Roadtripping My Merkur XR4Ti

"Matthew Keyser" (teisco15)
07/25/2015 at 16:20 • Filed to: None

When you take into consideration some of the more epic drives through out automotive history, 200 miles through Indiana does not seem like the most arduous voyage. The Griswolds drove to Walley World, Bertha Benz blasted around Germany in a shopping cart, Alex Roy !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . There are people who have driven on the moon for Christ’s sake. However one very important fact to remember is that none of these historic drives were undertaken in a Merkur.

More specifically, none of these trips were attempted in my 1986 Merkur XR4Ti which you can read about !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , sort of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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A large portion of my Merkur ownership has been spent not driving for one reason or another. When I first took delivery, I had no license and had never driven a car with a manual transmission in my life. That winter it essentially sat in the garage as it was far too cold to get any work done. Once things started to thaw we began working on remedying issues the car had meaning I still didn’t get much seat time. During this time period I would go out in the garage almost every night before bed and just sit in it, rowing through the gears knowing that someday I would be able to drive this car like it was meant to be driven.

By summer of 2014 I finally had my license and could start taking the car out on my own. I knew how to drive stick, I just needed some more practice. More experience. Just as I was starting to get decent at the art of driving a stick, school started and I have to say that a large portion of the miles I have put on my Merkur were spent driving back and fourth to school.

A few months later winter hit meaning my XR would enjoy 4 months as a garage queen while I beat around in the snow in a Chevy Blazer.

As a result of all of these factors, this summer was really the first time I was able to drive the car with the intent to enjoy it rather than to brush up on my skills or to go somewhere. I never pass up an opportunity to take the long way home, because nothing works better to clear your mind than an open road. This summer was also the first chance I’ve had to take it on a trip of any sort. Starting small was a must.

My friend and I, both being musicians, decided to take a trip down to Sweetwater Sound in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sweetwater, for those who don’t know, is like Guitar Center on steroids and is pretty much the go-to place for new gear. The drive from my hometown of Elkhart, Indiana to Fort Wayne is a decent mix of country roads between corn fields and small highways. Essentially the only 2 types of road in Indiana. This 200 mile round trip would be the farthest I had ever driven this car in one sitting, and I was anxious to get going. I’ve always had a hard time trusting older cars because no matter how well it’s running, there is always the possibility that the car will end the day on a flatbed. Just because something is working in the morning does not necessarily mean it will still be working that night.

With that being said I now invite you to watch the hilariously low budget video we made about the trip. The video includes exhaust clips, a slow motion burnout on gravel, and yours truly yelling “BOOST” like an imbecile. Enjoy.

Before we get into the details of the trip, I would like to introduce you to my friend Alex who tagged along on this drive and tell you why I would be totally helpless in the event of a breakdown. Alex knows absolutely nothing about automobiles. He knows so very little about cars that when I asked him what a turbocharger does he replied:

“The turbo-booster is connected to the engine so it obviously puts the turbo juice into the engine and the engine’s like ‘oh man this is a turbo car we better go faster and get more cylinders over here’”

It’s amazing we are still friends.

The first part of the journey was largely uneventful, that is until I got distracted watching Alex stick his phone and a large part of his upper body out of the window in order to get a ‘cool shot’ and I missed a turn. At first I was not bothered as we were still headed in the right direction and it was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, all was well. However the mood soon changed as the road without warning became littered with Indiana’s idea of a pothole fix which consists of filling the potholes with tar and covering the whole damn road in rocks. Fresh tar and loose rocks do not mix well with cars driven by people who car about them, no matter how crappy the paint job is. To make the situation worse, an Amish woman on a riding lawn mower deemed it necessary to drive off of the grass and onto the rock covered road, driving down the center of the it right in front of me with the spinning blade flinging rocks in all directions.

Siri eventually responded to my commands to “Get me the hell away from here” and soon we rejoined the main road just in time for lunch. After gorging ourselves on hamburgers we got back on the highway and sadly there isn’t much to say about this portion of the trip. The car was running perfectly, Led Zeppelin was playing through the stereo, and I was happy.

Pictured: My mom doesn’t much care for these stickers.

