Hey Wizard! Thanks for the professional inspection! I have a lot of out of town buyers inquiring on this car and decided to go ahead pay to do a PPI for them. I am actually doing my detailed TH-cam video overview on my channel this afternoon and will upload today as well. Who will be the next owner of this special car?
I don't know how you do it. That is an amazing specimen. The supercharged Park Avenue you have is nice too. I had my Dad's Olds supercharged Touring Sedan after he passed and that big old car got 34 mpg highway on 93 octane!
I took your advice a few years ago and purchased a 2011 Town Car. I had one incident with it when driving on the I70. The engine ran rough and check engine light started flashing. I took it to two mechanics. One just threw parts at it and didn't fix it. The other ran tests and declared that one of the cylinders had zero compression. He suggested junking the car as it wasn't worth an engine rebuild or replacement. I took it home and tore off the valve cover. One of the valve springs had broken, explaining the zero compression. I used a borescope to view the piston and saw no damage. I purchased a valve spring compression tool for just this engine and replaced the spring myself. Engine has been running fine with no codes for many thousands of miles since. All that said, you were right!
Fuck yeah, a buddy of mine who is a 20+ year mechanic, and owned over 30 Lincoln Town Cars from 1990s to 2011. He said you can't get anymore reliable than a panther platform. He owned a 97 with 500k miles, had good compression in all 8 cylinders. sold for $2k because it was super nice, great condition.
Same thing happened to my Silverado, it broke a valve spring at 350,000 miles. I just replaced all 16 just in case and it’s been running perfect. Other than the valve springs and water pumps it’s all original. Had a Lincoln Town Car back when I was 19. It was great car.
Just bought one of these! 2002 Grand Marquis with 49,000k miles on it. I love it so much, couldn't be happier with my purchase. It's a beautiful blue color, luxurious inside, and I get to use my cassette collection on the road!
I just got a 1999 grand marquis 53K Miles. It is in the shop before I can pick it up, but selling dealer has helped me in the past, so I feel good buying a car from them
@@oldschool9447 there's always parts that need replaced on low mileage old cars. I replaced all shocks and the whole front in, plus belts, bearings, brakes, sensors and thermostat. Flushed fluids too. If you're willing to put the work and money into it, it's definitely worth it
I'm a cabbie, and we drive these for a reason. We had a Grand Marquis we got over 700k out of, typically these will run 4-500k, they tend to get wrecked before they wear out. My current cab is an 09 crown Vic, it has 90k on it and drives like a brand new car. No rattles or squeaks, I put 420 miles on it tonight, no problems whatsoever.
@@kevinjack1171 Yes that's true, if you are an inexperienced driver, rear drive can be tough in the winter but if you throw some snow tires on it and some weight in the trunk you can do just fine with them. Plus who doesn't like doing rear drive donuts in a snow-covered parking lot?
@@Zaidi_227 If you strictly drive around town, yes fuel economy isn't the best but on the highway they can do better than my V6 accord which gets 26 on average. It's all about the gearing, the rearend ratio is set up for highway driving, the engine is under 2k rpms at 80 mph.
They quit producing the Grand Marquis sometime in January of 2011 and they quit producing the crown Victoria 8 months later sometime in September of 2011
8 and half years ago I bought a 2006 Town Car with 440,000 miles for $900. Im still driving it daly with 520,000 miles on it now. Most of the repairs (if not all) range in the $100 to $200 range for parts. The Panther Platform is the most reliable car ever built in my opinion. And also (at least with the Lincoln) the heater core can be replaced without pulling the dash out!!!
You can buy parts for these cars online so cheap unless it's a lower control arm bushing that bolts to the frame on a Grand Marquis. The aftermarket ones didn't work.
That’s crazy I bet if you rust proof spray it with like rust check or Krown you could literally keep it going forever. I imagine engines and trannies aren’t crazy expensive either
I drove a cab from '06 to '07, and we used the Ford Panther platform exclusively. Usually used cop Crown Vic's that we'd get at auction from the various police departments in the local area, with the occasional Town Car which we'd use for airport runs. When I left, the company had TWO of these cars with over SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES on them -- still with the ORIGINAL engines and transmissions! It was *VERY* common to see these things go 350K to 400K before a major failure. In fact, it was unusual *not* to see one hit 400K before needing something big like an engine or transmission. They built the platform for so long that they had literally decades to work out all the bugs. Utterly bulletproof!
