1986 Ford Tempo GL from North America - Comments

When I first bought the car it needed a fuel pump, and a gas tank.

After a month of owning this burdenous machine on the drivers side I replaced the wheel bearing, inner and outer CV joints, tie rod end and strut.

After maybe 3000k both ball joints needed to be replaced, I only replaced the worse one because at this point I started to not care about the car at all.

The car had an unsolved electrical problem that would come and go as it pleased, you would get in the car turn the key and nothing would happen, no lights, radio or anything electrical worked, so I would pop the hood pull on wires and it usually worked.

There was a huge amount of slack in the steering.

The muffler fell off.

The floor pans were badly rusted.

Horn didn't work, cigarette lighter didn't work.

Rear drum brakes had issues.

This was my first car, for a first car this was possibly the biggest headache I could ever ask for. I was fixing something on it every other week and it just kept taking my money away, This car was the epitome of MONEY PIT. And for a teenager with a part time job it was a burdenous hell that enraged me to the point where I thought I would have gray hair. But I kept fixing it thinking everything might be okay.

The only positive things I have to say about my tempo was that it was very quick for a beater, and had great power, and would go forever on 5$ gas.

I got about 5000k out of this car before it eventually got pulled off the road by a cop that pulled me over and noticed how nice my car was.

Please avoid my trouble and if you see a nice little tempo for sale, just think that the person selling that car is selling it for a reason.

Well I guess you learned not to buy a car with high mileage, and was so old that it was built during the Reagan administration!

I think most people know that even high-mileage cars can be worth buying if they have been well maintained.

Most of these faults should have been apparent after a test drive and proper visual inspection.

I guess someone held a gun to your head, or a the seller was a pretty girl and you were looking at her instead of the car.

Jees, you'd think a 19 year old car with 242,000 kms would be trouble-free for at least another 100,000 kms, wouldn't you?

Especially in the Canadian climate.

You don't want problems? Then don't buy old, high mileage crap.

I have friends with honda's and even Chrysler k cars that have made it past 250 000k without a regular failure of important components, my other buddy's 85 Toyota tercel has 390 000k and we have taken it on 500k round trips without a thought. I was scared to drive my tempo across town.

If you think that's burdenous, try fording streams and driving up a mountain!

Well bought my Ford Tempo GL new in '86. It was loaded to the nines - power windows, power door locks, power trunk, cruise control, aluminum sports rims, luggage rack on back and I truly loved driving it. Never any major problems and with routine maintenance it preformed well. I sold it when it was 10 years old and had 200,000 KM on the odometer and in the fall of 2005 it was still on the road and looking pretty sharp. The young lady who bought it from me said she loves it and the only problem she had was the cruise control and air-conditioning had to be repaired. She admitted that she had the car repainted 3 years after buying it from me and it was obvious that she kept up the maintenance quit well. So in closing - yes I loved my Tempo GL sport, and miss it greatly, and if you look after your cars then generally the will last. When buying used expect some problems, repairs and quirks - there is a reason people sell their cars - my Tempo was sold because I stepped up in size to a Towncar otherwise I might still be driving the Tempo with PRIDE or to PRIDE in Toronto.

The Ford Tempo, the most dangerous and worthless car I have ever owned hands down. I mean this thing is dangerous even with new tires - just a little rain and on the highway it was truly out of control, these cars should have been bannedd.

This is not to mention that parts for what was constantly falling apart, had I not done the labor myself, would have easily cost more than the car was worth, while at the same time a Honda of the same vintage and mileage seemed to have done me fine.

No, the Ford Tempos and Taurus were some of the lowest quality automobiles ever to leave Detroit.

For God's sake... why do people expect high mileage Ford Tempos to perform like new?

Quite possibly one of the worst cars of all time.

As with any car, care and maintenance are determining factors in it's longevity. My 1994 Tempo just finished a week of providing transportation to my roommate while her 1994 Honda was in the shop yet another time for repairs. The Tempo is my second car and has seen many newer cars come and go. I just can't get rid of it. It has a soul, something newer cars are lacking.

I just bought a 1986 Tempo GL. This car is going to be my snow car, as my 2001 Dakota 2WD will not do as good in the snow. This is the second Ford I have owned, the first Tempo. I have driven it for a month now, with no problems at all! Everything works, cruise, air and everything! The body is 99% rust free. Anyone who thinks tempos are junk cars obviously owned one that either they didn't take care of, or other people didn't. Also, no Honda back in 86 had independent rear suspension, power gas door, power trunk, air bag (The 1985 Tempo was the first production car in America to include a driver's airbag.) All-wheel drive was an option starting in 1987. By the way, I picked up my Tempo for $300. It has 150,000 miles.

Honda has out done the power gas door and power trunk with their innovative lever your pull to open the trunk and gas tank. Never fails (unless the cable is bad) and won't cost you an arm and a leg. SIMPLE!

I'm Beginning to fell like I own an antique. At 23 years, my car still isn't ready to be let go. $500 bought me a car with almost no problems at all. Of course, it really had nothing to break. No options at all. Not even a tiltable steering wheel.

But it drives like new. Hate Ford Tempos, Buy a much better Mercury Topaz. But like with every old car, inspect it carefully. Mine has over 235000 miles on it. It is usually driven more than 20-30 miles a day. Not a problem.