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2012/02/10 13:08:11
escortinadriver

Small ford daily drivers?

After visiting SFS and seeing more and more cars on club plates each year, it had me thinking.  How many others out there are actually mad enough to use their small fords as daily drivers????
 
I'm currently clocking up over 600kms a week in the escort and have been for the last 3 months (although a new daily with LPG is on the cards)...
 
Anyone else out there? I can go weeks, sometimes months without seeing others on the roads.
 
Shaun

'If I'd asked what people had wanted, they'd have said faster horses....' Henry Ford
28 comments Leave a comment
Flighter
Although I remember a time when you couldn't go out onto a moderately busy road without seeing multiple Escorts, Cortinas and the like, mine hasn't been a daily driver for many years.  Its age has forced me to accept that my least valuable car in financial terms is actually the most valuable one I have seeing its replacement would be a virtual impossibility.  So it's relegated to occasional use only, probably costing several dollars a kilometer in real terms.  Sad really.
2012/02/10 13:51:24
krt10
I have 3 escorts and use this 1600 4door as a daily. Al I've.done is put a quick rack, stiffer suspension and good tyres. other than that its stock. never misses a beat. can hold its own against much more moden cars thru the hills too...as long as its downhill e

its the same here though i can go weekout seeing another esky

2012/02/10 13:51:32
Gdub
Recent research into how many Escorts are still registered in Victoria by the editor of RSOCVIC club magazine showed that there were only 19 MK2 Escort 2 doors on full reg in Vic.
 
there arent many and i can think of only a few cars in our club that are on full reg and regularly driven, let alone someones only transport
2012/02/10 18:28:06
smallvan
Mine will be a daily driver, when it gets rego.
2012/02/10 19:19:23
fordsy
At the end of April i'm swapping the Commode for a 2 door as my primary means of transport. Given that I live 2 minutes from work, it won't be clocking up very many kilometres.
2012/02/10 19:45:26
jimmyd
Flighter

Although I remember a time when you couldn't go out onto a moderately busy road without seeing multiple Escorts, Cortinas and the like, mine hasn't been a daily driver for many years.  Its age has forced me to accept that my least valuable car in financial terms is actually the most valuable one I have seeing its replacement would be a virtual impossibility.  So it's relegated to occasional use only, probably costing several dollars a kilometer in real terms.  Sad really.

 
What he said

2012/02/10 20:05:15
Escortpower
Gdub

Recent research into how many Escorts are still registered in Victoria by the editor of RSOCVIC club magazine showed that there were only 19 MK2 Escort 2 doors on full reg in Vic.


One of those 19 fully registered MK2 2 doors is mine & I drive it as often as I can. No point keeping it locked up in the shed.
There is a 4 door MK2 daily driver in the next street from where I live.
 
Craig.
2012/02/10 22:08:14
Jason
I've been using my mk2 RS2000 coupe as a daily drive since 2003 & have clocked up 100,000km since then. It's probably spent 6months of that time off the road all-up with repairs / mods. etc.
It's just been retired from active duty as of this year, to cut out the rust. . . among other things.
 
2012/02/10 22:45:19
Avon
Full rego, driven at least twice a week.  2 kiddy seats in back seat.  Would be daily if I had a free parking space in the CBD.  Towbar recently removed to fit non-wonky rear bumper.
 
 
2012/02/11 01:45:02
maxrs
A tow bar is great insurance against touch parkers.
I do miss driving-push starting my Esky every morning.


2012/02/11 10:00:57
Scott
When my RS has rego it gets used for everything except for driving to work, otherwise its the AU Wagon. I tend to drive my Falcon because of the idiots on the road, if I get taken out while driving it I won't care as much as I would with the RS.
2012/02/11 11:43:59
tedidesign
We only put this on the road last year to be a daily driver. To and from uni every day, to and from work, the occasional cruise, and the odd track day. What more does an 18 year old need!!
2012/02/13 17:35:22
svenoeger
I'm a daily driver.  Mk1 2 door, cranky 2lt.  
I agree, i never see any on the roads... sad but i understand why the attraction of the 90 day club plates and the growing value and expenses of keeping these on the road would deter people form using full rego.  I'm a firm believer that cars are meant to be driven... not stashed away for years under covers.  If that means rebuilding them more often... thats ok... at least we're having fun in them... right?
Maybe the answer is getting four cars on 90 days, and using them on rotation?  still cheaper than one full rego! (insurance aside)
 
