1999 Ford Escort ZX2 from North America - Comments

-New Front Axle at 90K

-Seems like it needs new rotors every other week.

-New Alternator at 91K

-The front end of this car is horrible. I took it to three different mechanics, and none of them know what in god's name is wrong with this car. Thus, it shakes when you hit 60MPH.

-The paint on the hood is cracked.

-The headliner is already sagging horribly, and this car is a '99...

Honestly, it's a great car for a modern day car. Most modern day cars don't last past 120K, so I guess this is a good car? I'm strictly a Volvo guy, the only reason why I have this car is because it's my dad's old hand-me down. He didn't want it anymore, so I took it. With me being an avid Volvo lover, I guess I'm a bit spoiled. So maybe this car isn't as bad as I make it out to be? I hate this sad excuse of a "clutch". It's the weakest clutch I've ever shifted. I think a 8 month hold could shift this car with ease. It's a boring car to drive, and it's not safe at all to drive. If an SUV hits you, you're toast. The steering is too sensitive, and if I sneeze the wrong way, I'll end up in a ditch. I'm appalled at the fact the headliner is sagging, and the paint is cracked. This car is a '99! It's 5 years old for crying out loud! Well, I guess it's something I should expect from an American car. It's "sporty" looking, and that's about it. I'll sacrafice looks with reliability and stick with my Volvos.

I'm sorry, but I have to dissagree with some of the things you said. yeah the alternator goes early, but I'm at 104k miles and I can still bust 115 pretty easy. without any shaking.

Mine is about to turn 100,000 miles and I haven't had any of the problems you've described. Bought it new, by the way. Only paint flaws on mine are a couple of clear coat bubbles on the passenger door and a spoiler that could use a repaint. All very easy and inexpensive fixes at a good body shop. The headliner is as nice as the day I drove it home and the rest of the interior has held up beautifully. Looks almost like new. Front seat covers have kept a half-inch worn spot on the edge of the driver's seat cushion at bay for more than two years. I'm still on the original clutch, the second set of front brakes and the third set of tires which I bought less than a week ago. Mechanically, the only problems at present are an intermittent engine stutter under load (probably a clogged injector) and I'm starting to hear a little bit of noise on turns from one of the CV joints. Other than that, the car is tight, solid, leak-free and the only rattle is an occasional bit of plastic-on-plastic at the instrument cluster.

You cannot compare this, or any other FWD current vehicle with a Volvo 240, 740 etc. Those cars are all old swedish metal that was designed with ONLY safety in mind, not fuel economy or performance. The Escort your dad gave you must have been totalled off possbly before considering nobody else I've seen has had the same problems (i.e. vibrations, sagging interior roofline etc.)

The clutch in these cars is very comparable with other modern FWD cars, or modern cars in general. My 88 and 86 BMW's 325es and 325is are also the same in terms of resistance...that's not to say that the current cars do not have good clutches, or that their clutches are weak, they are just designed to require less effort to depress than that of older cars.

Overall, your comparing apples to oranges. The only reason why most don't share the same opinion as you have, is cause everyone else has realized that automobiles have to advance their technology in order to meet higher demands in the marketplace, ecology, gov't emmission tests etc. These are some of the places where your prehistoric VOlvos won't rate very well in, so it's time to move on. I suggest you try some other newer cars out, and see how much better the later Escorts compare to that of even some of the most respected VOlvo 850's, etc. of the same period.

I had a 99 zx2 and I won't lie it was a grate car, my G/F and I had some grate times in the back with the seats flipped down lol J/K. But last July my friend did me the biggest favor of my life he puled the e brake from the passenger seat at 55 mph and as commented earlier if you sneeze you loose control of the car. We slid in to a ditch in front of a church and flipped the car three times resulting in a mangled hunk of mettle that was not fit to be seen in a crash test. now to say I wasn't heart broken at the time would be a lie I loved that car, despite the lack of torque and hp, the pore excuse for 5 speed tranny, or the ridiculous 105mph fuel cut off. well I began shopping and I now one a 93 Si prelude and I may never go back to American cars. This prelude has a 2.3 liter non vtec and 160 hp. with so much torque in every gear of its tight 5 speed tranny that I had to check an make shore it was just 4 cylinders. and talk about reliability the belt in the car that runs every thing snapped go wing down the road at almost exactly 100,000 miles. How reliable is that! my prelude is on 170,000 miles and the only problem I'm having is a small oil leak. shore the zx2 may get good gas mileage on low test (if you drive it like my grand mother) and be a suitable commuter vehicle for an intern, but at what sacrifice. if you want a car that is a little less practical and way more fun to drive for about the same mpg I recomend an early to mid 90 prelude.

To the original reviewer, it sounds like your car was in a bad accident and/or not repaired correctly, like my accord I bought, the best car except for everything gin the front end was unreliable, later finding out it was a salvage car...very pissed.