Selling an old or non-running Mercury Capri

Two different cars under one name

The EPA lists the Capri from 1984 to 1994, but those years hold two unrelated cars with a gap between them.

1984-1986: the Fox-platform Capri

This is the second-generation Capri, built in Dearborn, Michigan, on the same Fox platform as the Ford Mustang. Wikipedia lists the generation's engines as a 2.3-liter four, a turbocharged 2.3, a 2.8-liter V6 and a 3.3-liter six. ASC McLaren also converted Capris in 1984-1986. Mercury dropped the car after 1986; that year's line was outsold nearly 10 to one by the Mustang.

The complaint file is nearly empty for these years. The 1985 has 3 complaints, all in the electrical system, and all 3 mention a fire. Four recalls reach these years:

• 83V134 (1984): shoulder belt D-ring bolts not supported well enough. Dealers added stronger mounting hardware.
• 84V119 (1984): the carburetor's secondary throttle shaft can stick partly open with mileage.
• 85V068 (1985): brake booster rear shells that can crack with repeated braking.
• 92V063 (1984-1985): a plastic sleeve in the front belt tongue can break down in sunlight and let the tongue come off the webbing. Ford said it would repair these regardless of age or condition.

Those four vehicle totals (530,000; 85,000; 14,008; 306,000) describe each campaign in full and may take in other Ford models besides the Capri.

1991-1994: the Australian roadster

The third generation came from Broadmeadows, near Melbourne. It is front-wheel drive, related to the Mazda 323, with a 1.6-liter four or a 1.6 turbo, and a choice of five-speed stick or four-speed automatic.

The 1991's 30 complaints spread across engine and engine cooling, air bags and power train, 5 each. Three describe a crash, two list injuries and two mention a fire. Recalls on these years:

• 91V009 (1991) and 93V180 (1993): the rubber tube from the automatic transmission to its cooler in the radiator can disconnect and discharge fluid.
• 92V080 (1991-1992): air bag modules that did not meet Ford's high-temperature spec, 648 vehicles.
• 07V336 (1994): the cruise control's deactivation switch can leak internally and then overheat, smoke or burn. That campaign counts 3,600,000 vehicles across Ford pickups, cars, SUVs and motor-home chassis.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Complaint numbers reflect NHTSA's file on October 10, 2026. A recall is counted under every year its campaign names.

Owners file these voluntarily, so the counts are no reliability rating. And a 1994 Capri has had nine fewer years than a 1985 for owners to write in.

Fix it or let it go?

On a roadster automatic leaking fluid, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall search first, since two cooler-line campaigns cover the 1991 and 1993. A burnt smell or wiring trouble points to electrical problems; a car that already burned is covered in fire damage. If a quote passes what a running Capri of that year brings, selling it unrepaired is the simpler path. What a junk car is worth covers what changes an offer.

Selling the Capri whole

Jot the Capri's VIN and miles, describe the fault, and note whether it rolls. Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. Tell us if it's in a garage, a carport or under a cover in the yard; the truck comes to it. Sell the whole car as it sits; leave the top, wheels and engine in place. The title and a photo ID change hands at pickup. No title? Read selling with no title. More Mercury models are listed on the make page.