Looking at a car to flip, Mercury Mystique...

[ShadowFromHell]

A buddy of mine hit me up today wanting to know if I knew anyone who wanted to buy his sisters mercury mystique 4 banger. It blew the HG, the HG was replaced (no idea what else... but can/will find out) and now it has no compression on 3 holes. Dont know if that means low, or none. I really need more info... I do know the guy that did the HG, and I dont know if I would let him work on my cars. Im thinking he may have messed up the cam timing when it got put back together? I cant imagine it got put back together with a head/block cracked so bad it has no compression.

Are these cars easy to work on or a nightmare? I am looking to make a quick buck, and the local wreckers are wanting $500 for a new motor, so I would like to salvage what is there.

Any insight would be great!

Thanks
Dustin

[cordes]

Isn't the mystique the same thing as the contour? I'm willing to be a good pick n' pull would have about 50 of those in there. If you can get the car and another motor for cheap enough being a pain to work on may be worth it (I don't know if they are).

[Under pressure]

Stay away , they suck to work on unless you have a lift , even then , I worked as a ford tech and we called them mistakes.

[RattFink]

Yes, the mercury mistake lol. Everyone I know hates working on them, I've personally never touched one.

[Under pressure]

I seem to remember changing an engine harness and a radiator , the preferred method to r and r the radiator was to drop the cradle and take it out from underneath. As a car to flip , think about your time and how much the car is worth fixed , not much in that case. A buddy of mine bought a VW turbo beetle to flip and he's been finding out the hard way about big expensive parts. Look for a Honda or Toyota to flip , you'll be better off. IMHO. Best of luck.

[ShadowFromHell]

I normaly stick to flipping TM's because I know them and have alot of parts. This one kinda fell into my lap. Any thoughts on the timing issue?

[butchsuppe]

Yea the Merc Mistake is a PITA to work on. Been there done that while working at Ford dealerships. There's a good reason there's hardly any left anymore.

[86Shelby]

Run away. Fast. <- coming from yet another exFord technician.

[RattFink]

A guy at my work today was talking about how the wire harness under the hood on those usually just start disenegrating and causing all sorts of problems. I would check the blue book on it, estimate what is would cost to fix + price of car, and see if you can make it out ahead.

[Matt86]

Mercury Mistakes and Ford Cuntwhores are terrible....thank god almost all of them are off the road......

Ford used a special "recycled" wire insulation made from corn starch and it dissolves overtime causing all kinds of electrical caos. Not to mention the transmissions, engines...well everything about them sucks.

[84omni]

I think contours and mystiques are not to bad to work on. I to work at a ford dealership and have bought four of them to flip from custumers not wanting to sink the money into them. I currently have one sitting in my driveway that I bought with a bad head gasket that i plan on driving when I get rid of my other car. I have sold the ones i fixed up for $1500-$2000 easily doubling my money.

[dodgeshadowchik]

The SVT contours were pretty cool...

but that doesn't help you. LOL

Here's a pretty picture that also does not help.


If it was me, I'd probably just so the salvage engine route, as it sounds like he probably messed up the head. Those are interference engines...
but yeah, check blue book and weigh that against the time/money you'll be investing.

[bris09]

Thought the wiring harness issue was just on the earlier cars. I have a 99 Contour SE and the harness is in great shape. Car has 147,000 miles and still going strong.

I'd always heard the V6 cars are the ones that are nightmares to work on. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the guy just screwed up the exhaust cam timing. Depending on how much they want for the car it might be worth it.

[Boltthrower]

I think contours and mystiques are not to bad to work on. I to work at a ford dealership and have bought four of them to flip from custumers not wanting to sink the money into them. I currently have one sitting in my driveway that I bought with a bad head gasket that i plan on driving when I get rid of my other car. I have sold the ones i fixed up for $1500-$2000 easily doubling my money.

Contours are the only car my girlfriends parents will buy. Her dad likes to tinker with'em. Personally I think they're ugly as sin but pretty peppy with a stick. My girls car just hit 290000 miles on it. I'm pretty sure it still has the original clutch!lol. Both her parents contours have 200000+ miles to boot. Maybe they got the only good ones? They were 4 bangers btw.

the v6 is a nightmare though. They got a low mile one for cheap and it was an electrical headache. Ended up junkin it.

[RoadWarrior222]

Okay, what's to watch out for on these maintenance wise. A relly of mine is sorta getting stuck with one and is desperate for a car... it's sort of hooked up with a trade for a sunfire he wrote off... long story... he's the sort that won't take any advice to RUN AWAY now, but will come crying to me when it's broke...

[fishcleaner]

what you want is a Mercury Mistress