Used 1998 Mercury Tracer Consumer Reviews
Used Tracer for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1998 Tracer, so we've included reviews for other years of the Tracer since its last redesign.
98 tracer
stoman, 02/01/2012
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
over 200,000 miles still going strong
Look somewhere else
MF, 09/26/2003
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Had 1997 Tracer for six years, OK car first 3-4 yrs, then bent a rod at 110k miles, dealer estimated cost to repair at $5000+, said if it was not rod then was a damaged crankshft as that was also a common problem of these cars. Car was babied for all six years, oil change every 3000 miles etc, last three years had to put $900+ into repairs. If shopping for used economy car with 60,000 miles then stay away from the Tracer. it is not a reliable car.
1998 Mercury Tracer for sale near you
Showing 0 of 0 listings
Sorry, there are no 1998 Mercury Tracer vehicles for sale in our network.
See all 0 listings195,000 as still going
Trace, 04/28/2009
1998 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This has been a great car. It has great mileage. It is easy to service. It handles well in snow.
Love my little car
dolphin, 07/02/2008
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My car was a demo when we bought it. It has been a very good car and I plan on keeping it till the wheels fall off. It's fun to drive, and it has enough of power underneath the hood that I can have some fun with it. It has been a tough little car and as long as it gets me where I need to go then I will continue driving it.
100,000 and still going strong!
adliong, 12/11/2003
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
i have owned 5 cars before, and this tracer is my first american car, i was a bit doubtful when my friend told me that this was a very reliable car, so i did some research and he was right! JD Powers and MSN both say the same thing! this baby just keeps going! the only major repair i've done is a $30 outer tire rod replacement plus installation.
Dull design - but VERY reliable
Steven, 07/24/2009
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
bought the car for $2000 and had no problems other than recently in 2008 the rear springs/ shocks have all but given out forcing me to get a new car. it also idles hard with shaking and does not have any passing speed on highway, even with oil/filter/air changes ever 2000 miles, and new spark plugs, cables. paint was pealing off when purchased but has not gotten any worse since. never had a problem starting up in the dead of winter even after sitting around for about a month without a engin turnover. a bit dull on the overall design.
great car for the money
rob, 10/23/2009
1997 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for the past 12 years, bought it new. Great little car, very reliable, fantastic gas mileage. This little 4 banger is quick, fun to drive with a manual transmission. I routinely average high 30 MPG range, close to 40 on the highway. GREAT Car, had to replace clutch and alternator twice, but otherwise a great little car
Great
Great Little Car, 04/15/2010
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this car from a family member and I love it. I replaced the Transmission filter a couple months ago and never had a problem with it since. I drive it everyday and it is awesome. It is my 3rd car and I would buy another one if they still made them.
Mom loves hers!
budeth, 05/16/2013
1997 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Mom loves her Tracer. hers is automatic, but wasnt listed as an option for review. Shes got about 150k on it now and has never really had any major issues mechanically or otherwise. Last month it was running rough. I pinpointed some dry rotted hoses and lines, replaced them, and car runs like new again. Only just recently has it started slipping 1st gear while 1st getting started. After it warms its fine. Trans fluid level is fine, so may be solenoid or filter. Its overdue for that and a flush anyway. Great mpg! Not designed for taller people over 6'. With seat pushed back, I have to stretch my arms straight out to grab the steering wheel. Mom is short tho, so it fits her fine. Good car.
surpassed my expectations
My oh my!, 09/08/2005
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We bought this wagon as our second car/grocery getter because it was listed in Consumer Reports as a recommended used car buy, Edmunds had good things to say about it & (let's face it) it was inexpensive. We've owned it for a couple years now and we've had zero problems with it. It's fun to drive, easy to park & good on gas. My husband was prepared to hate it because it's a "wagon" but he has to admit that it's grown on him. He's commuted to work in it & was pleasantly surprised how well it performed for him. I would definitely buy one of these again!
