Ford Laser Problems

Intermittent problems can be very hard to diagnose because they rarely happen when the mechanic is present. Same with the diagnostic checks, nothing will show up if the engine is running normally when the checks are done. I would be checking the various engine sensors, their connectors and the witting loom, looking for a corroded or poor connection.

The news here isn’t great, and this model Laser had just a single airbag (for the driver) in any of the forms sold in Australia at the time. So, even though the Laser represented a fairly dependable package and is now a very cheap second-hand car to buy, it can’t really be recommended for younger drivers on the basis of that limited safety package.

Even anti-lock brakes didn’t become an option for the Laser until the April 2001 facelift, at which point a passenger’s front airbag became optional in the entry-level LXi and standard on other variants. So the later version is a much safer car all round provided the original owner ticked the boxes for ABS and the second airbag.

Forget the old rules that applied when the car was new, now the ’88 model is just an old clunker and the Ghia pulls about the same money as the GL. When buying a car as old as this the most important thing is not the fruit and features it had when it was sold new it’s the mileage done and its condition that matter.

Your mechanic is correct, but so are you. The mechanic's suggestion of a Corolla is a safe bet, one that won't come back to bite him in the long run, but the other cars you mention are also worth considering. All are solid, generally reliable cars, although I would be cautious about recommending the Astra to you. Stick to the well-known Japanese brands and she won't go too far wrong.

There could be a little more wear in bore of the cylinder your concerned about, it could be a worn valve stem, or a damaged seal. I wouldn’t be too concerned about it, it doesn’t sound serious, but I would continue to observe it and if it starts to run poorly have it checked. As for the clunk when turning under brakes, check the front suspension bushes for wear.

The best way is to wash it off with running water as soon as you see it, the sooner the better. The longer you leave it the greater the chance of damaging the paint. Regular washing and polishing is a way of protecting the paint and making it easier to clean when something is deposited on it. But speed is the essence, when something does happen; don’t leave it too long before doing something about it. If the paint has been damaged try cutting and polishing it.

You need to have it checked by a mechanic with diagnostic equipment. It could be the fuel injectors simply needing a clean, or an engine sensor malfunctioning, or several other things that can only be checked by a mechanic with the right equipment.

As a guide you could expect to get $1500 to $3000 for your Laser. The RAV4 is a sound choice. You could get into a 5-star safety rated 2014 RAV4 for $20,000-$23,000, a similar 2012 model for $17,000-$20,000. You could also consider a Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, or Subaru Forester.

With fuel consumption like that and a smelly, fuming engine, it’s a fair chance that there’s something amiss in the fuelling system. This could be anything from worn injectors to a faulty injection pump, but could also be a simple thing like a dud coolant-temperature sensor or oxygen sensor in the exhaust system that is telling lies to the computer than controls the engine and throwing the engine’s tune way out of whack.

Have the vehicle electronically scanned to see what fault codes are thrown up. And don’t be surprised if the problem is actually something within the ignition system rather than the fuel-injection. Or both.