Is my 1997 Ford Escort LX wagon worth maintaining?

I just purchased a 1997 ford escort LX wagon from a private party for $250 and I was wondering if you guys think it's worth maintaining. It has a high mileage of 212k miles. And it drives great, but it has no reverse. Also, it goes forward in drive AND in neutral and a/c doesn't work. The body has only one smallish dent, some paint has faded, and the interior just needs some detailing. Do you think it's worth fixing it up and sometimes using? I'm just going to be using it as a commuter occasionally.

Hi given it's high mileage it would be best to scrap it.

Could still be a reliable car. The no reverse issue sounds like the shift linkage may need to be adjusted since you have forward gears and also works/drives in Neutral. I'd say have a trans shop or repair shop see if they can adjust the shifter linkage which may allow reverse operation and perhaps check or change the trans fluid… If it smells like burnt toast or is very dark with specs of metal in it, then the trans may be nearly fried and not worth fixing.

The paint can be buffed out by a detail shop and may look much better… And detailing/shampooing the interior could help as well. Might run 100-150.00 for a full porter job.

The AC issue could just be it needs a recharge and a small leak to fix but could be other issues… A shop can leak test the system with tracer dye or a sniffer tool and go from there in diagnosing and quoting repairs… Or just drive it as is with no AC operation.

Given the high miles, it may also need a tuneup, oil/filter changes and cleaning of various items like the IAC, MAF and TB for better operation and fuel economy… And an overall safety inspection for issues such as worn steering or suspension, brakes, shocks.struts, wheel bearings, exhaust, etc.

I had an old 1970 Nova and Powerglide trans that I drove for a year with no reverse when I had more time than money… Still started in cold winters, got relatively good fuel economy, no major repair issues and I just had to watch where I parked so I did not have to back out or could roll backwards downhill to get out of a parking space. That car saved me a lot of money until I could afford a better car.

You need to repair it first, and get it running in order to maintain it. I'm sure your state's inspection law, expects reverse gear to be functional.

http://autorepair.about.com/