or just need to settle down and get married:

I've notice at merkurdesktop.com several old merkurs XR4ti (I used to own one) selling for $450--$1,200.

I've done some financial calculations how I could buy one, uprgrade brakes/headlights/grill, and store it in a local garage until next year (when my A4 is paid off), then, spend $6,000 for a V8 upgrade (cost includes swap kit, 5.0 engine with ford's gt40 package, tranny, labor). Then, in late 04 or june-july of 05...move out da hood.

And yes, I'll still have the A4 and plan to keep it until the car falls apart.

move outta the hood now! leave philly, move to a real city, like chicago! hehe

stage III.

That money could be better spent on some other project car. Of course we all have our own likes and dislikes!

Personally, I would like to find my old 83GTI, restore it and do a complete VR6 turbo conversion! :)

I might trade it in for a S3 one day

I was in Philly for the 1st time last summer, and took a pic from the same place your sig pic is taken from. My question is... is it legal to bring a car up there ?? :)

Earnie

a friend of mine had one of these albatrosses around his neck for years. The car started as a lemon and is impossibly expensive to repair and worth nothing no matter how much money you sink into it.

If you're gonna lay out small change for a foreign sportscar, Porsche 914's and 924's are a better bet and some can be found in that price range. The repair costs will be just as sky-high, but at least parts are available and no one will ask you if its a Mercury.

either a 944T or Rx-7.

good out of the box.

I have some very fond memories in that care, including a VERY dumb cheerleader in college who thought it was a Masarati. Yeah it is, smell the Italian leather?? Riiiight!

Honestly I put well over 100K miles on mine with minor problems, oil pump and various electrical gremlins so I can't complain about it being unreliable. I owned the car for 6 years but spent a fair amount of money on mods and upkeep. In general those cars have a poor service and reliability record, Ford had a LOT of Turbo problems in the earlier models as well as electrical issues. For two years my "information center" didn't work except for the low fuel light which would stay on all the time.

I do know of one guy that put in a 5.0L and modified the car for the track. He ran it for a few years before totaling it in a track event but it was a decent all-around performer.

drive right at the art muesum, drive up the hill, and as soon as you get to the top of the hill, make a left, and follow the one-way signs till you get to the front of the art museum.

The best time to do it to avoid the crowds and weekend parking fees is after 4pm during the week, 5pm on weekends.

I blew a chance last year of taking a pic of my car with the new Porsche Boxster S that some professional photographer was taking pictures of.

cross, drag strip.

BUT, the XR4 looks sssssoooooooooooo much better than a 'stang.

Get a late 80's stang and for $5k you could have a pretty fast car!

Any fool can go fast in a straight line. Another reason why I looked at the Merkur (until all of you good folks reminded me why I sold mine!!!) was it's IRS.

The stang's solid rear axle is somewhat of a turn off (haven't drive a solid rear axle car since my 1980 firebird with 400cid olds engine). But, if I get one, I plan to spend more in suspension mods than engine mods (and the mods will not be that much).

wouldnt support for one of those be a nightmare down the road?