Ford Sierra vs Mazda 626

[wrenchvolt]

I'll have a bash but will take time. Having an autoshite day before my work kicks off, then time will be scarce for a bit. I will be pestering the forums about this car vs that and start collating.

[Noel Tidybeard]

An Escort RS Turbo has 132bhp, 0-60 in 8.2 seconds and 125mph top end. It would have it's arse handed to it on a plate by nissan sunny zx but you can bet which car all the eggspurts will think is the better car

 

edited

[AlabamaShrimp]

In all honesty, what the fuck are you on about? So what if one car is worth* more than another or one make is more popular*. Like what you like and sod everyone else.

 

 

This.

 

A lot of the Ford scene tax is because they have for so long been the most common make of car in Britain so they have that "my dad had one of those" or "I had one of those as my first car" appeal to a lot more people than something like a Mazda. Add a sprinkling of magic from the fast versions or racing and you get the reason for that scene tax. I don't even think it's just a Ford thing, plenty of erstwhile street furniture seems to get a bit of value as it ages though not to as great an extent as Fords.

This is the answer. Just the same as Gran Turismo had an influence on those obscure Japanese stuff like the GTO.

When it comes down to it when you're in traffic most cars are exactly the same.

[wrenchvolt]

Ok......If paying £k's over the odds for the same thing doesn't bother you then fair enough.

[danthecapriman]

Ok......If paying £k's over the odds for the same thing doesn't bother you then fair enough.

There’s nothing you can do about it though. It’s just a fact of life that some things are worth* much more than others. Moaning about that isn’t going to change it.

I love Fords, but are they worth what they seem to be selling for now? Imho, no they aren’t. But if you want one then I’m afraid you’ve either got to save up a bit more to get one or look for an alternative.

Personally I’d save up and get exactly what I want, not everyone can or will however.

 

I’ve suggested this before regarding old Fords and stuff, but what about getting one from somewhere like France where they don’t have the so called scene tax attached? It’s not that far away...

[wrenchvolt]

Who's moaning?

[Captain Furious]

Thing is though, to quote an oft posted Facebook cliche, “these are only going up in value” so the worst case scenario is you buy one, have it for however long it makes you happy, then move it on for the same price, or even a small profit over what you bought it for

 

I just look at it as a slightly different kind of savings account. The money I paid is not going anywhere, it’s just a little more hassle to turn it back into cash than a building society account.

 

Granted that doesn’t hold true for the more exotic stuff, not everyone has £100k lying around they can afford to have tied up in an RS500...but for a 1500-2000 quid 1.8 LX it’s not too much of an ask.

 

Are they worth it? Well people pay it, so incontrovertibly yes they are.

[danthecapriman]

Who's moaning?

Most of this thread seems to be asking why a Sierra is worth whatever it is. It’s just what they’re selling for now and that’s that. Gone are the good old days when you could find one easily and pay peanuts for it.

[HMC]

They are more than the sum of their parts, a bit of social history. having 33% market share whilst most of us grew up fuels it. Funnily enough I used to love mk2 escorts as a lad when my 10+ years older neighbours were using them as disposable first cars.

[theorganist]

There are a few Sierra's on Leboncoin for under 750 euros including two diesels. I have always fancied a 2.3 diesel Sierra. Maybe that could be next years escapade as I would love another Sierra.

[DodgeRover]

There are a few Sierra's on Leboncoin for under 750 euros including two diesels. I have always fancied a 2.3 diesel Sierra. Maybe that could be next years escapade as I would love another Sierra.

I thought the 2.3D was a good vehicle, apart from rampant rot there's no reason not to daily one.

[fordperv]

An Escort RS Turbo has 132bhp, 0-60 in 8.2 seconds and 125mph top end. It would have it's arse handed to it on a plate by exotica such as a Mondeo TDCI.

 

 

Oh you can read the brochure (shameless film quote)

You show an rs turbo that is driven on road thats got a standard engine and I will show my arse in Woolworths window, they were all modified in some way or another if just a chip and boost increase, I'd love see a Mondeo tdci that could keep up with the engine i built in mrs fps, that's handed to name a couple a skyline GTR, impreza and cosworths their arse so some still are driven for speed

[Bradders59]

Great. A Ford bashing thread. Wonderful!

