One of the better kept affordable secrets in the used compact car market is the 1991-1996 Ford Escort GT. It drove like a proper and nimble sports car, including beating you up on the highway ride due to its stiff suspension, but costed way less than a Mustang any day of the week to own and operate. Simply put, dollar for dollar, this is probably the most reliable and economical vintage Ford nameplate in the company's history.

However, it is no secret that part of that dependability comes from the Mazda 323 donor components, which the Escort GT itself is based on, with slightly revised Ford-specific body work. The soul of a sports car gave the GT its sprightly and fun personality, as the 1.8L DOHC 16-valve is borrowed from the Miata roadster. To give you an idea, 0-60 mph took about 9 seconds flat, not too shabby from only 127-hp on tap.

I purchased a low mileage 1993 GT automatic and it served very well providing exceptional fuel consumption, usually around 37 mpg in mix city and highway driving, which is outstanding with these insane gas prices. I recommend the 5-speed manual, since the reluctantly unresponsive G-series automatic transmission is not strong enough to handle the engine's output, leading to ATF fluid leakage at the main seal around 90k miles. Besides, it's probably more fun to shift your own gears in this car.

Routine maintenance was a given such as fluid exchanges, fuel filter, and general stuff. But major components proved only to be all minor things. I replaced the timing belt, water pump, timing belt tensioner, power steering pump and its corresponding hoses, HVAC fan blower motor, coolant temperature sensor, throttle position sensor, cv axles, upper and lower ball joints, and tie rod ends. That is all from my entire course of satisfied years of ownership. Best of all, the majority of parts and labor were dirt cheap. Surprisingly, the automatic transmission shifted great and never failed despite the fluid leak. I poured a bottle of ATF stop leak into it and drove the car like that for another couple of years until the day I sold it.

Quality was very impressive for the 90s era, and a milestone for Ford Motor Company itself. The body structure had less squeaks and rattles than my 2002 Infiniti. The full-frame doors closed solidly with sufficient heft (unlike the flimsy first generation Dodge/Plymouth Neon). It wasn't build to be a disposable car for the masses despite the steep depreciation. Even the original paint and trim held up after all those years of heavy use as a family car with my destructive little children.

This car is becoming more difficult to find in respectable condition as most have been beat to death by immature teens. Try to look for one with the stick shift instead of the automatic. If you happen to come across a nice looking GT with a blown auto tranny, spend some time and wise dollars to do the 5-speed conversion swap. That way, you'll have a promising set of wheels that will last you through this crude oil inflation era.

If it wasn't for Mazda's better Japanese-based engineering efforts, the Escort would have been a nightmare, example, the whoefully unreliable '86-'95 Taurus. Ford has learned to use the Kansei company's available resources (such as the Mazda 6) because proven results such as the Fusion, Milan, and Zephyr/MKZ speaks for itself.