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Spawned from Ford’s part-ownership of Mazda, the Laser was based on the same underpinnings as the Mazda 323 and lasted five iterations between 1981 and 2002 in Australia. It was built locally until Ford pulled the plug on its Flemington plant in 1994, and was imported from Japan for the remaining model years. The Laser was succeeded by the European-sourced Focus.
The line-up currently starts at $3,990 for the Laser LXi and ranges through to $7,990 for the range-topping Laser LXi.
The Ford Laser has a number of different wheel and tyre options. When it comes to tyres, these range from 175x65 R14 for Hatchback in 2002 with a wheel size that spans from 14x5.5 inches.
| Year | Body Type | Front Tyre Size | Front Rim | Rear Tyre Size | Rear Rim | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hatchback | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2002 | Sedan | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2001 | Hatchback | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2001 | Sedan | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2000 | Hatchback | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 2000 | Sedan | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 1999 | Hatchback | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 1999 | Sedan | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 175x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 1998 | Hatchback | 185x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 185x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
| 1998 | Sedan | 185x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | 185x65 R14 | 14x5.5 inches | |
Check out real-world situations relating to the Ford Laser here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The price range for the Ford Laser varies based on the trim level you choose. Starting at $2,420 and going to $4,070 for the latest year the model was manufactured. The model range is available in the following body types starting from the engine/transmission specs shown below.
| Year | Body Type | Specs | Price from | Price to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hatchback | 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $2,420 | $4,070 | |
| 2002 | Sedan | 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $2,420 | $4,070 | |
| 2001 | Hatchback | 1.8L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $1,820 | $4,070 | |
| 2001 | Sedan | 1.8L, ULP, 4 SP AUTO | $1,980 | $4,070 | |
| 2000 | Hatchback | 1.8L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $1,820 | $3,960 | |
| 2000 | Sedan | 1.8L, ULP, 4 SP AUTO | $1,980 | $3,630 | |
| 1999 | Hatchback | 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $1,540 | $3,850 | |
| 1999 | Sedan | 1.8L, ULP, 4 SP AUTO | $1,980 | $4,070 | |
| 1998 | Hatchback | 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $1,380 | $3,630 | |
| 1998 | Sedan | 1.6L, ULP, 5 SP MAN | $1,820 | $4,070 | |
The Ford Laser is available in a number of variants and body types that are powered by ULP fuel type(s). It has an estimated fuel consumption starting from 7L/100km for Hatchback /ULP for the latest year the model was manufactured.
| Year | Body Type | Fuel Consumption* | Engine | Fuel Type | Transmission | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hatchback | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2002 | Sedan | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2001 | Hatchback | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2001 | Sedan | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2000 | Hatchback | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 2000 | Sedan | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 1999 | Hatchback | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 1999 | Sedan | 7L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 1998 | Hatchback | 8L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
| 1998 | Sedan | 7.4L/100km | 1.6L | ULP | 5 SP MAN | |
The Ford Laser has maximum towing capacity of 720kg for the latest model available.
| Year | Body Type | Braked Capacity from | Braked Capacity to | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hatchback | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 2002 | Sedan | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 2001 | Hatchback | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 2001 | Sedan | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 2000 | Hatchback | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 2000 | Sedan | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 1999 | Hatchback | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 1999 | Sedan | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 1998 | Hatchback | 720kg | 720kg | |
| 1998 | Sedan | 720kg | 720kg | |
The dimensions of the Ford Laser Hatchback and Sedan vary according to year of manufacture and spec level.
| Year | Body Type | Height x Width x Length | Ground Clearance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hatchback | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 2002 | Sedan | 1410x1705x4395 mm | 105 mm | |
| 2001 | Sedan | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 2001 | Hatchback | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 2000 | Sedan | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 2000 | Hatchback | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 1999 | Hatchback | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 1999 | Sedan | 1410x1705x4250 mm | 105 mm | |
| 1998 | Sedan | 1420x1710x4420 mm | 150 mm | |
| 1998 | Hatchback | 1415x1710x4216 mm | 150 mm | |
