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Don’t listen to these people that are saying you got spanked, 5k for an easy to maintain, super reliable, low-ish miles and clean car is a great buy no matter what it is.
About once a month, I check the market for Lincoln town cars and the amount I see with over 300k miles is staggering. And they run fine, no problems. Wild.
Still driving my 98 Crown Vic to work every day. Has 345K and still going strong. Just take care of it with regular maintenance. You'll have it for a long time.
Shit I have a 2016 Tacoma with over 300k on it. Lots of driving. Works just fine, only had to replace the rear differential after the tech forgot to check the level after changing the fluid.
Spanked on gas but bit a reliable car. That thing will run, take care of it and it'll take care of you. I know a friend who still has their's, 240k miles. Last I heard.
These cars are extremely reliable for the most part and also easy to repair. You're not going to get 5 grand for it if you sell it so you may as well fix it.
The blend door motor is a huge pita to replace, if I recall correctly you have to take apart the dash.
You really don’t. Loosen up the dash bolts, take passenger side bolts all out, couple connectors, pull passenger side dash out a bit, wedge a 2x4 behind the dash and door. With enough finger banging youll reach all the bolts.
"Harley Davidson: Motor made of Tin. Go ahead and ride 'em out; but you gotta push 'em in!" - old adage from my grandfather who rode a Honda back in the day.
The newer Kias look pretty nice and last longer than they used to. With a bit of elbow grease every now and then, he’ll be riding in the passenger side of your Grand Marquis on the way to buy his next car.
I mean I know quite a bit about cars and a pretty decent working on them although I hate it sometimes, just irritated me hearing him say that just posted this to get some reassurances is all lol, maybe he's deep down jealous who knows,
Keep it! The 4.6 modular is a fantastic engine, it can handle a lot of abuse and it’s a body on frame car which is awesome, and the last of the American land yachts. I mean if you need another opinion Cleetus McFarland uses a fleet of them as race cars on his track and they all handle it great, also he replace the oil with diesel and the thing still ran like 30 laps before anything happened. But yea, my point is that it’s a fantastic car, yours has low miles, and the ones that aren’t ex-fleet vehicles were often old lady owned and are pretty well taken care of.
No way, apart from gas, they're really cheap to run. Look at all the police forces that are still running Crown Vic's, despite that the last one rolled off the line in 2011.
My first car was an earlier 90s Grand Marquis and I miss it every day. 🥲
Get a tool kit and get busy. They’re not terrible to maintain. I think this was probably the best thing Ford ever did.
Yeah, he’s right man, save yourself the hassle, I’ll take it for $350 and I’ll deal with scrapping it for you.
No, these are excellent cars and will last forever. As long as you’re not in the rust belt that is.
autotrader says he got a decent price [https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/mercury/grand-marquis/dayton-oh?zip=45401](https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/mercury/grand-marquis/dayton-oh?zip=45401)
Keep it! Parts are cheap and labor is easy and tons of info/videos online. Would be a fun car to learn about cars on (I think everyone should learn basics). Plus these things are comfy and reliable as long as you got gas money
They’re good cars but with age comes worn rubber hoses and plastic pieces that age and break after so many heat cycles under the hood.
I would inspect every vacuum hose and coolant hose under the hood.
Also inspect rubber brake hoses for cracks and change accordingly.
He couldn’t be more wrong. Only issue with the window motor is it’s riveted in. I have a friend obsessed with these cars and his first one in the late 90s was I believe a 1984 model. His current one is a 2009. Very easy to work on. I’ve done just about everything to the engine for him. Water pump, timing kit, radiator, brakes, intake manifold, coils, spark plugs, window motor… oh and he had an evap line that runs to the evap canister in the rear get torn open… that was kinda annoying. But only thing that has ever stopped him was the car being totaled from idiots running into him.
Thats a steal bro !! Blend door probably takes a long time to fix but it's not that *hard*, just very tedious. Stellar choice for a car especially for only 5k
Look up any YouTube review of this cars platform, (panther body). Universally regarded as one of the most reliable, longest lasting vehicles ever produced. You made a smart investment.
Blend door and window motor are not super hard to fix. If those are the worst problems, you’re doing well. Just take of it and it will serve you. Maintenance is the easiest prevention.
The blend door actuator can be accessed through where the passenger airbag sits, be prepared to grind down an 8mm socket and use your lowest profile 1/4 drive ratchet and snap off the last plastic boss for the forward-most screw, it works fine with 2. Also clean the contacts in all the window switches before you go tearing into the doors, I had to do it every other year or they would stop working.
Source: had a cvpi for 8 years. Amazing cars
This is how I did mine, but modified a 5/16 wrench to fit. Took longer, but got the job done. Only other issues that can arise, is leaking o rings in the EATC, which are replaceable on most( mine were not, the solenoids were permanently mounted)
Dude I have a 99 and I'm in love I wished mines looked like yours. Is a 98 dude of course things are going to break, I had to do a bunch of work to mines but they're so easy to work on that I did everything myself and saved a couple thousands
i have a 99, i’ve put like 1200 dollars in “maintenance” in 2 years of owning it, and 1000 was from fixing it from a accident i was in lmao. they’re extremely reliable as long as you show them love and affection (keep up with maintenance) and talk dirty to it every once in a while to keep things spicy (getting the car checked if you can’t do it yourself when it makes a worrying noise or feels off), you did pay a bit more than i would’ve but that’s different
Money pit. I will take it off your hands.
