Re: Turning Trader?

[Kwattro@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-08-17 03:56:23 EDT, you write:

<< First off, they are rear wheel drive, not front drive.  Secondly it is NOT
a
 ford mustanfg on steriods.  It is turbocharged, but reliabilty as I've
heard,
 is not that great.  Here in Michigan you don't see hardly any (I personally
 haven't seen on in over a year and I drive ALOT!  Fun to drive, that
depends.
  How much do you like turbo lag...
 
 -Ingo Rautenberg
 '90 V8q 181k >>


In a more....optomistic light, these cars are pretty damn fast.  It is the
same 2.3 16v (I believe) turbo that is found in the Probe GT (early models)
the Mustang SVO and the Merkur Xr14ti.    There is one near my house.  An odd
looking car, I would describe it best as a "lump" of something.  But having
riden in similarly equipt 'Tangs and Probes, I must say that many of the
non-turbo owners on the list would have a hard problem keeping up in a
straight line.  I raced a probe GT a while ago,  and I had him, in first
gear.  Then he hit boost in second, and laughed as he left me behind.  The
Probe was a pretty reliable car, as was the Mustang, but I am unaware of teh
Merkurs rep.  The Mustang was discontinued due to high costs compared to the
5.0 (it was 4 or 5K more new.) There are several Merkur clubs and tuners, all
of which offer suspension upgrades, larger turbos, and lighter checkbooks.
 They are pretty easy to hop up, from what I've heard, like 5.5-6 sec 0-60
sprints.  And technically, it is a Ford Mustang on steroids, although the
mustang is pretty masked.  It's the same basic platform, with the same
engine. Just like any other car (including our beloved audis...) they have
problems (turbo lag, indeed, but so do all turbos, sans the newest
examples.).  All in all, it does depend on what you like, but this isn't a
car to be discredited.  The reason Merkur left the US was, to put it bluntly,
because of American ignorance.  'Course, that's just my opinion!  :-)

Carter J
Kwattro@aol.com