1996 Mercury Villager review from North America
"Not the great deal consumer reports claimed it to be"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The BUTTONS FOR THE HEAT/AC are supposed to light up. They have lit up about twice since we've had the car. Took it to dealer, they claimed they couldn't find a problem.
Another problem we've had was an "off" NOISE IN THE ENGINE; again took it in, dealer said they couldn't find a problem except for some 160.00 belts that weren't included in the warranty.
Now, the TRANSMISSION is shot. No 2nd and 4th gear. Naturally, the car is no longer under warranty, so we're forking out nearly 4000.00 to get a new one. In speaking with someone who used to work with Mercury, we discovered that the transmission on the '96 is too small for the car; there have been many other complaints from other consumers.
General comments?
The car handles very well; great, tight turns.
It's hard to get the second seat out by oneself and the hooks where it attaches collect some serious kid dirt (cheerios, candy, etc).
Not as roomy as one would think.
Recommended reviews
| Most reliable car I've ever owned |
|
| A good value used, but buy a late model |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 6 miles |
| Most recent distance | 62000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Corsica |
| Date of Entry | 30th March, 2001 |