I purchased a 2004 Lincoln Town Car with 101,000 for $4500. I purchased it knowing it had a few issues. It was sitting a while due to the original owner passing away. I put new tires, brakes, fuel pump. Runs like a top!!! Rides like a dream!! Looks and runs like new!! I'm 65 and retired...I drive 3000 miles a year. It may be the last car I buy!! 😂 My car has no leaks or rust. It's a Florida car! Looks like new underneath.
I'm a bit older than you, however, keep telling my older friends look for reliability in a car and don't try to impress anyone with your car. No one cares about what you drive besides yourself. And most importantly these days an older person can buy a car to last the rest of their lives. So many boomers grew up with the buy a new car ever three years then get rid of the car as it was more or less shot, back in the 60's and 70's. Many boomers have a hard time shaking their old mind set with car longevity.
I’ve had over 9 cars in the past 10 years. Mustangs, diesel pickups, Toyota Tacoma. Out of all of them the one I’ve kept the longest and drive every single day is my 2006 mercury grand marquis. Hands down the best car I’ve ever owned. Dead reliable is an understatement. Averages 23-25 mpg highway. Mine is approaching 200k miles. I’ll drive it until it needs to be scrapped. I can’t explain how much I love these cars. Best cars ever made.
@@juanpaVlz I live in the northeast so eventually the frame will become rotted out to the point it isn’t safe to drive anymore. Until then I will surely keep repairs going as needed.
I love these Panther Platform cars! My 2007 Town Car had 465,000 miles on it and still had 181 compression with the original nonrebuilt engine or transmission in it. The Panther Platform first came out in 1979 and went until 2010 for civilians and 2011 were for fleet services.
I think most of the police departments grabbed up as many of the last year model they could and still use them today. I guess every one that gets wrecked can still be used for parts as well as there still being tons of available new parts to get.
I think its the single best platform Ford has ever made. It's funny, when America wants to. They can beat the Japanese on the reliability metrics. They just don't value it for most vehicles and Toyota does.
@@samsonCobyEvery car has troubles, I worked my early 20s at Toyota in Southwestern Ontario. I also worked for GM and a bunch of the suppliers that are spotted around that area. Toyota is better organized, higher quality machines and they treat their workers the best. Every factory I worked at except Toyota focused primarily on quotas. However Toyota focuses on the PPM defect rate. They want perfection at all costs and they shut their lines down a lot. That part is frustrating but worth it. Toyotas are built different imo. I hear really good things about Ford as well, I just don't have any experience with them. I think Toyota makes up for the inefficiencies by using more automation though. All manufactures use automation but I noticed that Toyota's seemed kinda next level.I'm not a engineer but you could tell that they were on the cutting edge.
I've got a Lincoln Town Car and I can't agree more. Car is an absolute tank, reliable as ever, comfortable, and fairly easy to work on. Parts are cheap and easy to find. And if you smoke a deer on an old backroad you can 9 times out of 10 drive it home. And as an added bonus you have enough room to put the entire deer comfortably in the trunk and still have room for a spare tire.
My son hit a dear in my late model town car. It damaged the hood, bumper, and everything in front of the radiator. But still drove it for 200 miles to get it home with no problems. Insurance totaled it out. But it was so nice I purchased it for slavage value.
If you get in a serious accident though youre dead... And comfyness is relative. They are still bad cars NVH wise. You get all the outside noises that you can think of, all the damper and engine vibrations, plus the boaty drive can make a lot of people feel sick if youre going any twisty roads....
That owner took impeccable care of this vehicle. Man, it looks nice. I was very impressed by the ease of maintenance that was pointed out. I had a 1996 Toyota Corolla for 25 years and 360,000+ miles. I had handle-operated windows at a time when it had become an oddity. That was my standard of good and low-maintenance and reliable car. It never stranded me. It was the body that gave out, not the engine.
I've had similar great LT experiences w an 85 Accord (20 years still drivable but rusting ) and an 03 Corolla (totalled 2 years ago) Ea w over 200k mostly trouble free miles good mpgs handling and bad weather traction
I’ve got a 2011 Grand Marquis, that was my work car, before I retired. I’ve gotten 30 MPG, on long trips, and other than regular maintenance It hasn’t cost me a dime in repairs. I’ve gotten rear ended twice, and it never even scratched the paint on the bumper. Both other cars had significant damage.
