A couple of hoses split under the bonnet, nothing much else as of yet...
This car is an excellent platform for tuning, and will easily shame many a so-called high-performance cars. I'm currently running 20PSI of boost, and with many other mods, it's putting out over 200 BHP.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th February, 2001
Good for the looks, but nothing else
Distributor and rotor arm breaking and then breaking again after they had just been fixed.
Different fuses blowing.
Nice huggable ride, but edgy at high speeds.
Not as quick as I thought it would have been.
Very vague handling and plenty of understeer when entering corners at speed.
Very expensive on tyres.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 27th February, 2001
Cheap reliable first car
Nothing.
Burns a bit of oil at first, but perfect after, needs a lot of choke though when the engine is cold.
Sorted car, 1.3 is pretty good through the power sapping Ford 4 speed manual, but after a custom air filter, it sounds great and goes well.
Suspension is way too soft for the 1300kg it has to carry though.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st January, 2001
A cheap economical car for running around town
Worn piston rings.
Broken handbrake cable (front end).
Rocker jumped from the pushrod.
Rusting rear arches.
Connectors for the heated rear mirror broken.
I have a fondness of the MK4 Escort since it was my first car, but having an Escort with an HCS engine has proved to be a mistake, the ignition system when working is great, but have found replacement parts to be expensive, the 1.1 engine lacks any power and is poor on hills when loaded. Generally it is good on motorways with fantastic fuel economy, it is also very comfortable.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th January, 2001
Cheap to run and maintain
Droped a piston and had to have a reconditioned engine put in.
Shocks wore out and had to be replaced.
It's a good car, it runs very well since the reconditioned engine was installed.
I replaced seats and suspension with those from an XR3i I was given. Good ride quality and handling.
You can get very cheap ones on the market that can made good spares, all you need is a car to break and a workshop manual, it's an easy car to work on.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th December, 2000
An easy to drive, high performance car
Camshaft & tappets @ 102,000 miles.
Gearbox mountings @ 98,000 miles.
Headgasket @ 100,000 miles.
For two years I have loved every minute of driving my Escort. Everything is solid on the car, the interior, bodywork and most impotantly the engine.
The modifications you can do to the Escort are endless e.g. different suspension, bodykits and you can tweak the engine up a little if you please.
Once you get the Escort bug there's no turning back.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 14th September, 2000
Dagenham's Greatest Dustbin!
Nothing!!
I love the XR3i - to me it has the most appeal of all of the cars to leave the Dagenham plant. It is responsive without being too overpowering - and with the correct tyres allows me to cruise the bumpy Fenland roads in the safety and knowledge that I WILL get round the corner! It offers comfort and style, and the opportunities to mod this car are endless and by no means expensive.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 21st July, 2000
I totally agree mate, I've got the cab XR3i 90 spec and it's great, goes like a rocket but sticks to the road, mine's done 126,000 and it's not had any major problems.
I have had an escort 1989 cabriolet for a few months now. I have had nothing, but problems trying to stop oil from leaking from the sump. I have changed the sump gasket 3 times now. with added adhesion, but I still have a nice big black puddle on the drive. Any ideas would be much appreciated. also a new roof would be nice to.
Truly rubbish, looks awful.
3rd Sep 2001, 06:07
My Dad used to have an '89 Escort, but got rid of it 1 year ago when the clutch started to slip, and the car overheated a lot, but it ran good for 11 yrs.