1986 Mercury

Wagon

4 Cylinder 1.9 Liter

Manual

1MEBP5897GW640409

Gasoline

I bought this car at an auction in California after it had been sitting for a long time. I got it to run really great, and I have used it to move boxes and packages for low cost. I get about 28-30 mpg on the highway. In the last 6 months, I have personally driven the car to L.A. with no problems eight or so times, and it goes from Sac to Reno a lot. It is the last year model that the Escort/Lynx* had a carburetor. I'm selling it because I prefer an automatic, and because I want to get something a little nicer, and because I don't have time to tinker with it anymore. The car is currently registered and tagged in NEVADA until July 2011. I drive between Sacramento area and Reno area. For the month of October, the car will be in the Sacramento area. The title will say it is/was previously a salvage vehicle. It wouldn't pass smog in California, so the first owner removed the carb, let it sit in the garage for a long time, and finally had it towed to a salvage yard without ever fixing it. I bought it and saved it from the crusher. THE GOOD: I have driven the car about 12,000 miles in the last 6 months. The following are the major points about the car I have noticed during that time: * Starts first turn, idles great, clutch is perfect, shifts perfect. * Good power even going up the grapevine in L.A. and over the Donner Summit. * Escort GT 6 inch rims with 195x65x15 HR tread 7/32 out of 9/32 tread.--makes the handling tight. * Upgraded to a luxury driver's seat for extra comfort when driving. * New water pump * New timing belt * New tires * New battery * New hoses * New belts * New coolant * New alternator * New distributor and control module * Before starting to drive it, I had the carb rebuilt with a lifetime warranty. * Wipers are new * Oil Changed every 3000 miles since I have had it. * ZERO rust. * OPTIONAL solid plywood bed deck for hauling heavier items. IF YOU WANT THE PLYWOOD BED ADD $100 TO THE final BID PRICE. * New muffler and tailpipe with lifetime warranty. * The A/C blows ice cold, no leaks. Runs perfect. It's the original R-12 system. * New master cylinder and brake booster. The fluid was purged and replaced completely. * Plugs were changed. I think the wires were changed too when that was done. * Most of the vacuum hoses have been changed. * When I put it on the road, I had to have a complete inspection. You will get a copy of that. THE BAD: * The car leaks oil around the valve cover gasket. I had it changed once by a neighbor, but he used a rubber gasket and didn't tighten it up enough. You have to add 1 quart about ever 500 miles or so. It's annoying, but very predicable. * The car leaks power steering fluid. You have to add P.S. fluid every 500-1000 miles. I think it's the hose that's leaking. * On my last trip back from L.A. with the car loaded down the rear springs started to get a spongy feeling. It's time to replace them. I would recommend doing the shocks as well when the springs are done. Before this last trip, the car handled great. The "buy it now" price includes replacing the rear springs. * No airbag. * Plain Jane AM-FM radio. That's all you got. * The rear brake pad wear indicators just started "chirping" intermittently. It will need new rear pads soon. * The is no cruise control on the car. * To fix the oil leak, you should replace the valve cover gasket with a CORK gasket and use a sealer. THE UGLY: OK. So the car ain't a beauty queen, but I've seen worse. I would be happy driving it across country just like it is, and I have driven it a lot to haul stuff. I have depended on the car to deliver packages day after day, and it has done a great job. The clear coat on the hood, and the roof is starting to fail. There is a dent in the rear lift gate, and various dents on the car, but nothing serious. The carpet is stained. The seats are not ripped up, but they look weathered. The original driver's seat--which is in storage has a small tear in the bottom seat cushion that could be easily repaired. The dash is cracked, but i put a dash cover on it. The center caps on the wheels are missing. OPTIONS: Options: 4 Door Wagon, Manual 5 Speed Transmission, Front Wheel Drive, Air Conditioning, AM/FM Radio, Car Cover. SO WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE? If you are looking for a cheap car to haul things around--much cheaper than using a truck, this car is worth looking at. If you have some mechanical aptitude and don't mind periodically tinkering, you will be happy with this car. If you take care of it, this car has many years of good service left. Drive it yourself and see. The weather was terrible today, so I only took a few pics. I will post more in the next few days. I really liked that it was simple enough that I could fix it myself for the most part. IF YOU WILL PAY THE GAS, I"M WILLING TO DRIVE IT TO YOU WITHIN A 12 HOUR DRIVE. IT's worth it to see the car go to a good home. PAYPAL DEPOSIT: To ensure completion of the transaction, a $250.00 paypal deposit is required 48 hours after the end of the auction. You MUST pick up the vehicle within 7 days unless you make specific to pick up the vehicle at a later time. RIGHT TO CANCEL AUCTION IF SELLS LOCALLY: This car is listed locally on craig's list. I reserve the right to cancel this auction if the car is sold locally. * The Mercury Lynx and the Ford Escort were essentially the same car with slight variations in external and internal trim.