It’s amazing how some cars that were once on every street corner disappear overnight, but when was the last time you saw a Mk 4 Ford Escort that wasn’t an XR3i or RS Turbo model?
 
Chances are, you can’t remember, because by its very nature, unassuming, inexpensive family transport tends to fall by the wayside when the maintenance bills get too high.

That’s not the case for ‘Poppy’, though, who has led a charmed life. Poppy was ordered new from E. Ward (Wellingborough) Limited on 26 April, 1988. Costing £6,407, she was delivered to her first owner in Rushden, Northants, a week later. A basic Ford Escort Popular, just one option was ticked on the spec sheet – a set of branded Ford mudflaps that are still on the car today.

Poppy’s owner wasn’t much of a driver, and Poppy the Popular (which is as basic as a Mk 4 Escort got) was used only for weekly shopping trips and an annual trip to Dorset with her daughter, meaning the mileage stayed very low and the car spent most of its time in the garage, which goes a long way to explaining why it still looks as good as it does today.
 
She was a fastidious owner, though and every piece of sales literature and documentation was retained, including the business card of the salesman who arranged the sale, a recall notice from the dealer, and various other documents including, notably, the original order form and bill of sale. Every MOT is also included as well as documentation for other work.
 
Poppy’s original owner had her for 30 years, until she passed away in 2018, and the car has had two owners since – the most recent of whom bought it for nostalgic reasons having owned a near-identical Escort when he was a student. He’s only driven 147 miles in the car, but is moving soon to a property without a garage and would much rather Poppy went to a home where she can enjoy being properly tucked away for the winter.

 

BEFORE YOU BUY 

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following: 

✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions.. 

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee  be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates. 

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind. 

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's fee. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing. 

✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence. 

✓ We also check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed on Car & Classic and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and it is always worthwhile carrying out your own  full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle. 

✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection 

or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it’s worth checking beforehand..