1981 Ford Cortina TF Ghia review from Australia and New Zealand
"I think when running good they are great cars and its such a shame more people don't appreciate them"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Radiator was replaced after 2 months of ownership. The thing is it never really overheated and then when I checked it there was absolutely no water in the radiator at all. I just hope I haven't cooked the head.
When I got it the car was pinging every time I would turned it off.
I found that the 2.0ltr engine didn't really have enough power to pull the wagon so it had a really bad take of and drove like a snail.
The air con needed fixing within a week of ownership as it had a slow leak which I supose isn't really that important, but in the middle of an Australian summer it's a luxury you would rather have working.
General comments?
I think the car generally runs pretty smooth for a 24year old car.
The interior in the 81 Ghia Wagon is surprisingly flash for such an old car.
When the car is running properly I think they are one of the best old cars to buy its such a shame parts are so hard to find for them.
Compared to my Mitsubishi Colt 84 I had before that (which was a newer model than the Cortina) it was a limo.
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| An oldie, but a goodie, a classic piece of machinery |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1981 |
| Year of manufacture | 1981 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 86000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 89183 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mitsubishi Colt |
| Date of Entry | 17th April, 2005 |