Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> News >> Hello there
        
(Message started by: Robby on Nov 14^th, 2004, 3:15pm)

Title: Hello there
Post by Robby on Nov 14^th, 2004, 3:15pm

I just joined, so I thought I should say hello.

I bought a 96 2.3 ultima yesterday. I had a merc 190E last, and this is rather a lot nicer.

The remote key fob doesn't work though, and I've followed the instructions on the site to reprogram it, and fitted new batteries. Any ideas?

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by Baz on Nov 14^th, 2004, 4:52pm

Robby,

welcome to the site. There have been a few members who have had problems like yours and there have been many suggestions. Try cleaning the contacts for the batteries, make sure the contacts are touching and check the overall state of the rubber inside. The contacts on the circuit board can also be cleaned as these can get a bit clogged up over theyears. Failing that, some remotes do come up on EBay now and then.

Try searching for past references to remotes and that may shed even more light on things for you

Good luck

Baz

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by bazza on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:15pm

i think our paths have crossed before ;)

I kept my 190 and now that I don't need the space in the Scorpio, it's going back on the road and the Scorpio is getting sold.
5 years of owning a merc and all I had to replace was 1 track rod end and 2 brake pipes.

6 months with a Scorpio and the chassis needs welding, replaced the steering rack(replacement will probably only last another year), replaced the HBC, replaced the crank pulley, repairs to sticking calipers and handbrake mechanism, sunroof doesn't work, repaired display on climate(other display is now faulty)paint is really thin and chips easy,hence bonnet needs resprayed.

They might have seemed well built when they were still newish but the real test is when they get more than 6 years old. Have a look at a H-K plate Merc then look at the equivalent anything else. No comparison.

I will get stick for this post but just my opinion

Bazza

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by bazza on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:20pm

Just to add to that, this is easily the best forum on the web and the info on here is staggering.

Best of luck with your Scorp, hope it better than my experience

Bazza

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by bazza on Nov 19^th, 2004, 9:19pm

MOT'd the 190 today, changed the plugs beforehand but nothing else and passed first time after sitting outside for 6 months!

Anybody want to buy a Diesel ultima Estate?

Bazza

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by Baz on Nov 19^th, 2004, 9:32pm

Bazza,

I had a 1982 Cortina MK V sat up the path at my mums for almost 3 years and apart from occasionally turning over and starting, it never went anywhere. It was my dads car who had died a few years earlier (This was almost 9 years ago) I decided to take it for an MOT with a view to putting it back on the road. It needed two brake pipes and that was it.

The cortina is still up the path and it hasn't moved or started for 6 years and is now just a pile of rust. I wonder if I should try and turn it over!!

As for your scorpio, well maybe it was a bad one to start with. They do exist, I had two Rover 75s on cosecutive W regs one needed a new clutch after less than 20,000 miles and the other had so many things wrong with it in the three years that I couldn't remember them all, so much so that Rover fleet gave me almost £2,000 back on the contracts we had with them. There are plenty of ropey mercs as well, my wife had an A class and an SLK both with loads of faults and both brand new and I wouldn't have them back if they were giving them away, about as many comforts as the average armchair.

I have now had 2 Scorpios. Both S reg, both Cosworths and for the price they can't be beaten. There are not many really rusty Scorpios about so maybe yours was just a bad example

Baz

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by bazza on Nov 19^th, 2004, 10:00pm

I agree that there are 'bad' cars out there but cars nowadays aren't built the same as they were, even Mercs(in-laws have had 3 brand new ones and still wish they had a 190)
Last proper Merc was the R129 SL when they made a car and told the salesmen how much it cost to build. Nowadays it's accountants telling the engineers to make a car that will sell for £X to be competitive. My 190 would have cost the same in 1990(over £20,000) as a new C-Class today. Something has to give and the quality is the first to go.

Somebody here mentioned that this site was turning into a breakers yard for a car that isn't even 10 years old! I use forums just for the 190's (youngest 10 years old,some 20 years old) and the difference in quality is evident in the type of posts. i.e. people talking about tuning/styling, not dismantling cars. How many Scorps will be left in another 10 years?

Like I said, I don't mean to female dog about Scorps and this site is easily the best car forum on the web for information, I really like the car for what it is but the parts are too expensive and the build quality/materials are no match for older cars like the Mk2. Plus I think the technology was possibly a bit too advanced for Ford at the time.

Bazza

PS My whole family have had Granada's from Mk1's to Mk3's, I used to own a Mk2 and the father-in-law swore by the Mk1/2 then bought a Mk3, hated it, bought a 190 soon after.

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by Baz on Nov 19^th, 2004, 11:07pm

I too have had Granadas as has (had) my dad and I personally think that the Scorpio is the best car I have had for many years. I have owned Rovers, peugeots Renaults mercs etc. etc. but I cannot think of any car that is such good value as a second hand car. All cars have the capability of being dogs, it just depends how well they are looked after in their first years of life, we have scorpios on here with 240000 miles + on them and still going strong.

There were only ever about 98,000 Scorpios made and so they aint going to last forever (and it was me that made the mention about the forum looking like a breakers yard, there were 3 adverts all together...it was a joke!!)

The merc 190 although granted it was a solid and reliable car was the "Chavmobile" of its day Certainly when I was driving my C reg 4x4 Scorpio about, a lot of my mates were driving them because insurance was cheap back then!!

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by bazza on Nov 20^th, 2004, 8:47am

Granted the Scorp is good value,if you get a good one, that's why I bought one. But it's cheap for a reason, quality. I could sell the 190 and buy a much newer, better equipped Scorpio for the same money, thats why people buy them. But if you get a bad one, and judging by the contents of the posts here, most of them have had a serious problem at one time, then they become very expensive to repair, therefore poor value.

Like I said, not knocking them, if I didn't have the problems with my car then I would love it, it's big,roomy comfy,loads of toys and the looks are starting to become acceptable nowadays,esp with the 16" alloys-makes a HUGE difference

Cheap insurance for a 190?! I was quoted the same for a 2.5V6 T reg Omega as for my 190E 2.0

Bazza

Title: Re: Hello there
Post by Baz on Nov 20^th, 2004, 10:38am

Ah yes but I was talking about insurance 20 years ago. When I was 22 I was paying £201 a year fully comp on a 2.8 Granada Scorpio 4x4 and at 19 I was driving a Ford Corsair V4 1700 and paying about £170

How times have changed eh?