Imagine, if you will, a 1995 Mercury Mystique LS, COMPLETELY loaded. Bought off the lot in Rosenberg brand new in early 1995. I love to drive the darn thing, and I think that 24 m.p.g. is okay for a 2.5 liter that runs well, but I was not prepared for the maintenance repair bills incurred during the first three years. Therefore I have concluded ....it is a piece of poop, and it stinketh !!!
replaced transmission at 80,000 miles.......$1741
hub/bearing retaining nut loosened(these nuts do not use cotter pins anymore) and ruined the front driver side wheel bearing and spindle at 50,000 miles......$300+
summer '98 - the front passenger side wheel hub/bearing nut loosened, ruining the wheel bearing and its race(just as the driver's side had). Service Manager rented us a pickup overnight and charged us $170.
Steering wheel "clock" ring failure at 80,000 miles, that meant no horn or cruise control....$270
air bag control module failure(declined to get it fixed, and I pray that God may keep us from a head-on collision).......$600
egr valve(declined to get it fixed also because the car runs fine and Dealer says it doesnt hurt anything)............................$300
the long taillight/reflector across the back of the trunk leaks water into the trunk still to this day, despite their valiant efforts while it was under warranty.......
These all happened before it was 3 years old, but the warranty had expired due to mileage. Always driven on paved roads, mostly highway driving....
They told me that sometimes things just break.......
Next time I'll buy a car with a warranty...but not a Mercury, and not from Gillman.
....I remember when i bought my first car, a '77 Malibu from them in Sharpstown back in high school....
Adios Amigos ! .....
Update Summer 2000:
Waterpump impeller is made of plastic I found out. It broke into 5 pieces and the car overheated before my wife knew what happened. This cracked the radiator and it had to be replaced. The mechanic also showed me where the wire insulation is flaking off and is completely gone under the hood in many places and all over underneath the car he said. Service manger at Gillman says it is something they KNEW ABOUT but I would have had to notice it and tell them before the vehicle had 100,000 miles on it. ....One of the selling points of the car was how the Mystique didn't even need a tune up until 100,000 miles.
Also had to replace an air conditioner hose and one of the radiator electric cooling fans froze up and had to replace the entire 2 fan assembly, but those things happen as a normal part of wear and tear on a vehicle. So see? I ain't TOTALLY unreasonable, am I???.....