89 Escort, RIP

What a tough little car...

I bought my 89 Escort GT way back in 97 for $500, with 87k miles on it. I figured it would be a good throw-away car, and if I got 20k miles or so out of it, it would be worth it. Little did I know...

My dad ended up using the car for a few years, and put 40k miles on it. There were a few minor repairs, like the alternator, and the timing chain, but nothing major. I finally started driving it, and put another 10k miles on it without any problems. It only left me stranded once -- I was driving along, and the throttle cable snapped. Not an expensive repair, but it did require a tow.

I moved from California to Maine, and drove the Escort all the way, setting the cruise control at about 78mph. I never expected to make it, but I did. I was then able to drive the car around Maine for over a year with only one repair -- the brake light switch. Finally, though, it died. I was driving along the interstate, and I heard a terrible rattling sound. I stopped the car, opened the hood, and I saw it was leaking coolant from somewhere deep in the engine. I shut the engine off, topped off the coolant, waited 30 seconds, started it back up, and was rewarded with howling and screeching instead of rattling. I shut it off again, came back 10 minutes later, and it was dead. I can crank it all I want, but there's no signs of life. After talking it over with a mechanic, it seems that I'll probably be needing a new water pump and timing chain -- more work than I'm willing to sink into this poor beast at 169k miles.

Fortunately, my girlfriend's dad happened to have a car he was willing to sell to me for cheap... a 1993 Escort... for $500. The cycle continues! :smile:

hey my baby is a 93 escort gt 1.8 5-speed. with 130 and this babys gunna last me forever. dont doubt that 93. of course if you have the car I do with the same motor, no need to worry about it being a ford, its not, it may say ford on it, but they say its one of the longest lasting mazda motors there is. 130 and nothing major yet. a few mishappens that required a new tranny(people who replaced clutch didnt push in a cluth pin and it flew out and went thru the tranny) but other than that, that car will last.

water pump and timing chain... is that all 250 and it will be running like a champ. I will not trade "the wagon" for anything. I has given me 6 years of wonderful service, and hopefully when I sit her down she will rest until my 14 year old gets her learners permit.