 My experience with the Ford Escort ZX2 
has been horrible from the start.  
First, 3 months after I purchased it 
the entire transmission was shot.  
(Under warranty they replaced it).  1 
year later the power steering went 
out.  The break are horrible and even 
though I change them often the 
dealership says that these types of 
cars have that "Squicky" problem.