| Product: |
Ford Escort in general |
| Date: |
21.06.01 (153 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Cheap
Disadvantages: Handling, Ride
An old car as it rolled off the production line
My Focus 1.6LX is having its service today and I've got an X registration Escort 1.6 Finesse Estate as a courtesy car. Compared to my car, the engine is a lot rougher. The ride is not as smooth, and when you get to a corner, it rolls and lurches where the Focus stays smooth and composed.
Equipment wise, the Escort doesn't do badly, with central locking, power steering, electric windows and a sunroof. The driver's seat adjusts for height. However, the steering wheel doesn't adjust for either reach or height, and the gear lever is too far away to be comfortable. The 4000 model stereo doesn't have controls near the steering wheel like my car.
The seating position is a bit lower than in a Focus and the window line is much lower, which can't help much in the event of an accident. The NCAP report on the Escort at http://www.fia.com/tourisme/Ncap5/FORD_Escort/FORD _ESCORT.htm criticises the protection of the driver's legs saying, "Both legs were exposed to a high risk of disabling injuries from a variety of unprotected metal brackets in the facia and from the brake pedal being driven backwards"
I had heard of horror stories about the smoothness of the engine management system in traffic, but that seemed to be fine. Overall, I'd say it wasn't an awful bad car, but it feels dated now when its nearly new. I wouldn't buy one unless the price was exceptional.
Summary:
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Last comment:
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ahenry - 25.06.01 If you buy an old car, then you expect to get old technology.
The Escort I drove was exactly the same age as my car. I plan to keep mine for around about 10 years, in which case its resale value will be minimal.
By then, the Escort will be as up to date as a Rover SDi does now.
However, I might need to sell it before then, and I am positive that its resale value will be better than the X reg Escort I drove.
A MkIII Escort might is a simple car to maintain (I did 90k miles in my last car - a 1986 MkII Fiesta). A recent MkV Escort is just about as complex as a Focus, perhaps even more so, given that it has evolved over a few years rather than being designed from a clean sheet.
If you check the reliability surveys, there were problems with early Focuses. The automatic gearboxes are still poor. However, other than that, the ratings are far better than for the Escort.
Of course a new Focus costs more than an older Escort. However, last September, I paid less than £10k to import a 1.6LX with £1000 of options. I certainly wouldn't pay more than £6500 for any Escort of the same age. |
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