Buying Guides to Download
Download a detailed 2002 Buying Guide from December 2007
A Basic 02 Buying Guide
02 prices are all over the place, with pristine examples often selling at similar prices to restoration projects. The Tii is the one everyone wants and it’s one of the most usable ’02, but they don’t come up every day, which makes the standard-issue 2002 the easiest to find.
You’ll see cars advertised at £8000 to £9000 but £4000 should be enough to secure a good usable example, with £5000 enough for a nice tidy car. Budget on spending more for a Tii, but take the advice seriously: “If you find a good one, snap it up even if it means going over budget – don’t think you can restore one easily!”
Turbo’s are of course a different story entirely and their values have shot up in recent years compared to other ’02s and why shouldn’t they when you look what Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts are fetching.
£0 to £1000
Basket cases and parts cars, you might find a complete but rotten project. Get the welder out…
£3,000 +
Starting point for a sound, usable car. Will probably need cosmetic work and general tidying up but not a full-on restoration.
£4,500 +
Take your time and you should be able to find a tidy 2002 at this price, probably even a pre-’73 round rear light example. Expect either an original car or an older restoration. Get lucky and you might even find a Tii at this price too, don’t risk losing it for a few pounds as well, as it could take another 6 months or longer to find another Tii.
£5,500
Expect a nicely restored car at this price. You should be able to bag a good Tii, again strike quickly if the car is right.
£8,000
Expensively restored and tastefully modified 2002s come in at this price, plus nicer Tii’s, convertibles and Targa’s.
Over £10,000
Rare low mileage full history standard 2002’s or if you’re lucky enough a rare 1600-2 or full Baur Cabriolet. You might be lucky to bag a mint Tii but be quick as they rarely come along. Bear in mind to restore a basket case 02 you’ll be lucky if it costs less than twice this, professional restorations you could be looking at a bill well in excess of £25,000 now. Rough road-going turbo’s around mid-teens but be prepared for big bills very soon.
Over £20,000
Useable good Turbo’s (be warned!), although concours you’d be approaching the £35,000+ mark.
