Did anyone here ever own a 1980's Ford Tempo?

Question

I had a brand new 1984 Ford Tempo and it was a lemon, the worst car I have ever owned.

Answer 1

Gee Liz, that was 1984. You need of let these things go.
I actually traded a 1978 BMW 320i that must have been a Chevy in disguise as is was a major POC for a 1984 Tempo GLX Top of the line Baby....Back in 1991 I put 250,000 miles on it. and when I sold it the guy was in total disbelief that the motor was original except for a rear seal. Like I tell my customers. Either you take care of it or I will, if I have to it will cost you a lot more. I am like Seinfeld's Mechanic that took off with Elaine's bosses golf clubs when he felt Jerry hated his car. I gave a guy a quote today for 1800 bucks for rebuilding an engine. he said he hated changing the oil as that supported foreign countries.......WHAT! OK then I said I hope you saved all the cash for the non oil changes because you ran the car out of oil and seized the engine. He wants me to have it towed to a GMC dealer as he is now wanting to sue GM......I said sure gimme an address....

Answer 2

I had a 1988 Ford Tempo. I purchased it 7 years old with 15,000 miles on it. I drove the car very hard for the next 19 months, and then traded it in with 121,000 miles on it. All I did to the car in 106,000 miles were regular oil changes, 2 sets of tires, and 1 burnt out headlight. It was a great car. All it ever needed was another gear in the automatic transmission so it would get better gas mileage. All I ever got was about 22mpg.

A buddy had a 1985 Tempo with a stick shift - 5 speed. He got 33-35 mpg with his. He ran his over 200,000 miles.

Answer 3

Yes !!! I had a 1984 brown POS Tempo also. Nothing but problems. FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily, or Found On The Road Dead. lol.

Answer 4

I had an 85 Topaz for about year and a half. My first car that I bought myself, that is, instead of a "hand-me-down" from my parents. It was okay. Bought it in a used lot in a Chevy dealership. Went to a Ford dealer and found the previous owner actually bought extended warranty for it, and never cancelled it. So I must have saved like $1000 in various repairs, including a leaking master brake cylinder and other misc. stuff. I was kinda sorry I left it behind when I moved out of Texas... Sold it to my pastor's daughter. Overall, it's an average car, works well enough in the Texas sun. I even paid to have the windows tinted. :)

Answer 5

I have a friend whos father had a 1986 Mercury Topaz (same car, different badge). He beat the **** out if, he drove it hard, didn't maintain it, and drove it from Calgary to Kalowna (about 11 hours at 100km/h) and back every weekend for a little over a year. He gave the car away after he bought a Jeep, it was still running decent and had over 400 000km on it. I've seen a few come into my shop (early 90's too) that have had well over 300 000km on them.

Ford made them as a cheap car that would last a few years and then die. It was cheap made, cheap to buy, and cheap to fix, if it needed a major repair it wasn't worth fixing and another car would be bought. It was one of thoes, get what you pay for cars. For what they were worth, they were a very good car, with the get what you pay for method.

Answer 6

I too owned a 84 Tempo and it too was a Lemon
so was my 1990 Eagle Premier ( now that was the worst car I ever owned)

Answer 7

Ford was buying the cheapest components available and not honoring the warranty. I had a head gasket go at 37,000 miles and Ford would no thonor the claim. I now drive Hondas and 0 problems

Answer 8

I had an '81 Mercury Topaz, the tempo's red headed stepchild!

Answer 9

Tempo came out in 84, terrible, in or around 1992 they made them better, but ended its life in or around 1994.
P.S. 85 was worse than 84

Answer 10

I had 2 of them 88 tempo's and there crap but if you advance the timing and run no aircleaner. It runs very hot but dang they will haul butt