Escort RS Turbo S2
Discussion
Hi Guys,
I have 3 years NCB in Jan which then puts an RS Turbo within my 'acceptable insurance quote' list. I am looking at ones between 3K and 4K.
I have researched over the internet, spoke to a few people that know a bit about them but all I can seem to dig up is generally the BHP figures, what Mods can be done and what to look out for when buying them so that you don't get a lemon.
What I really want though is some real reviews of what its like as a daily drive when you’re not booting is as well as how well it actually handles when you are.
If I find one that has been well looked after what kind realistic reliability will I get? I work 6 nights a week and pretty much can't miss nights off work because my car is in the garage (the odd one or two is ok but it couldn’t become the norm for it to be on ramps more than tarmac)
Also, a bit of a silly question I know, after all its an RS Turbo so the MPG figures aren’t exactly why you buy one and although its not a massive problem, because of the Miles I do (around 20-25k a year, mostly Dual carriagway or country road driving) its still something that does need to be considered. Research on the internet varies wildly from 15mpg all the way up to 45mpg, obv it depends on what mods its running etc as most are modified, but what would the average MPG be or even the standard MPG.
Also, just in case my research has missed anything out, what are any big things to look out for, I know the general stuff like rust by the front lights, battery tray, the seals and arches, blue smoke etc etc.
I was also thinking about banging it straight on ramps to wax Oil it, is this recommended or is there anything else that is good which I could give a try? This will be my first time owning a legend of a car and I want to keep it in top notch condition. With no expense spared as this will pretty much be the first car I have wanted rather than having as the financial situation has dictated it.
Thanks!
I have 3 years NCB in Jan which then puts an RS Turbo within my 'acceptable insurance quote' list. I am looking at ones between 3K and 4K.
I have researched over the internet, spoke to a few people that know a bit about them but all I can seem to dig up is generally the BHP figures, what Mods can be done and what to look out for when buying them so that you don't get a lemon.
What I really want though is some real reviews of what its like as a daily drive when you’re not booting is as well as how well it actually handles when you are.
If I find one that has been well looked after what kind realistic reliability will I get? I work 6 nights a week and pretty much can't miss nights off work because my car is in the garage (the odd one or two is ok but it couldn’t become the norm for it to be on ramps more than tarmac)
Also, a bit of a silly question I know, after all its an RS Turbo so the MPG figures aren’t exactly why you buy one and although its not a massive problem, because of the Miles I do (around 20-25k a year, mostly Dual carriagway or country road driving) its still something that does need to be considered. Research on the internet varies wildly from 15mpg all the way up to 45mpg, obv it depends on what mods its running etc as most are modified, but what would the average MPG be or even the standard MPG.
Also, just in case my research has missed anything out, what are any big things to look out for, I know the general stuff like rust by the front lights, battery tray, the seals and arches, blue smoke etc etc.
I was also thinking about banging it straight on ramps to wax Oil it, is this recommended or is there anything else that is good which I could give a try? This will be my first time owning a legend of a car and I want to keep it in top notch condition. With no expense spared as this will pretty much be the first car I have wanted rather than having as the financial situation has dictated it.
Thanks!
Edited by ymwoods on Tuesday 10th November 02:12
Edited by ymwoods on Tuesday 10th November 05:53
I am a great lover of the Rs turbo and have owned a couple. If your doing that sort of mileage you should look at owning a spare car to get to work in.
The main problem is rust get one that is not rusty anything else can be fixed.
Mileage wise my 2.1 zvh powered one (made 263bhp) was very thirsty when given a hard time used to get around 90 miles to a full tank
If just pottering (didnt happen often) i got around 250 miles to a full tank.
As a rule they are a old car now so expect to break down its all part of the ownership experiance
Power wise the standard car is woefully underpowered with 132bhp but as long as the engine is strong a cam, chip actuator and exhaust should see around 200 bhp and a car thats lot of fun to drive. Be warned its a slippery slope and most owners want just a little more power
The main problem is rust get one that is not rusty anything else can be fixed.
Mileage wise my 2.1 zvh powered one (made 263bhp) was very thirsty when given a hard time used to get around 90 miles to a full tank
If just pottering (didnt happen often) i got around 250 miles to a full tank.
As a rule they are a old car now so expect to break down its all part of the ownership experiance
Power wise the standard car is woefully underpowered with 132bhp but as long as the engine is strong a cam, chip actuator and exhaust should see around 200 bhp and a car thats lot of fun to drive. Be warned its a slippery slope and most owners want just a little more power
Thanks for the info!
I have been looking at buying one with pretty much no rust (top end of my budget of 4k) and with either a recently re-built engine or one that is very nice mileage for the age.
Most of them seem to have had the gearbox very recently changed and the same with the turbos. Will be giving it a very good going over when buying and if anything is not what I expected (any hint of blue smoke, too much rust etc) then I will walk away.
In terms of breaking down being part of the ownership experience, I'm all for that, but if going for a very good, rust free example and a lot of preventative maintenance I am hoping I can keep things like this to a minimum? do you think that this is possible?