I miss my Tracer!
maritajan, 08/31/2006
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This was the first new car I ever bought. I maintained it regularly, and at 198,000 miles, passed it to my 17 year old daughter this year. The transmission finally went out on the old darling. Except for regular, routine maintenance (brakes, oil changes, etc.), I never had a problem from my pretty Tracer. I miss it. R.I.P. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Loved it from 2 miles to 150,000 ...
girl from va, 05/05/2003
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This new car was a present for my 16th birthday in 1996. I drove that poor car as hard as possible from day one, and, other than oil changes, one set of new tires and new brakes, HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 135,000 MILES!!!! Amazing for a car of this price. Anyway, at 135K I replaced the (original!) battery at a non-dealership venue, and after that the speedometer & odometer d/n work. I do have to say, it's crazy to read horrible maintenance reviews of cars that retail for 2x-3x the original price of my Tracer when I was problem free for 6.5 years of hard driving. I will miss my Tracer!
Great Little Car
MECrawf, 04/01/2008
1997 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car has been in our family for over 6 years. We have 154000 miles on it and it's still running pretty good. We had to clean out the engine and had mechanical issues around 150000 miles but for the age and mileage it works great.
mercury tracer sport
kcjm, 08/16/2002
1998 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
great car and fun to drive
239000 +++
orangecrush2x, 12/03/2012
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
love this car! she has been a saint since i got her at 140000 in 2006 & 130000, i have been able to depend on her. recently (since mid 2012) she has been cutting off and i have replaced SEVERAL different things... i want to give up on her but she keeps giving me reasons not to...
Lnyx
Jaze, 04/07/2004
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a excellent Car.
1998 tracer wagon 5spd
rvanderaa, 09/02/2012
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this 1998 Tracer Wagon new in 1998. It has been one of the most economical cars I have owned. It had a few items fixed under warranty. The only non warrantee items I have fixed are the PCV valve and hose, an alternator and some normal maintenance items such as plugs, shocks, tires 1 set of brakes. The car now has 180K miles and still runs strong. It burns no oil, and still has the original clutch. It never got less than 30 MPG, it would average 33 and occasionally would get 40 mpg if you drove a whole tank at 55 mph. I would still be driving the car but a large tree fell on it. I did jack the roof back up and put a back hatch on it and my daughter still drives it. The only complaint I had with it was the cabin noise was a little high, but not any more than any of the other cars in its price range. It was a great car and I was sad to see it go. I bought an 2006 Infiniti G35 to replace it and while it is a fine car, I have spent more on maintenance on it in one year that I did the 12 years I owned the Tracer.
Not a quality vehicle
Aidan, 05/29/2010
1998 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my Tracer used with 75k on the clock in excellent mechanical/physical condition confirmed by a trusted shop. By 96k the car was dead and I'm far from an aggressive driver nor do I abuse my vehicles. A/C went at 78k as did the Idle Air Valve, timing belt went at 83k, tie rods went at 94k etc! This was with me ensuring regular maintenance, oil/lube, tire rotations the whole lot. In the end what killed this car and my wallet along the way was build quality and bad engineering. The final nail in the coffin for this car was when it dropped a valve seat which apparently they like to do around 100k due to "an engineering defect". Thanks Ford this is now why I drive a Nissan! :-)
Good Car
No One, 01/22/2004
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Great car with great gas mileage. I have only 27,00 miles on it, and its still going strong. Only minor repairs needed, as standard maintenance.
The Epitome of Economical
palebeachbum, 07/11/2008
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought the car 11yrs. old with 34k miles. As of 7/10/08 the car has 48k miles. It's been an ideal car for me. I work in town, but commute an hour away for college. The car has been very reliable and economical. Maintenance is cheap. It sips fuel. The wagon body style has come in useful on many occasions. The car seems very well built for just being a cheap economy car. The interior is comfortable. It drives pretty nicely. Great brakes. Great steering. Very smooth, yet stable ride. The seats are firm, but seem good for my bad back. For the low initial price and dependable, affordable service that follows, this is a great choice in used economy cars of this age.
