Owners' Stories

Great car! I love this car.

Can anyone help? Car has lost the ability to accelerate. It is hard to get it to 35mph. Could it be the clutch slipping?

1093 Ford Escort Wagon Have replace the clutch 4 times. Struts 4 times. A/C quit working 2 yrs ago. 2 heater cores. 6 windshield moters. 2 radiators. Got it from my dad 98 with 27k. Has 130k. The frame has rotted away. It gets 37 mpg on the highway. Looking for a US built car. Either a Chevy or a Ford.

I love my Ford Escort, 2002... 120,000+, runs great! I will definitely want another when the time comes!

this is my 3rd 91-95 best cars ever. i do all my own work, parts are cheap

i bought a 1993 escort new in 93.We have 323000 miles on it. Have changed regular maintenance stuff. It is a five speed and on the highway gets around 40 mpg. My son tried to trade it in for cash for clunkers and the dealer wont take it because of good gas mileage. Just bought a 1999 escort hope we have as good luck.

My Mom bought me the 1999 SE for my first car earlier this year. She had over 555,000 miles and now from me driving her she's got 556,155 miles and she still runs fantastic! No noises, doesn't break down on me,I just keep up with regular maintenance and I honestly couldn't have asked for a better car. Very reliable

The 2001 Ford ZX2's engine is reliable and fast. Interior is fine just need to updated with your own style. Suspension and steering is tight yearly maintenance of tie rods and alignment is a must. Brakes is tight and can be upgraded to high performance for more stopping power.

My 2002 Ford Escort has 120,000 miles on it and still has the original exhaust. Runs well except for the engine noise which seems to be a common problems. When I'm ready to trade it in I would definitely buy another Ford (Focus)

We bought our 1995 Ford Escort in 1996 (new) and it still runs great. It has over 291,000 miles on it. My husband did regular maintenance on it and we have all used it as a commuter car. It still gets close to 35 MPG.

I got my car in 2007 with 108,000 miles for $500 dollars - it had a blown head gasket. It now has 155,000 miles and I have had no major problems. Modifications: Magnaflow muffler from Howard's Muffler in Victorville for better mileage; Performance chip from SLR motorsport to increase MPG and gain horsepower; K&N Air Filter; tinted windows from the Tint Factory in Redlands; added a Pioneer DEH-900 with 4 Polk speakers; tires are Hankook 727 (the only tire brand I buy). This car has never let me down. I change all fluids as recommended and this car averages 33 mpg a great improvement from the 26 mpg when I purchased it. Overall: I would recommend this car.

I bought my 1997 ford escort in 2009.12000k on it. It gave me lots of problems. please don't by this car.

I've had my 1997 escort for 3 years now it was given to me as a present and as a first i couldn't have had a better car, only dislikes are the electronics are wonky in the cold and it takes a little time to start in the cold.

I bought this car in 2003 and now eight years later have yet to have a problem. I've only done routine maintenance on it and it has performed very well. It is a reliable car which is more than I can say for all of the GM cars I have owned over the years. I'm at 112K miles and its still going strong.

1997 Ford Escort - I got this for my first car in 06 and love it. It doesn't give me any trouble. Very reliable. I will be driving 2 hours away for school this Fall and I'm not worried about it at all. It's serviced at Metro Ford regularly which also gives me confidence for this fall. I think my 97 actually drives much better than my dad's 05 Focus. But I'm not big on newer cars. I plan on keeping this car until I'm done with my Bachelors degree or maybe Masters... who knows. I really do love it!

