I was quite surprised at comments by members disappointed in the Escort. Mind you, I never owned one, but was quite impressed with the 2 litre version I drove (mother-in-law's car) it had some poke ! I can see how some owners would be frustrated with the layout in the engine compartment though, very squashed and not very accessible. Try looking under the bonnet of the XJ-S Jaguar V12 though, it is a plumber's nightmare ! I talked a good friend of mine out of buying one, because although he was quite mechanically talented and liked to 'tinker' he couldn't decide between the Jag or a Jensen MkIII. I said I would favour the Jensen, because the 440 cu in Chrysler Engine was a breeze to work on compared to the Jag and Chrysler parts readily available (at the time) He bought a Jensen, had it for a few years and liked it enough to fully restore it with new paint and extensive mods to the motor. It is simply awesome now, see the photo I include !