Faults:

Drivers seat mount collapsed.

Power windows stopped working.

Drivers door armrest broken.

Alternator.

Seat tilt levers on both seats broken (no back seat passengers).

Rear wiper motor burnt out.

Rev counter stopped working.

General Comments:

Unbelievably high insurance for a car that looks dated and goes as fast as most modern, standard 1.4 hatchbacks.

Look carefully at the wheel arches for a few minutes and you can actually see the rust spreading.

Bought the car, ran it for a year, then sold for the same amount. There's always somebody out there who'll buy an old XR3i. So except for high insurance, it was a cheap year of motoring.

CVH engine was very reliable and good on fuel.

Faults:

I received it needing a new windshield wiper part of some kind on the driver's side.

The gas gauge always reads full.

It needed new fuses.

It needed major general maintenance work done.

General Comments:

I went from a Chevy Suburban to the Ford Escort Pony due to an accident. I was without a car and my thoughtful son bought it for me from a friend who finished college and needed money to go home with. I heard he got a bus ticket with the 150 bucks my son gave him.

That said, I must admit I am impressed with the little car. It was suppose to be something to kick around in until I bought something else. At first, I was really nervous driving it. I now realize I wasn't used to small cars.

No doubt about it, the Suburban has it beat in the comfort area hands down. However, the Suburban uses a lot more gas too. With the price of gas these days, it's nice having a car that gets around 30 miles to the gallon.

This car just goes and goes. I can assure you it wasn't taken care of by the previous owner. Of course the very first thing I did was bring it to my mechanic to get the windshield wiper fixed. The car most likely hadn't had an oil change since the kid started college four years earlier. What little oil was in it was like black tar. The radiator was completely empty. The list was endless.

I put 500 dollars into it, and I am not sorry I did. I had a complete tune-up done, had the radiator flushed, the windshield wiper part fixed, wheels rotated, new fuses and the like. I guess I consider this maintenance work to be honest, and believe me this car's maintenance work was WAY OVERDUE!

I live up in northern Maine and this little friend (as I am starting to think of it) has started faithfully everyday without fail. It handles really good in the snow. I guess if it had 4WD it would handle better. LOL I got stuck a couple of times after the first major snowstorm. It took the guy that pushed me out the last time to realize the car's capabilities and limitations. "Hey lady what do you think you are driving?" " A Hummer or what?"

I have taken it on three trips (600 miles each way) with no problems. I never ran out of gas thankfully. I fill it up and set the mile counter to zero. When it reaches 350 miles I fill it up again.

The hatch back is great. Really for it's size it can carry an amazing amount. I have plans on driving it all summer long and into the the fall. My son asks when am I getting a new car. Hmmmm - Do I plan on getting a big new car? I guess I must admit that depends on the price of gas. I ask myself why - this little car goes great.