| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 petrol |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
8.3 / 10
|
Faults:
Nothing serious.
Most major part was a camshaft & followers which I knew about when I bought the car.
General Comments:
I prefer the Ghia to the Ghia Injection model.
Parts are always easy to find.
Excellent cars for custom shows etc.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 7th February, 1999
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6i petrol |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
8.3 / 10
|
Faults:
For the time I have owned the car (12 months) its only general wear and tear items that have needed replacing.
General Comments:
Car has done 92,000 and looks like 50-60,000 instead.
I`m impressed but I bought a good one, there are loads of heaps.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 10th November, 1998
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 auto petrol |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
7.8 / 10
|
Faults:
Electric Mirrors Switch (gave up on - junked the switch).
Rear Door Central Locking (self-fixed).
Shocks - at about 68,000 miles (totalled).
Rear Drum brake jammed (self-adjusted).
General Comments:
Engine is becoming a little 'tappy' at around 70,000 miles.
Brake pads all round haven't been changed since it was bought (3.5yrs ago).
Auto Gearbox has been almost maintenance free.
Alternator (having suffered extreme loads from the stereo, is still hanging in there).
Despite 3.5 years of near-concourse cleaning and polishing, rust is still finding its way through on rear wheel arches.
With a few minor engine mods, the car runs very well.
Most of the problems I've had with the car have been caused by the more extreme modifications, such as Cosworth boot spoiler (holes in boot panel) and 50mm Lowering kit (appears to have put some strain on the drive mechanics).
Very well supported engine/car for any modifications (except maybe the auto gearbox).
The only time it has ever not started was when the battery gave-out (as a result of the mirrors problem).
Great Car - friends have Volkswagens and more problems.
NOTE: Would have had 1600E at the time if I had known about them, but now rather rare.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 18th August, 1998
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6i petrol |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 2 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 3 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) |
3.6 / 10
|
Faults:
I bought the car new in late '89, by the time it was three months old it had already been off the road for one month!
Gearbox went at 33K miles! A common fault on XR3i's and Orion injections.
ECU went.
Wheel Bearing went.
Major front brake problems.
By the time the car was 4.5 years old, 38K miles, I was getting a major bill of at least £200 every month.
General Comments:
At one point I lost a Cylinder, two Ford Dealers and a well known tuning company failed to spot this!
This car was my third Ford, and it will be my last, never, never, never again. I have instructed my Wife, that if I ever set foot inside a Ford showroom again that she should shoot me dead immediately!!!!!
I sold it a couple of years back and bought a Vauxhall instead!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 15th February, 1998
This gentleman has obviously had problems with his car, but after 13 years of pleasurable driving with my automatic ford orion, I have only had one major problem. This was that the gearbox failed. The ford dealership paid for the replacement and I feel happy with the car. Like any major car company, isolated defects are to be expected, but a car will only run as well as it is maintained.