Some weeks, I don’t set out to do a theme, but one finds me anyway. This is our second day in a row of one-make Showdowns, so I guess I’ll just run with it. Today’s cars both come from Ford’s now-defunct Mercury brand, and they’re both bargains.
Yesterday we were looking at two VW convertibles, and it looks like the newer Mk3 model is the runaway winner. I’m not surprised; it’s cheaper by a thousand bucks, newer by a decade and a half, and significantly less ratty around the edges. Seems like an easy choice.
Except … I’m still drawn to that old crisp-edged Giugiaro styling. And I know the older water-cooled VW mechanicals pretty well. I’d want to make sure the rust isn’t too advanced, but if it checks out, I think I’d rather lavish attention on the ’85 model. If it’s significantly worse than it is in pictures, though, the ’01 could be a good substitute. Stock-height suspension parts can’t be that expensive, can they?
Automotive history is littered with defunct brands, but it’s a little surprising how many we’ve lost in the past few decades. And not just flashes in the pan like Merkur and Eagle, but well-established brands. Plymouth is gone. Oldsmobile and Pontiac too. All of American Motors got swallowed up by Chrysler, and nothing survived except Jeep. And over at Ford, the long-running Mercury brand was declared superfluous and put out to pasture in 2011. Many of Mercury’s models were just Fords with funny grilles, but the brand did have a few cars all to itself over the years. Today, we’re going to look at one Mercury that was a Ford clone, and one that was only ever a Mercury.
1993 Mercury Capri – $1,400
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Klamath Falls, OR
Odometer reading: 133,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Ford is a huge international company, and one benefit of that long reach is that it can pull cars from all over the world to import as needed. When Mazda’s Miata turned out to be a hit, Ford decided to fight back with its own little roadster. Luckily, the perfect candidate was available on the other side of the planet: the Australian-built Ford Capri. The Capri shared some Mazda DNA with the Miata; it’s powered by a version of the same engine, but it’s front-wheel-drive instead of rear. It also doesn’t have nearly the following that the Miata does, so it can be found for a lot cheaper.
The Capri is based on the Australian Ford Laser, which is in turn based on the Mazda Familia/323 platform. It’s powered by Mazda’s B6 1.6-liter four, almost the same engine as the early Miata, only with a little less power and without the cool Italian-looking valve cover. You could get it with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual; this one has the manual. It runs and drives great, according to the seller, but they don’t tell us much else.
The interior is in really good shape, it looks like. Someone may have been a little over-zealous with the Armor All; that dash top is awfully shiny. But over-Armor-Alled is better than dried-out and cracked. By the way, unlike the Miata, the Capri actually has a teeny-tiny back seat. You’d have to really dislike your friends to make them ride back there, but it’s there.
Outside, it’s a good ten-footer. There are some cracks in the front bumper, and a few dings and dents here and there, but the paint is shiny, and there’s no rust. It has new tires on it, and it also comes with a set of studded snow tires for the winter. Oregon doesn’t use road salt, so it shouldn’t have any rust to speak of.
1994 Mercury Tracer Wagon – $2,200
Engine/drivetrain: 1.9-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 153,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
When the Ford Escort came to America in 1981, Mercury’s version was called the Lynx, following Mercury’s cat-themed naming convention of the time. But in 1987, Mercury dropped the Lynx in favor of the Tracer, a completely different car based on the BF-platform Mazda 323. In 1991, the Escort and Tracer were reunited on the Mazda BG platform, and there they remained for more than a decade. This little fuchsia wagon is exactly the same thing as a Ford Escort, with the exception of some trim and badges.
The base model Escort and Tracer are powered by a 1.9-liter Ford CVH four-cylinder, in this case backed by a four-speed automatic. The combination is about as exciting as plain oatmeal, but it’s reliable and it gets great mileage. This one has a nearly-new timing belt and runs great, though the seller says it’s “loud.” I’m guessing some exhaust work is needed.
The interior is in good shape, and the seller says everything works, including the air conditioning. I’m sure by now you’ve noticed the motorized seat belts, but what’s even stranger is that it also has a driver’s side airbag. Ford didn’t redesign the Escort and Tracer for non-motorized seat belts until 1997; the 1994-96 models take a belt-and-suspenders approach.
It’s in nice shape outside overall, and you certainly won’t lose it in a parking lot. It’s missing the front hubcaps, and I’m pretty sure the rears aren’t the originals. The headlights could use polishing or replacing, but that’s typical of a car this age.
Both of these look like really good deals to me, if you’re in the market for a cheap car. Either one should be nice and reliable, and neither one will use much gas. It just depends on what you need: are you more in the mood for a sporty convertible, or a handy little wagon?
Recent experience with a Capri – my son daily’d one for three years and ran up 40,000 miles on the clock.
For convertible stuff, it was great. Good looking, easy-going, somewhat nimble. That covers spring and fall here in Wisconsin.
For sports car stuff, it was slow, though at least the row-your-own gearbox added something to do while waiting for 60mph to be achieved.
For daily driving it was subpar – the usual convertible challenges with heating and cooling a mobile tent. His started at just 40k miles and always seemed to have some little thing going wrong. Parts are getting scarce and more expensive. He often had to daily his Model A when the Capri was down.
I still voted for it over the shoebox of sadness that is an automatic Tracer.
https://itisgood.org/auto-biography/#93Mercury
I like that someone still ‘dailies’ a Model A as a reliable backup to a modern Japanese vehicle.
