its age though.

Previous car was a 1973 Ford Cortina which lasted well until 178,000 miles when the engine blew up!

The 1978 Ford Escort was a really good car. It drove well and the mechanicals only rarely showed their age. After all, the car was 22 years old and had driven 148,000 miles by the time I sold it. It went to my younger brother for £20 and I bought a 93L Ford Fiesta 1.4 Ghia for £1,000, which had covered 56,000 miles. I had the Fiesta for 3 years, by which time it had covered 75,000 miles, and I sold it to a workmate for £400. Now I have a 96P Ford Scorpio 2.9 V6 which I bought for £2,500 and has now covered close to 100,000 miles. The Fiesta was quite good and the Scorpio is powerful and comfortable, but the Escort is far more reliable than any other car I've owned.

Faults:

Not much as at the moment I am in the middle of restoring it.

The 3.0S Capri engine that is going in is sweet as well as the type 9 5 speed gearbox. So that's about it.

General Comments:

The best classic anyone could ever ask for.

Faults:

The only problem I have encountered during my ownership is a faulty ignition switch. The engine has been around the clock, but still serves well. It also leaks oil, but that is expected of a car this old. The interior is like new, without any blemishes at all. I would definitely buy another classic ford as I think that they are better than modern fords, even though I'm only 20 years of age.

General Comments:

An exceptional car when looked after properly.