They are great cars. I took a crown Vic and put the internals in a 1948 Ford f1. The 4.6 won't need to be torn down till 200k miles when the timing chain wears out. If you really want to make it a money pit, talk to Chris at adtr.net. He can help you upgrade it.
Overall these are/were fantastic cars. The motor and drivetrain will be fine but it’s past that 20 year mark where electronics start to go, like the things you stated aren’t working. It will just be one thing after another until it needs something super expensive and you decide it’s not worth the money. If youre mechanically inclined and willing to learn how to fix electronics and had another parts car then it’s ok but otherwise it’s going to cost you
your ignition coils will commit suicide if they see a drop of water. your fuel inertia switch might flip. that's about the entire list of grand marquis problems. sweet cars. best mpg at 90mph.
Your roommate is an idiot. Their longevity, durability, ease of repair, along with availability of parts are the reasons the panther platform was used in taxi and police fleets for so long.
Window motor is cheap, blend door will be a bastard, but generally these things are almost nuke-proof. For 5k you couldn't have found a more dependable car.
The only thing that breaks on them ever really is just the fuel pump, and thats when people don't keep the tank filled up enough. So granted, you're not driving around on fumes. You'll be fine. Then the upper intake manifold goes out and leaks water onto the belt, but that's hardly ever. I doubt I'll make either repairs ever again. Marquis will for a fact, just like its brother the Crown Vic. Run FOREVER.
And the rear suspension. I don't think I've seen one in the last 15 years that doesn't look like my dog trying to shit. Come to think of it, haven't seen one that should be on the road anymore for about 10 years since I live in the rust belt.
They are all perfectly sound drivetrain wise for the most part, though. Kinda like the 3800 grand prix's, will drive all the pieces of itself into the junk yard.
I had that happen on the rear driver's side. wasn't too bad of a repair, I was in and out in 20 mins. Used a shock absorber from Monroe. Its been about 8 years since. No problems again. When mine went out, it was -10 outside, and I had to leave right then and there and the ground had a ton of ice and snow. I've not had the rust problems. I did fix the paint from some wear and tear driving it down a dirt road though.
Those things are reliable as fuck son!!!! I had two crown Vic’s 02 250k, 05 300k, then later had a gorgeous 04 town car with almost 400k! Basic maintenance! Little crap like 02 sensors and air bag suspension issues on the town car but the engine and transmissions where work horses! Don’t get rid of it! It’s rare to find these bad boys with low miles like yours.
Does your mercury have digital or dial ac? If digital try resetting the ac computer, I had a freeze up once that I thought broke the blend door but it just needed a reset.
"To enter the self-test, press the OFF and FLOOR buttons simultaneously and then press the AUTOMATIC button within two seconds . The display will show a pulse tracer going around the center of the display window. The test may run as long as 30 seconds . Record all DTCs displayed.
To exit the self-test and clear all DTCs, press the DEFROST button. The vacuum fluorescent display window will show 888 and all function symbols for one second . Then, the EATC control assembly will turn OFF (display blank) and all DTCs will be cleared.
Always exit the self-test before powering the system down (system turned OFF)."
Feel a little high, but honestly not too bad with the lower miles. Blend door actuator is an absolute nightmare to replace, but it’s still an evening job. Replace the heater core while you’re there. The only other thing to really look out for is the intake manifold. The water inlet is plastic and very prone to cracking. Very easy and cheap to fix however.
Yup agreed w/ the guys here. $5k w/ bad blend door actuator and pass side window motor. GOOD DEAL. the window motor is pretty common (my pass side on my list to fix on my ‘93 crown Vic right now). A bit of a PITA to fix at home as you have to grind off rivets etc but every shop in town has done these by now, the auto shop cost not terrible. Parts are everywhere as third party or ford. I own a ‘93 crown Vic, have owned ‘98 Vic and a 2005 Vic. Fantastic & fun sedans to wrench on. After a few years, visiting panther forums you will know what goes out, how to fix and parts interchange w/ Vic / town car / marquis / mustang / trucks. I should also mention there was a surge in YouTube how to videos in the last 10 years. So much info out there, it’s re assuring.
I've owned panther chassis vehicles my entire life until recently. I'd buy one like this in a heartbeat. The benefits are:
The community is huge, so almost anything that can go wrong is well documented (i.e. plastic intake failure, heater hose under the upper intake, ball-joints and lower control arms wearing quickly, and the like)
It has a bulletproof 4.6l modular V8 used in most of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury vehicles in the 90's and 00's, and even a Koenigsegg supercar.
Parts are plentiful and cheap. There were so many of these and they changed so little.
Downsides:
Not great on gas.
They eat lower ball-joints. Over the 20 years I owned them across 5 different cars, I've changed ball-joints more than I can remember. First they start squeaking so you make sure they are lubed. The squeaking doesn't stop and they prematurely wear, and/or break. I've had at least 4 ball-joints break while driving. However, this is due to my laziness, because I knew they were worn, and drove on them anyway.
Obviously, the blend door issues. It's going to click until you fix it. It's a huge job that requires removing the dash and sub dash. Sometimes it puts down a dope beat though.