My step brother's dad bought a '93 Grand Marquis from an old lady for about $1,500. It only had 32,000 miles on it. All Church and grocery miles. Garage kept it's entire life. Thing was the mintest Panther I have ever seen. Then he traded it for a non running RV with a broken windshield and all the mold in the world. I offered to buy it for $2,000, but he really wanted that dumb RV. And after a month of trying to get it liveable/running, code enforcement told him to get rid of it. So he sold it for like $500. You could imagine how mad I was. We don't talk no more..
@user-mj9lq9vp3wid like to imagine there was more to it. That's as descriptive as "you don't talk over words...?" When somebody has been abused all their life by somebody
A local used car lot had one of these on the lot with 60k miles, 1999. Tried to convince all my broke college student friends to buy it and none of them were convinced. I picked it up for five grand and have been driving it for a year. I really enjoy it.
My brother-in-law had one. I borrowed it when our vehicles were down for a couple of days. I asked if he wanted sell it. The ride was so smooth and quiet. The seats were plush. You didn't sit in the seats, you sunk into them. He drove that thing for quite a few years, put a ton of miles on it, much of which towing a pop up camper. He had very little trouble with it.
Actually NYC passed a city ordinance advising that city cabs couldn't be more than seven years old. The last one was a 2011 model although Ford continued fleet sales for one more year. A few outlaw cabs continued to run these for another few years before the last of NYCs famous Crown Vic yellow cabs was recently retired. Most agencies retire Crown Vic police interceptors (PI's) retire these after 100k but smaller agencies continue to run these despite being out of production for the past dozen years.
I had a cvpi version. thirsty car, and even with the best winter tires available - was utterly terrible in winter. loved it for what it was, but traction issues were a no go long term.
@@houseofnothey went to fleet only sales in 2008. Last year in the US was 2011. They were only sold in the Middle East in 2012. Larger agencies also run them for a long time for whatever reason, like various California agencies and Chicago PD. Smaller agencies buy up old used ones sometimes
Officially on record there are two 2011 (yellow) NYC crown Victoria long wheel base taxi cabs left still in service. Unfortunately TLC said there at there going to be taken out of service soon due to age. Owners have put extensions to keep CV’s operating in NYC streets
I am in a West Michigan snow belt - my 2003 Grand Marquis and my 2009 Crown Victoria has been the best winter, driving in snow cars I have ever owned. Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires lasted me 3 winters with a set of 4. I am starting this winter with my 2nd set of 4, in the 2nd winter on them. @@trumpet12345
As a european this is what I want to be seen in. To me it looks amazing! I love American cars. I’m actually looking at some crown vics but the 2 or 3 that are up for sale in my country are beat up old state trooper cars on 200k miles and probably double that in hours idling so no luck there 😢
I took a lot of airport limo rides in the late 90s, early 2000s, and rode in some very high milage Mercurys and Lincolns. Highest milage one was a long wheelbase Town Car with 390,000 miles. Dulles Airport mandated retiring the limos at 400,000 miles, so that one was almost done.
I used to deliver parts to a limo company who exclusively used town cars from this era. He did all his own maintenance on a good schedule. He had a town car with original engine and trans that had over 740,000 miles on it. He even started it up to show me that it still ran, and it ran great. A bit of oil smoke on cold start, but that was it. Was literally shocking to me that they can go that long.
Sounds like some new valve seals would have cleared that up...and judging by some of the other DIY repairs listed here, that doesn't sound all that hard.
On a cold start, white smoke might be water vapor. The vapor will clear up once the engine is at operating temperature. If the smoke has a bluish tint to it, and persists after the engine is warm, it is oil smoke.
What gets me is people will go on and on about a ricer or German car that has that kind of longevity, but few people will extoll the virtues of truly fantastic American cars like the panther platform.
Hi Wizard! Grandpas and Grandmas are the best people - not only the're patient, but drive cool underappreciated cars and also maintain them very well! More younger people could learn o lot from them about, simpler cars and life...so respect them, because they and their cars won't stay forever. [comment written by a 38 yo guy that appreciates and likes "grandpa" cars]
I have a 2003 Crown Vic LX with the HPP option. Has 145000 miles on it now and is still going strong. I love driving it and people really like it. It has the digital dash, leather interior, six cd changer in the trunk (still works), 3:27 gears, 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic air suspension in the rear. I replaced the air suspension recently with some Arnot replacements. I have owned it for 5 years now and have no plans of selling it now or in the future. Yes, I am an old 73-year-old guy who loves all cars. I also have a 1993 Pontiac Trans Am that I purchased in 1993 when I retired from the military. Have always been a Pontiac guy and am so sad they are gone now. Everyone have a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas.
