Mk3 XR3i a Classic? Discuss.

Ages ago, when I had a Mk3 Escort (well, I've had a few over a period of a year or two), I said that any well kept Mk3 Escort would be a future classic, and people laughed. Now, it's all subjective, and depends on your view of classic, but given the price this rather decent example of one's going for, I'd say that's starting to happen.

What are people's opinions on the matter?

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Reply to
AstraVanMan
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Yeah, why not? Looks in good nick...

Reply to
¤¤¤ Abo ¤¤¤

I can see why mint escorts of any generation will be become a classic eventually. So many are popular with youngsters that they become well remembered but rare in mint nick.

one thing I stand by is that the next gen of classic cars will come out of the far east. It has already started with 70's Jap cars, Datsuns especially, and not just the SSS/Skyline/Z, ZX models, but normal cooking stuff like 100A and 120Y models. RWD stuff especially. they are so much more advanced than british stuff, and most of the 70's brit stuff was carry overs and remodels of the 60's stuff anyway. New stuff came from Japan. Won't belong before granny's K10 Micra 1.0 is a bonefide classic car with low mileage.

Reply to
NeedforSwede2

->

->Yeah, why not? Looks in good nick...

And now rare as most of them ended up torque steering into hedges......

Reply to
Geoff

You're probably right. The AE86 Corolla springs to mind.

Reply to
Andy Tucker

Nah. Well, not yet, anyway. I think the associations with Essex wideboys will always mean that it's a car that people wish they'd had when they were younger, but wouldn't buy now.

My 2p, obviously. Funny that - Peugeot 205 GTi's, on the other hand, fetch lots of money.

As an aside, was reading yesterday on msn about the Pug 205 T16. Looked like Lots Of Fun.

Nick

Reply to
NickD

1) A few idiots who will pay over the odds for a car does not make that car a 'classic'. 2) Even if a car was to be considered a classic, that in no way means that the car was a _good_ car.
Reply to
Lordy.UK

You may have a point, but for some reason I quite like the Mk3 XR3i - they look quite good in standard form IMHO, in a retro 80s kinda way.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Something I didn't mention in t'other post... True, but idiots bidding silly amounts for boy racer tat normally happens to Max Powered-up s**te, not completely standard stuff like that. I wouldn't pay that much, but I would consider something like that if it was less money (and I don't mean £200 or so, I'd probably pay up to £500-600 if it was as good as it made out to be). RS1600i would be a much better idea though.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

What do you mean "on the other hand" ? Did you click the auction link? A Mk3 XR3i for nearly £1400!

And yes, 205 GTIs do fetch lots of money - probably more than that XR3i for an equally good one, but my point was one of amazement at how much a genuinely unmolested one of them appears to be worth. It's not just the XR3is either - any super-clean Mk3 Escort seems to be worth closer to £1k than £300 these days

Nice - they were a cracking car. Still are, in fact.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Hmm, the XR3i was an example of good marketing rather than good product, a statement which doesn't adjust with time. That said, Ford have always been excellent at manipulating the looks of their cooking models for the sporty ones, and I have a irrational soft spot for the RS1600i 'cos of it's rarity and 'cos ford spent a bit more on the mechanicals

Reply to
Ken

Best car ever made imo, I have had 4 of them :)

The Mk3 Escort was a great car, it had everything you needed, electric windows, central locking and really nice velour upholstery that other hot hatches of the era just couldn't touch.

I still think the 1.6CVH was a far better engine than the golf and the Peugeots, it wasn't as fast, but it was smoother, and quieter.

I can rave on about the Escort all day long, but it's horses for courses.

Reply to
Ronny

Hmmmm - live axles and leaf springs is hardly advanced, plus most rotted worse than british Leyland and rode like the worst yanks. Mind you at least they started first time :-)

Having said that there was a lot of good jap stuff I'm certainly not stuffy enough to rule them out as classics.

Reply to
john

Disagree. Strongly. Modified tat generally fetches less than straight up unmolested cars in good nick. Obviously buyers don't want to buy a car for which they have to trust the previous owner's modding experience...

Nick

Reply to
NickD

Yes, very true. I was basically referring to Lordy's comment "A few idiots who will pay over the odds for a car does not make that car a 'classic'" - it's inaccurate to refer to the sort of people that recognise the value in a genuinely well kept, totally original example of a car, as idiots. I was basically making the point that "a few idiots who will pay over the odds" is generally more applicable to maxed-up s**te.

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Mmmm. Velourrr..... :-)

Really? I thought it was generally considered to be something of a bag of nails. I have no personal experience of the 1.6, but the 1.3 in my mum's fiesta of years ago was no paragon of smoothness or refinement - years behind the small pug engines in my mates' 205's of the time.

Reply to
Albert T Cone

Did they have enough power to torque steer?

Reply to
¤¤¤ Abo ¤¤¤

It was easy to work on. Even though I set fire to mine when changing the head gasket because I didn't disconnect the battery... You live and learn.

Reply to
¤¤¤ Abo ¤¤¤

Dude you've got to stop smoking green ;-)

Reply to
DanTXD

Lots of spotty boys who wanted one when they were new are now affluent men looking for a pet car.

Lots of the original owners whose kids have grown-up are now affluent men looking for a pet car.

I never fancied them myself but I reckon the survivors a guaranteed classic status.

This is a far better idea though:

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Reply to
Alistair J Murray

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