off to see another 80s classic today

[retro80sboy]

mk 4 Ford Escort XR3i on an F plate.had one of these a few years ago, but was a bit green around the gills back then and bought a total lemon, although thankfully I sold it for what I paid for it the disapointment of having a crap version of a car Ive always wanted was hard to take.Its a ghost that needs exorcising, so im going to see this one today that has covered just a shade over 100k and has had 2 owners from new the first an elderly gentleman who worked for Ford, who owned it up until early this year -I know what to look for on these old girls, the usual rust around the battery tray, sills, back arches and welding, - gearbox/clutch problems etc. so im hoping that this is a good example, if its not ill walk away.thing is also, it only has a short MOT, so I dont want any nasty surprises!wish me luck.

[chester drawers]

Fitting one of theseis compulsory

[retrogeezer]

Good Luck!!Check Battery tray, inner wings between the strut tops and battery/fuse box each side. Obviously sills/floorpans etc...and take some pics!

[HillmanImp]

I was going to look at one a couple of years back, but won the Scirocco on e-bay the day i was meant to be looking at it so rang up and cancelled. Looking at getting one at some point though, love the look of them. They were the car i aspired to get when i was kid.Good luck.

[Mash]

Nah, you want this instead:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1983-Mazda-323-1- ... 0411637845

 

[retro80sboy]

bought it!got it for 650, 150 quid below the asking price. no rot, usual places are ok barring a one tragic rear arch thats bubbling through and is scruffy although not rotten through. the others fine. spare wheel never been used, and not rust at all in boot/wheel bay. engine bays clean too - even the battery tray is good.car runs great, seems fine (touch wood), feels good to drive and is responsive.lets hope it proves to be a good one!pics to follow.

[trigger]

Proper Car.Nuff said.

[brammy777]

Sweet! Theres 5 of these (in MKIV form) still around in Basingstoke, all F and later though, i have always enjoyed the look of them So what colour is it? White? Green? Or that blue that always made me think of yorkie bars?

[retro80sboy]

Sweet! Theres 5 of these (in MKIV form) still around in Basingstoke, all F and later though, i have always enjoyed the look of them So what colour is it? White? Green? Or that blue that always made me think of yorkie bars?

heres that ad on autotrader.gave him £650 for it. as long as the MOT doesnt throw up any suprises it SHOULD be a bit of a bargain.http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... &logcode=p

[trigger]

Ah Mercury Grey pre-facelift shape, Lovely, Just like the Orion 1.6i Ghia i spent a lot of time in when i was younger that i still want. (it's been in a barn now since 2000 and still only done 45k, I will own it one day!)

[binhoker668]

Nah, you want this instead:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1983-Mazda-323-1- ... 0411637845

So I guess everyone is secretly and quietly aware of this sex machine then, but like myself too skint to approach it?Given that I'm driving a 1300 MKIII, I can vouch for the fact that it'll be a very very fun thing...And it's black goddammit!

[brammy777]

Buff colour!

[Mr Lobster]

Yes, do like!

[retrogeezer]

£650 seems like a good price and I love the 3i's.Thats 323 GT is seriously sexy though...just not sure I buy the sellers story given that it has no MOT now.

[Pillock]

Mmmmmm. Perfect. I love those style XR3is, before they went a bit cheapy with wheeltrims instead of the alloys. Sounds in great nick, no stupid mods which is always a plus. I'm a sucker for an original head unit, I spent a whole quid putting a Blaupunkt twiddly-knob tuner in my Scirocco

[Guest Tony Hayers]

Fitting one of theseis compulsory

Hell yeah Nice one retro80sboy. Hope you enjoy this one more than the previous 3i you mention.

[retro80sboy]

Fitting one of theseis compulsory

Hell yeah Nice one retro80sboy. Hope you enjoy this one more than the previous 3i you mention.

cheers mate - and everyone else who has commented.

[v6pop]

Was only thinking about one of these the other day as a get to work car to replace my boring,reliable,fuel efficient toyota starlet!!

Bought a black 3i for the misses some years ago and we both loved it but life got in the way(baby) and she wanted a four door for all the stuff

Good cars,fun to drive and still a looker....not many good ones left these days though.

 

 

Not mine but it looked the same........

[VWPowered]

what do mk3's go for over there nowdays i thought they were much quicker/better than the mk4 esp in ghia or XR3 trim

[retro80sboy]

what do mk3's go for over there nowdays i thought they were much quicker/better than the mk4 esp in ghia or XR3 trim

all depends on condition and model really but the price of both mark 3 and mark 4 escorts in general has gone up rapidly in the past few years.heres a good group for those interested in anything escort (especially mk 3 and 4) - has some good pics of owners cars and other 'spots'http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5 ... 857&ref=ts

[Spottedlaurel]

One I saw recently:

 

 

 

I thought it was overpriced at £1295. IIRC it had a cracked 'screen and possibly a bit of rot evident on the other side.

[Pillock]

Shouldn't it also be wearing double-doglegs on a G as well? Sure I remember the flat cross-spokes being an option on H platers only, they were the ones with pikey wheeltrims as standard.

[trigger]

I think G (1990) was the facelift yet, You got different front bumpers and rear spoiler plus the alloys on the one above.

[retro80sboy]

I think G (1990) was the facelift yet, You got different front bumpers and rear spoiler plus the alloys on the one above.

yeah, im getting a 90 spec bumper off a lad I know for my van if all goes well.

[Owain-328i]

Good purchase! Always fancied a late 90 Spec EFI model after my last mk2 XR2.

[Pillock]

I think G (1990) was the facelift yet, You got different front bumpers and rear spoiler plus the alloys on the one above.

Aaah, for some reason I forgot G and H were next to each other in the alphabet You're right, that has the later rear spoiler on it too. For the non-XR models the bar across the front grille became flat in 1989, but the XR seems to have kept a rounded one. That's probably what confused me.How come I see loads of later Mk4 XRs without alloys then? Were they optional or were there different XR3i trim levels, like the Golf GTI seems to have now...?

[retro80sboy]

How come I see loads of later Mk4 XRs without alloys then? Were they optional or were there different XR3i trim levels, like the Golf GTI seems to have now...?

I saw an XR3i not long ago with plastic trims that someone on one of my facebook groups said they were the original ones!why oh why would you buy such a car without alloys???

[brammy777]

plastic trims on an XR3i like this?

[retro80sboy]

plastic trims on an XR3i like this?

this was the car I saw, apologies if the link doesnt work

 

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... =523901845

[trigger]

They are the same wheel trims that came with my Escort Eclipse when i bought it years ago.

 

 

I remember my mates XR3i had pepperpot style wheel trims and keep fit windows.