Out There
is3tj, 09/14/2008
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I just bought A 4DR LS with a brand new engine. It has been the worst car I have ever had. Everything is going wrong. Recall on the airbags, brake pedal loose (lights wont turn off), no A/C useless interior, ugly design. I do realize that this is a old car but it had sat for 4 years before it got a new engine there is no reason it should be like this.
Economical to buy - Economical to drive
bob61, 05/03/2002
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased the Tracer with Trio package as original owner. With 32,000 miles on it it's only been in the shop once (heater had to be replaced -- under warranty). I purchased this car to go back and forth to the train, it was inexpensive too. However, after owning it for almost 5 years I've found it fun to drive. It handles well, has plenty of pep to get off the line or accelerate on the highway. It handles well, all in all it's been a fun car to drive. Mileage has been good, running in the 25-28 mpg range. It's been reliable and economical to own. My son just started driving and he wanted my car. So it has some eye appeal to boot.
great until it died
Sal, 01/14/2010
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought my tracer in 2004 with 54K miles. It's very basic but was good for local running around. Mileage was about 24 city, 29 hiway. Took good care of it. Mystery problems began at about 100K miles - engine light would go on, codes were checked (minor stuff) and fixed, engine light would stay off for one day or one week (never knew what to expect). Thought it might be the ECM, but it wasn't. About 2 weeks ago it died - valve seat problem. RIP, it was good while it lasted.
Good car
Cam, 04/03/2010
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had this car for nine years. Bought it used. It now has over 208,000 miles. Over the years it has required basic wear and tear maintenance. What a miracle of a car!
Great Vehicle
Kale, 05/25/2010
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am writing this review nearly 10 years after purchasing the Tracer. We have the 4DR LS model and have been extremely pleased with this vehicle. Living in the harsh Minnesota climate and on a gravel road, we have over 220K miles on it and have only had a few expected repairs, nothing major. As newlyweds, we purchased this car hoping to last a few years until we got settled. Little did we know it would be so incredibly reliable. The maintenance and repairs were affordable and easy to do myself. I wish I could find a 2010 Tracer with the same reliability as the 1997. Granted, I could do with a better inside build quality and cup holders that were actually useful. Great, great car.
Solid transportation
rob, 06/03/2010
1997 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Owned the car since it was new; 5 speed manual. Did replace the clutch, CV joints and alternator twice. Other than that runs like it is new. I got 38 mpg on the interstate last week, driving always 5 mph over the speed limit. Excellent ac, very quick for an older car. It may not look like much, but it has been a great little car. I've owned Hondas, Toyotas, and this stacks right up there with them on quality.
Most reliable car I've had
ericpug, 08/13/2002
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my 97 Tracer in 99 with 17K miles. To date, the only thing I've had to replace was the front driver- side bearing. This has definitely been the most reliable car I've evr owned. I am a Regional Sales Rep in the South- East and even though I am currently at 118K miles, I feel very confident driving up to 4K per month.
love my wagon!
jcubed, 08/18/2002
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We've owned this car for 5 years & the only extra money that we've put out is for new tires & brake service. That's gotta be good enough to satisfy anybody. Back in '97 I thought about getting an import & Ford updated the Escort/Tracer just in time to get my attention. I'm happy with my little wagon & intend to keep it for a long time!
A Life Saved
Hunter7247, 08/20/2002
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My Daughter was hit "Head on" by another driver going 60 MPH. She walked away with scrapes and bruises. The Air Bag and vehicle design Saved her young Life. God Bless the engineers at Ford Motor Company. It really does work. Excuse me I need to go buy another Ford Car...
No surprises here!
Kanaki, 03/02/2002
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
A good, reliable car, with no surprises.
extremely underrated
Pappa Smurf, 02/28/2003
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i don't know why people insist on downplaying all american models when compared to foreign models. this thing is zippy for 110hp and this car has given me no problems other than routine maintenance and parts are dirt cheap. bought at 35k and now 80k solid as a rock - a real road trip car. if you have a kid going to college, make this a grad gift.
