1988 Merkur XR4Ti review from North America
"I wish I could buy a new one, today"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
From the stories I have heard, I have been quite lucky with my XR4. Though, these were my problems:
Rotors kept warping and needed replacement.
Sensors would fail. e.g. coolant level, front disc break warning light, oil pressure, fuel level and temp gauges, parking break indicator.
I got leaks in the radiator, head gasket, rocker arm cover gasket. My mechanic told me that the leaks are small, so I just top up the fluids.
My cooling fan was not switching on when the car got hot so I started blowing hoses every few months until I got it fixed.
I lost my A/C because the heat from the turbo fried the compressor hose.
Nothing mechanical really. I do need a new steering rack, but I drives fine the way it is.
General comments?
Like all other Merkur owners, I just love this car. I have had it for about 13 years and do not plan on every getting rid of it. I want to buy another one for spare parts.
The car drives like a dream. Smooth, quick, and handle great. Though, I have had problem driving the car in some snow storms (who cares?).
The car is very comfortable and its cargo capacity is only out matched by a cube van.
The styling of the car still look modern.
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| The best car Ford has ever made |
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| Happiness needn't cost much |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 1989 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3 turbo Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 5000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 123800 kilometres |
| Previous car | Dodge Aries |
| Date of Entry | 25th April, 2002 |