RE: Ford Escort RS Cosworth: PH Used Buying Guide
Discussion
A.J.M said:
CO2000 said:
I had exactly that for 5 years (97-02) and used it nearly every day rain or shine (& snow as I had a set of white OZs' with snow/ice tyres!)
Probably didn't appreciate it as much as I should have at the time, sold it for just under 10k too!
Git. Probably didn't appreciate it as much as I should have at the time, sold it for just under 10k too!
This.
Carbon fibre, those wheels, even the Morette headlights, smoked side and rear lights and 350bhp.
Can go keep my Land Rover series 1 company in the garage. Although, if life goes to Plan...
I’ll have a second Series 1 in the garage in a few years.
)but not the twin headlights/smoked lights I drove an Evo4 not long after selling it and it was what the Escort should have become (twin scroll turbo/lower geared etc) rather than the soft small turbo one.
Edited by CO2000 on Thursday 20th December 18:09
alorotom said:
I personally know of 3 cars (imperial blue, moonstone blue and mallard green) owned by 1 guy that claims them all to be ultra low milers and therefore worth more but actively clocks them all and has his own garage business where all the servicing and MOTs are carried out to support his puroported mileage claims
I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
That's really shocking in a 'not at all' sort of way. I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
When you look at the history of some of the higher profile characters in the Sierra/EscCos world you dig up some proper dodginess.
Fond memories. 20+ years ago a mate had one. B8 PAV, although the plate is now else where. It was over 500bhp, and had 10's of thousands spent on it. The thing shot foot long flames out the back under full throttle!
To this day it's the fastest I've ever been in any car. Approaching 170 in a 60. He's dead now, so pretty immune from prosecution!
To this day it's the fastest I've ever been in any car. Approaching 170 in a 60. He's dead now, so pretty immune from prosecution!
There is no mention I can find about the Motorsport edition, which was designed to be converted into a rally car and was lighter with no sunroof and other changes. I think they were all white. How would you value a low miles Motorsport car which was never modified into a rally car? 120k?
Berkut666 said:
I get that some classic cars are appreciating in value but I honestly cant get away from the fact that if I got one, I would basically be paying such vast sums of money for what is essential a shortened Sierra in a skirt.
That's one way of looking at it. And they certainly are crude and unrefined by today's standards.Another way to see it would be realising that you're buying a chassis specifically designed to homologate the car for WRC. The engine also won dozens (if not hundreds) of races across BTCC, WRC and other championships across the globe.
Absolutely love these. 40-something now, so these were the hot car of my teenage years, absolutely awesome. Their stats were properly rapid at the time too and that wing was just awesome.
I never seem to see red ones for sale (my favourite colour), and rarely imperial blue (my other fave). They were the main colours back in the day too.
Unfortunately the prices now are utterly crazy and compared to modern cars I'm surprised they are even selling at... £50... 60... 90k! I can't imagine the next gen after my teenage years would even be interested in these cars, so do wonder about the 'shelf life' of these for anyone buying as an investment.
Hopefully the Brexit uncertainty will help them tank back to affordable levels!
I never seem to see red ones for sale (my favourite colour), and rarely imperial blue (my other fave). They were the main colours back in the day too.
Unfortunately the prices now are utterly crazy and compared to modern cars I'm surprised they are even selling at... £50... 60... 90k! I can't imagine the next gen after my teenage years would even be interested in these cars, so do wonder about the 'shelf life' of these for anyone buying as an investment.
Hopefully the Brexit uncertainty will help them tank back to affordable levels!
alorotom said:
I personally know of 3 cars (imperial blue, moonstone blue and mallard green) owned by 1 guy that claims them all to be ultra low milers and therefore worth more but actively clocks them all and has his own garage business where all the servicing and MOTs are carried out to support his puroported mileage claims
I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
My friends and I used to often muse at how all Escort Cosworths for sale (back when they were about £15-20k) had 50,000 miles on them. Very rare did they have any more than that. It was pretty suspect back then.I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
Now it seems they all have far less than that....
Fermit and Sexy Sarah said:
Fond memories. 20+ years ago a mate had one. B8 PAV, although the plate is now else where. It was over 500bhp, and had 10's of thousands spent on it. The thing shot foot long flames out the back under full throttle!
To this day it's the fastest I've ever been in any car. Approaching 170 in a 60. He's dead now, so pretty immune from prosecution!
To this day it's the fastest I've ever been in any car. Approaching 170 in a 60. He's dead now, so pretty immune from prosecution!
Reminds me of this one where he gets to try a 500bhp+ one!
https://youtu.be/ZfR1ugBY3Uw
Jon_S_Rally said:
JMF894 said:
Looking back now that rear spoiler really is laughable. Couldn't you spec it without? Can't recall ever seeing one without.
Yes, but only on the later, small turbo cars I believe. As said though, why would you? It's part of the lairy appeal for me.
markcoznottz said:
Berkut666 said:
As with most on here I massively lusted after one of these, even up until the last few years. However it would only be for the looks, the conversations and the joy of owning it. I worked in the motor trade in my early 20's (about 20 years ago now.....) at a Mitsubishi Dealer and had the chance to drive a few. They were very average as a driving experience even then especially when compared to my own Integra Type R or the large amount of Evo 5/6/7 we use to see.
I get that some classic cars are appreciating in value but I honestly cant get away from the fact that if I got one, I would basically be paying such vast sums of money for what is essential a shortened Sierra in a skirt.
I love them, I really do. But I would rather spend £20K on an Evo for the performance/conversations then the rest of the £75K on a classic I could feel I was justified in and felt extra special.
