1995 Ford Escort CL review from UK and Ireland

The rear suspension squeaks whenever I go over a ramp. A bit of WD40 will fix that, temporarily anyway.

Clutch packed in at around 75,000 miles, but that's to be expected in any car.

Rear fog lamp works whenever it feels like it it seems!

Clutch sometimes makes a grinding sound when I release my foot of the clutch pedal. Not sure what that is, but it doesn't seem to affect the performance of the clutch.

I bought this car in June 2008 for €750. It's the base model, so it only came with manual windows, manual exterior mirror adjustments, etc. Didn't even come with a cigarette lighter, but I fitted one into the car since I bought it.

Performance wise, it's not great. 0-60mph would take at least 20 seconds, and it tops out at around 100mph. Overtaking can be a scary experience to say the least! The engine fitted to the car is the 1.3L OHV (pushrod) petrol engine, which churns out 60bhp. It's the same engine that was in the Fiesta Mk3 and Mk4, so parts are handy (and cheap) to find.

Where it lacks in performance, it makes up in fuel economy. The car is VERY fuel efficient. I reckon it gets at least 50mpg.

I've a towbar fitted to the car, and it can pull a full laden single-axle trailer with no problems at all.

The cabin is well designed, with all necessary switches at easy reach.

I find the car is very comfortable on long trips. The seats are well designed and have good back support. Far more comfortable than my parent's Mazda 626.

Good visibility from all angles, not quite as good as my old Micra K10, but still good nevertheless.

Overall, it's a great little car, ideal for students like myself who are always short on cash, as running costs are quite low for this car.