Subject: fords
To: comments@tgrigsby.com

Todd,


   I thought I would tell you my ford story. I'll just get started by
saying that I am a dumby because I have owned 3 quality ford vehicles.
My first ford was actually a mercury. 1983 Mercury Grand Marquis to be
exact. That car wasn't that bad. The only problem I ever really had was
electrical. I have notived that my 14 yr. old artist of a sister could wire a
car better than them. Luckily I'm going to school to be an electrical
engineer, so I could handle it.

   My next ford was an 1989 Tempo. Sweet Jesus that car sucked! I have
never had a car (or even heard of one) that had more problem than my
tempo. Have compasion for those driving tempos because they just totally
suck. First off, the paint lasted about a day. Before I go any further,
I just want to say that I take very good care of my cars, wash and wax
weekly, oil changes every 3000 miles or earlier. So none of the
following things were my fault. Second, at 22000 miles the passenger
side tie-rod like bent itself or something and from then on the tire
would rub on the frame whenever you turned left. At 70000 miles, still
pretty low miles in my book, is when it went to hell. Within a week
(literally), the bearing on the front driver side snapped, the same tire
CV joint went, the rack and pinion sprung a huge leak and the
transmission cooling hose sprung a leak. Also, the battery died and the
alternator belt broke (Of course the battery died BEFORE the alternator
belt, so when the belt broke I was instantly stranded: it was Found On
Road Dead). Oh yeah, the electrical system was bad too, in the form of
having no radiator fan. And living in the city that really sucks. I was
Found On Road Dead all the time because I was over heating. On a side
note, both front seats broke and had to be replaced at 9800 miles. And
of course, Ford would not replace them even though it was still very
much under warrenty (I bought the extended one, total waste of
money).That should be it....oh wait, the master cylinder had to be
replaced 3 times before 70000 miles. Just to give some perspective, my
oldsmobile (which I love) has 117000 and has never needed the master
cylinder replaced.

    That brings me to my escort. 1988 escort wagon gt 5 speed. I think
they wired that car in their sleep. Alls I can say is that it sucked. It
justed suck. things broke on a daily basis. I had the car 3 months and
got rid of it. The ironic thing is that it was given to me because they
thought it wasn't worth anyhting. I gave it away too.

Will never own a ford again
-Derek