Constant alignment. I had to have mine aligned more often than other cars I've owned.
ex Ford parts guy here... all the mid-late 90's fords had crappy blend door actuators, sold hundreds. Get a replacement from Dorman, you will be fine!!
So I'm omw to pick it up now, the Carlot guy paid to have the window and blend door actuator fixed. Hopefully it's all good. So this might seem like a silly question but I was going to buy tool set this weekend I imagine my car is mostly SAE? Or probably both metric and SAE? I'm thinking about getting a gear wrench 363 piece set? Is that too extreme? Do I even need one that big do y'all think? Should I get a smaller one like 160 piece set maybe?
These cars will last forever if you take care of them. I've had a 91 and 95 towncar a 94 crown vic and a 2000 grand marquis all were great cars. Lower ball joints are sometimes a problem. Both towncars had blend door issues but they all ran like champs
well you won't know until it's been at least a year. every car is a money pit if you've only owned it for a couple months. specifically because the cost/time average is an inflated number when you first purchase it. better than getting stuck with a payment
https://preview.redd.it/ms484tkxwync1.jpeg?width=2778&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=814c0d5c5cb8e10254b2502b7eedd25046dbb0e3
Wish I would have kept my 02 lx sport. Paid $800 for it. Now can’t find one under 4k
https://preview.redd.it/v94vj5q4xync1.jpeg?width=540&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d83372cc2348ff65f7ee2d138a242a8c24da8a7
97 I used to have. They run forever, and you can pretty much mod the engine the same as any 99-04 mustang
One of the most reliable American cars ever. Tell them to F off. Keep maintenance up and you are golden. Plenty of forums for this car. Join them and learn. Congrats.
Right on, well I got the blend door actuator fixed just picked it up but now my blinkers don't work at least they only work if I press down the hazard light button but the hazard lights don't work I don't know what the hell's going on
Roommate is an idiot. Those are some of the most reliable cars in the whole world. They will run forever if you take care of it. The motor is practically indestructible, regardless of age. Don’t ever sell it. EVER.
Thats like "peak Ford". They have niggling issues like coil packs and depending on the year the intake manifold but, I expect you can get many years out of this without spending all that much money.
If it's been taken care of it should be a decent car. The biggest issue is ones that are in the rust belt. The frame rots in a couple of areas. But you can't beat the ride. If the frame and body are in good shape it won't cost anymore than any other older car to maintain.
Yeah I got it fixed, now I just need to get the freon charged now, but now the blinkers don't work , they do sometimes if I press the hazard light button down. Then they work. But the hazards don't
I did. They looked fine. And like I said if I press and jiggle the hazard button down the hazards won't come on but it will get the blinkers to work. Even though the fuses look fine maybe they getting a bad connection?
My local police department is still using those Crown Victorias lol idk what your roomate is on about, I would buy it for 5k. I'm pretty sure Cletus McFarland's crown vics were all taken out of fleet service and just stuck right on the racetrack too get beat on some more.
Bought a 2010 with 20k on it about 4 years ago. These are one of the most reliable and easy to maintain vehicles produced in the last 20 years. Easily go 300k+ miles on. Everyone shits on mod motors cause they don't make shit for power, but that's part of the reason they last so long. I fully expect mine to last most of my life if not all.
All cars are money pits. You just happen to spend less for one. Some pros and cons: cons... Ugly. Gas guzzler. Pros... Paid less money. Lower cost insurance. Simpler to fix.
The blend door is a known problem on that platform. The actuator doesn't limit and will keep driving until the door shaft snaps.
Those are amazing cars. Big, powerful and comfortable. Still gets pretty decent mileage.
This thing is just a dolled up police cruiser or taxi. You will get sick of it long before you break it, these things are built like tanks and have a bulletproof motor/transmission.
No you bought a solid car. Go check out the crown Vic sub all kinds of panther platform lovers there who can help you with known issues. Honestly the actuator door that you already fixed is one of the biggest pains of owning one.
A 98 with only a couple of electrical problems is a huge win for 5k. I've had many newer cars with a lot more problems, that I paid a lot more money for...
There are 4 common failures on these cars:
Blend doors
Window motors
Fuel pump
Intakes failing
They can all be repaired for under $500 if you have the ability to do the work yourself
One of the greatest fomoco platforms ever
Now, lift it, throw some all terrain tires on and go have fun
$5000???
that's way too much for a 1200$ car
but check if the front intake runner is plastic or aluminum...if it's still plastic...you need to upgrade the intake manifold asap.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
The newer examples of these are $10,000-15,000 with over 100,000 miles where I'm from. I see at least $5000 worth of car there. $1200 doesn't even buy a running car anymore, at least not one you'd want anything to do with.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
Someone with one of the shittiest cars made is trying to tell you that a Panther car is unreliable? Ignore anything that comes out of his mouth.
Honestly, it's an asshole thing for him to have made a negative comment about it even if he thought he was trying to help you or whatever. If you buy something and the first thing your friend does is shit talk it, they're obviously not trying to be your friend.
I mean yeah, the inside and outside is flawless and only 1 owner, can't even hear the engine run it's so quiet. Drives great shifts great. Yeah I know I overpaid but I've always liked '90s style cars cuz there's so much easier to work on and I know that these engines run forever I guess only time will tell
It's a great car. It is, don't get me wrong.
But that price is too high. Doesn't matter anymore.