As there is very little to report on for this part of the trip, lets talk a bit more about the Merkur XR4Ti. Completely stock and brand new the car made 175 horsepower and 200 ft. lbs. of torque with the 5 speed manual. My car in particular has a revamped ECU from the Thunderbird TurboCoupe, Borla exhaust, and what Merkur people call the “big VAM.” 0-60 is done somewhere between 7 and 8 seconds. It’s not neck breakingly fast by any means, but it’s certainly more than fast enough for me considering I am 17 and therefore stupid.

Pictured: Not a very pretty engine bay.

One major advantage this car has is an extremely characterful engine, and that is certainly not because of the Pinto motor on which it’s based. What really makes this power plant special is the 15psi of boost supplied by a Garrett T3 turbocharger. Turbo technology back in the 1980’s was very crude resulting in some very fun automobiles. Turbo lag is just fun. Theres something about the way the car swells and surges as boost builds. The hesitation builds suspense until you are plunged forward at an alarming rate. The noises these old turbochargers make is also intoxicating. Various whistles and whines with a satisfying whoosh when you come off the throttle. Modern turbocharging is just far too refined to be this much fun.

We arrived at Sweetwater around 3 o’clock, and after 2 hours of guitar playing and bubble hockey, we decided it was time to head back towards home this time listening to a nice playlist of Free and John Mayer Trio.

One thing that is not conveyed very well in the video is the amount of attention this car gets. It’s not the kind of attention that Doug got in the Ferrari where everyone needs to stop and get a picture with the car, it’s more prolonged confused looks as the driver of a Toyota Corolla tries to read what the badge on the front says. It’s not often people approach me about it and when they do, conversation is usually initiated using one of these 2 opening lines: “It’s a Mur-what?” and “I used to have one of these things.” The closest I’ve gotten to the sort of attention Doug received in the Ferrari is when a man in a work van pulled up next to me at a stoplight yelling “Tanner Foust! Woooo!”

Nearing the end of the trip the car needed refueling. This is worth mentioning because a. My Merkur coughs gasoline all over itself and the person pumping the gas if you try to fill it too quickly, b. It got 24 miles to the gallon on the drive, and c. the gas station sold this thing:

Pictured: Seriously who buys this crap?

Departing the gas station, we set our sights on some of the nicer, twistier roads in the area because what better to break the monotony of highway driving than a blast on some b-roads. On nice roads, the Merkur really comes alive. The nearly 50-50 weight distribution means it is incredibly stable when driving hard. Pedals are perfectly positioned for heel-toe, and the long throw between gears makes it almost impossible to miss a gear. The brake pedal is firm, and you can feel every imperfection in the road through the steering wheel. All of this means you have the confidence to drive hard into a corner, and ride the wave of turbocharged goodness out of it.

While 200 miles through Indiana may not be the most incredible journey of human history, it was a big deal in my world. This was the farthest I had ever driven the car in one sitting and the car had zero complaints. This trip proved to me that the car can be used to travel longer distances than I had anticipated. It proved to me that the time spent laying on the cold garage floor swearing at noncompliant bolts was worth it. That all the hard work, sweat, and money was not for nothing. It also confirmed my theory that air conditioning is possibly the greatest invention in history. You never really know how nice certain amenities are until you are forced to live without them.

A year and a half ago I had a car that couldn’t even drive up my driveway, and now I have a car that can comfortably travel hundreds of miles without even a minor incident. This small trip proved to me that I am past the stage where I own a project that needs constant care to fix all the issues. I now have a car that works as designed, and it was designed to be driven. So if you would excuse me, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

DISCUSSION (100)

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 16:55

Sweet. I’m actually stopping in Elkhart overnight on my way out to CA. Any recommendations for places to eat?

Matthew Keyser > MK6GTI-now with added Miata
07/25/2015 at 17:06

The “Simonton Lake Drive-In” on Cassopolis St. has the best root beer I’ve ever had. Food is so-so but the root beer is worth the stop. Davinci’s is good if you are looking for Italian food. It’s also on Cassopolis. Most of the places worth going are on Cass. I hear the “Flippin’ Cow” does a decent burger but haven’t been there myself. There’s also “Chubby Trout” If you’re looking for seafood. If you like wings, “Wings Etc.” is a good place to go. Much better than Buffalo Wild Wings in my opinion. Have Fun!

