Comments: 1-15, 16-17
Every time my car idles and the air conditioner is on, the cars oil light comes on.
We had to replace the alternator.
We also had to replace the timing belt.
The check engine light is constantly on and when we check it with the plug in coder it gives us a factory code and when we take it to the factory they say they can't tell us what is wrong with the car.
My trunk release never pops the trunk.
Once we fix one thing then something else goes wrong...it's a Nightmare!
I would never recommend this car for anyone. This was my first car and I was hoping it would be a good one with not too many problems, but I was wrong. My sister also has one, but hers is a few years older and now her air conditioner doesn't work so we have to pay 1300 dollars just to get that fixed. This is by far the worst car Ford has ever made. My next car as soon as we sell this one will be a Honda... Americas most dependent vehicle.
So, the only major problems you've had are the alternator (which is ALWAYS the first thing to go on ANY car) and the timing belt, and now you despise a 6 year old 80k mile car? Some people are never satisfied.
I love my ZX2 it's a 99 with around 110,000 miles and I've not had one problem with it-
There's a good chance your car's A/C isn't working because the A/C compressor is dead. It would only cost you around $225-$240 to get fixed (not counting labor, of course).
I love my zx2 its is my first car I've had it since 1999 and nothing has ever gone wrong with it.
Most cars require the timing belt to be replaced around 60-65K miles. That is regular maintenance, not a failure. It doesn't sound like you have had any serious problems. Wait until you get a real lemon. Then you will learn the meaning of a nightmare.
Ha, good luck with finding a Honda man... you'll pay three times as much for half as much car (an '02 Civic will set you back about 16 grand, whereas an '02 ZX2 could be had for less than half). The ZX2 is just like any other car: treat it well, and it will treat you well... and besides that, I doubt Consumer Reports would list it as one of the handful of truly dependable american made cars if they were all crap... Oh and by the way, the trunk release on the ZX2 is designed to be hydraulic, pressing the button just unlocks it, YOU have to pull it up and open it (that keeps it from flopping open while you drive it around, should you be clumsy enough to hit the button). 'Sorry you had a bad experience with this car.
I got a 1997 Mercury Tracer Sport new in 1998. The Tracer is actually an Escort.
I have the 2.0 L engine with the 4-speed automatic.
At 115,000-miles I had the timing belt replaced. It actually looked new still, the mechanic said.
When the car was new, it had a bad front left wheel bearing. Warrnty covered that.
Today the car has 160,000-miles.
No leaks, the a/c is still ice cold, but the car does have a broken transmission mount, but my mechanic said that it does not have to be replaced because the mount has so much bracing around it. But the broken mount does allow the car to idle ruff when stopped.
I am very pleased with the car. It has 160K on it and it has only one vibration in the back driver's side door, and that is only at times.
THe interior still looks brand new.
I wish that the car had better lower back support for the front seats however.
My fog light, on drivers side keeps blowing bulbs, but this is because the lense lets water in it. I stopped putting new bulbs in the car a few years ago.
For what I paid for the car and how good it has been, I could not have bought a better car. I am getting an avg. of 32mpg with about 1/4 in town and 3/4 highway.
I think that FOrd has done a great job.
Did I also mention that all the power windows still work along witht the tape player.
THis car is well used. I raised 2-kids in this car and the interior is still nice.
I am fixing to get a new car. I am looking at a new Fusion, or Mercury Milan.
I agree with the author of this reveiw being bitter. my tacoma has over 245,000 and has never had any problems.
Routine preventive maintenance is the key. My 1999 Escort SE has 130k miles and drives from NC to PA on a regular basis. As stated before the alternator was the first to go which is common, but easy to replace by myself. Oil change every 3k, Transmission flush and fill at 50k and 100k, Timing belt at 100k. Don't wait until it is broke.
I agree! My '99 Escort has been a costly nightmare. Every time something gets fixed, something else always goes wrong.
I hate this car. They lose their value quickly. I bought mine last year for $6000 and I'll be lucky if I can get $2000 for it.
I get my oil changed every 3,000 miles or 3 months like you're supposed to, but things still go wrong. I'm not impressed at all.
The parts may be cheaper, but something is definitely wrong if I've had to spend over $6000 on repairs and the problems are still coming.
My engine died at 80,000 miles. That is just ridiculous in my book. I will never be buying another Ford car.
Got a used 97 Escort with 37K on it about 6 years ago. Now it's at 127K and has done nothing but run. I have done nothing but routine maintenance (oil, plugs, brakes, belts, filters and tie rod ends). Needed a radiator once, but previous owner had crashed the front so I don't blame it for that. Have not even done timing belt!
Last summer I played around with hypermiling and got up to 37.5, 38.3, and 39.9 mpg on 3 tanks of gas. Now in winter I am back to regular 33-35 mpg. This is suburban, not highway, driving. Juveniles don't think it's cool. That's juvenile!
I have a 99 Ford Escort SE Sport and it's OK (just that OK). It has 140,000 miles on it and I bought it back in 04 (after someone totaled by beloved 94 Civic - which by the way was STILL running after someone smashed the front end and had over 415,000 miles on it with hardly ANY problems previous the accident).
My Escort has held up and still runs, but every year there seems to be issue after issue (little or larger things) - even after having regular oil changes, brakes done, tie rods fixed, tires, fluids, and all the other regular maintenance! I put a ton of money already in it and to me it's not a car that's worth putting as much money as I have into it! When I get one thing fixed, it seems another thing has to go wrong.
I will never buy another Ford again after owning this car. I will either have my Honda Odyssey or my Toyota Sienna next! Plus, the Escort has a really low resale value.
FORD = Found On Road Dead.
Got a 98 Escort ZX2 that has done its job. I bought it with 57k miles on it back in 01. Now in 09 it has 145K and haven't even replaced the timing belt or anything. I wonder if I should get that done tho. Just have had to replace tie rod ends periodically. AC had a leak that was costly to fix. 4 years later I had to recharge the freon and it seems to be going good again.
"Got a 98 Escort ZX2 that has done its job. I bought it with 57k miles on it back in 01. Now in 09 it has 145K and haven't even replaced the timing belt or anything. I wonder if I should get that done tho."
YES, GET THAT DONE!! Ford recommends the belt be changed at 60,000 miles. Domestics can usually go twice the recommended change interval, but if it breaks it will cost a lot more to fix and could damage your engine. You've got a great car. take good care of it. My family's Honda Civic never even lasted 100,000 miles. It was sold to a junk dealer at 99,000+ miles. It was nothing but trouble after the puny warranty ran out. Stick with Ford.
I think Ford are non interference engines. Nonetheless, I would at least have a look at the belt, and if it shows cracks and other signs of wear, I would replace it together with the belt tensioner and maybe the water pump.