65 yr old Pontiac girl here who lived in the MOTOR CITY growing up. My first car, was a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville 2-door fastback coupe... it was a street legal race engine with a modified 454, as I recall. I don't know what my parents were thinking,lol! Zoom!!!
I actually have one of these in a 99' GS model with about 130k miles on it. The only thing I had to replace on it was the spark plugs and the window motors. Got it for $1500.
I have 2 Towncars, a 99 and a 97. The Panther platform is the most reliable car I ever had. If I just want to go from A to B without ever even thinking about what can go wrong with the car I always take one of them.
I daily drive an ‘05 Grand Marquis and put 500-600 miles weekly. Bought it several years ago with 60k on it and it currently reads 140k. I have put less than $1000 in non routine maintenance. Hands down the most reliable and comfortable car I have owned. Besides a ‘97 Town Car which I sold with over 300k on it. Great video Wizard!!
We just bought a 2001 Grand Marquis LS after watching this video and reading about them. It was a one-owner, estate sale car with 11,400 actual miles. Always garaged, looks almost new inside, outside, and underneath. Paid $7k, and we love it! Thank you, Car Wizard!
Dude, you will absolutely get points for taking a girl on a date in this thing. Maybe not for how it looks, but once she's in there... It's spacious, extremely comfortable, Rides so smooth. It's literally 2 couches riding on 4 wheels. They're freaking great cars, i kinda want to get another one. The older ones have bench seats front and back so there's no center console getting in the way if your gal wants to snuggle up while you're driving.(with a column shifter) the Lincoln Town car might've kept the column shifter, I'm not sure.
@@factstrumpfeelings4551 did the first part, and one night my buddy legit wanted to ride in the trunk for some reason. So he did, leaving me and his girlfriend up front. He said it was very comfortable in the trunk. He's a strange man
All of them had column shifters standard, save for a few upgraded models like the Crown Vic LX Sport (Very rare) and the Mercury Marauder. I was actually taken by surprise to see a console shifter in a "regular" Grand Marquis. Must have been an LSE thing. Edit: LSE, not LX.
@@factstrumpfeelings4551maybe not the back seat if it’s an old cop car… made that mistake on mine once. Since then I have a front bench seat now and I re-enabled the rear doors.
I have an 04 Town Car converted to coil overs in the back. Love that thing. It just works. Had an oil leak when I bought it, turned out to just be the drain plug. They don't make em like this anymore.
I have had 5 Crown Vics and Grand Marquis. Currently I have a Crown Vic and a Lincoln Town Car. My brother has had seven. They are bulletproof. I have always gotten around 28 miles per gallon and no repair problems. They are great. I've talked to police officers who don't want to get rid of their units when the department transitions to suv's. Thanks Wizard.
Quiet, very strong movement, and V8 authority. I fixed a brake light sensor on the way home from buying it. Almost every part you can get at Advanced. Body on frame build makes it quick to get off the ground. Durable, feels great to drive through various conditions. Most models come without a middle console which I like for some convenience. Gigantic trunk that can fit almost anything. Cassette, CD, radio and bluetooth option(through cassette). Perfect for long drives with cushion and pushin. I could keep going. Its like having Bentley for a couple grand. I highly recommend.
Despite not made for several years, these are out there and in very good shape, low miles largely due to fact that they are Grandpa cars. I found 1999 MGM LS in similarly pristine condition with 60K miles 3 years ago for $3.5K. Just drove it 1/2 way cross country to Yellowstone, very smooth ride, absolutely love it.
Dirt cheap to fix, as well. Like 1990s prices instead of this oopsie (Dr. Evil grin) I guess we have to take the engine out to get to that part... or gosh, how DID the plastic in the timing gear destroy itself?
Love the Grand Marquis and Crown Vics! My late husband loved big "grandpa" cars and we had three of them over 25 years together. Always reliable, easy to handle, and great on long trips. I kept his last GM, a 2002 GS, for over 5 years after he passed, and I'd still have it now if it hadn't developed chronic engine problems. It had only 214K miles on it, so we must've gotten a defective one, lol. Still hope to get hold of another one if I can.