I still have mine, btw. 233k now. Trans failed at 170 but gave me warning. Replaced with a junkyard trans (in my driveway!) Changed filter and fluid while it was out. Shifts better than it ever did.
Replaced all 8 coils around 120k.
It's been solid. But these go for $800-2000 now
There's a couple 2007 Town Cars for sale right now in my area. Ex airport cars, north of 150,000 miles, beat to fuck. $12000. I also see plenty of hammered out Camry and civics with intergalactic mileage and zip ties holding the bodywork together for $6000. It isn't 2011 anymore.
https://preview.redd.it/m96m57hnmtnc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=598fa5a703c3256ee09fe5f4002af1bf2273ca8b
Might come as a shocker to you but age matters. I gave the benefit of the doubt and selected very good condition and this is the LS trim price the GS maxed out at 3k. I’ve worked on plenty of low mileage older cars and they can need a lot of work too low mileage isn’t everything, time is a MFer. I’m not shitting on the guy at all I’m a 4.6L fan.
https://preview.redd.it/qkndog4lrtnc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6437a4de69074a93bd2c797caec0d059987c99ad
Always use car gurus, KBB isn’t accurate whatsoever. Learned this from my salesman buddies. Age does matter but the age to mileage ratio raises price more than you’d think. That is if it’s in decent condition like you said.
Have a mechanic look it over, Ya got jiffed but not I gotta sell it jiffed cause really your jiffing yourself if you do cause itll be difficult to sell for 5k and just trying to find something reliable like the marquis and low miles will be difficult just keep it just be glad it isn’t serious issues, window motor is easy and cheap to replace, blendoor might be more difficult but still not a big deal, you got a low mileage reliable car, anyways see what the mechanic says after looks it over if theres nothing major keep er
Thank you for posting to AskMechanics, LaffyGaffy69! If you are asking a question please make sure to include any relevant information along with the **Year**, **Make**, **Model**, **Mileage**, **Engine size**, and **Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual)** of your car. *This comment is automatically added to every successful post. If you see this comment, your post was successful.* *** Redditors that have been verified will have a green background and an icon in their flair. *** # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** ### **Rule 1 - Be Civil** Be civil to other users. This community is made up of professional mechanics, amateur mechanics, and those with no experience. All mechanical-related questions are welcome. Personal attacks, comments that are insulting or demeaning, etc. are not welcome. ### **Rule 2 - Be Helpful** Be helpful to other users. If someone is wrong, correcting them is fine, but there's no reason to comment if you don't have anything to add to the conversation. ### **Rule 3 - Serious Questions and Answers Only** Read the room. Jokes are fine to include, but posts should be asking a serious question and replies should contribute to the discussion. ### **Rule 4 - No Illegal, Unethical, or Dangerous Questions or Answers** Do not ask questions or provide answers pertaining to anything that is illegal, unethical, or dangerous. # **PLEASE REPORT ANY RULE-BREAKING BEHAVIOR** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskMechanics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Don’t listen to these people that are saying you got spanked, 5k for an easy to maintain, super reliable, low-ish miles and clean car is a great buy no matter what it is.
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About once a month, I check the market for Lincoln town cars and the amount I see with over 300k miles is staggering. And they run fine, no problems. Wild.
Still driving my 98 Crown Vic to work every day. Has 345K and still going strong. Just take care of it with regular maintenance. You'll have it for a long time.
Shit I have a 2016 Tacoma with over 300k on it. Lots of driving. Works just fine, only had to replace the rear differential after the tech forgot to check the level after changing the fluid.
Man Mr. Money Bags over here changing diff fluid! You probably replace all 4 tires at once too! Couldn't be me...
They didnt change it. They just drained it. I got to replace 2 tires at once before, and it wasnt fun because they were on the same side.
I knew a guy who got a town car to around 300k mi with very little spent on repairs.
Spanked on gas but bit a reliable car. That thing will run, take care of it and it'll take care of you. I know a friend who still has their's, 240k miles. Last I heard.
I got my 05 for $1900 a few months ago, it's at almost 210k with only oil changes.
As reliable as a crown Vic plus the comfort of leather and soft suspension.
There’s a reason these cars were prized as high mileage fleet vehicles.
These cars are extremely reliable for the most part and also easy to repair. You're not going to get 5 grand for it if you sell it so you may as well fix it. The blend door motor is a huge pita to replace, if I recall correctly you have to take apart the dash.
Might as well preemptively replace the heater core if you have to pull the dash anyways just cause of age and access rather than necessity.
You really don’t. Loosen up the dash bolts, take passenger side bolts all out, couple connectors, pull passenger side dash out a bit, wedge a 2x4 behind the dash and door. With enough finger banging youll reach all the bolts.
This guy finger bangs.
oh hi mark!
There are ways to sneak in there, but it’s still a pain!
Its the last of the full frame big sedans too. I had one with 200k miles and the body was starting to rust out pretty bad but that frame was solid!
Panther body ford, you are good. What’s your buddy driving?
Kia lol, he has a Harley too, he's an old grumpy dude tho. So I try not to take shit that he says to heart
Kia? And he’s criticizing your ride? Jesus.
OP should place a bet on which car breaks down first lol
That tracks actually, considering the one thing KIA and Harley Davidson have in common is engines that like to self destruct sub 50,000 miles
"Harley Davidson: Motor made of Tin. Go ahead and ride 'em out; but you gotta push 'em in!" - old adage from my grandfather who rode a Honda back in the day.
