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Ford Escort ZX2

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#375 of 1506 freddy k by dmould Aug 16, 2000 (2:16 pm)
I didn't like the 'passive' rear wheel steering that was built into the rear suspension of the 1991-1996? generation of Escorts. The rear end would step out at different times, and this is not a great thing in a front wheel drive car. Maybe I just wasn't used to it (and I had owned high powered rear wheel drive vehicles - 5.0 Mustang, etc.), but this led to me wrecking the car when the rear stepped out when coasting through a sweeping curve at about 100mph. The insurance company wrote off the car - $8000 damage to wheels, suspension, and brakes on a $17,000cdn loaded GT. I ran over the curbed median backwards, and this caused the airbag to go off ($1000) and one ABS sensor ($1200) to get wrecked, among other things. Less than 1000miles on the car. I did like the car other than that - great little engine. I hope that Ford has engineered out that passive rear steering in the ZX2, and everything I have read indicates this is true. I know from driving the Focus that the Zetec is a sweet little motor as well.
#376 of 1506 passive rear steering?? by freddy_k Aug 16, 2000 (2:25 pm)
Do you mean the rear tires actually steered too? My 94 GT had nothing of the sort! I actually liked the 1.8l in the GT better then the 2.0l in the ZX2. Not as sturdy, but it seemed better quality - quieter and smoother.
#377 of 1506 Yes, 'passive' steering by dmould Aug 16, 2000 (7:43 pm)
Some movement was purposely built into the rear suspension of this generation of Escorts to allow some 'steering'. It might have only been one degree of deflection in the bushings, but it was definitely there, including the 1994 Escort that you owned. It was supposed to reduce understeer, there by improving handling of the FWD car, but actually worked too well at higher Gs (higher speeds), causing oversteer. If you would have pushed your car often in the corners, you would have found that the rear end would slide fairly easily, sometimes unpredictably. I find the 2.0L Zetec in my girlfriend's Focus automatic to be pretty smooth and sweet sounding, but I agree that the 1.8L Mazda engine in the GTs was great. The 2.0L is not great on gas, either.
#378 of 1506 2.0 liter motor gas mileage by edswords Aug 17, 2000 (1:03 am)
I am getting 33-34 mpg with mostly 70-75 mph highway traveling in my ZX2 S/R. I think that is pretty good.
#379 of 1506 One advantage of these cars... by beanboy Aug 17, 2000 (1:44 am)
For the most part, any of these small cars that are a blast to drive get 30+ mpg on the highway, not too shabby at all. Each new model is getting heavier though; can't beat the curb weight of those late eighties/early nineties pocket rockets. Doubt we will ever see a sub 2300 pound performance vehicle with 4 wheels again. Heck, even the Miata has gained over 120 pounds over the years... One of the best reasons to grab a ZX2 over a ZX3 from my perspective. -Beanboy
#380 of 1506 beanboy by freddy_k Aug 17, 2000 (2:54 pm)
Take a trip to europe and you will find some. North america is still hooked on the 'bigger is better' idea.
#381 of 1506 Bigger is better by ralex2 Aug 17, 2000 (9:28 pm)
There is a method to their madness. They know that gas is going to get very pricey, very soon. They want to put everybody in a pickup or SUV now so that when the fuel hits the fan, everybody has a gas hog to trade for the efficient, lightweight, 3 and 4 cylinder cars they are designing, but not building now.
#382 of 1506 Curious Sights.. by photog0264 Aug 18, 2000 (7:29 am)
I saw a white 1998 ZX2 on Thursday with a different rear spoiler on it. The car appeared not to have customized in any other way. Apart from this visibly smaller Rear Spoiler. Most likely a cheap after market addition. I think I prefer the existing one as this one had no style at all to it. Almost piece of flat fiberglass with square edges. Also if you have a sunroof be greatful it is a powered, or pop top style. I saw a customer of my mine struggle for a full 15 minutes trying to get the T-Top on her shiney new Trans Am today. Now granted the Trans is a world different from our faithfull little steeds. However when I went out to my car it took me a whole 8 seconds to open my sunroof. Versus her 15 minutes.
#383 of 1506 T-tops by freddy_k Aug 18, 2000 (11:57 am)
Perhaps you are putting the blame in the wrong place. I've worked Z28 T-tops before, as well as 300ZX tops, and It has never taken me more then 2 minutes to remove the tops and store them. That woman might have been working them for the first time? I wouldn't get t-tops anyway because you have to store them in the trunk, and I hate having things in my trunk if I don't need to. Besides, I can get the Miata's entire roof open in about 12 seconds...
#384 of 1506 T-top by ralex2 Aug 18, 2000 (12:33 pm)
Women!

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