Postby Hasbeen » 10 Mar 2013 22:29
I have owned one for about 3 years, bought for a daughter to use when she had a foot operation, & could not drive a manual for many months, so an auto.
They are very slow, much slower than their underpinnings [Mazda 323 pan & mechanicals, but with a few strange changes], would suggest. With a little over 100 BHP, & 1,050 Kg, they are the same weight & power as a 7, but take 14 seconds to 60, & that's the manual. The 3 speed & overdrive auto is even slower, & spends a lot of time in second gear revving it's tits off.
Designed as a ladies car, they have most of the toys, cruise, central locking, & even 4 wheel discs, but a sports car they most definately are not.
I have kept it as a dirty weather car, as although the early ones were a bit of a bath tub, the later ones are quite water tight. The ford dealer parts department tell me they are mostly bulletproof, which is just as well, as parts are hard to come by. The manual hood works well, but don't break the catches, they are made of unobtanium, as are quite a few things.
I had to source new strut top bearings from the US, but the pop up head lights, & other electrical bits are more reliable than Triumph bits.
Most guests who use it become quite fond of it, & treat it as a bit of a pet, a bit like people become fond of lame dogs.
If this is what the next 7 would have become, be thankful that they died when they did.
[img][IMG]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj627/hasbeen1/IMAG0060.jpg[/img][/img]
Hasbeen
