Ok.. Here goes

Yes we've all taken the p!ss out of them at one time or other.
Many of us have owned at least one (Mine was a white Mk4 with an RS Turbo kit).
Yes they're a poor cousin to the Pug and VW GTi's of their day.
But...

Does anyone think they'll one day be a classic and collectable car.
I only ask because they're cheap and available at the moment it seems.
I've been looking for a Capri (expensive), Manta (rare) or Mk1 Scirroco (Rockin Horse ****) to recapture my youth and give me something to tinker with in the garage and I keep coming across low mileage XR's for peanuts.

I have fond memories of mine despite it throwing a cam belt one day. Me and a mate swapped out an engine from a Mk3 in one afternoon Unfortunately it had to go after that as the exhaust kept loosening and dropping off. Apparently the engine mounts were subtly different between the Mk3 and Mk4 and the twist would undo the joint after the downpipe. Strange but true

So I'm thinking of getting another as a toy but I like to think it'll start to go up in value the longer I have it.

What do you reckon?

 

had an xr2i which was great fun, when i was only 21. stuck a exhaust and filter with a kent cam and it was quite rapid had a funny experiance going falt out at about 130 and sparks coming out of the exhaust still ran ok after that

mike

 

In 1986 I had a two year old black XR3i, they were pretty cool back then.

Three of my mates bought black ones as well and we fitted a few mods to the cars but all four were identicle apart from the number plates.

We had some great times in them, I can remember a holiday on the Norfork Broads, 14 lads in four XR3i's driving to Norfork with all cars equipped with CB Radio's.
Life seemed a lot less complicated then

Cheers
Lee

 

Mk 1 XR2 if you can get one, think that will increase over the years.

oooh look what I found on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...565812075&rd=1

 

I had a Mk3 XR3i Y Reg with a warrior kit on it

Dad bought me it when i was 15 so i could fart about the yard in it & learn to drive

When he wasnt looking i was off

Brilliant car until i smashed it in a concrete bollard in the yard

 

My first 'performance' car was a '84 black xr3i. It was the pre-facelift so lighter with IIRC firmer suspension. I loved it to death. I still have fond memories of driving west down the A303 with the sun going down and sticking cassettes into the old Ford player. Yes life was simpler...
Nick

 

LOL - oh the memories - drove a mates XR3i, nearly crashed it 'cos the steering was so hard to turn..

 

1st Car was an x reg XR3, bought it without an MOT, fool!!, it had been written off a couple of times apparently, a mate was a panel beater/mechanic so we got it all legal, very valuable lesson learned there! then got a XR3i with 7000 miles on the clock and drove it for 5 years, everything started falling off after 70,000 miles, still I got 97000 before chopping her in.
The exhaust was always blowing from the manifold, the amount of times I took the fan off to get to those bolts to tighten it up, seemed like fun then I know what you mean about the engine, I had the head skimmed and the torque setting for the head bolts were all wrong in the Haynes manual, I went through 3 sets before Fored technical helped me out with the correct settings, with regards to removing the head, I had it down to a fine art after 4 removals for new head bolts and the skim , I de coked it, cleaned it up really well taking time and care but I was so disapointed when I got it all back together, it seemed no different!!, any pot holes (even the smallest) virtually broke your wrist as they came back up the rack, whereas the scoob has done 135500 and still drives as smooth as you like

As Logiclee said life seemed far less complicated in those days

 

Had a XR2 years ago as well

A Mk2 i blew the engine with a typical CVH oil leak that developed & seized the thing, so for mucho cheapness i fitted the 1.8 CVH from a sierra allegedly it was meant to be quicker

That was fun as well

 

On another note

I have always wanted to get a S1 Rs Turbo just as something to sit in the garage & look good

 

I had a black XR3i Cabriolet when I was 18 and loved it! Had quite a few toys too such as trip computer etc, and thought it was the dogs at the time!

Theres no doubting the XR-series will become classics, good RS Turbo's fetch good money these days, and good original condition XR2/3's are bound to be increasing in value if you keep them nice (they do like to rust!)

Ford should reuse the XR badge! I reckon it would increase the appeal of the current hot Fords. Apparently it would bump the insurance up a lot compared to ST badges however

 

bought a B reg XR3i when i was 17(1987), 40,000mls on it in silver.what a car. absolutely loved it. absolutely hammered it. changed the oil and tuned every 2 month, aswell as tyres(front) and brake pads. would show 135 on the speedo flat out, would keep up with RS turbo(probably bad driver),beat RS2000, totally standard when it finally give up the ghost at 125,000mls, loved that car.

oooooohhhhh those were the days!!!!

Lee

p.s-even remember the reg-B402 NUE sad i know.

 

Had an XR2 for about two weeks a few years ago. proper bucket of **** it was. £150 quid i paid, my own fault really. Kept cutting out, fingers burnt, try to be more careful now. First car was a 1.4 MK4 'scort, Then a 1.3 that i hoyed a 1.6 into, that didn't even make it onto the road, other than to go to the test centre, lots to put right, it had sat in a garage for over a year tho.


Had some good stuff and some crap, but personally wouldn't go back to ford IMO, Vaux easier to mod than them, Keepin my scoob tho. NOT GONNER BE FOR SALE.

 

Has anyone ever had a MK5 XR3i ?

Nearly bought one a few years ago, but job problems stopped me...

Always wonder what it would have been like - seems that no one really likes the MK5 - is it cos the RS2000 offered more?

 

The Mk5 was a pile of junk

No power, no torque & for a little bit more you could get the punchy RS2000

I had a Mk6 RS for a few months, nice car, but bored me after a while

 

Had an xr2i,


and then superchipped Rs turbo


The Rs was superb fun, used to have dreams that i never sold it. In fact the only thing i have driven that reminds me of its 'feel' is an STI ppp.

Ste

 

You can get a very good cond XR2 Mk1 for just under a grand....lovely car

 

I had a C Plate XR3i when i was 18 (1996) and I loved it. It was the MkIII in metallic blue with all the toys and it ran and ran and ran.

Ended up selling it to Get an Escort RS Turbo (series 2) but still look back on it with great memories.

Shame todays fords dont have as much character