1986 Ford Escort LX review from North America
"A great little form -follows- function car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
There were electrical problems shortly after purchase. a short in the wiring harness burned out the fuel pump, ignition module and the engine control module.
The car had considerable rust in the under body and rocker panels from sitting on a used car lot for 2.5 years. There was a wasp nest in the door when I road tested it. The rear fender wells were unexpectedly very sound.
The tachometer only works in very cold weather.
The 4 speaker factory sound system is great.
A.
General comments?
I drove it from Erie PA to Fremont Indiana, 411 miles on 9.8 gallons of gasoline. It is a 4 speed manual.
This spring, in view of rising gasoline prices, I decided to do renovation work to pass Pennsyllvania's strict Annual Vehicle Inspection. This required rebuilding the rocker panels and floor pans, and minor rust in the 4 doors. It needed both lower ball joints replaced even though the original Ford-scripted exhaust system passed.
The car is small, but comfortable for a smaller person (5'6") like myself. My 6 foot sons find it cramped. It rides well at highway speeds, but is also agile in the city.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.9 CFI 4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 48000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 57000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 5th June, 2004 |