FORD COURIER
Page 26
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Wnere do all the stolen car radios go when most ew cars have been fitted with them for the past few years? Similar thoughts crossed our minds in early September. We'd left our long-term test Courier in Norwich overnight, only to find that someone had removed the wheel trims under cover of darkness. No doubt they will have found their way to a car boot sale by now. About the only consolation is that the thieves did not smash windows or gouge paintwork in the process.
• Vandals
The missing vvheeltrims are not the only additional expense we've faced with the Courier. Vandals struck a few months earlier, although again, no serious damage was inflicted. Parked in a multi-storey car park near our Sutton offices, someone carefully cut around the edge of the fuel cap. The result? The lock fell into the filler neck, making it near impossible to fill the tank, until we identified the problem. Removing it was not so easy, but we had cause to thank the Chubb security lock Ford uses on all its models. Because the key is circular in section, we were able to fish the lock out with a wire coathanger inserted in the keyhole. The trouble was the lock was still in the "locked" position. Wedging it in the top of the filler neck with a screwdriver, we were able to turn the lock and remove it, after several attempts. The cap was replaced at the 6,000 mile service, Apart from that, the Courier has suffered no other problems since it joined our long-term fleet at the end of March. It's racked up some 13,000 miles and consumed fuel at an average rate of 5.3114/100km (53.2mpg), carrying mostly light loads. This compares favourably with the unladen 551it/100km (5L8mpg) figure from our original Courier road test (CM 28 Nov-4 Dec 1991). No doubt the engine has loosened up as the miles have increased, contributing to this excellent figure. Considering that this includes some serious hill climbing in the French and Italian Alps with a reasonable load aboard, the figure is even more impressive.
First impressions of the Courier were good. Fit and finish were to a high standard with no rattles or squeaks. We complained about restricted driver headroom in our original road test, caused by an overhead stowage shelf. Maybe Ford was influenced by our criticism, but the offending shelf is not fitted in K228 GWC.
The little Ford's outstanding economy appears to be at the expense of performance, never a strength of Ford's 1.8 litre diesel. Long motorway hills or headwinds take their toll on progress even when unladen. Since the boxy body presents a flat surface behind the cab, this is not a particular surprise. This part of the body is also a graveyard for flying insects. The smooth corners of the front end carry the air neatly over the bonnet and cab roof then into the front wall of the box. Flies caught in this airstream are carried to a swift end.
We still have our reservations about the glow plug pre-heat system for cold starting. It doesn't stay on long enough for cold days and starting always takes repeated churning before the engine rattles into life, with a belch of white smoke.
Things have improved since the 12,000 mile service and the engine seems to run smoother generally. The indications are that the injectors were cleaned up at this service.
Servicing has been carried out by Page Ford of Banstead, who have provided courteous and efficient service at reasonable cost. Our only criticism is that a protective seat cover was left in the van at its 6,000 mile service and the steering wheel had not been cleaned up. This was not repeated at the 12,000 mile service though, the vehicle was returned to us as we'd left it.
• Swallow The Courier has been pressed into service as a small removals van on several occasions and it is surprising how much it will swallow. We like the half-mesh bulkhead which ensures that the load stays in the back where it should be.
We praised the Courier's mirrors in the original test but living with it has changed our minds. Rearward visibility is poor with large blindspots around the rear quarters.
The door mirrors may be larger than some rivals, but they still need to be turned vertically. Internally the view is even worse, because the rear door windows are not deep enough. Ford could borrow from the Nissan Sunny van here. Forward visibility is fine but the lack of an intermittent wipe is an unwelcome cost saving.
In all the Courier has won many friends at CM Let's see if it can keep a clean sheet in the next 12,000 miles.
• by Toby Clark