Mercury Tracer

Summary:
This is only a good choice if you can't find a comparably priced Honda, Toyota or just about any other make. I guess if the buyer is on an extremely tight budget or can negotiate a great deal it might be possible to tolerate this vehicle for a year or so until a more appropriate vehicle was found.

Strengths:
Good headroom. Reasonable gas mileage.

Weaknesses:
We got this car as a loaner while our Civic was being repaired. What a disappointment. The engine growls and the automatic transmission clunks into gear. The windows don't fit snugly. To open the passenger door from the inside you have to pop the door lever. No gas cap lock inside or outside, no heating strip in the rear window to remove ice or frost. This is one cheaply constructed econobox and the decontented plastic interior makes our Civic Ex feel like a Lexus. I can't believe Ford/Mercury is foisting this vehicle on the public. Small wonder that sales of Detroit cars are down while the japanese and Germans make further in-roads. lest anyone think I am a pawn of the foreign car cartel, I have owned three Detroit vehicles including another Ford that were decent vehicles (except for the 1980 Pontiac Sunbird).

Similar Products Used:
Honda Civic, Mazda Protege, Volkswagen Golf/Jetta, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort and Toyota Tercell

Price Paid:  $12500.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
1999 mercury tracer

Summary:
When I first got the car in Feb. of 2000 it had 19,000 miles on it. That was a little much, but I needed a car then. It ran okay for about the first whole year. Around the summer time of 2001 I started to have some problems. I put about 30k miles on my car in a year in a half.

Strengths:
I really can''t think of any.

Weaknesses:
A couple months after i bought my tracer two of the four tires wet bad and they needed to be replaced. They said that one tire had a slow leak and wasn''t fixable and the other tire had a piece of metal stuck in it for a while. Then in Dec. of 2000 my car started to shake when it idles. It still shakes to this day, but it shakes a lot more. They say that all of the Escorts and Tracer will eventually end up shaking. Then over the summer of 2001 I needed to get my fuel injector cleaned. Now my car (in between the miles of 30-60 mph) jolts every once in a while, but only in overdrive and not in drive. No one can figure out what is wrong with my car. I have had a full engine inspection and a full transmission inspection and still no one seems to know what is wrong with my car. HELP PLEASE!!!!

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $10500.00 from North County Ford

Summary:
I bought my Tracer used with 13,000 miles on it. I haven't had a problem with it other than the ignition locked up when I purchased a new key. I am a former Ford Mechanic, so I know the ins and outs of most of the models. I get awesome gas milage and the car runs great! Ohter than the usual maintenance, I have no problems with my little beast. I just wish they offered more performance mods for it. It has 55,000 miles on it now, and I plan on putting another 50,000 on it before I get rid of it. I think it is very important for those of you who don't know a thing about these cars to learn how to take care of them. So many drivers, not enough intellegence to keep their cars in the proper running condition.

Strengths:
5 speed manual transmission, 2.0L 11o horsepower motor, and economy to boot! I love it!!!!

Weaknesses:
No power locks or power windows in my model and no CD player!

Similar Products Used:
Geo metro - automatic transmission dogged out after 20K miles.

Price Paid:  $10000.00 from used card dealer, Da

Summary:
i got this car in Dec 99 when it was 6 months old with 6K miles on it. It was a steal as it had lost almost 4K from the brand new price. its a nice car to drive / good power for its type.

Strengths:
good mileage( not great as others claim). I get 25-27 mpg in the city and may be 28-30 on highway.) .good for parking in small places. nice curvy shape. easy to clean.good braking / good AC.

Weaknesses:
vibrates a bit more than japanese compact cars( but then those are 5 K more expensive for same age). I had to change the alternator at 34K, and 3.5 years.( car life)

Similar Products Used:
toyota corolla/ nissan sentra/mazda protege

Price Paid:  $16000.00 from Dearborn Ford

Year / Model Reviewed:
1999 Tracer Wagon

Summary:
Why did Ford quit making this car? It has over 100k miles and has never had a recall or been back to the dealership for repairs. I have owned lots of cars/trucks but none compare to this one. Oil changes and brakes are all it has needed since I bought it 4 years ago.

Strengths:
Very reliable even with 100K miles. Excellent paint and trim quality. Mine is the tracer sport-wagon with 15 inch wheels. 30MPG average highway/city.

Weaknesses:
It is not a race car, freeway on-ramps can be a challenge to get up to speed. No real weaknesses, going to hate to give up this car.

Similar Products Used:
Grand Marquis, Olds98, Chevy s-10, Plymouth Reliant, Jeep.