1990 Ford Escort XR3i from UK and Ireland - Comments

Subtle accumulation of rust building up on rear arches. (expected) Oil leaks and even after repair still needs re-filling on a monthly basis.

Steering pulls to the left slightly (Wheel alignment)

Coil (Not being very handy with mechanics myself, unsure of the proper term for this) is occasionally loose and often needs 'adjusting' (By this I mean, popping the hood and fiddling with it) for the car to start. Again a common reported fault according to Haynes.

Tires wear relatively quickly, but are reasonably cheap to replace.

Brake fluid leaked and required repair.

Aggressive looking car, which can be a good and a bad thing. The contours and exterior design of this car are great. Very rugged and 80's. However, this quickly draws attention from plod, I am getting stopped in it constantly. Also, very easily labeled as a 'boy racer' car, despite whatever argument you may have in its defense, other road users will instantly perceive it this way. Expect to be constantly shown up by not only BMW's and Audis etc. but most other 'hot hatches' in it's class won't have a problem outrunning you. Considering it's cat 13. insurance, I personally would expect a lot more performance out of this car. Despite this, insurance companys hate it. The cat. 13 stamp has nothing to do with this car in regards to its performance, rather the whole enigma that surrounds this type of car in general. Among other things, this is partly due to the fact a screwdriver is all you really need to get this car going. The handling on this car is poor, although once you've become accustomed to its style it won't really bother you. However power steering would have done wonders. The cars suspension is very hard and even the tiniest of bumps in the road surface sends a shockwave through the entire car (usually jogging the cd player) and anyone who gets in the car with you will comment on this (usually going over speed bumps). The interior is nothing special, but very retro. I personally like it, however, at high speeds the car seems to produce a lot of noise with bits of plastic rattling all over the place. As far as interiors go however, I've been in a lot worse. Great for the driver and front passenger. However, if you get 3 mates in the back expect to have your chest practically pressed against the steering wheel in order for them to fit. Electric windows are a very good feature of this car, along with central locking. The gearbox is average, and shifting from 3rd to second in anything above 3000rpm means effort. Clutch is also unusually deep. Steering is heavy, but stable. Acceleration is good, but average compared to other cars in its league. Has no problem getting up to speed (in excess of 110 mph) but struggles in 4th to get there. Maximum torque is only 6500 rpm's however pushing it into redline isn't as satisfying as it should be. The engine itself is only based on a 4 cylinder single overhead cam 'Pinto' engine. The fuel injection is the only real feature, but is what makes it suffer in regards to economy. On a more positive note, this is a definite head turner. With a few mods and a good clean this car can easily impress the ladies, however you won't find it being too impressive to anyone who knows about cars. The single best feature of this car is its reliability. It has got me out of trouble many times and has rarely let me down, having done a lot of miles in it since purchasing. In conclusion, if you are that enthusiastic about the old escort, I'd advise giving the XR3i a miss and going for an RS Turbo. An escort RST again isn't the most brilliant car in regards to performance, but for only one step up (cat. 14) on insurance, you will have a very quick car that is impressive and looks great.

Spot on mate I've got one myself. I know exactly what your on about. Still a classic tho. :)

Everything that you have said is correct, my escort pulls to the left slightly, definitely is a head turner when compared to my last car which was a nissan micra, good to see someone writing a review that knows what they are talking about, nice 1 mate.