 

 

I feel the exact same about French cars. I do however refrain from posting such nonsense. There’s plenty of people here who like them.

 

I also feel the same about French cars, and indeed anything else French. We are all entitled to post our opinions as long as we aren't hateful towards other members. Or that is my understanding. Im willing to stand corrected if Im wrong. 

[danthecapriman]

I also feel the same about French cars, and indeed anything else French. We are all entitled to post our opinions as long as we aren't hateful towards other members. Or that is my understanding. Im willing to stand corrected if Im wrong.

 

Then please refrain from slagging off other people’s choices in cars. I like and own the ones you mentioned and wording the way you have contributed nothing to the op.

If you can’t say something nice then keep it to yourself? Fair and reasonable request?

[Matty]

To be honest old cars in general are all going the same way. I have a mark 3 golf GTi sat on my nans drive which I should have sold by now cos I know I'm unlikely to be able to afford an even semi sporting car from my youth (crucially with a cable running to a throttle body) ever again the way thing are going. I've had several 90s hot hatches and a manta gte before I was 30 and all of them are now too dear. Nice if you've got a lot of money, bollocks if you don't. Ford prices get a lot of grief but I've seen several novas nudging 5 figures recently and we all had them in the late 90s early 00s. They were literally worth fuck all! Still would though...

[Matty]

Oh and I've seen more arguments on here in the last few weeks than in twelve months previous. Got to be the weather

[bramz7]

For those who know my car buying exploits, you may be surprised to know I owned a MK2 Fiesta a few years back. Even bought a manky spares car to get some rust free metal off of it. Sold it before I could get it sorted, which was and still is gutting as I'll never be in that position again. It only cost me £150!

 

And I do have a certain nostalgia with Sierras as my parents had one. Sat in the back of a friends MK1 a few weeks back and it was a real memory fest.

 

I like what I like, you like what you like.

[danthecapriman]

For those who know my car buying exploits, you may be surprised to know I owned a MK2 Fiesta a few years back. Even bought a manky spares car to get some rust free metal off of it. Sold it before I could get it sorted, which was and still is gutting as I'll never be in that position again. It only cost me £150!

And I do have a certain nostalgia with Sierras as my parents had one. Sat in the back of a friends MK1 a few weeks back and it was a real memory fest.

I like what I like, you like what you like.

When I was a kid one of my school mates mum had a Y reg 1.6L (I don’t think it was a grey grill sadly!). I always remember going round his house in it, it only had front seat belts so both me and my mate used to be seated the both of us on the front passenger seat with the one seatbelt around us both! That was deemed far better than the unbelted rear seat. You wouldn’t dream of such things now!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gallery/then-and-now-90s-bargain-classics-and-what-they-cost-today

 

This from Classic an Sportscar, doesn't explain why, but just reinforces what we all know, anyway.

 

Sierras were the last everyday car with RWD, even when new we all knew Cavaliers, 405s, Primeras or whatever were faster etc, but they all handled like your Nan's Metro, who wants safe and predictable in a car, woman or anything?

 

I've never had an RS Turbo but various friends and brothers did and it didn't take much tweaking to make them dangerously fast. And I mean dangerous, I've seen the front wheels lift off the ground on an '90 RS Turbo going over a brow , when the wind got under it. I was in an XJ-S going almost as fast it would go ( only a 3.6 ,but still showing 140) and the Turbo was filling my mirror, I'm sure if it wasn't for the brown trouser moment it would have come past .

 

No one questions the iconic status of Mustangs, but British Fords have always had the same 'blue collar' desirability. BL realised when they desperately tried to emulate the Cortina in 1971, the rest of the range was technically advanced, modern- futuristic even , but they could see what people wanted. Unfortunately it wasn't a Cortina lookalike- it was just a simple Ford.

 

I'm sort of a Ford apologist , but even I suffer from the anti-Ford snobbery , in as much as I bought a Passat not a Mondeo a couple weeks ago. I know that in 30 years time a nice TitX Sport Mondeo will be worth a fortune and the only people lusting after 'Emissions Scandal era' Passats will be on here.