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:07

Awesome, thanks! I look forward to seeing more of the Merkur!

Phunkydiabetic > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:10

Back when I was 15 I was hanging out with this chick who was a friend of a friend. She picked me up in her Merkur and we went to the beach and ate some mushrooms. A few hours later she was apparently super high and kept saying she couldnt drive and that I had to drive for her. At 15. Without a license. On a h/q of mushrooms.

It was quite an epic drive. And thus ends my singular story of when I drove a Merkur.

Justin Hughes > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:11

Kinja'd!!!

I would buy this crap. Because it’s funny.

Dave > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:15

Is the Jim Rome radio show your number 1 preset button?

Illegal Machine > MK6GTI-now with added Miata
07/25/2015 at 17:16

I blame Doug DeMuro for this.

Spacegrass > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:30

Dude that was awesome in every way, both the post and video! I’ve wanted an XR4Ti for quite sometime...someday.

I know the old car/long distance thing, but as long as you’re familiar enough with it, all will be well. It never hurts to carry spares of common fail items with you too (my daily is a 23 year old F150 with a 300 i6, she sees 100 miles a day).

Keep up the great work, loved your stories so far.

Oh and Patrick, put him on payroll.

bdk6017 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:35

Live in FTW. Great town and Sweetwater is awesome. So is Chuck, the owner. You should check out his car lot, Sweet cars when u are in town. Bad ass

west-coaster > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:37

I had a bone-stock ‘89 XR4Ti for much of the 1990s, and it was a great highway road trip machine.

Not so much around town, as the gearing for the 5-speed, combined with the complete lack of grunt from the engine below 2500 rpm, wasn’t really well-suited for stoplight-to-stoplight action.

But once the speedo needle swung past 50, the car was a whole different animal. The big, comfy leather seat had just enough bolstering, but not too much to keep you from moving around a bit during long stretches. I had replaced the speakers of the stock sound system, and with my Sony Discman plugged into the cassette slot (hey, it was the ‘90s, remember) the tunes filled the rather quiet interior quite well.

I also had the benefit of the air conditioner still working perfectly, and stock-size Pirellis which gave a compliant ride, along with slightly stiffer than stock KYB struts and shocks. I also had the stock exhaust on the car, so no Pinto-pitched drone at speed.

A wonderful grand touring car. I made one journey to Reno, one to Northern California for a wedding, and one trip to Monterey in it. Never once left me stranded, nor even so much as a hiccup. And my ownership of the car began after it had rolled over the 100,000 mile mark.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 17:46

Very nice video man! Kudos on the little bits of humour as well! :) Love the car! There was a Merkur Scorpio here that was sitting for at least a year and every time I drove past it, I felt bad seeing it rotting away.....it disappeared one day, so I still sometimes wonder what happened to it!

PitCrew Lefties > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:01

Awesome car and the red is nice. Were you planning on getting some new wheels?

eaton53 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:02

I have one of these cars, an all-original ‘89, same color. They’re a lot of fun.

Jonee > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:03

Awesome. Oddly, I was just staring at one of those Build Race Party stickers.

I almost bought one of these cars a month ago. A nicely maintained one owner red one. I ended up just missing it and it really bummed me out. I remember them when they were new and it’s really cool to see someone from a younger generation appreciating one. Drive the wheels off of it.

Kroozah > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:06

This sounds like my girlfriend when I ask her about cars. I once asked her what a V8 engine was. She looked at me with the most bewildered expression, like it was some sort of affront to her existence that I would even ask such a question, and replied, “Well, obviously it’s an engine that runs on vegetable juice. That’s why it’s called a V8 . You know, like the juice. Duh .”

Schooled me. I sat my ass down .

MikeyEVO > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:08

This is funny my brother had one of these way back.I drove it not bad but the most I remember about this car was my brother called it a Mare-coor after driving it I said it’s a Murker.

JamesRL > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:14

I remember my first long distance road trip, which too was in a car I was not 100% confident it would survive. For me I was 18 and went from Chicago to St Louis. Making it there without any issues (or tickets) is a great feeling. But having minor issues is also a great learning experience too... Like the one time I ended up maxing out my only credit card at the time and not knowing if I had enough gas or money to get back.