I will probably end up servicing very reqularly myself and as I will be jumping into one of these from a very underpowered car I will be taking it easy, for a while at least.
As an example of what I would be looking to invest in: RS Turbo Obviously I am expecting this one to be long gone by Jan, but I will be more than willing to keep waiting for another like this to come along untill I make the jump
I have been looking at buying one with pretty much no rust (top end of my budget of 4k) and with either a recently re-built engine or one that is very nice mileage for the age.
Most of them seem to have had the gearbox very recently changed and the same with the turbos. Will be giving it a very good going over when buying and if anything is not what I expected (any hint of blue smoke, too much rust etc) then I will walk away.
In terms of breaking down being part of the ownership experience, I'm all for that, but if going for a very good, rust free example and a lot of preventative maintenance I am hoping I can keep things like this to a minimum? do you think that this is possible?
I will probably end up servicing very reqularly myself and as I will be jumping into one of these from a very underpowered car I will be taking it easy, for a while at least.
As an example of what I would be looking to invest in: RS Turbo Obviously I am expecting this one to be long gone by Jan, but I will be more than willing to keep waiting for another like this to come along untill I make the jump
Well my last one (which was more reliable than the first) had 3 engines, 3 turbos, 2 gearboxes and numerous other failures in 2 years of ownership despite having money thrown at it in maintainance and being fully serviced every 3k!
Lesser tuned ones are lots more reliable though although the one in your post looks nice 4 years since engine & box rebulid probably means its coming round due again
Beware of anyone who states it needs setting up, these cars are very easy to get running nice as they are so simple to work due to the simple design. Its normally a cover up for a fault (not suggesting the one you posted falls into this bracket but buyer beware).
Lesser tuned ones are lots more reliable though although the one in your post looks nice 4 years since engine & box rebulid probably means its coming round due again
Beware of anyone who states it needs setting up, these cars are very easy to get running nice as they are so simple to work due to the simple design. Its normally a cover up for a fault (not suggesting the one you posted falls into this bracket but buyer beware).
oh dear, this is seeming less of a good idea! I don't think I could do 3 engines in 2 years! defo something to consider once I can run two cars and have the money but probably not on the cards at the moment if it really is THAT bad!
In that case, is there anything LIKE the RS Turbo, as in the looks and the type of car which is more reliable?
I suppose my second choice would maybe be a XR3i, anyone have experience of these?
In that case, is there anything LIKE the RS Turbo, as in the looks and the type of car which is more reliable?
I suppose my second choice would maybe be a XR3i, anyone have experience of these?
Edited by ymwoods on Tuesday 10th November 16:05
I had a white S2 RS Turbo 12 years ago! (damn, that's scary, didn't think it was that long).
Anyway, never missed a beat and was a total minter. The car was pretty much standard apart from a Magnex exhaust system, induction kit and dump valve. As far as performance goes it was as quick as my mate's Honda CRX. Rust wasn't a problem but I imagine it is nowadays. Funny thing is that I paid about 4k for the car, which is exactly what it would be worth today if I kept it and looked after it.
They are great fun and an interesting car nowadays - you don't see any about. Go for it
Edited to add - as far as reliability goes mine was a good one but I looked at plenty of sheds. I remember that one I took for a test drive dumped it's coolant all over the road. I think most turbo'd cars from that era can be a bit dodgy, especially now. A friend of mine had a R5 GT Turbo and it was comically unreliable
Personally, I'd look for an NA car from that era. Either a Pug 205 GTI or MK2 Golf GTI 16V. I had a 1.9 205 GTI for a bit and the handling/driving experience was vastly superior to the RS Turbo. All IMHO of course...
Anyway, never missed a beat and was a total minter. The car was pretty much standard apart from a Magnex exhaust system, induction kit and dump valve. As far as performance goes it was as quick as my mate's Honda CRX. Rust wasn't a problem but I imagine it is nowadays. Funny thing is that I paid about 4k for the car, which is exactly what it would be worth today if I kept it and looked after it.
They are great fun and an interesting car nowadays - you don't see any about. Go for it
Edited to add - as far as reliability goes mine was a good one but I looked at plenty of sheds. I remember that one I took for a test drive dumped it's coolant all over the road. I think most turbo'd cars from that era can be a bit dodgy, especially now. A friend of mine had a R5 GT Turbo and it was comically unreliable
Personally, I'd look for an NA car from that era. Either a Pug 205 GTI or MK2 Golf GTI 16V. I had a 1.9 205 GTI for a bit and the handling/driving experience was vastly superior to the RS Turbo. All IMHO of course...
Edited by St John Smythe on Tuesday 10th November 22:01
Edited by St John Smythe on Tuesday 10th November 22:05
ymwoods said:
oh dear, this is seeming less of a good idea! I don't think I could do 3 engines in 2 years! defo something to consider once I can run two cars and have the money but probably not on the cards at the moment if it really is THAT bad!
In that case, is there anything LIKE the RS Turbo, as in the looks and the type of car which is more reliable?
I suppose my second choice would maybe be a XR3i, anyone have experience of these?
