1997 Mercury Mountaineer

5.0L 302Cu. In. V8 GAS OHV Naturally Aspirated

Automatic

4M2DU55P5VUJ47403

Up for bidding is my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer. I have owned it for three years and it has yet to let me down. It does wonders in heavy snow (winter of 2009 in East Tennessee had record lows and all kinds of snow) and it got me through some of the worst thunderstorms imaginable. I haven't really taken it off road, but I'm sure it would do great; especially since it has multiple skid plates. It hauls great, and I've towed a few vehicles and trailers behind it. It weighs about 4,500 lbs and can tow about the same weight. The Mountaineer still runs strong. It has an intermittent shudder at highway speeds (65-85Mph) . I have changed the automatic transmission fluid and filter, transfer case oil, front and rear axle oil, and many suspension parts but still can't figure out what causes the shudder. I suspect it could be something with the drivetrain, such as universal joints, driveshafts, or possibly inner tie rods. The rear axle looks like it might have shifted a half inch to the passenger side, but it has always been that way since we bought it. Maybe the previous owner pulled a little too much??? I purchased and have had the same set of tires on it since we bought it in 2009 and it has even wear all around. Unfortunately, the Mounty received some battle scars from some really bad hail. The windshield on the driver's side is cracked in several places and the hood looks like someone hit it with golf balls. It also has a few minor dents and scratches here and there that weren't caused by the hail. Passenger side mirror was hit prior to us owning it (all there and hardly noticeable but new glass had to be glued in place and wont move). New parts recently installed include spark plugs, spark plug wires, shocks (5 total--all around), outer tie rod ends, driver side wheel hub, driver side upper ball joint, thermostat, battery, and hood cylinders. New parts that come with vehicle but not installed include motor mounts, transmission mount, exhaust manifold gaskets, and a new (still in the plastic) a/c compressor assembly with related parts. I installed a new JVC CD player with a USB interface (can play ipods and charge phones/GPS) back in 2011. It has a factory amp and great speakers, but there is a problem with a relay or loose wire/ground somewhere near the fusebox that causes the radio to cut out when you hit a bump or pot hole. All in all, I hate to let this one go, but my family outgrew it and I don't really have the time anymore to give it the needed TLC it deserves. Thanks for viewing and happy bidding!!!