This was my first major car purchase. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. The gray exterior and dark gray interior matched my style perfectly. The car performed exceptionally well. No major problems even after 100,000+ miles. I get more than 40 mpg and considerably more than that on the highway. This car handles curves and corners well. Driving stick shift was a thrill! I didn't learn to drive a standard until I purchased the vehicle. This was an awesome vehicle to learn on and very forgiving. It may be a small vehicle but it can still do work! I've hauled tons of potting soil, wood chips and other gardening supplies in the truck. Overall, a great purchase that I would highly recommend to anyone.

I bought the car used for a total of $3500 back in 2010 and the considering it was 7 years old at that point it still runs as good as it did the day I bought it. It's a two door coupe so it's very small but for a personal car for taking on commute for work or school it's great. Very fuel efficient as well I think I get around 27 mpg in city.

The 1997 Ford Escort Wagon is a great first car. I got my hands on one that had been well taken care of, and it was a reliable driver for me for two years, and I was hard on it. It has ample space in the back for carrying cargo. The seats are incredibly comfortable, and there's a lot of foot space in the front and in the back. I personally was really fond of the crank windows.