No Budget Reviews: 1993 Ford Escort 1.6 LX (Mark Vb) - Lloyd Vehicle Consulting

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-One 1993 Ford Escort 1.6 LX
-One Mobile Phone
-No Fancy Outfits
-No Obscure In-Jokes
-No DSLRs
-No Shotgun Microphones
-No Fluid Head Tripods
-No Idea about Exposure
-No Budget Whatsoever
It is time for the newest instalment in that beloved cinematic automotive KZbin experience where we film practical cars that can be bought for less than £1,000 in a manner befitting of their inexpensive value! This may go horribly wrong...
This time we examine a 1993 Ford Escort 1.6 LX, an improved version of the infamous Mark V launched to critical disdain in 1990. We get excited about the engine formerly known as Zeta, deal with a wobbly mount (again), use a surprisingly sloppy gearbox, discover dashboard rattles and talk about very little of any importance at all.... Nothing untoward, then!
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As an independent vehicle consultant, I take potential buyers through the whole car buying process from choosing a make and model to a vehicle handover and road tax. In addition to information on this service, I also have a selection of written and video reviews of cars that I have owned, hired, borrowed or have somehow come into my possession. Please use the Contact Me page on my website to get in touch, visit my Facebook page for latest updates and share this video if you like it! Thank you for watching.
Website: www.lloydvehicleconsulting.co.uk
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[@alansimpson835]

What an absolute timewarp car sir. A perfect example of a car that was once everywhere but now so rare. It must be just on the cusp of sensible secondhand classics too

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, still No Budget Reviews at the moment, but Sensible Secondhand Classics does beckon for these Mark V Escorts (particularly the facelifted ones), even if a certain well known person does not really like them.

[@adamtoms2726]

My Uncle had a 1.3 1991 J reg mk5 escort for many years his was the proper poverty spec version, carb, manual choke, keep fit windows, but despite it all, it went round the clock a couple of times. It was very reliable and although these did like to rust, his Mk1 Ford Focus didn't last as long. This one you've reviewed is in stunning condition. Another great review sir.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Oh sir, that 1.3 Escort sounds like it was proper Ian Seabrook specification, even if he doesn't really like Escorts of this era, it would seem. The Mark I Focuses (there may be one coming up on the channel soon), certainly did like to rust, didn't they?

[@willswheels283]

Thanks for the review Mr Lloyd, I had one of these an L reg mk5b Escorts in 2005, mine had the 1.3ohv Endura E engine, I thought it drove pretty well, comfortable velour seats and a smooth car to drive, but your right the Zetec engine was a lot more refined. Still a pretty capable car that can handle daily driving without too much fuss. They were very popular cars in their day, practically everywhere, numbers have dwindled over the years with expensive MOT fails, apathy and the scrappage scheme of course. That one looks like it has survived well!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, this Escort has indeed survived very well indeed. The one with the Endura-E engine must have been a bit slow and unrefined. I think for a daily classic, this particular Escort is pretty good, although the Mark I Focus is a better car. These were the big sellers of their day, although rust and the reasons you have mentioned are responsible for not many being around any more...

[@willswheels283]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting The 1.3 was no rocket for sure, and a bit unrefined compared to the zetec engine which Yamaha had a part in designing I believe!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@willswheels283 , yes, I think that Yamaha did help to design the Zetec-SE/Sigma/Duratec engine!

[@frothe42]

Another excellent review! Reminds me of our US Escort of the same time period.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, they were on a completely different platform with completely different engines, but I see the similarities in some of the styling.

[@markonmotoring]

Unsurprisingly I like the fact this car has the origional head unit and lots of Cassette tapes. A neighbour had a Mk5b while a friend used his dad's Mk5c of which they owned three consecutively. I so actually slightly prefer the style of these earlier more angular dash boards, much the same as I did with the MK3 Fiesta too.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

We do like some tape deck action on the channel, don't we? Good old Escorts, the absolute backbone of the country in some respects!