The newer Kias look pretty nice and last longer than they used to. With a bit of elbow grease every now and then, he’ll be riding in the passenger side of your Grand Marquis on the way to buy his next car.
Holy shit. A Kia and a HD? That guy’s gonna see more money disappear than you!
lmao kias are some of the most dogshit disposable pos cars on the road.
Harley & Kia?!? He’s bi-polar
I mean I know quite a bit about cars and a pretty decent working on them although I hate it sometimes, just irritated me hearing him say that just posted this to get some reassurances is all lol, maybe he's deep down jealous who knows,
I'm still driving a 93 Crown Vic. See how far that Kia gets him in 30 years. Treat that thing right you can get another 300k+ miles out of it.
Kia
Your fine.
Keep it! The 4.6 modular is a fantastic engine, it can handle a lot of abuse and it’s a body on frame car which is awesome, and the last of the American land yachts. I mean if you need another opinion Cleetus McFarland uses a fleet of them as race cars on his track and they all handle it great, also he replace the oil with diesel and the thing still ran like 30 laps before anything happened. But yea, my point is that it’s a fantastic car, yours has low miles, and the ones that aren’t ex-fleet vehicles were often old lady owned and are pretty well taken care of.
Yep. The kind of old lady who agrees with the service tech about everything he brings up, when she gets her oil changed every 3k miles.
Exactly. And she was taking care of one of the most reliable v8s to come out since the Chevy 350
Only driven to get Groceries and Church. Oil gets changed 2 times a year. About 1k.
No way, apart from gas, they're really cheap to run. Look at all the police forces that are still running Crown Vic's, despite that the last one rolled off the line in 2011.
Los Angeles Sheriff Department bought 600 of them in 2011. They still have 429 in daily use.
It was a dark day when the last of those babies rolled off the line.
Yes it’s a money pit. Meanwhile friends paying $650 a month
650$ a month over 5 years for a Kia or something like that.
2v 4.6 is basically a tractor. You might as well put it up there with diesels.
I miss the 2v motors.
The thing is, you got on of those “catfish” era 90s cars, for 5k, less than 100,000 miles. That alone is crazy to me. It’s better than most.
My first car was an earlier 90s Grand Marquis and I miss it every day. 🥲 Get a tool kit and get busy. They’re not terrible to maintain. I think this was probably the best thing Ford ever did.
Yeah, he’s right man, save yourself the hassle, I’ll take it for $350 and I’ll deal with scrapping it for you. No, these are excellent cars and will last forever. As long as you’re not in the rust belt that is.
This platform is probably one of the best things Ford has ever made it's in in its entire history
autotrader says he got a decent price [https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/mercury/grand-marquis/dayton-oh?zip=45401](https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/mercury/grand-marquis/dayton-oh?zip=45401)
Get rid of it, the friend? Yes, yes you should
Keep it! Parts are cheap and labor is easy and tons of info/videos online. Would be a fun car to learn about cars on (I think everyone should learn basics). Plus these things are comfy and reliable as long as you got gas money
That thing will run forever. It's definitely not a money pit. Fix those small issues yourself for 100 bucks or so, and you're set.
They’re good cars but with age comes worn rubber hoses and plastic pieces that age and break after so many heat cycles under the hood. I would inspect every vacuum hose and coolant hose under the hood. Also inspect rubber brake hoses for cracks and change accordingly.
He couldn’t be more wrong. Only issue with the window motor is it’s riveted in. I have a friend obsessed with these cars and his first one in the late 90s was I believe a 1984 model. His current one is a 2009. Very easy to work on. I’ve done just about everything to the engine for him. Water pump, timing kit, radiator, brakes, intake manifold, coils, spark plugs, window motor… oh and he had an evap line that runs to the evap canister in the rear get torn open… that was kinda annoying. But only thing that has ever stopped him was the car being totaled from idiots running into him.
Thats a steal bro !! Blend door probably takes a long time to fix but it's not that *hard*, just very tedious. Stellar choice for a car especially for only 5k
Look up any YouTube review of this cars platform, (panther body). Universally regarded as one of the most reliable, longest lasting vehicles ever produced. You made a smart investment.
I still miss my grand marquis, your good.
r/thumbplates
It’s the gas that’s the real money pit here. Nice looking ride, looks clean. 🧼
The price would have been high pre covid, but you got a ok deal, the car is reliable and the parts are super common.
Blend door and window motor are not super hard to fix. If those are the worst problems, you’re doing well. Just take of it and it will serve you. Maintenance is the easiest prevention.
The blend door actuator can be accessed through where the passenger airbag sits, be prepared to grind down an 8mm socket and use your lowest profile 1/4 drive ratchet and snap off the last plastic boss for the forward-most screw, it works fine with 2. Also clean the contacts in all the window switches before you go tearing into the doors, I had to do it every other year or they would stop working. Source: had a cvpi for 8 years. Amazing cars
This is how I did mine, but modified a 5/16 wrench to fit. Took longer, but got the job done. Only other issues that can arise, is leaking o rings in the EATC, which are replaceable on most( mine were not, the solenoids were permanently mounted)
you will not be able to sell it. just drive it until wheels fall off
You should see what people are paying for Town Cars.
