Remember Chris Farley's inspirational speaker character, the guy with the big glasses who said he was "living in a van, down by the river?"

For a long time, I feared that might be me.

I've driven a Plymouth Grand Voyager to work and back every weekday for years. A nice, quiet comfy ride with a huge drawback: low gas mileage. The 24 mile round trip is completely in-town - no highways, no expressways, just some fairly straight avenues going through technology parks and a few neighborhoods at 40 miles per hour; 40 miles per hour, that is, when not stopping for lights or small traffic back ups.

So, when the front end of the PGV started to get a bit wonky (the wheels started sounding like the engine of Sebulba's pod racer from Star Wars Episode 1 - womp, womp, womp, womp) and gas started to stick at nearly $3 per gallon, I knew it was time to find a new ride to work. If I tried to pay to get the van fixed, and continued to shell out $45 to fill up every several days, I'd end up living in the van, down by the river...

It's bad enough that sometimes people think I resemble Chris Farley.

Searching Craig's List in Dallas, my wife found a used Ford Escort ZX2 that turned out to meet all our needs. Low mileage, right price, clean and well cared for, we got a great deal on a used car. And now that I've had a few weeks to drive it around town, I have to say that the pros outweigh the cons...

What I Like

First of all, I've reduced my gas bill by about 25%. The ZX2 gets about 23 mpg around town, and about 28 on the highway. It's nice to now be able to go a full two weeks worth of commutes on a single tank of gas.

Second, it's fun to drive - the engine has a little pep to it, and the car maneuvers easily; it's perfect for surface street commuting.

Third, the seating in the back is snug, but not cramped; also, the trunk is pretty roomy, able to carry several bags of groceries or a couple golf club bags. Depending on what you need to do in town, the Escort ZX2 can probably carry your stuff and a family of four when needed.

My daughter is hoping that she'll get some time in the car as well; I wouldn't be surprised if she and I end up sharing the ZX2 after a while - I get the commutes in the morning, she gets to take it out in the evening to work or with friends. We'll see how that works out...

What I Don't Like

The Ford Escort ZX2 is a basic coupe - small, a little sporty, and a lot noisy. Going from the Grand Voyager to the ZX2 was a bit of an adjustment as far as road noise goes. No longer am I perched in a captain's chair, calmly surveying the road around me - now, my ride feels as if it is part of the road. It's not super loud, but it is certainly not quiet.

Second, the air conditioning (despite having new parts installed in recent months) leaves something to be desired. On hot, muggy Texas days (and nights), it can be a challenge to get the right balance of a/c and temperature that will prevent fogging on the windows or maintain a consistently cool and comfortable interior.

Finally, my biggest complaint with the Escort ZX2 is with the very small rear view mirrors outside the doors - I have been trying to find an optimal viewing angle for each one, but the available view is frustratingly tiny.

Overall, I'm pleased with my "new" Ford Escort ZX2: it's a fun car that gets me to work and back with less gas, and it can accomodate the basic things I need to do around town. I'd recommend buying one if you too can find one with relatively low miles and a clean history.

...it just might save you from having to live in your van, down by the river.
Amount Paid (US$): 3900
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2000