Now, being 31, I still don’t hesitate to hop in the car and go on a long trip. I’ve done Chicago to New Orleans and Chicago to Charkeston SC (both non-stop) and many many more... Just the car now is more reliable than my high school car. I still dream of the ultimate trip, Key West FL to Prudhoe Bay AK.

Enjoy the drives Young Buck, nothing beats coming home from school or work on a Friday, throwing some clothes in a backpack, picking up a friend and ending up several hundred miles from home in a cheap hotel and making it back just in time for your next appointment with responsibility (as in work or school).

Matt A. > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:29

Beautiful can man. I had one back about 2002 and it was a 1989 with an automatic (less boost and less power than your car) and I actually loved that car. The 3 speed auto needed another gear but all in all a great car. Had to use it one time in the snow when my other car was in the shop and lets just say that never ever happened again. Every red light someone wanted a piece of you. You win some you lose some and I'll let it at that... cool story and take car of that great machine.

JimHallChaparral2F > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:31

Great article. The Merkur was a dream car for me back in the late 1980s. I had a 16v Scirocco, but would have much rather had the Merkur. I always loved the funky styling. Rousch had a rather fetching looking IMSA car in the GTO class. And, who could forget the RS Cosworth? You are a gifted writer and I look forward to more articles from you.

Kinja'd!!!

ApriliaFutura > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:37

You make me feel better about the state of future generations of youth.

signinsrlame > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:41

Kinja'd!!!

I have a relative who is exactly the sort of person who buys this crap. Going into his basement is PAINFUL the guy has a SOA themed wall, which totally compliments his gun lamps and camo everything

siddisrizla > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 18:52

Kinja'd!!!

remind me of my old ford sierra, that was the european name of this

iatethepeach > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:04

Great write-up, great video, great car. Keep up the good work, kid. You’re a natural.

MiataMan > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:14

we still need to have an indiana jalop meet up

Hallowed1 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:39

I used to road trip between Tacoma and Spokane (around 300 miles) in my ‘86 xr4ti, I really miss driving that car. She has become my longer term project car and was replaced by a ‘99 miata as my daily. The xr4ti was a good car to me and never broke down more than 10 miles from home.

Vic788 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:49

RS500 or go home. Nice good to see one still on the road. Btw check out Group A racing South Africa and the V8 version.

Vic788 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:53

Kinja'd!!!

S10highschoolfiesta > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 19:54

I love it! I’m 17 as well, and from Arkansas. I drive a ‘95 S-10, (surprise, I know) but it has a 1985 GMC work-truck engine. Let me tell you, I know what you meant when you said “it may be running now, but not necesarily later”. Kick ass man, kick ass.

Darigaaz > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 20:07

I want one of these so bad so I can slap on a MADMERK license plate, my all Rush mix tape, and a 2-liter of Shasta before going on a road trip.

Eezep > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 20:28

So I needed something I could rely on to get me across the country, and then I remembered I already own a 30-year-old turbocharged Anglo-American XR4Ti.

Kinja'd!!!

Matthew Keyser > Illegal Machine
07/25/2015 at 20:41

I blame Doug DeMuro for everything.

Matthew Keyser > Jonee
07/25/2015 at 20:43

I’m doing my best. Love every minute behind the wheel. The BRP stickers were actually installed by Mr. Caswell himself when Hardigree owned the car. That and the Jalopnik sticker are the only stickers I will keep my the car.

Matthew Keyser > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
07/25/2015 at 20:43

Thank you!

Mosca > MK6GTI-now with added Miata
07/25/2015 at 20:44

The Golden Egg turns out a really good breakfast.

Matthew Keyser > Justin Hughes
07/25/2015 at 20:45

I might buy it if it weren’t so ridiculously priced. They also had a skeleton hand wine glass that I considered buying as a joke until I saw that it was $20. $20 for a joke cup is a bit much.

Matthew Keyser > Spacegrass
07/25/2015 at 20:45

Thank you very much!

Matthew Keyser > S10highschoolfiesta
07/25/2015 at 20:48

Thanks man. Best of luck with the S-10!