 
2012/02/13 21:56:07
joeyjonsey
i used to drive mine daily i enjoyed fixing it all the time as well but atm it just sits under the carport, i do a few too many k's atm for the escort and with mortgage payments and apprentice wages haven't got money to spend on it, but i am TRYING to keep it rego'd
2012/02/13 22:25:37
joeyjonsey
ohh and i like a\c
2012/02/13 22:26:37
svenoeger
AC is great.  They get hot !
2012/02/13 22:34:03
krt10
my daily esky has a/c.  its controlled by how far the windows are down and how far my foot is to the floor
2012/02/13 23:02:02
Scott
krt10

my daily esky has a/c.  its controlled by how far the windows are down and how far my foot is to the floor

 
hahaha, my friend would go "turning on the air con" while winding down the window.
But I do agree cars are meant to be driven, but sadly due to work problems mine doesn't have rego.
2012/02/15 15:58:28
2lt_Scort
I've got one on daily duties at the moment. It generally doesn't get driven alot, then goes out of rego until I need to modify and or fix my 4wd again. 
 
Rhys
 
 
2012/02/15 21:38:31
escortinadriver
Thanks for the replys guys...
 
Look like there are a couple out there that are still being driven...
 
Not that I have looked into it yet, but is there a link somewhere to find out more info in the club rego/limited use reg for when the inevitable happens???
 
Thanks all.
2012/02/17 11:28:34
mk1escort73
my dad is also one ofthe full reged mk2 two doors on full reg n my mk1 four door is also on full reg
2012/02/17 16:16:21
tedidesign
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Registration/PermitsModificationsAndDefects/OtherPermits/ClubPermits.htm
 
pretty esay to obtain a permit for a "period modified" of standard car. you would just have to join a club that is a member of the AOMC and apply. Thet are tightening up the rules a bit on highly modified cars though I am led to beleive.
 
cheers
ted
2012/02/18 10:29:16
alarmour
I travel a lot internationally for work, but when I am in Oz, my Mk1 Escort is a daily driver.  I usually don't do a lot of k's per week, just dropping the kids at school, running around type miles during the week.  The school kids all love the car!

 
2012/03/28 01:17:14
rodlea
I also have a MKII 2litre four door as a daily drive here in Queensland.
OK you have to watch the temp guage and oil pressure as much as the road, but its a real car that you have to drive!!! Not a plastic box that you just switch off in.
Oh and the kids love being droppped off at school in it.
2012/03/28 13:44:25
PeterM
Hello All !
Maybe then I am one of the minority.
My Escort panel van has been my daily driver since I first bought it in April 1986.
And my only registered vehicle for the past 5 years.
It sees rain, hail, sun, wind and everything in between.
Drives me to and from work and is a truely dependable work run about.
Absolutely factory standard. Nothing has been added that could not be sourced in the 1980's.
It is a loved member of the family (we call it "BabyBlue"), and draws lot's of attention on the road almost every day.
BabyBlue and I would not have it any other way!
 
 
 
 
2012/04/03 21:53:05
sundowner
show us a pic of the old girl peter
 
2012/04/03 22:42:21
David W
I used my RS as a daily driver for 5-6 yrs. I stopped doing this about 12 months ago. I had 2 cars - then I sold one and finished a resto on the 2nd one. The plan was to make the restored car a daily driver, but having laboured over pulling the car apart and putting it back together again was too much to expose to the daily grind. As much as I miss getting the thumbs up at the lights etc, I don't miss the regular breakdowns. Driving a modern car with A/C, Blue Tooth & 6lt/100km fuel consumption has its benefits
  
2012/04/06 06:48:36
PeterM
Gee Sundowner, you have made me realise that I don't have any nice piccies of BabyBlue!
Thank you for the prompt.
 
Give me a few weeks and I will take some photos in a period setting and put them up on this topic.
 
ta, Peter.
2012/04/08 19:53:11

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