This 1982 Ford Escort GL wagon isn’t exactly a high-dollar survivor, but it is likely one of the better econo-boxes still doing duty as a people and gear hauler. Equipped with a manual transmission and some extra features thanks to the GL trim, the seller has performed a fair amount of maintenance to make it a reliable driver. Find the wagon here on eBay with bidding right around $800 and the reserve unmet.
The Escort isn’t perfect, as you’ll note some of the lower beltline trim is missing in the first photo on the driver’s side. Given how few of these are still on the road, however, this is a very minor quibble. Rust appears to be a non-issue, no doubt helped by the dry climate of Sacramento, where it lived before making the trek to Nebraska (likely a recent acquisition by the selling dealer that then shipped it in) .
The interior is an improvement (at least cosmetically) over the outside, and the manual transmission will help make the most of the Escort’s 1.6L four-cylinder mill. The seller says the interior really is as good as it looks, with just a few small tears in the seat fabric and blemish on the headliner. The rear cargo area is said to be in great shape with no evidence of hard use and the seller says it’s rock solid underneath the car, too.
The fuel-sipping motor has been treated to a new headgasket, which included machining the head and ensuring no smoke or leaks will get in the way of the next owner’s commuting or hauling needs. New fuel lines have been added where needed, and the seller says the tires are in fine shape. This isn’t everybody’s choice as a classic, but it’s still good to see quasi-survivors like this Escort getting some love.
Really wish this was closer! I got a thing for cheap tan escorts with a stick……perhaps I should rephrase that????
omg, now thats funny
Heh heh,Capriest.You might even get to negotiate the price down. 😉
I had a 1982 Mercury Lynx wagon. Now I own a 1997 Ford Escort LX
It’s cheap enough, but I learned a lesson
with these. Most of them were lemons–
especially the ’86 models like the one I
owned. That car spent more time in the
shop than it did my driveway! It had so
many problems that the dealership I
bought it from gave up and refused to
service it. Cracked head, (factory defect)
oil pressure problems, (bad oiling system) and replacing not one, but 2
timing belts meant that I was spending
more on repairs than the car was worth!
Wound up giving it back to the bank with
my blessing and bought an ’82 AMC
Concord wagon instead. Bear in mind
that there was NO lemon law in Florida
in ’88-’89 so anyone that bought a new
car like I did wound up getting screwed
over by the dealership they bought it from. Oh sure, it’s a nice car, priced right,
but I wouldn’t have it–no way,no how!!
Been Jonesen for a 1984-85 Turbo GT or Lynx RS. This doesn’t fit the bill, at all, but it’s good to see it exists.
Why do people always take for sale pictures at a gas station…at night!!?? Really notice it on Craigslist a lot.
Don’t forget the ever present Craigslist thumb cover the license plate. Which thousands see on a daily basis.
Remember walking into a dealership fully intending to buy one of these, but the salesman was such a ja****s the deal got done with another brand entirely down the street.
Exactly how my Dad wound up with his first and only imported car: a 78 Subaru.
My Mother gd a brand new 85 wagon, same color that got her around for 11 years. I do remember a couple timing chains, a cracked head and a rear window that shattered when the defroster was turned on. 85’s also had a new interior. This car brings back memories.
The cracked head sent the car to the junkyard with less than 70k on it..
My ex’s first car was an ’81 Escort, a light blue hatchback with a stick. When she bought it, she had never driven a stick before but the manual was cheaper than the auto so she took the cheaper stick model. She learned how to drive a standard in that little car good enough to where she would drive my ’78 4X4 3/4 ton Chevy pickup no problem. That Escort was a good car for us; never gave us any problems at all and fun to drive on the back roads where we lived at the time. This wagon seems like a fun, practical little hauler for the money. The buyer should enjoy it.
Well, ex is long gone and so is my Chevy pickup. I miss the truck the most.
While as exciting as a golf game, these were good little cars. Lot of people put a lot of miles on these. They were throw away cars, as they weren’t worth fixing. For a grand, can’t go wrong here, and when you’re done with it in a few years, just throw it away.
I’m always impressed when a nearly 40 year old throw-away car shows up in reasonable condition. I kind of liked the sportier versions of the Escort (including the EXP). Bidding now up to just over $1000 but reserve not met. I wonder if the seller has a reasonable reserve, or is under the illusion that since it is old, it must be valuable.
Had an 84 that looked just like this. Drove the wheels off of it and then replaced it with a blue 86 – and drove the snot out of it as well. If this were closer, I’d be down $800 but up countless smiles.
there’s my DD (cept for the 3K mi 2 go pick up)
I had a 2 door hatchback with an automatic in a two tone paint scheme. The bottom color was this same color, and the top was a metallic brown/bronze color. The car ran well, but Minnesota winters were hard on the body, and it was badly rusted out. It made a great starter car while I was in college though. I had another GL wagon in the metallic turquoise blue, when I live in Arizona. I replaced the transmission in that, only to find, the previous owner worked on the engine, and rammed spark plugs into the head that were too big. Sadly, I ended up selling that car to another mechanic. If this person still has this car available, I would love to buy it, and restore it as a collector.