[@badbooks476]

What a beautifully kept car, well worth preserving, great period colour & velour interior. I drove my bosses from new, Red 1.6 16v LX, great engine and it lasted to over 200,000 miles. Having serviced afew, the oil filter is not the easiest to access

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the Zeta/Zetec-SE/Duratec/Sigma engines are generally very reliable if well looked after, much better than the old CVH units. I seem to remember that you are right about the oil filter from what Mr Coleman has told me, as he has serviced quite a few of these engines!

[@badbooks476]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes Mr Coleman will have serviced a lot of these. The advent of Semi synthetic oil along with under stressed twincam 16v engines for the family car rather than performance

[@MrSheymie]

Had one of these (1.4LX) for a few years. Not lauded by reviewers, but I enjoyed it. Got it cheap and it lasted me five years to 145k miles. Very cheap clutch regalement at approx 130k miles. Nice driver for me. Pretty decent road holding through the corners. Not a fast car, but I used to enjoy going through almost all rural road corners at 50mph. A bit of fun watching bumper-dwellers dropping behind at every corner. Nice simple car. No intrusive electronic rubbish. Cheap parts too.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, one of the main advantages of these was the parts availability and the fact that they were very simple to work on. The parts for them are even now still quite cheap, I believe! Thank you ever so much indeed for watching and commenting.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Thank you for this Sir, this takes me back to my childhood, my dad had mark 5 and 6 escorts so know a lot about these cars, one car I would a like to drive or own at some point. What a great looking Escort Jonathan has.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes sir! A very nostalgic car for many of us, I think, I would certainly recommend trying one. Jonathan naturally has a car in exceptional condition!

[@MattysCars]

My grandad had the facelift of this car. Bought it brand new in 1997 thinking it would see him through but has since had 2 new cars. The plan was to give the car to me when I passed my test so unfortunately I couldn't insure it. He traded the car in at 60,000 miles and the dealer scrapped it. Such a shame.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Oh sir, I am sorry to hear about the demise of your grandfather's Mark VI Escort! My grandfather also had a Mark VI Escort as his last car, which was a 1998. They won't have been worth a great deal when traded in, sadly...

[@mpersad]

As others have commented below I also think that this particular design for the venerable Escort has aged very well indeed. Great review.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

We aim to please, sir! They certainly do look quite smart in this Mark Vb guise, the extra bits fitted to the LX models certainly work too.

[@paranoidgenius9164]

I feel nostalgia for these Escorts, & the old square ones, I like the Granada's, & the Cortinas.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Just about to try a Cortina, actually, and I have also driven a lovely Mark II Granada on the channel as well!

[@TheGreatestPlayerInTheWorld]

Great looking car I remember there were so many of these on the roads in the 80’s and early 90’s

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

That is absolutely true, these sold in massive numbers all the way through the 1980s and 1990s, and then were scrapped in almost as big numbers!

[@MacklandsMotors]

Excellent timewarp Sir! My father had a (M249 XKD) 1994 1.4 CVH LX in blue, he had until 1998 and then it was replaced by an R8 214.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

I wonder if he preferred the Escort or the R8, Corporal Mackland? I know which one my favourite is....

[@MacklandsMotors]

He had a few Escorts and Orions before so was definitely familiar. I think the only reason he didn’t like the Rover was because it was driven by a smoker before

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@MacklandsMotors , my first R8 was like that. The ashtray was absolutely full of cigarette butts when I bought it.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

These were everywhere at one point, all but gone now. The revisions Ford made, were actually very good, give all the criticism, it received when it was first launched. I always found it strange, that Ford never offered, the 1.6 or the 1.8 fuel injection Zetec engines, in the later years of the Sierra, at least not to my knowledge.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the engines used in the final Sierras were completely different. I think the fact that the Zetec SE/Duratec/Sigma engine was initially designed for front wheel drive probably has something to do with it. This really is not a bad car at all, but I do prefer the Rover R8, of course!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Most Sierras I've known with 1.6 and 1.8 litres were always carbs given the cavalier offered fuel injection on their rival engines it was a strange thing for Ford to continue with carbs.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , they did eventually introduce the 1.8 and 2.0 injection engines after about 1990, but they did persist with carburettors quite late on. The EU laws on compulsory catalytic converters from January 1993 would have forced their hand towards fuel injection somewhat....