How lucky you guys are to have your hands on this beauty! It’s really hard for me to fathom that today’s auto industry is progressed in any real sense! They actually went backward in my humble opinion. I simply love these rear wheel drive big ole American cars! Hands down! I am in my seventies, and lived in the US for thirty some years, my current love is Chevy Suburban!
I love my 93 Town Car. It's kinda the opposite of this car, higher mileage and not in the best condition. It has a lot of little issues but runs and drives great and has been very reliable. It's a very easy car to work on for the most part, and I only paid $500 for it almost 6 years ago.
These are some of the best used cars to buy because most were owned by elderly people who drove slowly and had them maintained properly. Unlike a Mustang or Camero that get thrashed by young guys.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I just prefer my 2003 for the rack and pinion steering, extensive use of aluminum and slightly firmer ride. I’ve owned mine nearly 21 years with 150k miles and only have replaced the fuel pump. They can also be a great deal used for all the reasons you mentioned.
I drive a 2001 Grand Marquis on a rural mail route. The routes I deliver are about 150 miles long of stop-and-go driving on gravel roads. It is a comfortable ride with plenty of power. I can put a lot of mail bundles and packages in the old girl and still have room for *two full sized spare tires* and all my tools! She is a dirty beast! 189K miles and still kicking! Even the AC works! 😊
Had a 2007 Crown Vic retired cop car with 170k miles. At 220k, I blew out a spark plug , fixed that, then at 230k electric fan crapped out & car overheated but it was ok. After that repair, the A/C went out at 250k & decided to sell it. A year later, saw the kid I sold it to driving it around town! These cars refuse to die!
I highly recommend this transmission pan for high mileage models because it includes a drain plug to drain the transmission fluid without removing the pan. Dorman Transmission Oil Pan: Direct Fit, Steel, 17 Quart Part # 265-813 Limited Lifetime Replacement (8 reviews) $39.99
Hot tip, change the fluid by removing the transmission cooler lines. I pump out about 4 quarts from the line using the transmission's pump, and put 4 in through the dip stick, drive it around a week or two and do it again. Do that once a year or two.
I have a 1999 Grand Marquis with 190,000+ miles and will do ANYTHING to keep it running. It is super reliable and very easy to work on. Fantastic car, super comfortable. I believe this is the best car ever built for the money.
I will also do anything to keep my '95 Crown Victoria running because car prices are absolutely ridiculous right now, I don't see what else I could buy that would offer a similar driving experience. Maybe a Roadmaster or Park Avenue but even those are creeping up in value.
@@CadillacDriver If there is a Mercedes or BMW that offers similar reliability and road presence for the same price as a Grand Marquis, please let me know haha.
I bought an 04' Grand Marquis for $3000 based on your previous video. From a used car dealer, rebuilt engine yanked from a junkyard,, odometer not working, air only blows out of the dash and this car just won't quit. Multiple round trips from DFW to MPLS at 70 mph. Gotta love it.
I agree as its the same as mine except in color. I might be 60 but, I still think they are good looking cars even if I was younger. My air bags were replaced with coils before I bought it and thought about going back but, I hear they just go out again. Mine rides nice enough for me.
@@RedBud315 Yep, my daily driver is an 03 Towncar. When my airbags went out I swapped to coil springs for a permanent fix. They definitely ride better with airbags, but the springs are definitely not harsh in comparison.
@@RedBud315 yes, I know that some people think the rear air suspension is not that reliable, but I beg to differ. I have had five of these cars and I have never had any problems with the bags. You can get a remanufactured compressor, which goes in the driver side front corner of the engine bay for about $150 from Arnott.
Surprisingly, my 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis actually got me a 2nd date because she knew how beasts these cars actually are. Sure, they're Grandpa status type but gets me around with no problems. Thanks for the spotlight Wizard!
These are actually great first cars for young drivers, especially those who have a desire to learn and do their own maintenance. You can swap pretty much any small modular Ford V8 into this platform. You can throw in power adders, bolt ons or just leave it bone stock for longevity. It rarely breaks down, but it’s like a 15-45 minute fix if does break. This is probably the best platform since the Chevy Caprice or possibly better because it’s easier to get parts and the transmission and fuel system are bulletproof.
