89 Escort, RIP

[omjamal]

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!

[bigrod118]

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.

[DaeWooWooRider]

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.