Have owned this 1995 for 10 years. 1.9L automatic in showroom condition. It is still going strong with 165,000 city miles. Neighbor has a 1996. The only reason you don't see more of them on the road is probably due to the fact most people who purchase and economy car are not inclined to take good care of it. Good care defined as regular fluid changes (oil, trans, brake, power steering) and other preventative maintenace. The only design flaw I am aware of is under-sized tire rods, which typically have to be replaced every 40 to 50,000 miles. They can also develop idle issues as they age, but compared to MAJOR problems of other vehicles I have researched these escorts are a blessing to own. The exhaust on this 165,000 mile is original and the AC has never been serviced. The paint job has less orange peel than most newer cars I have compared it to. The transmission performs flawlessly, despite the fact some guy at a tranny shop told me it would probably need rebuilt around 100K. Every time I change the oil I also remove two quarts from the tranny fill tube - using a plunger - and put the exact same about back. I am tempted to purchase another 1995 or 1996 escort even though I don't need one, just in case someone rear ends me.

i have had mine since 2000. No problems. Excellent car and condition. Love it. This is 2011.

Not really a ford person but the 95 escort has to be the best car on the road.. I have 2 good on gas great power. Great Car!

Parents bought this Escort LX for like under $1,000 with 26k miles on it. I bought it from them with like 99k miles on it after I blew the head on it. I've had it and ran it hard for 29k miles and the most Ive had to do to it is change the oil, change the front brakes (caliper locked up), belts, hoses, radiator (cause I put a drill bit in it by accident and was getting ready to move to Florida and didn't have means or tools to change it.) Fuel pump (wrong diagnostic it was really a bad Mass Air Flow sensor) and the M.A.F. I do run full synthetic oil in it because the lifters rattle a bit. But the synthetic quiets them down. But overall I love this car. It will rot in my front yard before I sell it. I'm looking at modding it and fixing the crash damage from my first wreck even though it will cost way more than what I could sell it for. The 1.9 engines last forever if you take care of them. Last time my dad has oil pan off to re-seal it the factory swirl marks were still on inside cylinder walls of all 4 cylinders.

Car has a very rough idle that nobody seems to be able to fix.

Bought the 2000 Ford Escort second hand for daughter. It has been a great running car for her with minor maintenance. She got it for her 17th birthday and just turned 24, so she has gotten the money we invested in it. My son liked hers so much that when it was time for his, we got him a 2000 Escort ZX, of course, the boys want those 'need for speed'. Now he has been in 3 accidents where he has gone up under pickup trucks. He finally learned his lesson but he has never done any mechanical work but he decided his last accident he would do his own repair because his father refused to. The car is very friendly for the novice to learn on. He had to do some body work and replaced the radiator and front end. Still a work in progress but engine wise it has been a great running vehicle. I have to say this is ONE model of Ford that have felt it was worth the money.

I've had this car for three years now going on four. I haven't had to much work besides routine maintenance, but now i have to spend $700 on rack and pinion, power steering pulley & pump, serpentine belt, & tie rod ends. 121,699miles

I've had my 1993 Escort for 15 of its 17 years. It is just shy of 100,000 miles (I've been unemployed). It's been a very reliable car. It has no rust, although I do keep it in the garage. The engine purrs, although I've had the head gasket replaced twice (the second time was done correctly). About a year or so ago it began to have a rough idle that I finally found a mechanic who knew what it was (the exhaust manifold gasket needed replaced--vacuum leak). I also found out that the thermostat must be from Ford, not generic, or else the temperature will not allow the fan to work properly if at all. This causes the engine to overheat in the summer and not warm up in the winter. One complaint I do have is the automatic seat belts won't go forward most of the time. It does retract towards me, so it's still safe but annoying.

The car now has 218,000 miles on it, has never had an issue other than the alternator going out. Good little car still gets on avg 28mpg and with a newer stereo I can now listen to an mp3 player.

