Faults:

Rust resulted in large portions of the car having to be welded, including: sills, front crossmember, battery tray and rear valance.

Engine would sometimes refuse to start when warm, never fixed.

Original gearbox had failed and been replaced with a 4 speed unit from a Fiesta!

Hints that the head gasket may have been about to go.

General Comments:

Reasonably light and responsive and so felt quite quick, especially as my first car.

It didn't handle very well mind, especially with the very cheap tyres I fitted to it!

It was already old and quite tired when I got it, but the interior was OK and it generally got me from A-B without too much fuss, so it was OK.

It was a car I had always wanted, ever since seeing it new at the 1984 motorshow at the NEC, but then by 1996 it wasn't quite as special anymore!

I don't regret buying it though, at least it wasn't the typical small engined low-spec supermini most people end up with. I even had central locking, a digital clock and 4 speakers! Such luxury!

Most of the chrome trim was even still attached to the car... :)

Faults:

Well to be honest, not much has gone wrong with this car apart from the usual wear and tear of todays motoring. The most resent problem I had with it was the rear bearings needed changing, which wasn't expensive.

Its mainly little annoying things that happen with it, like it rattles or sometimes takes a few turns to start. Nothing drastically wrong.

General Comments:

This car is my really my first car as the Panda I bought for £50 had to be scrapped. I bought my Escort L for £275. It has got to be the best condition Escort of this age that I've seen. Its almost immaculate. The seats and steering wheel were changed before I got it to the XR3 parts, which are much more comfortable and a lot sportier. It has the standard 155 80 R13 wheels which actually handle quite well. There is quite a bit of body roll though. Its performance is well up to todays traffic with a 0-60 time of 11.5 seconds. (It will keep up with a 1.8 Vectra) Top end speed is poor (not much more than 100mph I expect) as it only has the 4 gears, which I might change to a 5 speed box one day. All in all it's a great car and I shall be sorry to see it go when I get a new car.

Faults:

Ground to a halt every 30 miles or so for no apparent reason.

Fuel leaked almost everywhere, despite repeated repairs.

Engine was smoky and lacked power.

Steering and suspension defective.

General Comments:

Not a very good car really. Lacked power, wasn't economical and was unreliable.

Not very comfortable either.

Not a lot going for it really.

Faults:

On the first day I bought it a headlamp fuse went, also interior light faulty.

Tracking is a bit off.

General Comments:

Lovely smooth ride, a real head turner.

Starts first time every time, cheap to insure, and very nice clutch/gear control.

Suspension on a bumpy road can be a bit odd, and acceleration a little slow, but I'm just being picky.

Overall a lovely car, runs on air and a pleasure to drive...I would definitely buy another car from that dealer, very helpful and honest, too!!

Faults:

Exhaust.

Starter motor.

General Comments:

Great first car...

Only cost me £450.