Average Car
whoahhhh, 02/09/2004
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Mercury Tracer of 1997 has been a dramatic improvement from the old 1.9 liter predecessor. Although the 1.8 liter was available from Mazda, in the past, the 2.0 liter has proven to be the best. Although the air conditioning has minor problems and the Purge Flow Sensor on the engine frequently fails. Overall the car is average and provides up to 34mpg highway and a fairly comfortable ride. I reccomend the Trio edition to get added features that make the car look more appealing for resale.
Lots of Gusto for an econ
Woody00, 03/07/2004
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car at 98k to go to work and back, weekend work and just kicking around town. It now has 107k & I love it. For a small economy car I'm surprised at it's get up and go power, handling, and comfort. The styling is nice too. The car I have has everything you would want in a car today. Airbags, ABS, A/C, power everything & alloy wheels The model I'm driving is a stick which I don't mind but I'd rather be in an automatic but what do you want for under $2,000. (It's a 97 bought in 02. NOT BAD JACK!!) Only thing I'v had to do w/ this thing is a tune-up and oil changes. (Knock on wood)
Great Ford bargain
Stacy83, 05/09/2004
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car at a dealer-only auction last fall. I wasn't looking for a sedan, let alone a Ford, but car was in great shape. I placed a low bid on it and won by $50 above the next guy. The automatic transmission does lag a bit and is jerky going into second. The car also makes a strange humming or buzzing sound. But with close to 100k miles, it has held up really well.
Dependable
TDF, 11/16/2005
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've got 120,000 miles on my car and have had minimal problems. Biggest repair was replacing a corroded electrical harness for about $400 in 2002.
fair
Ed, 01/12/2006
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
the tracer has one problem that no one can seem to correct and that is heavy vibration when stopped at a light in drive.When taken out of gear its pretty good. Most all Auto Mech. say that it's the nature of the beast! Motor mount change out helps a little, but I guess for a little run about over all its not too bad. The vibration is bad though, it is very good on gas mileage and handles well, but if you'er tall, it is horrible getting in and out of it. remember test drive and with the A/C on and see if the Vibration doesn't chane your mind about buying it.
Good Car
Kam, 10/10/2006
1997 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Car was in almost mint condition when I bought it used.(except for higher mileage) I only have two gripes about car: 1. The inside of the car is so small. There is no room for drinks or anything else. 2. There is some sort of trans problem, it hesitates and jerks into 2nd gear. It only happens on occasion and is mild. And it only happens from 1st to 2nd. Other than that its a decent car.
No Luck with this car
Gettinganewcar, 05/02/2003
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Mercury, Tracer 97 with 18,000 miles. After about a year and a half, I had engine work done to it. Which cost me an arm and a leg. Then another year later, I had to get a new tranmisssion at 50,000 miles. If you guy can avoid buying a ford car do it!! If you have it sell it. Ford did not do a good job with the tracer, that's why they stopped making it so fast. I am selling mine and getting a car that will last.
got the car off of elderly couple
Rick, 08/06/2016
1997 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
got the car off of elderly couple they was buying another car off the dealership where I work
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Tracers are Good
Manawski, 01/13/2003
1998 Mercury Tracer LS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had my Tracer LS Sport for nearly a year, and I have no problems with it. It performs well enough for a car that isn't supposed to perform well. It gets me where I want to go, and does a good job of it.
Great Dependable Transportation
kevin zanca, 07/01/2016
1998 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My family has owned this car since 1998. first my dad, then my sister. It has always been dependable, economic transportation. nothing fancy, but very good on gas, very easy to maintain and with few repairs over eighteen years.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Just Right
L Dickens, 06/10/2021
1998 Mercury Tracer GS 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I just bought my third Tracer. Obviously, I love these fun to drive, , get great gas mileage and reasonable to maintain, autos. I bought a 1998 with 68000 miles. In the last four years, I've driven a Fiesta and owned Sable. Truly a case of too small, too big. Back in "Just Right." Also, I love Mercs. With the cancelation of the line, I will give diligent attention to my Tracer. Maybe drive into the sunset....
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value