I purchased a 1996 ford escort in october of 2008. I love it. I had previously owned chevy's which had only lasted me a couple of months each. I purchased my Escort for $550 and it only has 176000 KMs (109 000 miles) on it. I have done simple repairs to it suck as brake padsm routers, calibers, a couple of struts and a windshield. The most costly repair was the altenador twice. But I havent really done any other work then usualy wear and tear jobs. I am currently about to change my thermostat. But other then simple jobs, the car is great. It runs great and it runs smooth. My boyfriend recently purchased me a 2001 cavalier. I told him to keep it for himself because I am going to drive the Escort until it wont drive no more! I am actually from New Brunswick, Canada but it wont let me put that.

how do I fix my fan

I bought my 1996 ford escort back in 2005. I just Love My Car!! It's now 14 years old and I'm thinking it will be needing major tune up soon. In the 5 years I have owned this car The only thing I have done is the basic oil change at Walmart every 3-4 months. I just recently replaced the battery and now my check engine light comes on. I love this car but I don't want to have to start dumping money into it because after that...it's still a 96 ford escort. I wish they still made this model . I'm looking for a new car now,but I've been spoiled with the simplicity of my Escort! Bring it back Ford!!!

I've had my escort for 18 years. I've replaced only basic parts such as belts hoses spark plugs etc. I've had the clutch replaced at 110,000 miles. It now has 143,000 miles on it. The car has been a great car handles well in ths snow and is fun to drive.

in the spring of 2006 ,I bought a 1993 murcury tracer/ escort station wagon for 300$ at an auction.I really did not do any thing to the car but drove it home for three years,it was going to be a project car. well today i drive her every other week to work and play.I replaced heater core,all belts and hoses,wirers,plugs,brakes,timing belt,water pump,valve cover gasket,rebuilt trans,4 new tires ,murcury hub capps and aircondition recharged.The station wagon had 96,000 miles when i bought it and was in pretty fair condition.I enjoyed restoring the wagon ,the parts were cheap and i just fixed it a little at a time. she drive like a dream with cold air and a new cd player. I have a mountain bike that fits just fine in the back with the rear seat folded. I am going to keep this red wagon for a long time

I bought my 2000 Ford Escort used back in 2003. I have had some problems with it but nothing major. I had to have my tire rods replaced last year and my E.G.R valve this month. It has been a good little car and I get great gas.

My family has owned escorts for years and have always loved them, but when Ford decided to do the DOHC ZX2s, they destroyed the escort image. I purchased my 2001 Ford ZX2 in August 2001. Within days of buying my vehicle I started having problems. There was a hesitation in the transmission. The dealer mechanics were unable to reproduce the problem and basically insinuated it was because I am a woman driver. I drove it with the slight hesitation in the transmission for 2 years before the transmission finally went completely out. Of course by this time my warranty had expired. The car sat for over a year before I could afford to replace the transmission. Two days after getting my car back from replacing the transmission, the timing belt stripped out....which wasn't something I wanted to deal with after paying out all the money for the transmission repair. Not long after that the air conditioner quit working along with my driver side window. I had to have the car completely rewired and have the computer replaced. The car really has been one problem after another. It's now been sitting in my front yard for years since every time it gets taken out something else goes wrong with it.

i have a 1991 ford escort. i love this car but it has been a pain my timing belt keeps breaking every two years. other than that though it is pretty cool, when i got it the car was kinda lame. I replaced the plug wires which were brittle cuz they were the original. Replaced the spark plugs, thermostat, fuel filter, and the water pump and timing belt 3X. but i have to say when it is working my car is sweet, quick, has great handling, and good gas mileage. i currently put royal purple oil and Zmax oil and fuel additive which made it ten times better. Soon it will be time for a new car but for now, like i said its a good car to have.

I have had a 2001 Escort for about three years now. I am a faithful chevy owner in most cases, but this car was bought for me. It has been a great little car, but I have had problems since it hit 130,000 miles. The alternator went out, Serpentine belt stretched, had to replace ac regulator, and a coil pack yesterday. But i will say, I have only spent about $900 on repairs and it has been a good little car. I could not believe how well it handles on snow and ice. My husband drives an 04 Cavalier, and his was impossible last winter, while mine just got around like a champ.

Bought this '95 Escort new in '96 with 36 total miles on it! Parts are reasonable we have replaced the motor once, the Trans once. Later it sat for about 2 1/2 yrs because hubby didn't have time to figure out what was wrong with it. It was electrical, replaced computer a few other electrical items, fuel pump and then the head cracked so replaced that too. That cost was less than $900. Yearly registration is $35.50, ins is next to nothing something like $100 or less and fuel runs about $50 a month! Still gets 30+ mpg!

