1988 Ford Escort XR3i |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1988 Ford Escort XR3i

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Mileage~16,300 on clock
TransmissionManual
Engine1.6L
LocationWitney

AUCTION CLOSED

1988 Ford Escort XR3i

Introduction

Kristina Leikaite

Professional Consigner

Ford was early to the hot hatch scene with the extroverted and handsome XR3i.

The Ford Escort is a small family car with a huge cult following. This is the third generation and a sporting model which we all know as the iconic XR3i.

The car was brought to the market to compete with VW's new Golf GTI, therefore Ford pulled out all the stops and fitted a tuned version of the 1.6L CVH engine with a twin-choke weber carburetor, fuel injectors, uprated suspension, and cosmetic alterations.

Ford relied on the expertise of German company, Karmann, to produce the Cabriolet version and back in 1988 it was a £2100 premium over the fixed head.

This running example has very low mileage - only showing ~14,000 on the clock and is the perfect base for a full restoration.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Kristina after meeting Dean the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

This is the car I dreamed of as a teenager and owning the XR3i and keeping it original is my passion.

Dean's bought the car in April 2019 and really enjoyed his ownership of this low mileage '80s classic from his childhood. Over those two years he barely touched 1,500 miles.

I've always wanted to own one and when I saw this one in its pearly white paint and extremely low mileage, well I couldn't pass. I had dreams of restoring it but due to lack of time and not being able to use the car as much as Dean once hoped means he is selling the XR3i.

Dean will be more than happy to answer any of your questions in the comments below.

Dean

Vehicle Owner

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Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

The hot hatch that offers fresh-air driving while maintaining its sporty performance presence.

Wheels and Tyres

The distinctive Escort 5-spoke clover wheels give the XR3i a sporty stance - very '80s.

The wheels would benefit from a fresh refurbishment as corrosion has begun to make the paint bubble, most noticeably on the front nearside wheel.

Premium continental rubber wraps each wheel, which looks like it has plenty of tread for the new owner.

Bodywork

Being such low mileage the car doesn't appear to exhibit any major stone chips and the panel gaps look good too with no signs of any obvious repair.

The wheel arches are beginning to show signs of age with corrosion and cracks in places, it's the ideal starting place for a full restoration to bring the car back to showroom condition.

There's a small crack in the front bumper and some wear to the rear bumper, please take a look at the photographs for a detailed tour of the exterior.

Paint

The paintwork appears good on the white XR3i - we think it'll come up well with a good machine polish.

Around the rear arches they're some signs of bubbling and there is some wear on the rear bumper which would benefit from a respray.

A great place to start for a running project this summer/winter.

Glass and Trim

The glass around the car looks really good, no cracks, chips or discoloration was observed on our visit. The trim likewise is in good condition.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed tour of the exterior.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The interior has been trimmed with a distinct Ghia flavour from Monza velour and Cashmere-coded cloth.

Seats and Carpets

The grey cloth seats in this car look in good condition for the age. The carpets are clean and in great condition too.

As common with these cars, cloth material is sagging in places that would require some attention to bring it back to showroom condition.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed interior tour.

Dashboard

The dashboard looks inline with the rest of the car and appears free from cracks or major damage.

Overall a lovely interior that would look really nice with some minor attention.

Dean reports that all the dials, switches and gauges are working exactly as you would expect.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheels look in great original and clean condition and would not require any restoration.

The gearstick is a similar story, with a driver-focused hot hatched layout inside.

Please view all the images of the interior to assess the condition for yourself.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

When engineers at Ford added fuel injection to the XR3’s 1.6-litre engine in 1983 they created a performance legend.

Engine and Gearbox

The 1597cc CVH engine was carried over from the regular XR3i, with peak outputs of 104bhp the convertible’s extra mass meant that its 0-60mph time of 9.8sec was 0.5sec slower than that of the hatch - but importantly faster than other soft-top rivals.

Dean reports a very smooth yet sporty drive in the little XR3i - the injectors really help give you that extra push.

Please watch our mechanical video to see the running well with no issues.

Suspension and Brakes

The XR3i saw important suspension changes, the front-wheel positive camber was eliminated and revised front struts left the wheels in a vertical stance. They also increased the anti-roll bar diameter and conventional coils were fitted.

Bilstein dampers were replaced by Girling monotube on the front and rear.

Three of the car's suspension arms were replaced March 2019 - please see the paperwork section for more information.

Please view the images and photos to have a closer look under the car and see the suspension and brakes in more detail.

The Drive

Dean loved getting the roof down on the XR3i for weekend road trips. He mentions the sporty little 1.6L really goes and is a great running project that just needs a little attention to bring it back to its former hot hatch glory.

Electrics and Other

All of the standard electrical fittings are said to be fully functional.

Please take a look at the images and videos for a detailed tour of this car's exterior and interior.

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History and Paperwork

The XR3i is an '80s dream, with only ~14,000 on the clock, it's the perfect project for summer.

The Escort XR3i comes with various MOT reports over the previous years and receipts for new suspension arms.

This car is a great starting place for anyone looking for an Escort project this summer / winter. It's running smoothly and would just require some minor exterior attention to bring it back to an excellent standard.

Dean will be more than happy to answer any of your questions in the comments below.

We've actioned checks on the following; Seller ID, V5, HPi.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
30.03.2019	MOT	14,723
08.05.2015	MOT	12,060
07.12.2013	MOT	11,971
02.04.2012	MOT	10,040
20.07.2007	MOT	7,575

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Key Details

ModelEscort XR3i Cabriolet
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date28.09.1988
CC1597cc
Mileage~14,000
ColourWhite
Interior ColourGrey
Interior TrimCloth
Chassis #WF0LXXGKALJL13012
Engine #JL133012
MOTNo. Exp. - 29.03.2020
MOT ExemptNo
Road Tax ExemptNo
HPi ClearYes
Former Keepers6
Security SysStandard
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned2yrs
Key FeatureMileage

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Vehicle Location

Witney

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

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Seller : Jacob Boodrie

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