How to buy a Ford Escort

The five golden rules

1. Buy the body, not the engine. Engines can be rebuilt. Structural rust repair on a Mk1 or Mk2 can easily cost five figures.
2. Buy the history, not the story. Old logbooks, matching VINs, invoices and a club register entry are evidence. "My uncle bought it new" isn't.
3. Never view alone, in the rain or in the dark. Wet paint and dim light hide ripples, filler and poor repairs.
4. Keep 20% of your budget back. Even a good car will need something in the first year.
5. Be ready to walk away. More good Escorts come up for sale every month.

Is it genuine?

Most non-original cars aren't sold with bad intent, but the price should reflect what the car is, not what it looks like. Watch for four kinds of non-original car:

• Replicas: standard cars built to look like an RS. They're fine if described and priced honestly.
• Clones: replicas given a genuine car's identity. These are illegal.
• Reshells: a genuine identity rebuilt onto a replacement bodyshell.
• "Upgraded" originals: genuine cars that have lost their original engine, gearbox or trim.

Check that the VIN plate, the stamped VIN and the V5C all match, then ask the relevant owners' club whether the car is on its register. Contact the club yourself, never through a number the seller gives you.

Paperwork checks

• Use the free GOV.UK MOT history service to check recorded mileages and past advisories.
• Run a paid history check for outstanding finance, stolen markers and write-off categories.
• View the car at the address on the V5C, and confirm the seller is the registered keeper.
• Vehicles built before 1 January 1986 can be taxed in the historic class at no cost in 2026.