I was called materialistic for having it...but I love my car

Now first off my title might be a bit misleading. Owning an Escort doesn’t make you spoiled by any means. Its not like my parents went out and bought me luxury car or anything. As a matter of fact...my parents didn’t go out and buy me anything, I bought it myself, and I also make my own insurance payments. I am not looking for wide spread acclaim by stating that....just that I am not a materialistic suburban brat.

Now to the car!!

I love my car.

The ZX2
I own the four door model which is quite different than the ZX2 pictured by opinions. Mine is actually the exact car they show in the 1998 escort picture...only mines a ‘99. The ZX2 is a two door model that has more of a pinched tail end, and a bit more of a bullet shape overall. It’s the “sporty Escort.” My best friend owns a ZX2 and she couldn’t be more pleased with it. Although its not the car of her dreams it is still her baby, and she couldn’t be happier.

The Sedan
Most people don’t associate a “real” car with the Escort name. I have heard time and again “Wow...Escorts have changed....this is like...a car!“ Now as intellectual as this comment might sound it is all to true Up until recent years Escorts have been cheep-looking hatchbacks. The Escort of today has a much larger body and a spacey interior. The sad news is that you can say goodbye to the sedan. After 1999 they are being replaced by the Focus which is an equally cute car if you ask me. But the Escort legacy isn’t going to dye so soon, Ford is planning on keeping the ZX2 around for a while.

My ties to the Escort
This is my third Escort. Yes my third. When I first got my license I drove around in the car my step-grandmother had driven since she bought it brand new...in 1982. Ha! Yes, I drove an 1982 manual Escort with no air-conditioning, or any other perks for that matter...including a radio. Not to mention the 250,000 miles it had racked up. But that was just fine. I loved it because it was a car, it was my car. However, it started to encounter some mechanical problems (finally) and we (The ’rents and my self) thought best if I got a bit newer car because they didn’t want me to be a 16 year old female stranded on the road somewhere. So I went with them to get a newer car.

We got a 1994 Escort. This one had air, a CD player, power mirrors, and power seatbelts...so I did manage to get some more stuff. That was a plus but not necessity. I grew to love that car. I really did. The only problem it has was one of the speakers had been blown out by the previous owner. But the problem was solved when I asked my mom buy me speakers for Christmas. Then the next problem came....my CD player died. I was able to pick up a Pioneer flip face CD player (nice stuff) at Best Buy on Sale. It cost me 250, but it was nice, and it has and will last me for quite some time. For a surprise my mom paid for that for my birthday though. She didn’t have to and I told her that. But she did and I love it. And those were the only two problems I ever had with the car. Just the audio system. Other than that I loved it and it loved me.

However, a couple of months back I learned the inevitable lesson that you can’t drive through other cars. And I lost my car to the “totaled” gods. Because I bought the car so cheep (I worked my finagling powers) I ended up making a bit of cash off the wreck. Because when the car is totaled the insurance company gives you market value of the car.

So after a month of no car I went on a search for another car. With the money I had made off the accident I was able to spring for a nicer car. Although I was looking at 1997’s originally, I realized that I could spend about the same for a 1999. At the time I thought I had a job that was an hour or more away so I sprung for the ‘99.

Again...I love my car. I have an automatic, remote keyless entry, power mirrors and all that fun stuff. I honestly love my car, and better yet, I was able to get the old speakers and CD player installed into the new car. So everything is great. Mechanically the car is wonderful.

My friends do it...so should I
All of my friends sadly own Escorts. It is a very practical car for a teenager to drive. They are cheep, have great gas mileage, cheep to insure...I mean come on....how perfect is that?
M. drives a 98 ZX2, so far no problems and no costs outside of gas and oil changes. L. owns a 97 four door, so far no problems and no costs outside of gas and oil changes. J. owns a 93 two door so far only problem was when car was side swiped and insurance paid for the fixing, out side of that no costs outside of gas and oil changes. Me and L. own ‘99 four door sedans (surprise, surprise) so far no problems and no costs outside of gas and oil chnges. B. owns a ‘95 Neon....poor, poor B. has had to put her car in the shop for the “check engine light” poor, poor girl she should have bought an Escort.

The car...I haven’t told you about the car
What is there to say. I have no complaints. It says something that I have gone out and bought two of the same car. It says something that the 1982 Escort with 250,000 miles was still going. Fords have a bad rep. with some people. Maybe they have been burned before, but I am happy as a pig in mud. I could sit here and tell you that the car has decent pick up, I can tell you that I have had nothing but success, I could even tell you about how comfortable the seats are...but I think the fact that so many are on the road lets the car speak for itself.

Have you driven a Ford lately?