Matthew Keyser > Kroozah
07/25/2015 at 20:50

That’s amazing! We need to get her employed here

Matthew Keyser > Phunkydiabetic
07/25/2015 at 20:52

That’s much more interesting than the first time I drove a Merkur. We just took my car to the car wash and my dad pulled into an industrial park where I stalled approximately 7,000 times.

Yea your story is better.

Matthew Keyser > JimHallChaparral2F
07/25/2015 at 20:54

Thank you very much! My dad had both generations of the Scirocco back in the day including a 16v before he wound up getting an XR. I’ve never hear him say a bad word about either VW.

Matthew Keyser > Matt A.
07/25/2015 at 20:55

Will do, thank you!

Matthew Keyser > Hallowed1
07/25/2015 at 20:56

That’s like the Jalop’s dream garage. Best of luck with her!

John Bulzacchelli > MK6GTI-now with added Miata
07/25/2015 at 20:57

If you’re passing through South Bend, stop by the Evil Czech brewery. Amazing food. Also, sorry about having to stay in Elkhart.

Matthew Keyser > bdk6017
07/25/2015 at 20:58

Sweet cars is great, and Dreammakers automotive is even better. Last time I was there they had a P1, a 918, and a Carrera GT. Great stuff!

Kinja'd!!!

Matthew Keyser > signinsrlame
07/25/2015 at 20:59

He sounds.... interesting. Haha

Matthew Keyser > iatethepeach
07/25/2015 at 20:59

Thank you!

Matthew Keyser > PitCrew Lefties
07/25/2015 at 21:01

I kind of dig the wheels. They’re Borbet’s and are in decent condition, they just need new center caps. They’re not everyone’s cup of tea but I like them so they’re staying at least for now.

Matthew Keyser > ApriliaFutura
07/25/2015 at 21:01

Haha thank you!

Matthew Keyser > MiataMan
07/25/2015 at 21:02

For sure!

Spacegrass > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 21:03

You planning to get into the auto journo biz? Let’s get jalopnik to send you press cars.

Matthew Keyser > Spacegrass
07/25/2015 at 21:06

I’d love that! hahaha

Going to school for journalism has definitely crossed my mind.

SirRaoulDuke > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 21:07

Nice post and video. And awesome first car.

Question: can you add the intercooler and ECU from a 87-88 TurboCoupe?

Always take the back roads if you have time. Indiana doesn’t maintain roads for shit, and it makes me embarrassed to live here and pissed to pay taxes.

MuchWagon > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 21:10

Keep writing. I was going to say you are a good writer for a 17 year old, but really you are good for any age. Seriously, well done, and nice ride!

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > John Bulzacchelli
07/25/2015 at 21:11

It’s cheap and midway between NJ and Omaha! My only real criteria.

Spacegrass > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 21:30

Hell keep checking in and I’m sure you’ll be scooped up like (the incomparable) little Douggie at this rate haha. I’ll be waiting for the “Alfa Romeo 4c vs the XR4Ti” article.

Matthew Keyser > Spacegrass
07/25/2015 at 21:35

Haha thank you!

Matthew Keyser > MuchWagon
07/25/2015 at 21:36

Thank you!

Derpwagon > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 21:43

You can’t be that stupid, even if you’re 17. You’re way too eloquent and write too well to be stupid.

BTW, I love reading about your car. I had a chance to buy one of these and your stories make me wish I had.

Fortunately, my trusty ( and giant pain in the dick ) Subaru has brought me through around 25-26 states, coast to coast to coast (Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico). I hope to drive it to Alaska one day.

Drive on, kid. :)

autoblog > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 22:12

Love to see the XR4Ti being used. There’s a guy out west who races in the 2WD rally class. Here’s a video of him in there Oregon Trail Rally (at 1:40).

Tarukai > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 22:15

I’ve ordered from Sweetwater before, but I live in NY so I’m not near enough to visit them.

Will have to make that a pilgrimage at some point.

Matthew Keyser > Derpwagon
07/25/2015 at 22:16

Thank you very much, you are too kind. Best of luck with the Subbie!

Scott Satellite > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 22:18

Merkur had totally evaporated from my mind. These seemed so exotic when they were new. Too bad Ford pretty much ensured failure by trying to sell them through the stodgy Lincoln-Mercury dealers. I think the cars (not named Merkur) would have been a better fit with select Ford dealerships.

