[mrclean1]

First off let me say thank you for having a place like this. It's nice to know that I won't be completely alone when I fumble around on my most rescent purchase: a 95 Escort Wagon. Standard 1.9 automatic with no rust (not real common here in Michigan) and it's even in that great "Hot Pink" color (magenta??). My kids are already teasing me about the color, but hey, it's a car that's descent on gas. Anyways, that's pretty much it. It's on to research on of the many various problems this thing has....

 

[denisond3]

Welcome to the forum, and.... I always advise new owners of an Escort to have a look at the brake lines, especially the two running to the rear axle. Inspecting for rust of course. I had to replace them in my 92 wagon - the rusted out part was right beside the fuel tank, where you could only see the line if you were directly under the car looking straight up. It wasnt too hard to replace them, it just took me a lot of trips down/under - out and up, to bend the Bundy tubing as needed, and cut and double flare the ends. I also replaced the hoses that go between the axle and the underbody, and the lines from the hoses out to the wheel cylinders, as they all looked like something divers brought up from the Titanic.
I shouldnt be the one to recommend, as mine began to leak (slowly) before I did anything about it and one hard stop would have popped the lines open, but: Surface rust is okay, but if you can feel pits in the metal - thats not so good. Mine were flaking away.

 

[mrclean1]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to get under there and check out the lines. So far I like the car (even picked up another "pink" one for parts). Hopefully by the end of it all I'll have a descent little car that will last me a few years.