My first car! How I love my baby!

Well.. I have now had my car for about six months. I have been terribly satisfied the whole time. First off, I got a great deal (I didn't go to a Ford dealership, and opted, instead, to shop at a Chevy dealership to get a deal on a used car they didn't really want... I ended up getting it at less than half of blue book for no other reason than it was not their product, and it had a rather large scratch down the passenger side door)...
Though I was not happy with the dealership or after-market warranty I purchased (not the fault of Ford... but rather the crappy GMC company), I am very happy with the car itself.

I will begin by saying I have had to fix three items in this car since I purchased it. For one, I needed new springs, which, I have been told, is a very very common problem with this model of car. So, I wasn't too upset (especially since it was only $200 including labour to fix the problem). Also, the suspension had to be worked on. This cost a little more, but seeing as how cheaply I got the car I did not mind. Thirdly, the flex hose had rusted out (I live in MN, I am not surprised at a little winter wear and tear).

Okay, the bad stuff aside... my engine is in perfect repair. My car runs better than a many new cars I have ridden in, including my mother's new (2001) Saturn S-1.

The ride is tight. Turning is very smooth and it is very easy to judge where exactly you are in relation to objects when parking (especially in the front and on the sides... you overestimate the back... but you end up parking farther away than you need to... so no harm done by bumping into objects).

There is a little leakage of air into the cab so the ride at high speeds is a little noisier than it could be, but not noticeable unless you are on the phone.

The sound system itself is great. My cassette deck went out, though, and it is very difficult and expensive to fix. Replacing the unit is a big hassle because the "football" as the technicians call it, is connected with your air controls and requires a piece to fit traditional new radios that costs $70-80. You really don't need a new stereo, though, because the factory settings are far better than almost any car I have ridden in. I absolutely love the design and layout of all the buttons in the car. They are easy to reach and in a very sensible order for no-look operations.

The display is easy to read and the headlights are set very well. I am especially happy with the reversing lights in the back. They are set wide and to the side so as to illuminate both behind and to both sides to a great extent to help with backing up.

The front is very roomy. My mother's car is at least 3/4 of a foot wider on each side than mine, and yet somehow I have FAR more room width-wise in my car!! Leg room is great in the front as well... as is head room (and I am a tall man!) The back seat... well... I am the driver, so I really don't care... but I have been told there isn't a lot of leg room, though the room to the side and the head room is fine.

There is a lot of power in my little car! The engine works very well... but what do you expect? It's a Ford! I brought my engine to 95 before it ever began to shake and tell me it was nearing the end... I am sure I could have got 115 if I had dared to test it all the way! My foot wasn't touching the floor at 95 and where it was it was still speeding up.

Cupholders are a problem... they handle cans fine, but anything else blocks the air controls and will undoubtedly fall when you turn even the most gentle of curves.

I like the slope of the windshield. It is nearly vertical, it removes the wasted space most dashboards have that only pickup dust and keeps the car very compact. Overall this is a car that doesn't waste space... it does not seem small from the inside, but the actual size of the vehicle is verging on compact which not only makes parking easy but makes it look quite sporty.

Truck size is immense! Not big... HUGE! What's more, the rear seats all fold down into the back seat leaving a lot of clearance for really large hauls. Glove compartment size is good as well.
The rear defroster is amazing. I have never seen a car with one that works as well. Ice begins to melt literally five seconds after it is switched on. YES! ICE! It removed anything from the window in two minutes or (much) less... even on the coldest or foggiest days!

The air conditioner is ice cold! I am sure it has never been recharged (as it was a lease car) and yet it works like it were new. Heat works even better... that is as long as you leave it on defog on high for about two minutes before you switch it to regular circulation. My only problem with the air system is that the blower is a little weak for my tastes. I like gusty air conditioning in the summer because I cannot stand the heat... the compressor can't dish out all that I want in the way of wind speed and pressure.

One major plus for Ford Escorts is that they are one of only two models of car that use their particular version of door locks. They are so good, in fact, that not even cops can Jimmy their way in! You need an actual locksmith... this makes the escort one of the least stolen cars in America, even though they are also one of the most popular!

I have the keychain locks on my car. No, I don't have power windows or locks, but my keychain will open the truck and driver door (lock or open) as well as set off the built in alarm. It does not do all the doors, sadly, as this was the basic model... but the trunk option. I don't know why, but I cannot replace the battery in the chain... I tried but the new batteries don't work... the ones in now only work 60% of the time (99% if you just turned the car off)... so I don't know what to do about that.

Seats are roomy and comfortable for the 5 hour drive from Minneapolis to Iowa City (I don't even stop once if I can hold my bladder... not even for gas! I have a little less than 1/4 of a tank left after the 300 mile trip!)... if only it had cruise!

This car has received a 5-star safety rating, and was a consumer report best buy! A rare honor! Everyone agrees, you cannot go wrong with an escort! I agree, my friends agree, testing sites agree, & 98% of people on epinions agree!

Finally, gas mileage! Well... this car is steel... no it doesn't get the unbelievable mileage the plastic crap does (but the safety and low cost body work more than makes up for it)... but 24/30 is not bad! Not bad at all... and with a 13 gallon tank you don't need to visit the pump very often (something fun to do when you first get a car... but gets less interesting and more like a chore as time goes on)

Over all, this car is cheap and holds its resale value well... it is cheap to repair (as long as you don't go to a dealership) and rarely needs to be fixed (I knew of the problems before buying the car... save the flex hose)... it has a lot of power and yet is good on gas... it is small on the outside, but very roomy on the inside... buy this car and you will not be sorry!... you will wish you had this car sooner!