Adelaide is a good old gal, and generally gets it done. When she breaks, she’s easy to fix and can generally be convinced to limp home.
https://itisgood.org/auto-biography/#29FordPickup
Sharing in Jason’s delight for such minutiae, I’m certain those are Escort wagon instead of Tracer wagon taillights. This jaundiced brain vaguely recalls the Mercury having all-red lenses instead of the Ford’s amber turn signals.
It’s an easy swap, they’re directly interchangeable and the Tracer wagons had separate bulbs anyway.
Both for me. That era Tracer wagon was my first car when I no longer lived at home or in a dorm. And it could fit ANYTHING. I hated the one-piece switch set they used for all of the steering column controls, but it was darn reliable.
But the Capri was the car I wanted when I saw them in that era. Had almost that same Lotus Elan feel as the Miata if you weren’t picky.
Wow! These are flashback prices! Usually anything that runs and has been beaten to trash is listed for $3,000 or more.
Ah! Oregon cars. Their cars last so much longer up there.
Today is a case of “If I didn’t…”
If I didn’t daily a Miata right now, I’d be all over the Capri. It’s novel and would probably be fun.
If I didn’t just get a car for my kids, I’d be all over the Tracer. It’s slow, utilitarian, and uncool enough that it would be a decent enough first car.
I always liked this generation of Escort-Tracer, especially the wagon, but I already have a practical car so convertible it is!
BTW, Ford kept the buzz belts in the Escort rather than certifying the normal ones with NHTSA, there was no need to do any engineering since Canadian-spec cars made on the same line always had the regular seat belts.
If I would have known this 25 years ago, I’d have been searching for Canadian parts! HATED those belts. Finally got them to fail in the “driving” position, cut the power and just unbuckled them every time.
I dig some wagons, but certainly not the little fellers like this. The Capri was not great as I recall, but if it runs and drives OK, I feel like I would love it a lot more than the tracer. I would probably spend a couple grand getting it perfect, if that is still possible from a parts stand point and let my little one learn stick in it. FWD will still work fine in the winter for her.
Thanks to the MR2, in my head the Capri is rear-engine RWD, even years later having worked on some of these as a lube tech, by brain still starts with them being rear-engined. I guess ownership is the only way to fix this deep flaw in my psyche, so Capri it is! I’d look hilarious in such a tiny car.
I mean it should have been, but it came about in the time that everything was going FWD. it was fine for all weather driving as long as it had some sort of torque vectoring system, but it really hurt handling everywhere else. Surely it could have been about as easy for the designers of this and the Reatta to take a FWD transaxle and engine and stuff it back there.
I didn’t care much for the Capri at the time, but it’s got 80’s radness and it’s Mazda guts and pop-up headlights, so it could be a fun hobby. Ford made the prettiest little wagons in that era. I like the Capri too. Some paint “correction”, trim re-emblackening and decent wheels (or covers) would make a big difference.
Capri. It’s cool for what it is, and they look better in person. If a Miata is a Porsche 356, the Capri is a 914 – not as iconic, but still cooler than most things on the road.
I had a ’74 Capri, the original style, and loved it, so I went for this one also. Plus I’m a dedicated rag top fan, so, easy choice.
Capri, just so I can annoy a certain British writer/auto designer who may occasionally write for this website.
Esp if you get to say its name out loud.
In an over-the-top British accent.
“I ‘ave a right proper Capri too!’
Maybe the Autopian can buy this and make him drive it whenever he’s made the hop across the pond, because he’s such a noted fan of the model.
An autopian existential punishment fleet is should be a business expansion goal – this Capri for Adrian, a Jeep Commander for David, a mid-tier Nissan Rogue for Jason…
I was expecting this to be a tough choice, until I saw the motorized belts. Then I saw the Both button… still hard pass on the Tracer.
Both!
It’s an “I’ll walk” day . . .
Even though the Capri is more “desirable” I can’t in full consciousness vote for it. One of these pulled out in front of me back in ’97 and as a result my Del Sol was totaled. Wagon it is…
Once again, not a convertible guy.
But it’s cheaper, like throw-away money, manual, decent shape. It would be fun to cruise around with the top down once in a great while when it isn’t freezing or hot-humid.
I had a Capri like that exactly. Loved it. Snow tires in Wisconsin winter and you had a go cart. They put the ECU under the AC condenser behind the dashboard. Of course it crapped it out and the replacement cost was crazy town. But I miss it and the kids were little then and actually fit in the backseat for top down trip to Kopps Custard stand.
Also I forgot : pop up headlights always win me very every time
Kopps! The superior choice. I could see that being a fun li’l hoon.
Meh – don’t want either. Voted Capri – its cheaper.
The Capri is a screaming deal, and I was going to smash it until I saw the price on the Tracer. The color doesn’t do much for me, and the lack of hubcap doesn’t help but I can’t deny that these things were surprisingly stout little warriors known for long miles. Yeah, that’s a good winter beater right there – went both.
I always liked the Capri (and yay 5 speed) and I kinda miss my 92 Escort wagon, so both.
Double take when I saw the “Both” option, because today’s the day for it. Cheap as they both are, why not? I’ve paid more for worse vehicles.
Sad realization: I have paid more for worse vehicles.
It’s ok, we all have.
Feeling Capricious today and I’ve never paid for an Escort, so baby ragtop for $1400, Alex, but no Daily Double.
Back in the day I failed at financing an Escort.
Put ’em both in my garage. Business on the left, party on the right!
I’ll take ’em both. Cruising in the drop-top, and commuting in the longroof!