please help, (is my escort a rust bucket)

[steve_sport_scort]

Hey everyone,

i bought my escort last year,

its a 97 p reg 5 door si 1.6,

its my first car, and i made the mistake of falling in love with it when i saw it, and pritty much bought it on the spot,

having owned if for a year now,

iv started to notice lots of little things i some how missed when i bought it,

the underside of the car had rust all over, not bad on most of it, was mainly surface,

but the underside panel that conects to the rear panel (the panel the rear bumper bolts to), was a total mess,

i grinded it down and treated it,

the suspenion ream beam and shocks were covered in surface rust, again i treat them,

the boot lid had rust around the spoiler fixings,

the drivers side front wheel arch panel (where the little SI badge is), has rust coming through now, its bad on there,

and the rubber strip that seals the drivers door has rust,

and the two very small panels that fit under the rear light clusters have rust coming though,

and on the insid of the boot, on the side panels, theres rust, but its been covered up with plastic stiky stuff,

im pritty certain now that the car was in a rear end shunt, as the boots not the original, and its an after market spoiler,

but the car is mechanically sound,

basically i love my car, and have spent quite abit on doing up the interior, (footwell lights, pass airbag, 12cd changer, electric sunroof, electric mirrors and so on), but i could easily take these off if i sold the car, but i want to do up the outside of the car now i have my 1st years no claims,

but i dont want to spend cash on a car thats gonna rust from under me,

as the car is i could sell it on with out making too much of a loss, and someone could get alot of use out of it, but is it going to cost me loads to maintain,

the cars worth about £2300, and i could pos get abit more together to buy a new car,

so whats the best thing to do, keep it and work on it, or shift it on before its too late,

sorry its such along e-mail, just i have loads of q's and this is the first place i found that might now.

cheers , and thanks to anyone for reading and for any info,

cheers

steve

[steve_sport_scort]

thought id add something on that i forgot,

the lil switchs in the door frams that make the interior lights come on and off, the screws that hold them in place are rusty, and the handles on the under sides of the seats that allow you to move the seats back and forth, have rust on the metal part, again only slightly,

so i get the feeling its been sat in a breakers yard for ages whilst the insurance claim was sorted out, if it was in a rear end shunt,

hope to hear from someone soon.

cheers

steve

[neil]

Welcome to EVO

 

I wouldnt spend money on that tbh. I would look for a mint car first and then spend like I am doing.

 

What colour is it just out of interest?

[steve_sport_scort]

Welcome to EVO

 

I wouldnt spend money on that tbh.  I would look for a mint car first and then spend like I am doing. 

 

What colour is it just out of interest?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

its state blue (dark metallic), with 15"GTI 5 spokes,

its a nice car, just needs alot of work, and its mechanically sound,

and what puts me off selling it is i might find out with a good body shell, that ends up with engine probs or something, and i love the colour,

and its not an easy colour to find in si/gti's

cheers anyway mate, will have alook around i think

[neil]

Welcome to EVO

 

I wouldnt spend money on that tbh.  I would look for a mint car first and then spend like I am doing. 

 

What colour is it just out of interest?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

its state blue (dark metallic), with 15"GTI 5 spokes,

its a nice car, just needs alot of work, and its mechanically sound,

and what puts me off selling it is i might find out with a good body shell, that ends up with engine probs or something, and i love the colour,

and its not an easy colour to find in si/gti's

cheers anyway mate, will have alook around i think

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought so about the colour.

 

It seems to be a very weak colour and nearly every on has rust on.

 

Yes mine is state blue

[steve_sport_scort]

hmm, any colours i should aviod then,

does any one know the si/gti does have different suspenion in,

cos my dad used to have an Lx, and my si handles alot better,

but i cant decide wether to get another si/gti for the handling (but you can only get them upto 1998), or get a newer one thats in better condtion,

any thing i should look out for when i get the next one,

cheers guys,

wow the second hand car markets so damned scary

[Tythman]

dude,

 

can u get us some pics of ur rust problem?

[sorted_scort]

you wna sell them gti 5 spokes?

[steve_sport_scort]

you wna sell them gti 5 spokes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

sorry dude but theres no chance that im selling the alloys, thier coming off the car before i sell it,

 

 

and il try and get some pics of the rust problems