1989 Ford Tempo GL review from North America
"A special little gem of a car that keeps you guessing"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
My Tempo was my first car and it drove awesome the first couple of years I had it. I went away to college and it sat without being driven for a year. When I started driving it again, the problems began:
* Alternator went out
* LED display went out on the clock
* Exhaust had to be replaced because the tail pipe fell off when driving to work
* Air conditioning died
* Seat belts didn't always release
* Car didn't start at night. I had to make the key hot for it to start. Don't ask me why that worked!
* Car didn't start without at least half tank of gas.
* Transmission out.
* Engine was burning oil.
Some of the problems that the Tempo had were unexplainable by mechanics. They swore there was nothing wrong with the car, but it NEVER started at night.
General comments?
My Tempo, "The Tempstress," was basically a piece of junk, but I loved it. I couldn't get ANYTHING for it when I got a new car, so I had to donate it to charity.
The Tempo will always be remembered.
Recommended reviews
| Less reliable as the years were added on |
|
| 1988 - Tempo GL 4 cylinder. 2.3 Liter alright if you do your own work on it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 60000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 114000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 16th January, 2002 |