[wrenchvolt]

I don't really understand the furore and all this talk about Ford bashing. It started off asking why so much for some things and not others, not intending to be derogatory about others choices, just simply asking a question. Nostalgia and some last of the line stuff (RWD) were the answers that came out of it. Cool, thank you for your answers, it's very much appreciated for a noob like me that wants to understand certain things.

 

The second point I was curious about, was taking a list of cars of a particular era, some with the nostalgia thing and comparing them with those that don't have the status, with comparisons being made on the basis of certain objective criteria, like price, 0-60, MPG and less objective criteria like driving experience or owners reports. This might be interesting to some (like me) and open up other possible choices not previously considered.

 

It was not intended as an attack on peoples choices, just some simple questions out of curiosity where people could share their views and opinions.

 

They are just cars, I didn't call anyone's mum a slag LOL.

[vulgalour]

In that case, here's some notions of what might land on the driveway of someone considering a Sierra or 626 in 1990.

 

Mazda 626 - Obscure, potentially expensive.

 

Ford Sierra - no longer funny looking, aspirational models, easily recognised, good reputation.

 

Peugeot 405 - conservative styling, reliable, well priced, an ordinary French car.

 

Vauxhall Cavalier - the main alternative to a Sierra but perhaps viewed more as a fleet/company car rather than something you'd choose for yourself.

 

Rover 200 - Old man car, Buy British, dependable, easy to get stuff for, a safe bet.

 

Audi 80 - Expensive, well built, GERMAN, a bit flash for the every man, good for managers.

 

BMW 3 Series - as per Audi, with a side of well-off-grandad

 

Honda Accord - Reliable, dependable, conservative, bit expensive for what you get unless you plan to keep it forever

 

Mercedes Benz 190 - Expensive, manager car, not for everyone (unless you're in Germany, in which case it's a taxi).

 

Volvo 460 - WEIRDO

 

Toyota Corolla Liftback - Good manufacturer's reputation, weird styling, practical hatchback, bit odd

[forddeliveryboy]

In that case, here's some notions of what might land on the driveway of someone considering a Sierra or 626 in 1990.

 

Spot on - though iirc the Cavalier was preferred by non-fleet (previously Cortina) buyers for quite a long time, from the pre-88 shape over to post-88. And plenty stayed, given how good the Vauxhall was.

 

Also, the Rover may've been the alternative to a Honda (or Orion Ghia) but I'd suggest the Montego was the car competing with the Sierra and Cavalier. I delivered cars all over the North for a large Ford main dealer as a student job, which involved driving plenty of non-Fords too.

 

They all felt properly shagged beyond 75k, while almost everything else apart from Ladas continued to feel good (this was the end of the 80s). A decent 1.8 Sierra was ok-ish, the 1.6 and 2.0 versions were often rough and drank heavily. All were significantly less capable (comfort, performance, ability) than the alternatives.

 

For any journey over 90-100 miles, you smiled if it was a Cavalier, Maestro, Montego, Accord (or anything Jap) even just the one way. There were a couple of older drivers in the pool who couldn't see anything beyond the blue oval, but most of us recognised how... different... they were from the competition. The concensus was that Ford garages were everywhere with friendly service counter staff, they sold at massive discounts to fleets (much bigger than the competition) and even the dimmest mechanic had to be able not to foul up when working on a Ford. And if the doors opened reliably and a car started, most of the public couldn't really tell the difference between a Ford and a Honda.

[vulgalour]

I wasn't sure if it would have been 200 or Montego, 1990 was an awkward spot for both and they're both perhaps a little on the small side to really compete.  But that's balanced by BLARG not really having anything else in the line up that works, the 600 wasn't here yet and the 800 is far too big.

 

In the 90s I have mixed memories of Fords.  Fiestas seemed remarkably hard wearing and able to tolerate huge amounts of abuse.  Sierras were often saggy and smokey.  Cortinas of all shapes were invariably knackered.  Orions felt better built than Escorts, strangely.  Granadas managed to be all of these things and it didn't seem to matter who owned them, how they were treated, or what spec/age they were, Granadas either wore out and went saggy, or they stayed feeling new.  Capris I barely got to experience at all but even a knackered one was immensely exciting to up-to-teenage me.