I bought my Ford Escort ZX@ brand new back in 2000 and had my first problem with it at only two days old when it died. The rear struts had to be replaced at 3 months old, and the drivers' side window got stuck down at less than a year old. Since then, I have had seven different motors installed in the drivers' side door, six of which came before my car was 3 years old. I went to the head of the dealership I bought the car from and asked about the lemon law. He said, "Sue me," so I called Ford corporate who wouldn't help me. I was in college, so I couldn't afford to sue over the lemon law, so I had to keep driving my car. After the third motor was installed in my door, I picked up my car and headed to my friend's house. While I was on the highway, my door started to come off the hinges, so I had to go back to the dealership, which had my car for another few days while they put the door back on, fixed the hinges, and repaired the motor again. I've had countless problems ever since which included broken timing and serpetine belts. Most recently, my horn went on and stayed on while I was driving. I pulled over, shut the car off, and the horn kept blaring. It dies after about 10 minutes, along with my car alarm. I wouldn't recommend this car to anyone. It'sbeen problems ever since I drove it off the lot, and Ford (the dealership and corporate) was no help to me. Btw, the only good thing about my car has been its heating system. The car heats up quickly in the winter, which has been nice.

I have had three Escorts (1988, 1997 & 1998) all delivered great fuel economy and all started faithfully no matter what the weather. For the money, this little car gives great value. I have driven virtually every competitor, both foreign and domestic and found that the Escort holds up very well in comparison. Honda's double wishbone suspension and overall engine technology are better, Toyota's overall quality ratings are better but they cost more; especially in the used market. So, for what you get for what you pay, buy an Escort.

I just bought my 1996 escort LX wagon with 175,900 miles for $200. I have to say it has been much better than I expected for a $200 car. All I have done to it is change brakes (master cylinder, 1 caliper, 2 rotors,pads and shoes all around.) new tires, all fluids changed, new air, fuel, and oil filters, and now the car runs like a top. $200 for the car $500 for the tires and parts and fluids I've spent $700 total...Not bad at all:-)

I got my 1992 Ford Escort GT 4 months ago. It currently has 325,000+ miles. It sat for two years before I got it on the road and now I am having a few problems with it. The electrical seat belts no longer work (not a problem with the fuses), the interior fan does not operate on 4, but will occasionally turn on, part of my instrument panel does not light up unless i smack the dash, my shift lights don't work, and there is a rattle in the motor. The trani shifts hard and there are many leaks consisting of oil and coolant... from multiple places. Despite all of this.. I love my escort. Had a 94' escort wagon before this that got to 217,000. I'm hoping to see 400,000 with this one. ^_^

Got from Mom, 35,000 Mi.,Now has80,000.Had to leave outside All bad weather.body needs a paint job.But run great.

this is a 95 escort. my mom bought it back in 96. new. i just bought it from my mom with over 225,000 miles on it and it runs great. and people say ford is found on road dead. pshhht its first on race day.

i wish the horn would work

Bought this little car with 140,000 km on it a few years ago. Now have 240,000 km, with little trouble. I have replaced a lot of parts, but things that wear out, such as struts, brakes, and the clutch, parts are reasonably priced, and the maintenance, which I do myself, is fairly straight forward and simple, however, I have a mechanical background. Oh, I'm in Canada, not California, but its the only zip code I know, hahaha

I bought my Ford Escort 95 with around 10,000 miles. Right away the very first week it began to overheat, on my way to the dealer to have it check the car broke down in the middle of the freeway. They said that the radiator fan stopped working. After fixing this problem, it continued overheating. Plus countless troubles with the A/C, electric windows, noisy engine and brakes, this is the worst automobile I have owned.

Car hood rust and paint fade is really bad but car runs pretty good..not real happy with it but am stuck with it for now. It's a go to work car.

i bought the car in 2001 and it has been great i have 135,000 only one problem with the coil last month