Matthew Keyser > Tarukai
07/25/2015 at 22:18

Their facility is amazing. If you can, try to come out during Gearfest some year. It’s like the Auto Show for musical instruments. The other good place to go is Chicago Music Exchange. If you are a guitar player, you will not believe the selection of old and rare Guitars there.

Kinja'd!!!

Matthew Keyser > Scott Satellite
07/25/2015 at 22:20

It also didn't help that they quite literally costed twice as much as the Ford Taurus introduced in the same year.

Opposite Locksmith > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 22:25

I love the red hot chili pepper reference. Love it

hien34 > Matthew Keyser
07/25/2015 at 22:37

Glad you’re enjoying it! I had two - ‘87, blue, double spoiler, and an ‘88, white, single spoiler. The ‘87 ended up sacrificing itself to keep the ‘88 alive. I always wanted to “rapido” or RS500 them but had no money at the time and they’re long gone. Was seriously a fun driver and gave me my first taste of European luxury (which later turned into AMGs, M3, and 911!), turbo lag, and poor AC hose placement!

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Illegal Machine
07/25/2015 at 23:28

THANKS OBAMA

Tarukai > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 00:07

Beautiful. I’ve wanted to go to Gearfest and NAMM for a few years now. Gearfest seems like the more attainable option overall. Might have to pencil it in for next year.

Matthew Keyser > Tarukai
07/26/2015 at 00:19

I've gone to Gearfest every year for the past 5 or so years. It gets bigger and better every time. Last year the closing show was Jason Bonham with the Led Zeppelin Experience. The year before that I got Paul Reed Smith to sign my PRS. The deals are also insane. You'll never find deals as good as you will at Gearfest. Highly recommended!

Tokyosmash! > MikeyEVO
07/26/2015 at 00:35

Your brother was pronouncing it right.

KAG25 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 00:58

Wanted one of those in High School, only time I wanted a American brand

Redfalcon1975 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 00:59

Here ya go keyser a bit of Ford Sierra RS500 goodness, Bathurst 1992.

Matthew Keyser > KAG25
07/26/2015 at 01:02

And it's technically German!

Matthew Keyser > SirRaoulDuke
07/26/2015 at 01:35

I know you can add the ECU simply because my car has it. I believe there is an issue with the intercooler because it’s a top mount on the TurboCoupe and there’s no vent in the hood on the Merkur. There are several other options as far as installing an intercooler while leaving the hood in tact. My dad also has an XR that has a combination intercooler and radiator in the same unit. All aluminum. The intercooler is placed just so the air coming from the tiny little grill is directed right into it.

Hope that answered your question! And thank you!

OrphanCarsR-Us > Dave
07/26/2015 at 01:46

Jim Rome can go kiss a duck on the tip of the bill..

OrphanCarsR-Us > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 02:04

Excellent job representing the Cult of Merkur! Your article has been forwarded onto the Merkur Club Facebook site and is being passed around I believe. Once these cars are in your system its like an addiction. I’m currently on my third and fourth cars. The first was an ‘87 auto that a drunk driver decided I no longer needed to own. The second one forced me to learn the five speed but during delivery the dealership left the aftermarket intercooler disconnected and it sucked in about a mile’s worth of dirt and rocks. The third (manual, ‘86 clone of the ‘87) is my current baby. Number four is in the process of some restoration before likely being sold to raise money for baby. Good luck with the future mods and fixes.

Matthew Keyser > OrphanCarsR-Us
07/26/2015 at 02:07

That’s great! Thank you! Best of luck with your XRs as well. They're a lot of fun.

Zeek Is A Geek > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 02:29

Kinja'd!!!

Not too many vacuum lines. I have seen much worse.

Marekoor_The_other_kraut_kar > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 02:36

Hello. My ears were burning.

Vic-in-Norway > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 03:20

200 miles sure doesn’t seem like much these days, but I can sure remember it back in the day. When I was 16 I bought a $500 1975 Jeep Cherokee Chief S that had been badly neglected mechanically but still had a very nice body. That Jeep spent the entire summer in my Dad’s garage being revived by my 16 year old hands, I thought I was such a mechanic after all that work! I still remember the first time I drove it the 40 miles to the big city it was such a thrill and also completely terrifying. I loved that old Jeep though, and never cried or whined when it let me down, just looked at it as an opportunity for an upgrade!