That said, there is a lovely one on ebay at the moment without the Whale Tail....
search Ex Concours Ford Escort RS Cosworth Lux - Aero Delete Model - 11K Miles
Definitely the king of the hill when the modified car magazine/club scene was huge. Also helped by the fact that evo/Impreza didn't have the same following, (well not yet anyway). Also with the rs club being so strong meant residuals were always strong. Very strong old fashioned engine, hugely tuneable. Gearbox in the 4wd cosworths always an issue, look good in white imho. I get that some classic cars are appreciating in value but I honestly cant get away from the fact that if I got one, I would basically be paying such vast sums of money for what is essential a shortened Sierra in a skirt.
I love them, I really do. But I would rather spend £20K on an Evo for the performance/conversations then the rest of the £75K on a classic I could feel I was justified in and felt extra special.
That said, there is a lovely one on ebay at the moment without the Whale Tail....
search Ex Concours Ford Escort RS Cosworth Lux - Aero Delete Model - 11K Miles
Edited by Berkut666 on Thursday 20th December 14:58
Ps sortedcossie, that looks a beaut, very jealous.
I was 5 when they were first launched. My dad bought a Mk5 1.4L Escort brand new at the time, so the Ford dealership were forever sending us their official press magazines, which at the time were full of shots of the Cosworth. Couple that with seeing them compete at my first rally at the age of 6, it was love at first sight and I knew I'd have to have one one day.
Fast forward a good 18 years and I bought my first one. It had about 380bhp but needed a lot of tidying up (engine rebuild, full paint, underside overhaul). I had budgeted about £10K for all of that and was about to start the work. Then my mate on the owners forum was selling his one (full nut & bolt restoration, with circa 500bhp Harvey Gibbs engine and recent engine bay overhaul), so I sold my original one and have had this one ever since (4 years now). I paid top dollar for it at the time in 2014, and personally couldn't stomach spending £50K+ on one nowadays.
There's a couple of points I'll pick up on from the buyer's guide which aren't quite right:
1. The best plugs will NOT set you back £90. Ford Motorcraft 071c plugs are tried and proven on standard and big power cars, and can be had for a 1/4 of the price.
2. Fuse box replacement is easy, however, sourcing a fuse box can be a nightmare (there are at least 3 different types, all of which are hard to come by).
3. The standard MT75 box is pretty much useless above 300bhp, and is a well known drivetrain weakness.
The "EsCos" is over 25 years old, so can't really be compared to modern cars. Yes, the gearbox is awful and the interior build quality woeful. However, there is something strangely addictive about planting the throttle in any Cossie and bringing that massive surge of laggy power that no other car can match. I've driven Evo's, M3's, Skylines, AMG's etc and nothing quite matches that (all in my opinion of course).
Shameless pic of mine (courtesy of a photographer mate of mine, Niall Porter):
DSC_6229 by Niall Porter Photography, on Flickr
Fast forward a good 18 years and I bought my first one. It had about 380bhp but needed a lot of tidying up (engine rebuild, full paint, underside overhaul). I had budgeted about £10K for all of that and was about to start the work. Then my mate on the owners forum was selling his one (full nut & bolt restoration, with circa 500bhp Harvey Gibbs engine and recent engine bay overhaul), so I sold my original one and have had this one ever since (4 years now). I paid top dollar for it at the time in 2014, and personally couldn't stomach spending £50K+ on one nowadays.
There's a couple of points I'll pick up on from the buyer's guide which aren't quite right:
1. The best plugs will NOT set you back £90. Ford Motorcraft 071c plugs are tried and proven on standard and big power cars, and can be had for a 1/4 of the price.
2. Fuse box replacement is easy, however, sourcing a fuse box can be a nightmare (there are at least 3 different types, all of which are hard to come by).
3. The standard MT75 box is pretty much useless above 300bhp, and is a well known drivetrain weakness.
The "EsCos" is over 25 years old, so can't really be compared to modern cars. Yes, the gearbox is awful and the interior build quality woeful. However, there is something strangely addictive about planting the throttle in any Cossie and bringing that massive surge of laggy power that no other car can match. I've driven Evo's, M3's, Skylines, AMG's etc and nothing quite matches that (all in my opinion of course).
Shameless pic of mine (courtesy of a photographer mate of mine, Niall Porter):
DSC_6229 by Niall Porter Photography, on Flickrepom said:
Strong engine ? Really? I was under the impression that they weren't the most reliable?
The basic block and cylinder heads are extremely strong, hence there are loads of engine builders (Mountune, Julian Godfrey etc) that will build you a big power version to this day.The typical 30 year old bodged wiring loom, dodgy map, fiddled with fuel pressure regulator, dodgy fuel pump wiring, poor maintenance etc are the real cause of most reliability problems.
alorotom said:
I personally know of 3 cars (imperial blue, moonstone blue and mallard green) owned by 1 guy that claims them all to be ultra low milers and therefore worth more but actively clocks them all and has his own garage business where all the servicing and MOTs are carried out to support his puroported mileage claims
I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
Unless it’s been painted, Moonstone blue wasn’t a colour option on the Escort Cosworth. I hate to think when he does sell them what he’ll make off them knowing that they are actually worth a fraction due to their hidden past.
I’d still love one but wouldn’t pay what they’re commanding now
Edited by SimboRS on Thursday 20th December 22:49
JMF894 said:
Looking back now that rear spoiler really is laughable. Couldn't you spec it without? Can't recall ever seeing one without.
Theyre called aero delete models and also came without the front lower splitter and hockey sticks, they weren’t really that popular in the UK, although there are quite a few cars like that. mainly designed for the Swiss market where the large upper rear whale tail was illegal without specific mods. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff