Wanted: Ford Escort ZX2 1998-1999
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- Senior Standardshifter
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:39 am
- Location: Austin TX
- Contact:
I owned a ZX2 Automatic as my 2nd car. I put 60,000 miles on it in ONE year because i was in college and my love was an hour away lol. I drove it stupid too. In college we'd race on the one road to school doing 115+, not best for the engine.
The most costly thing that happened was when I lost the timing belt at 93,000. True its non-interference which means the car is still alive now at 125,000, however the pulleys and tensioners got screwed up and those were pretty expensive pieces to replace. Other repairs were pretty nominal such as alternator and a tear in the catback exhaust due to road salt. I dont have the car now because my younger brother will be driving soon. Gas mileage was good, Performance for that type of car is pretty nice too!
2.0L Zetec I4
130 hp / 130 tq
0-60: 7.5 seconds or so
Had good pickup and go, the interior IMO is better than the mustang (soft-touch plastics and leather steering wheel, sport seats, etc). Center audio/ac console is kinda blech but that can be fixed. Rear speakers would be a problem if you wanted to replace them because their 6x8 in the premium package. Right now I'm in a saturn Ion with 148hp and it feels more sluggish (10+ seconds to 60mph), feels cheap (plastic steering wheel), and I can't wait to get back into a GTO.
The most costly thing that happened was when I lost the timing belt at 93,000. True its non-interference which means the car is still alive now at 125,000, however the pulleys and tensioners got screwed up and those were pretty expensive pieces to replace. Other repairs were pretty nominal such as alternator and a tear in the catback exhaust due to road salt. I dont have the car now because my younger brother will be driving soon. Gas mileage was good, Performance for that type of car is pretty nice too!
2.0L Zetec I4
130 hp / 130 tq
0-60: 7.5 seconds or so
Had good pickup and go, the interior IMO is better than the mustang (soft-touch plastics and leather steering wheel, sport seats, etc). Center audio/ac console is kinda blech but that can be fixed. Rear speakers would be a problem if you wanted to replace them because their 6x8 in the premium package. Right now I'm in a saturn Ion with 148hp and it feels more sluggish (10+ seconds to 60mph), feels cheap (plastic steering wheel), and I can't wait to get back into a GTO.
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- Senior Standardshifter
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:46 pm
- Location: Orange Couny, CA
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- Master Standardshifter
- Posts: 7337
- Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:52 am
- Cars: 05 Mazda 3 GT
- Location: Hiding behind the dancing Peter Griffin
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I find corollas have WAY more engine bay spacera64t wrote:thats a big surprise to me. my 6th gen civics engine bay is pretty crammed, even more so then my sister's corolla. You right, most things are relatively accessable though...potownrob wrote:As for the engine, I haven't seen an engine bay with more room to spare than that of my Civic.
- ihartmacz
- Senior Standardshifter
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:45 am
- Cars: 1998 Ford Mustang Coupe
Yeah. I thought about it and I came to the conclusion that it'd be hard to have a transversly mounted engine in a RWD vehicle.
Well, I gave the ZX2 some hell today. I was zooming around some residential areas. And I must admit... My only real problem now is getting started from a stop and parking. The rest is really easy now.
My friend suggested using the parking break, but its just to easy to stall. So I'm gunna do it the old fashoned way... By not f**k up my drums (I loathed doing my drums on the Honda).
ZX2 is very nice. I'm really pleased with it.
Well, I gave the ZX2 some hell today. I was zooming around some residential areas. And I must admit... My only real problem now is getting started from a stop and parking. The rest is really easy now.
My friend suggested using the parking break, but its just to easy to stall. So I'm gunna do it the old fashoned way... By not f**k up my drums (I loathed doing my drums on the Honda).
ZX2 is very nice. I'm really pleased with it.
- ihartmacz
- Senior Standardshifter
- Posts: 983
- Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:45 am
- Cars: 1998 Ford Mustang Coupe
Story:
My friend Jake drives a Ford Taurus SHO (5-speed). I told him to take my car for spin. I got in and and he gets in he sais "Your car has a really huge throw". He backs up and puts it in first and mashes the trottle as hard as he could. The car handled the 1st gear hell like a true champ... Better than my Honda ever did. He changes it to second and mashes the throtte again and the wheels squak. He put the car in Nuetral and sais "Dude, your engine squawks the tires in second gear!", "Is that good or bad?", "Haha. That means your car has balls".
He made the SMOOTHEST shift from 1st to 2nd I've ever seen; and this is the first time He's ever driven my car.
He gets out of the car and sais "Your car has some real balls. A lot more than your Honda Civic."
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- Junior Standardshifter
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:22 pm