"Dad's fast red car"

My *new* 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 - 'hot'

I was finally able to pry my buddie's car out of his tight grasp -- on the condition that it retain its original name, "Dad's fast red car". It was a cash deal - which is one milllion percent better than the $400/month deal I was paying on the CR-V. Matt is moving up to Idaho to get into the car business and 1) didn't want to take his car with him 2) has a 7 person family that doesn't fit a 4 seater and 3) will now have the chance to drive any (Ford) car he wants now. So it was perfect timing on both our parts when I emailed him a month or so ago asking if he knew anyone looking to sell a small commuter car.

I love the car for many reasons:

• it's a manual transmition - which is actaully alot of fun
• I feel cool in it (I know I really shouldn't but I can't explain why I do)
• it's a symbol of my new financial mantra - "cash purchases only" (ok, so I really purchased it with my student loans, but it beats a $400/month car payment any day of the week)
• I didn't have to change one radio preset (I'm debating removing the 2 country stations from FM2)
• did I mention it's a stick?
• it gets 27 miles per gallon
• I really look up to Matt, so driving his car is a daily reminder the kind of person I want to be
• it's super clean and in GREAT condition for being a 7 year old car
• My wife thinks I look funny in it (which leads to the next point)
• it's totally too small for my w-i-d-e profile. The car is motivation to shed a few pounds
• I look good in red
• Every time I 'reverse' out of my garage and driveway it reminds me of the Ford Escort hatchback my Mom drove when I was a kid
• and finally, there's no car payment like no car payment

For those of you wondering what the 'hot' is about in the car's name, "1998 Ford Escort ZX2 - 'hot'" - that's actually what it's called :)

You should really listen to the review this car got.

"A lotta fun outta this little beast"

"I was surprised at how much fun it was"

-Mark Fulmer
Editor-In-Chief, The Auto Channel