Dear Tom and Ray:

I drove a 2010 Mercury Mariner as a rental in Tucson, Ariz., last winter. I'm a snowbird now from the Chicago area and need a car down there. I really liked the car but saw that it is being discontinued. Would it be a mistake to buy a 2010 or slightly older Mariner, in terms of future repairs and parts? I am a petite 58-year-old who drives a 2007 Honda CR-V in the cold, snowy weather. Thanks for your help. -- Denise

TOM: It's not the Mariner that's being discontinued. It's the entire brand, Mercury!

RAY: But fortunately for you, the Mariner is exactly the same as the Ford Escape, which Ford continues to make and service. So any Ford dealer should be able to service this for you. And parts should be available as long as Escape parts are available.

TOM: I mean, you might have a problem with parts someday if the Mercury logo falls off. You might have to replace it with a Dodge logo or something. But other than that, you should have no trouble servicing this car.

RAY: Or, you can just buy a loaded-up Escape, which is almost identical. Either way, happy wintering, Denise.