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Yes I've seen plenty of the 2.0 fuel injection engines and the V6s just never any of the lesser engines. Carbs were used right up to 1993 with the Azura spec which looked good on the outside but was so basic and bare bones inside.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. , Mr Coleman used to have an Azura special edition, funnily enough.

[@darthgardner]

I agree they were excellent as a package.. good looking and were well sorted,but for me i was never a fan of fords i just found them to be very scratchy hard plastic and never did like how in some you had screws showing on the inside windscreen pillars most sierras did have this type of design on the pillars. plus those capping plugs on dash but thats me being picky.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, all sorts of slight cost-cutting measures and a slightly rattly dashboard mean I would rather have a Rover 200 than one of these, but I still liked it! Quite a few blanking plugs, though...

[@johnedwards3198]

May be sacrilege sir but did the office not supply you with the micro-secret mission documents? Moneypenny you're fired!!!!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

They should have given them to me in micro dot form, shouldn't they?

[@marclappin2508]

face lift helped to regain some legacy before the Focus which is a mk6 i believe not a mk5.5 lol I've never liked the two tone i prefer all colour coordinated bumpers etc the rear of the original mk5, i always thought looked unfinished the lights looked like a bloody after thought? front bumper looked like it was for a different car! the improved bubble lights and bumper made the mk6 look much more finished but the RS got away with it it kept the mk5 styling no matter the mk5 did something odd with the doors, they curled around the sill at the top of the door if i remember correctly theyre way of getting rid of the roof gutter i suppose at the time make it more streamlined my Dad sold Fords around this time he was pleased to show me a new deep blue finesse model he picked me up in it i said Dad why didnt Ford just bring this out in the 1st place? he laughed being a kid it only made sense especially doing the same with the Mondeo major visual improvements but Ford did it with my current Focus Mk2.5 which was an improvement no doubt Focus really made the late escort look ancient. but i will always take a double look if i see one. Escort mk1 Rally/mexico is my dream motor or a replica newly built and sold in North Wales that would do nicely cant afford one though lol

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

The Mark V came out in late 1990, the Mark Vb (like this) in late 1992, and then the Mark VI in 1995. The Mark VI was quite different with a better dashboard than this one. Having driven three Mark I Focuses on No Budget Reviews, I know them pretty well too, but this Escort was more nostalgic for me due the fact that my grandfather had a similar one back in the day.

[@hoddy121john]

Excellent review sir,that's a very nice car, its in great condition, very nice colour

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Thank you, sir! Yes, you don't often see a standard Escort like this in such exceptional conditon.

[@alaricbragg7843]

Great video! We did not get this particular Escort in New Zealand, instead we had the Ford Laser, which had similar styling but based on a Mazda 323. Reminds me I added a Granada to my model collection. Will put up a pic on your Facebook page.🙂 I look forward to your Daewoo review btw! Now that's something we remember for the wrong reasons. And please, it's pronounced Day-O, like Harry Belafonte! 😂🤣

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, that is how I pronounce Daewoo, don't worry! They had extensive advertising campaigns with the name in this country back in the day. The Ford Laser was an interesting car, saw a few when I went to Malaysia in 2006/7. Thank you for the Granada model!

[@alaricbragg7843]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting You're welcome! Check out pics of my Alfa Romeo and Cavalier Turbo 4X4 I also posted on your Facebook page! Yes, funny thing was that the Americans called our Laser the Escort at one stage! Yes they advertised that particular Daewoo extensively here too. There are still a couple around. Like the area you drove the Escort in! Reminds me of a place here called Whanganui!

[@alaricbragg7843]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting Sir! Please check your Facebook page again!!! I have just visitor posted some interesting car pics from around my city to give you a slice of New Zealand used car motoring! Be amazed! 🙂🚗

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@alaricbragg7843 , thank you, sir!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@alaricbragg7843 , a nasty old Peugeot 307, sir?

