Almost all of the problems that I have had with this car are electrical, and there have been many. (The electrical system is made by Ford, so I'm told) Here's what I can remember over the past 4 years, but I'm certain there are several more:
Digital Dash shorted out.
Electric Door locks shorted out.
Headlight sockets burned out (3 times)
Taillight sockets burned out.
Radio lights failed (twice)
Turn signals failed (are failing for the second time)
In addition to electrical problems:
Water pump leaked and had to be replaced at 40,00 mile-just out of mfr warranty.
Gas pedal sticks intermittently.
Cupholders are worthless and break over and over again.
To add insult to injury, Mercury service was horrible! I finally started going to the Ford dealership for service. Then, when the warranty ran out, Ford would not service the car anymore! I now go to Nissan and I like them so well that I bought my daughter a Sentra to drive.
Gas mileage is disappointing: around 14.5 in town and 19 on the road. Substantially lower than advertised. My 3.8L T&C got 18 in town and over 21 on the highway, AND was much more powerful. The Villager is wimpy.
Mercury should be embarrassed to charge $800 for the incredibly poor "premium" sound system. The Chrysler Infinity sound system upgrade for about the same money is like comparing a $20 alarm clock radio to a Bose Wave Radio.
Things I really like about this car:
Driver's seat is much more comfortable than the T&C.
On-steering-wheel radio controls are a great feature.
Gas mileage is disappointing: around 15 in town and 19 on the road. Substantially lower than advertised. My 3.8L T&C got 18 in town and over 21 on the highway, AND was much more powerful.
Mercury should be embarrassed to charge $800 for the incredibly poor "premium" sound system. The Chrysler Infinity sound system upgrade for about the same money is like comparing a $20 alarm clock radio to a Bose Wave Radio.
I have owned 3 Chrysler minivans. I originally bought this car because new Chrysler minivans were becoming intolerably expensive, and to that end, I saved about $6,000 on this car vs. a comparably equipped Chrysler. My advice: pay the $6,000.
I am truly sorry you have had a bad experience with your van. We had a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan we bought one year old. The windows quit working, the cup holders broke, the radio had a short in it that we had to have fixed 5 times, the seat in the far most rear of the van would never catch right (if taken out). But a few years before that we had a great Caravan from 1986. We ran the wheels off of that little bugger! I am beginning to think that there are good and bad in every company. My brother swears by Ford, My husband's father by Chrysler. When my Father was alive, all he would by was a Ford product. He wouldn't be caught dead driving a Pontiac, BUT we had a Pontiac Grand Am that was a great little car. This is just my two cents worth, and I am certainly not trying to start anything, our little Villager is a gift from God.
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