 

I do remember you were either into Fords or Vauxhalls or you were a weirdo.  Nova/Fiesta, Corsa/Fiesta, Astra/Escort, those were your choices.  If you piped up with "I quite like the Renault 21 Turbo", or "I want a Rover SD1" people would ask you if you wore velcro shoes.  Massively tribal stuff, really.

 

Brand loyalty was pretty huge with cars.  If you bought weird stuff, you ALWAYS bought weird stuff, for your own reasons, usually price actually.  There'd be the old bloke worried that the Maestro was going to be the last British car he could buy because the new 200 wasn't really British.  There'd be the young lads who wanted the hottest hatch with the baddest bodykit from Ford or Vauxhall, but they couldn't afford that so they got the next nearest second-hand model they could from the same manufacturer.  The big family, usually slightly posh, that always bought a French estate car, normally a Peugeot, and the even posher, smaller family who always bought a Volvo of some sort, until the 460 came along of course.

 

The weird one really was German cars.  The Golf GTi seemed to be the big thing that broke the market, that seemed to make it possible to sell any kind of Golf too.  You got a Polo if you were a school teacher back then, because it was dependable and affordable and sensible.  Audis were seriously flash, my only two experiences was a one my Dad drove for a posh boss - vague recollection that said posh boss lost his license for speeding or drinking or both - and a white 80 that a posh teacher had for years and years.

 

Fiats barely registered, unless they were Pandas.  I don't remember anyone getting excited about Fiats or performance French cars, at least not until the Saxo came on the scene.

 

Land Rovers were still seen as utilitarian things.  Cheap, rugged, basic, designed to do a job.  They definitely weren't a status symbol, for that you got a Range Rover.

 

 

I think I'm wandering off topic here.  Sorry about that.

[ChinaTom]

When an F reg Sierra graced my driveway, the following cars were in consideration:

 

Cavalier GLSi

Renault 21 GTS

Carlton 1.8L

Saab 900

Audi 80 SC (although I think they were discontinued at this point)

Volvo 360 GLT

B3 Passat not available at the time

Peugeot 405 GR

Nissan Bluebird GL

Mazda 626 GLX

Mitsubishi Galant GLS

 

I remember the brochures, the arguments, the test drives, and it was a close match between Sierra, Renault and waiting for the Passat.

 

Sierra won.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ChinaTom]

Forgot the Regatta 85S!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sierraman]

The Renault wouldn’t have made a wise purchase, they were a bit slipshod. Volvo was a tough old beast but thirsty.

 

Unless you specifically wanted something different it was straight choice Cavalier or Sierra.

[New POD]

I am no Ford hater, there are 3 on my drive but it is true. Old Fords ARE overrated. Or at least over valued.

 

I don't know why. I don't get the hype.

 

My mechanic mate has a immaculate series 1 RS turbo he has owned for years. I've driven it a couple of times.

 

It's okay. I wouldn't buy one.

 

But grown men drool at it like it was a million pound supercar. He has to turn down offers for it on a weekly basis.

 

Sierras have rocketed in value. Halo effect of the Cosworth to some extent.

Plus you can break any old snotter and list the bits on eBay as RS and pay off your mortgage.

 

This week I saw a rear shelf and speaker grills - from a Cosworth but pretty poor condition for £125

The last Sierra I sold went for less than that.

 

IMHO Cavaliers were better cars, particularly the bread and butter versions but they have almost no following or value at all.

THERE'S a few nutters over at www.mk2cav.com who would pay Ford money for a 1.3 2 door auto in beige with a terracotta interior.

[New POD]

have to say the only reason i won t but Ford is that my parents are serial Ford buyers. At full price from the main dealer. Since the 60s.

[theorganist]

I remember having a ride in a Renault 21 GTS back in the late 80's, I remember it being quiet and comfortable. My friends father had a C reg 1.8L:X Sierra as a company car, it looked very smart in two tone red and black. However he used to moan about it's fuel economy. He was going to change it for a 626, I still have the brochure he gave me, he ended up with a Carlton instead, I forget which engine that had.

[sierraman]

Yeah that would be the brief 1.8 pinto iirc.