General Information
Year
1997
Make
Mercury
Model
XR7 30th Anniversary Florida Retiree Golfer Editio
Color
Dark Toreador Red (what else?)
Packages
All off them. And it's got a coach roof, Opera lights! A targa band! chrome Fender lip mouldings!
History
This car exemplifies everything I hate about dealer package cars. Everything I hate that people do to Mercurys in the name of "Style" it's the type of car I'd never be seen dead in. And I got low standards ;)
It was listed on eBay from a Florida wholesaler.
But I needed a car. It was within my price range. Had a clean car fax and history. Previously owned by a elderly retiree couple . It was 10 minutes away from a friends house so I was able to have it inspected prior to buying it and since he was coming to visit about 5 weeks later I got it delivered for free. And despite it not being MY style I got a lot of compliments on it. Blue haired women would stop their walkers dead in their tracks and throw me their room keys. If they ever invent the term GGILF THIS would be the bootymobile. Life is weird.
And for a car purchased over the Internet, out of state and sight unseen it turned out to be a great daily driver. I racked up over a 100K in eight years with very little maintenance needed. Other than a the intake, a set of plug wires. One battery, One loaded caliper and two rotors, springs all around. It just kept going and going like the Energizer Kitty. But 8 years of ohio winter eventually took their tool. Always started and ran great. And it was only on the hook one when the lower ball joints broke.
The pics are of it sitting waiting to get parted. Mostly posted as a PSA as how not to accessorize a car.
It was listed on eBay from a Florida wholesaler.
But I needed a car. It was within my price range. Had a clean car fax and history. Previously owned by a elderly retiree couple . It was 10 minutes away from a friends house so I was able to have it inspected prior to buying it and since he was coming to visit about 5 weeks later I got it delivered for free. And despite it not being MY style I got a lot of compliments on it. Blue haired women would stop their walkers dead in their tracks and throw me their room keys. If they ever invent the term GGILF THIS would be the bootymobile. Life is weird.
And for a car purchased over the Internet, out of state and sight unseen it turned out to be a great daily driver. I racked up over a 100K in eight years with very little maintenance needed. Other than a the intake, a set of plug wires. One battery, One loaded caliper and two rotors, springs all around. It just kept going and going like the Energizer Kitty. But 8 years of ohio winter eventually took their tool. Always started and ran great. And it was only on the hook one when the lower ball joints broke.
The pics are of it sitting waiting to get parted. Mostly posted as a PSA as how not to accessorize a car.
1997 Mercury XR7 30th Anniversary Florida Retiree Golfer Editio (Dark Toreador Red (what else?))
Modifications
Drivetrain
Obligatory Dorman intake, Motorcraft Wires. Rust and dust. Rare Factory Oil pan Delete. I'm not going to say the pan leak was bad. But the last couple of months I drove this car it was regularily picketed by both the Sierra Club and GreenPeace. Although what I spent in oil I've saved in driveway sealer. So every cloud has a silver lining. It's nick name in its final days was the Valdez.
Interior
Full leather. Full power. Fully worn at 180k. Wisely the dealer left the inside alone. Premium sound with a tape deck and moon roof. SATC, Autolamp, Power antenna (non functional of course). Many many road trips in this car. Many fond memories. It's better bits will live on in the new daily driver.
Exterior
Faux Coach top. Or is it a Real fake top? Fender lip mouldings. Genuine neon coach lamps. A brushed stainless targa band for some pulse quickening sportiness. I suspect it would have a trunk mounted luggage rack if the original dealer hadn't screwed up and ordered it with a deck lid spoiler. And dealer accessory cougar moulded mud flaps that I installed. Back when you could still buy them. Factory moon roof rocker delete option.
Suspension
The suspensions good with Moog springs all around. New lower control arms. New uppers. And sway bar links in the last few years. If not for the fact I need it to roll around the driveway I would have robbed the suspension parts for my new Daily Driver. The unit body itself is essentially ferrous powder held together by cobwebs at this point.
Wheel and Tire
Fabulous Douglas GT Tourings.