Trouble with the xr3i is that it was so overshadowed by the Rs it fell into shed money so they tend to be worse than the Rs. In that case, is there anything LIKE the RS Turbo, as in the looks and the type of car which is more reliable?
I suppose my second choice would maybe be a XR3i, anyone have experience of these?
Edited by ymwoods on Tuesday 10th November 16:05
Dont get me wrong i loved mine with a passion and never really got over wanting them but was lucky enough to have moved onto a Focus Rs which is the best car ive owned.
A good Escort can be reliable as long as you dont go silly with the power upgrades 200 bhp can be made very reliable & imho they are cheaper & easier to work on than other cars from that era & most parts are still easily available due to them having such a huge following. The only other car i would consider is a mk2 Golf 16v gti as they can do starship mileage 200k+ but they are a lot less fun than the Rs
Stay away from the 205 gti in partcular i had one when they were much newer & its ability to cost me money was terryfying
imho of course.If you do find a nice Rs it will be a rewarding car to own & you will have fond memories of it forever
The main thing to remember is that whatever car you end up looking at from the late 80's & early 90's, all are at least, or pretty close to, 20 years old, so you should expect & budget for any problems/repairs before you buy.
The majority of which have probably already been thrashed to death, badly maintained or just not looked after whatsoever, etc, and in fairness the only way you are probably going to get a relatively decent car is to try and buy one from an enthusiast, owners club, etc.
If you can afford it, it is worthwhile buying a car that has already had work done to it, albeit a rebuild, partial restoration work, etc, as with most RS's i've seen a lot of them are now in need of new paintwork, some bodywork, they will have rust and will more than likely require a proper setup & tune, etc.
Obviously there is nothing wrong with buying modifed, so long as it has been done correctly & sensibly and there is proof of this including receipts, a recent proper setup, etc.
I found with my old S2 that if you look after it and keep on top of any maintenance/repairs it will be reliable - however as said there are a lot of examples out there now that have not been looked after and will empty your wallet. In honesty some i have seen for sale recently may look good from the outside, but in reality based on mileage, lack of history, etc, are probably worth more in parts than as a usable car
The majority of which have probably already been thrashed to death, badly maintained or just not looked after whatsoever, etc, and in fairness the only way you are probably going to get a relatively decent car is to try and buy one from an enthusiast, owners club, etc.
If you can afford it, it is worthwhile buying a car that has already had work done to it, albeit a rebuild, partial restoration work, etc, as with most RS's i've seen a lot of them are now in need of new paintwork, some bodywork, they will have rust and will more than likely require a proper setup & tune, etc.
Obviously there is nothing wrong with buying modifed, so long as it has been done correctly & sensibly and there is proof of this including receipts, a recent proper setup, etc.
I found with my old S2 that if you look after it and keep on top of any maintenance/repairs it will be reliable - however as said there are a lot of examples out there now that have not been looked after and will empty your wallet. In honesty some i have seen for sale recently may look good from the outside, but in reality based on mileage, lack of history, etc, are probably worth more in parts than as a usable car
Edited by Alexbturbo on Wednesday 11th November 20:34
Alexbturbo said:
I found with my old S2 that if you look after it and keep on top of any maintenance/repairs it will be reliable - however as said there are a lot of examples out there now that have not been looked after and will empty your wallet. In honesty some i have seen for sale recently may look good from the outside, but in reality based on mileage, lack of history, etc, are probably worth more in parts than as a usable car
That sounds fair, I have talked to a few people that think aslong as I keep the engine standard (IE just 7PSI of boost, no big modifications etc) then I should be ok reliability wise even for an older car as long as obviously its not a shed that I have invested into.Edited by Alexbturbo on Wednesday 11th November 20:34
I think the ad which I posted earlier sounds ok and its something in that sort of condition I would be after and willing to wait for to come round again. But on everyones advice I am going to wait for one that has just had the re-build rather than 4-5 years ago.
Thanks a lot for your help guys and I will post pics in the new year hopefully! (or probably pick your brains about ads which are around at that time
)Edited by ymwoods on Thursday 12th November 02:54
ymwoods said:
Alexbturbo said:
I found with my old S2 that if you look after it and keep on top of any maintenance/repairs it will be reliable - however as said there are a lot of examples out there now that have not been looked after and will empty your wallet. In honesty some i have seen for sale recently may look good from the outside, but in reality based on mileage, lack of history, etc, are probably worth more in parts than as a usable car
That sounds fair, I have talked to a few people that think aslong as I keep the engine standard (IE just 7PSI of boost, no big modifications etc) then I should be ok reliability wise even for an older car as long as obviously its not a shed that I have invested into.Edited by Alexbturbo on Wednesday 11th November 20:34
I think the ad which I posted earlier sounds ok and its something in that sort of condition I would be after and willing to wait for to come round again. But on everyones advice I am going to wait for one that has just had the re-build rather than 4-5 years ago.
Thanks a lot for your help guys and I will post pics in the new year hopefully! (or probably pick your brains about ads which are around at that time
)Edited by ymwoods on Thursday 12th November 02:54
A bar of boost (14.7psi) can be reliable to
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