[@petersimpson5859]

Fawwd Escawwt. I closed the passenger door on one of these and the speaker fell out. This one must have been slightly better built to have survived, one hopes.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the speakers didn't fall out of the doors as they closed, which was good!

[@biggie7929]

oh my god.... i own this car now, i thought i recognised the plate... its currently sat on my driveway after having 5 grand of work done to it including a head gasket... oh my god. I would love to speak to you (lloyd) about it

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It's actually Joseph, not Lloyd (that is my surname). From what I remember, my e-mail address is on the screen within the first minute or so of the video (it's been a long time since I filmed this). £5,000 is an awful lot!

[@jonathanread7099]

This was my car at the time of the video if you want to know anything about it!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@jonathanread7099 , it was indeed, sir!

[@seancooke7332]

I knew that you would be pleasantly surprised by the Escort. The ride is comfortable and the interior was quite roomy. It didn't rewrite the book of motoring but it was never supposed to. The Mk6 was an excellent car with great build and equipment. It proved popular enough to continue production alongside the new Focus.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, this is not a bad car at all, but the Rover R8 is better in virtually every way. My grandfather had a Mark VI base model as his final car...

[@seancooke7332]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting which colour did he choose? The base model looked good in red, white, black, silver and there was a fine chocolate brown.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@seancooke7332 , 1.3 Encore on an S registration in a sort of non-metallic red/orange colour.

[@seancooke7332]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting excellent. The wheel trims on the Encore were very interesting. Sadly not a Rover R8 by any stretch of the imagination but good reliable transport nonetheless. Your Grandfather would probably have preferred the flexibility of the Maestro engine with the smoother Escort gearbox. I do hope he haggled a fortune in discount from the Dealer.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@seancooke7332 , my grandfather never bought cars new. I think he bought it secondhand in around 2002/3, so I have no idea what he paid for it. The car was pretty unrefined and basic, I think the Mark V Escort he had before developed some sort of problem, so he had to sell it.

[@trabali5168]

I mean these were much improved than the early mk5's (which were'nt all that good) ford must of known this because they did a major facelift after just 2 years! Oh and yes the orion ghia and the rear wiper.............. .on a saloon car!!

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes sir, we like the Mark III Orion Ghia, complete with rear wiper! Definitely would want a facelifted one, though...

[@jonathanread7099]

This Escort is now for sale! If anyone is interested please Reply to this comment! Thank you

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Thank you, sir! It's a very fine car indeed.

[@anthonyrobinson6222]

Is this still for sale, Very interested :)

[@mattw8332]

Between April and September 2010 during a spell of 'fiscal turbulence' I owned a naturally aspirated forbidden fuel powered 1994 Escort L saloon - ex Essex Constabulary patrol car (M62 VVX). I wasn`t expecting much for my £250 but it exceeded my expectations. I have written an ode to it on the beige sweary forum, will post a link if anyone is interested. 🙂 The `oval grille` Escort and Orion like this one should have been the car that Ford launched in September 1990. The original mark 5s were just dreary in my opinion.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Well sir, you must have enjoyed said forbidden fuel Escort Saloon for £250! The link probably is not wise to post, as KZbin may well block it, but nevertheless we seem to be coming across the beige slightly sweary forum more and more, don't we?

[@moszartprospere7813]

Looking for a wiper grill For the MK5 escort 1600cc Right hand drive

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

I think the wheels are something like 13 or 14 inch, sir. Lots of shared components with the 19, and very, very basic, but people do like that sort of thing.

[@peterglass8657]

The car looks wonderful for its age. You forget it’s nearly 30 years old.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It wasn't bad, actually! I quite enjoyed this car, and it did not look almost 30 years old.

[@peterglass8657]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I’m sure the broken clock can be either repaired or replaced.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@peterglass8657 , oh gosh, absolutely! Similar issue with the Rover 200/400s of the era as well.