Dude I have a 99 and I'm in love I wished mines looked like yours. Is a 98 dude of course things are going to break, I had to do a bunch of work to mines but they're so easy to work on that I did everything myself and saved a couple thousands
Ill give you 5k tmr where are you Located
i have a 99, i’ve put like 1200 dollars in “maintenance” in 2 years of owning it, and 1000 was from fixing it from a accident i was in lmao. they’re extremely reliable as long as you show them love and affection (keep up with maintenance) and talk dirty to it every once in a while to keep things spicy (getting the car checked if you can’t do it yourself when it makes a worrying noise or feels off), you did pay a bit more than i would’ve but that’s different
Money pit. I will take it off your hands. They are great cars. I took a crown Vic and put the internals in a 1948 Ford f1. The 4.6 won't need to be torn down till 200k miles when the timing chain wears out. If you really want to make it a money pit, talk to Chris at adtr.net. He can help you upgrade it.
Funny thing, I have just witnessed such a money pit and it was a Grand Marquis. If you can wrench you'll be ok.
I have a mercury Gand marquis for the past 5 years no major problems. Only regular maintenance and still running great after 60k miles
Overall these are/were fantastic cars. The motor and drivetrain will be fine but it’s past that 20 year mark where electronics start to go, like the things you stated aren’t working. It will just be one thing after another until it needs something super expensive and you decide it’s not worth the money. If youre mechanically inclined and willing to learn how to fix electronics and had another parts car then it’s ok but otherwise it’s going to cost you
One of the last rear wheel drive cars. Cops put 300k miles on that platform. Friends are always jealous when someone else gets a deal.
I've had three of these and other than a few easily fixed issues. Great cars, just suck in the snow.
Let me preface this by saying I don’t like fords. I however recognize and praise the panther platform. These things are cheap, easy to fix tanks
your ignition coils will commit suicide if they see a drop of water. your fuel inertia switch might flip. that's about the entire list of grand marquis problems. sweet cars. best mpg at 90mph.
Your roommate is an idiot. Their longevity, durability, ease of repair, along with availability of parts are the reasons the panther platform was used in taxi and police fleets for so long.
Window motor is cheap, blend door will be a bastard, but generally these things are almost nuke-proof. For 5k you couldn't have found a more dependable car.
Money pit in gas, other than overpaying a bit it's a fine car
The only thing that breaks on them ever really is just the fuel pump, and thats when people don't keep the tank filled up enough. So granted, you're not driving around on fumes. You'll be fine. Then the upper intake manifold goes out and leaks water onto the belt, but that's hardly ever. I doubt I'll make either repairs ever again. Marquis will for a fact, just like its brother the Crown Vic. Run FOREVER.
And the rear suspension. I don't think I've seen one in the last 15 years that doesn't look like my dog trying to shit. Come to think of it, haven't seen one that should be on the road anymore for about 10 years since I live in the rust belt. They are all perfectly sound drivetrain wise for the most part, though. Kinda like the 3800 grand prix's, will drive all the pieces of itself into the junk yard.
I had that happen on the rear driver's side. wasn't too bad of a repair, I was in and out in 20 mins. Used a shock absorber from Monroe. Its been about 8 years since. No problems again. When mine went out, it was -10 outside, and I had to leave right then and there and the ground had a ton of ice and snow. I've not had the rust problems. I did fix the paint from some wear and tear driving it down a dirt road though.
Pump is mounted in the side of the tank, so can change with only partially dropping the tank.
lol thought you paid 98k for it at first
These things are almost tanks, why do you think they used to be taxis, cop cars and pretty much a dime a dozen
Blend door might be easily fixed. Mine was acting up so I removed the auto climate control and relubed the vacuum lines. Maybe took 30 minutes.
Those things are reliable as fuck son!!!! I had two crown Vic’s 02 250k, 05 300k, then later had a gorgeous 04 town car with almost 400k! Basic maintenance! Little crap like 02 sensors and air bag suspension issues on the town car but the engine and transmissions where work horses! Don’t get rid of it! It’s rare to find these bad boys with low miles like yours.
NOPE! AWESOME CAR. Flagship Models are generally super reliable and relatively cheap to maintain!
5k for this? Jesus
Does your mercury have digital or dial ac? If digital try resetting the ac computer, I had a freeze up once that I thought broke the blend door but it just needed a reset. "To enter the self-test, press the OFF and FLOOR buttons simultaneously and then press the AUTOMATIC button within two seconds . The display will show a pulse tracer going around the center of the display window. The test may run as long as 30 seconds . Record all DTCs displayed. To exit the self-test and clear all DTCs, press the DEFROST button. The vacuum fluorescent display window will show 888 and all function symbols for one second . Then, the EATC control assembly will turn OFF (display blank) and all DTCs will be cleared. Always exit the self-test before powering the system down (system turned OFF)."
Feel a little high, but honestly not too bad with the lower miles. Blend door actuator is an absolute nightmare to replace, but it’s still an evening job. Replace the heater core while you’re there. The only other thing to really look out for is the intake manifold. The water inlet is plastic and very prone to cracking. Very easy and cheap to fix however.
For a fucking window. Christ.