Pic stolen from Interwebs, but is the exact same Jeep.

Kinja'd!!!

vsegd > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 04:11

Start working at home with Google! It’s by-far the best job I’ve had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail.

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Spaldino > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 04:41

I just bought my third Merkur and I live in Kalamazoo, MI... Maybe we can convince the other Merkur guys in the area to meet some where!

KAG25 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 04:45

I know, but they were selling it as a Merkur

Braniff747SP > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 05:26

I’m bemused with the fact that, being just slightly older than you, I could never write something like this. Well done.

On another note, I’m surprised you can get historic plates for a car like that — what advantages (if any) do you get by doing that?

Whitehouse > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 06:39

Your car has a first generation front. My dad owned a Ford Sierra 2.0GT with second generation front update back in the days when I just managed to get a drivers licence. It was a former executive’s car of a telecom company. You could still see the mountings where a mobile phone was attached. That was serious high tech back then. It was dark green. A joy to drive, even for someone not very experienced on he road. He traded it in for a bland Peugeot 306..... Some time later I saw that Sierra on a scrap heap. Broke my heart...

aratapuss > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 07:38

I totally enjoyed the story and video. I hope you can keep enjoying these type cars, you seem to understand the essence of driving older cars. The window decal is super cool also.

Sean > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 07:56

Kinja'd!!!

I had no idea what a Merkur was either, but basically it seems to be a 2 door Ford Sierra...?

Sean > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 07:58

Kinja'd!!!

This dragon hand (?) looks nicer at least

LazJones > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 08:06

Kinja'd!!!

If they sold those XR4i’s in America, why didn’t you get these ? In europe , your car was known as an XR4i and it came with a 2.8i V6. They also did a 4 door version of the Sierra called the XR4i 4x4, same engine but 4 wheel drive. I think all of those cars must have rusted away by now.

Cojo21 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 08:42

Great article. Spent much of the summer of 1987 tripping around England in rented Ford Sierras (European name of the car). Lots of fun, but we had the occasional problem with vapor locking when it got hot.

bdk6017 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 09:11

Yes for sure. I almost shit myself when I saw the 918 in there. I like Sweet cars because of Chuck mostly. He’s a cool dude and does a lot for our community. He single handedly paid for all the local HS marching bands so they could participate in our 3 rivers parade. Great guy. He has a red 918 also. Have fun in the Fort

ForkTailedDevil > Dave
07/26/2015 at 09:18

Haha! Every time I see an XR4Ti I think of all the times I heard Jim Rome riff on his old car.

GLHNSLHT2 > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 10:36

That thing is begging for an intercooler, BOV, and either Megasquirt or a Chrysler 2.2/2.5 Turbo electronics upgrade :)

Matthew Keyser > LazJones
07/26/2015 at 10:46

None of the engines they used in the European cars would pass the US’s stupid emissions regulations. This car is virtually the same as the XR4i with an engine that had already been proven to pass emissions regulations in the US.

Matthew Keyser > aratapuss
07/26/2015 at 10:47

Thank you!

Matthew Keyser > Braniff747SP
07/26/2015 at 10:50

Than you very much! And the historic plate do absolutely nothing. In Indiana any car older than 25 is eligible to have them. I paid a little extra just because I thought it would be cool to have. No real advantages sadly.

sahalionjk > Matthew Keyser
07/26/2015 at 10:51

my neighbor’s aunt makes $79 hourly on the internet . She has been out of work for five months but last month her paycheck was $13900 just working on the internet for a few hours.

find out this here http://www.netcash5.com

...

Matthew Keyser > Spaldino
07/26/2015 at 10:51

For sure! I know sometime soon I have to make a trip up to Midwest Merkur. The guys up there want to see the car again and see what I've done to improve it.

Matthew Keyser > Vic-in-Norway
07/26/2015 at 10:52

Awesome story man! Thanks for sharing!

eaton53 > eaton53
07/26/2015 at 11:29

Kinja'd!!!