Ford Escort Mk3 (1980 - 1990)

Last updated 18 January 2014

Buying Guide

Good

• Once very popular car in UK.
• 13' long by 5' 5" wide and weighing from a light 765kg.
• 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks and estates.Two door convertibles.
• Big engine range over the years included 1,117 ohv 53bhp; 1,297cc ohv 59bhp; 1,295cc ohc 69bhp; 1,392cc ohc 74bhp; 1,597cc ohc 90bhp, 105bhp (XR3), 115bhp (XR3i) and 132bhp (RS 1600 turbo). 54bhp 1.6 diesels; 60bhp 1.8 diesels.
• Cheap. Now selling for buttons.
• Don't pay more unless you find a cherished, well-preserved XR3i, RS 1600 turbo or convertible.

Bad

• Old.
• Likely to be a rust bucket with mechanical issues.
• Very few cherished examples. 

Watch

• Crash repaired, cloned, clocked, stolen in their thousands.
• Rust badly underneath and fail the MOT on structural corrosion which isn't worth attempting to repair.
• CVH engines choke themselves to death with black sludge.
• An Escort bought in 2001 may have been stolen and ringed ten years ago and never been noticed.