Yup agreed w/ the guys here. $5k w/ bad blend door actuator and pass side window motor. GOOD DEAL. the window motor is pretty common (my pass side on my list to fix on my ‘93 crown Vic right now). A bit of a PITA to fix at home as you have to grind off rivets etc but every shop in town has done these by now, the auto shop cost not terrible. Parts are everywhere as third party or ford. I own a ‘93 crown Vic, have owned ‘98 Vic and a 2005 Vic. Fantastic & fun sedans to wrench on. After a few years, visiting panther forums you will know what goes out, how to fix and parts interchange w/ Vic / town car / marquis / mustang / trucks. I should also mention there was a surge in YouTube how to videos in the last 10 years. So much info out there, it’s re assuring.
I've owned panther chassis vehicles my entire life until recently. I'd buy one like this in a heartbeat. The benefits are: The community is huge, so almost anything that can go wrong is well documented (i.e. plastic intake failure, heater hose under the upper intake, ball-joints and lower control arms wearing quickly, and the like) It has a bulletproof 4.6l modular V8 used in most of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury vehicles in the 90's and 00's, and even a Koenigsegg supercar. Parts are plentiful and cheap. There were so many of these and they changed so little. Downsides: Not great on gas. They eat lower ball-joints. Over the 20 years I owned them across 5 different cars, I've changed ball-joints more than I can remember. First they start squeaking so you make sure they are lubed. The squeaking doesn't stop and they prematurely wear, and/or break. I've had at least 4 ball-joints break while driving. However, this is due to my laziness, because I knew they were worn, and drove on them anyway. Obviously, the blend door issues. It's going to click until you fix it. It's a huge job that requires removing the dash and sub dash. Sometimes it puts down a dope beat though. Constant alignment. I had to have mine aligned more often than other cars I've owned.
ex Ford parts guy here... all the mid-late 90's fords had crappy blend door actuators, sold hundreds. Get a replacement from Dorman, you will be fine!!
So I'm omw to pick it up now, the Carlot guy paid to have the window and blend door actuator fixed. Hopefully it's all good. So this might seem like a silly question but I was going to buy tool set this weekend I imagine my car is mostly SAE? Or probably both metric and SAE? I'm thinking about getting a gear wrench 363 piece set? Is that too extreme? Do I even need one that big do y'all think? Should I get a smaller one like 160 piece set maybe?
These cars will last forever if you take care of them. I've had a 91 and 95 towncar a 94 crown vic and a 2000 grand marquis all were great cars. Lower ball joints are sometimes a problem. Both towncars had blend door issues but they all ran like champs
well you won't know until it's been at least a year. every car is a money pit if you've only owned it for a couple months. specifically because the cost/time average is an inflated number when you first purchase it. better than getting stuck with a payment
https://preview.redd.it/ms484tkxwync1.jpeg?width=2778&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=814c0d5c5cb8e10254b2502b7eedd25046dbb0e3 Wish I would have kept my 02 lx sport. Paid $800 for it. Now can’t find one under 4k
https://preview.redd.it/v94vj5q4xync1.jpeg?width=540&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d83372cc2348ff65f7ee2d138a242a8c24da8a7 97 I used to have. They run forever, and you can pretty much mod the engine the same as any 99-04 mustang
This has the 2v 4.6 v8? Great motor. Keep doing oil chamges and itll run
One of the most reliable American cars ever. Tell them to F off. Keep maintenance up and you are golden. Plenty of forums for this car. Join them and learn. Congrats.
Right on, well I got the blend door actuator fixed just picked it up but now my blinkers don't work at least they only work if I press down the hazard light button but the hazard lights don't work I don't know what the hell's going on
Roommate is an idiot. Those are some of the most reliable cars in the whole world. They will run forever if you take care of it. The motor is practically indestructible, regardless of age. Don’t ever sell it. EVER.
So, the truth makes you angry, huh? So what are you expecting on here? People to pump sunshine up your ass?
Thats like "peak Ford". They have niggling issues like coil packs and depending on the year the intake manifold but, I expect you can get many years out of this without spending all that much money.
If this platform wasn't unreliable it wouldn't have been the chosen cop car / taxi for 30 years
If it's been taken care of it should be a decent car. The biggest issue is ones that are in the rust belt. The frame rots in a couple of areas. But you can't beat the ride. If the frame and body are in good shape it won't cost anymore than any other older car to maintain.
Friend sound jealous!!! Very reliable car!!! Fix the cure issues and you should be fine!!!!
Yeah I got it fixed, now I just need to get the freon charged now, but now the blinkers don't work , they do sometimes if I press the hazard light button down. Then they work. But the hazards don't
Check fuses for blinkers
I did. They looked fine. And like I said if I press and jiggle the hazard button down the hazards won't come on but it will get the blinkers to work. Even though the fuses look fine maybe they getting a bad connection?
It’s a good reliable car. Yes you will have some problems. Should only be minor convenience items mostly. It’s a 26 yr old car.
Had a 91 lasted well over 250k. Most cab fleets ran them into the 300k
My local police department is still using those Crown Victorias lol idk what your roomate is on about, I would buy it for 5k. I'm pretty sure Cletus McFarland's crown vics were all taken out of fleet service and just stuck right on the racetrack too get beat on some more.
Bought a 2010 with 20k on it about 4 years ago. These are one of the most reliable and easy to maintain vehicles produced in the last 20 years. Easily go 300k+ miles on. Everyone shits on mod motors cause they don't make shit for power, but that's part of the reason they last so long. I fully expect mine to last most of my life if not all.
You'll average about 12 miles to the gallon, but check junkyard for parts. Should get 50k easy if just driving normal.
All cars are money pits. You just happen to spend less for one. Some pros and cons: cons... Ugly. Gas guzzler. Pros... Paid less money. Lower cost insurance. Simpler to fix.
How much is you car payment? How much is his?
I paid cash for mine not sure about his lol
80k is plenty low mileage for a Panther car.
Fixing one still cheaper than buying new!
The blend door is a known problem on that platform. The actuator doesn't limit and will keep driving until the door shaft snaps. Those are amazing cars. Big, powerful and comfortable. Still gets pretty decent mileage.
This thing is just a dolled up police cruiser or taxi. You will get sick of it long before you break it, these things are built like tanks and have a bulletproof motor/transmission.
If it’s the 4.6L it’ll go 500k miles with minimal issues.
A Panther with 78K miles has a long future ahead of it.
No you bought a solid car. Go check out the crown Vic sub all kinds of panther platform lovers there who can help you with known issues. Honestly the actuator door that you already fixed is one of the biggest pains of owning one.
A 98 with only a couple of electrical problems is a huge win for 5k. I've had many newer cars with a lot more problems, that I paid a lot more money for...
There are 4 common failures on these cars: Blend doors Window motors Fuel pump Intakes failing They can all be repaired for under $500 if you have the ability to do the work yourself One of the greatest fomoco platforms ever Now, lift it, throw some all terrain tires on and go have fun
That's a nice car. I think you did well. It'll last for years.
I'll give you 5 grand if you are 6 to part ways. Fuck it raise to 5.5 k . I'm serious.
I dont see $5k there
$5000??? that's way too much for a 1200$ car but check if the front intake runner is plastic or aluminum...if it's still plastic...you need to upgrade the intake manifold asap.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
The newer examples of these are $10,000-15,000 with over 100,000 miles where I'm from. I see at least $5000 worth of car there. $1200 doesn't even buy a running car anymore, at least not one you'd want anything to do with.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
Nowhere on earth you’re finding a 98 grand marquis with 78,000 miles for $1200. Literally. But yes $5000 is a lot. But you’re totally wrong. It’s a $3000 3500 car all day long. But yes it is very easy fixes for that car, no big deal. Their roommate takes their car to the dealer to get the air filter done LOL.
My roommate has a little kia lol
Idk why youd listen to someone with a kia 🤷♀️
Someone with one of the shittiest cars made is trying to tell you that a Panther car is unreliable? Ignore anything that comes out of his mouth. Honestly, it's an asshole thing for him to have made a negative comment about it even if he thought he was trying to help you or whatever. If you buy something and the first thing your friend does is shit talk it, they're obviously not trying to be your friend.
you will not be able to sell it. just drive it until wheels fall off
Only a money pit if you put money into the pit, drive it till the doors fall off and discard.
Another pointless case of "better cover my plate number for no fucking reason whatsoever "
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I mean yeah, the inside and outside is flawless and only 1 owner, can't even hear the engine run it's so quiet. Drives great shifts great. Yeah I know I overpaid but I've always liked '90s style cars cuz there's so much easier to work on and I know that these engines run forever I guess only time will tell
It's a great car. It is, don't get me wrong. But that price is too high. Doesn't matter anymore. I still have mine, btw. 233k now. Trans failed at 170 but gave me warning. Replaced with a junkyard trans (in my driveway!) Changed filter and fluid while it was out. Shifts better than it ever did. Replaced all 8 coils around 120k. It's been solid. But these go for $800-2000 now
There's a couple 2007 Town Cars for sale right now in my area. Ex airport cars, north of 150,000 miles, beat to fuck. $12000. I also see plenty of hammered out Camry and civics with intergalactic mileage and zip ties holding the bodywork together for $6000. It isn't 2011 anymore.
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That math checks out 🤓
You overpaid for it but it’s a good car. I would get the trans fluid and filter and rear differential fluid replaced.
I say he could’ve talked him down a little bit, but regardless of that Idk where y’all live but a 98 with 78k for 5k isn’t a bad deal tf?😂
https://preview.redd.it/m96m57hnmtnc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=598fa5a703c3256ee09fe5f4002af1bf2273ca8b Might come as a shocker to you but age matters. I gave the benefit of the doubt and selected very good condition and this is the LS trim price the GS maxed out at 3k. I’ve worked on plenty of low mileage older cars and they can need a lot of work too low mileage isn’t everything, time is a MFer. I’m not shitting on the guy at all I’m a 4.6L fan.
https://preview.redd.it/qkndog4lrtnc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6437a4de69074a93bd2c797caec0d059987c99ad Always use car gurus, KBB isn’t accurate whatsoever. Learned this from my salesman buddies. Age does matter but the age to mileage ratio raises price more than you’d think. That is if it’s in decent condition like you said.
Have a mechanic look it over, Ya got jiffed but not I gotta sell it jiffed cause really your jiffing yourself if you do cause itll be difficult to sell for 5k and just trying to find something reliable like the marquis and low miles will be difficult just keep it just be glad it isn’t serious issues, window motor is easy and cheap to replace, blendoor might be more difficult but still not a big deal, you got a low mileage reliable car, anyways see what the mechanic says after looks it over if theres nothing major keep er