Not to mention the dimensions, learning to drive in a big ol boat of a sedan or a large truck is Luke high altitude training for your spacial awareness
They are great first cars but I remember debating with my parents over getting a Crown Vic and at first my dad was like no because they are too long for you you're a young driver and you're gonna have trouble parking then he also said they are dangerous because they RWD you should get an FWD car as your first car it's safer (I hate FWD with a passion I believe all 2WD vehicles out there should come with RWD period even 4 cylinder nonsports cars like a Focus, Camry, civic or accord it's my OCD! They should also come standard with a limited-slip differential open differential should be long gone by now obsolete they suck ass in poor traction, especially in RWD id rather have a limited-slip rear and have a locking rear and end up sliding or fishtailing and learn how to correct it but have forward movement than not go anywhere spinning only one wheel) (BUT I DIGRESS) He also said that it's gonna be a gas guzzler with the V8 but then when he finally got me a crown vic he ended up loving it. (It turned out to have an open diff but it can still rip fire donuts off-road on sand or gravel even with an open rear from my experience RWD is not that bad in the rain and snow if you know how to drive and if you take the proper precautions like you need good tires cause with an open diff in the rain with worn out poor tires it would do one wheel peel any time you hit the gas harder likewise put a ton of weight in the trunk when driving in the snow. The 4.6 V8 isn't that bad on gas although I never owned a 4 Banger or a hybrid so IDK what having better gas mileage even looks like the fuel consumption seems average on the Crown Vic. Moreover, I learned how to parallel park really well with that long thing so when I took a smaller car out for my road test it was a piece of cake.
They use the front suspension clips off these cars to build custom pickup trucks, upgrade old Fords and other makes from the 50'S and 60's. They use the whole front suspension from the firewall forward. And the clips themselves can be upgraded very easy. With tubular A-arms and coil overs. The most versatile suspension clip there is !
I just acquired my dad's 2006 Town Car, in the same color as yours. It's in great original condition, and I agree with everything you've said here. The car isn't exciting or sporty, BUT it's drop-dead reliable, easy to service and fix and is by-far the most comfortable and quiet car I've ever driven, aside from a Rolls-Royce. I'm not a Ford guy, but I highly recommend these...
@@gordonstarship I appreciate that. It's just a nice daily driver for the wife, so stock is fine. I have a 71 Pinto in the driveway that will be our hot rod...
They’re great if you live somewhere with no snow year round, but since they’re only rear wheel drive they aren’t good for winter driving in states where it snows. Other than that I agree they are great cars
I've a 2010 Grand Marquis Ultimate with the air ride suspension. I absolutely love t and just turned 40k miles. I love that it's built on a frame so it's built like a tank. HUGE trunk. And the 4.6 V8 runs like a top. Highway driving on long trips I can get 28 mpg, though typical stop and go and short highway runs I average 24 mpg. The ride is so comfortable, it's like riding your leather couch as you cruise down the road...
I had one. I believe 2002. Loved it and it saved my life. T-Boned from the drinker’s side at 45 mph. The center post between front and rear door was less than 12” from my hip after that side was shoved in. Had bench seat with fold down arm rests. Ironically I was already scheduled for a major back surgery which I had about a week later. Great car to by a young driver. Will protect their lives.
I visited the Ford plant that made these cars back in 2003 in St. Thomas, ON, Canada. Well done cars. The plant was closed in 2011, stayed under dismantling for several years until the area was purchased by Amazon and a distribution center was built there.
These can also be found in the form of the mercury marauder, which looked sick and had the 300hp 32v 4.6 V8 from the new edge ford mustang mach 1. They are also very safe, partly because they rated very well in crash tests, and because if yours is white with a black grille, even without lights or a pushbar, people drive safer around you. This particular car makes 239hp as its the lse trim with the center console, rear sway bar and dual exhaust.
"...people drive safer around you." They sure do! One of the family cars when I was first becoming a licensed driver was a 1974 Dodge Monaco. It wasn't precisely the Bluesmobile - there were two "cop" versions as Elwood described it, one with the 440 like theirs and another with the 360 but still having the cop suspension, brakes, etc., for cops who wanted a big tough car but weren't as likely to need the power. Ours was a civilian-issue one with the 360 "cop" configuration, painted a nice dark blue. The same dark blue as oodles of unmarked police cars that were around at the time, as a matter of fact. The other family car was at first a '71 Plymouth Cricket, replaced by a '76 Dodge Aspen. There was a night and day difference in the way other people drove around me when I was in the Monaco, vs. the others, and I know it wasn't just 'cause of the size.
I can certainly testify they are safe -I survived a head on collision with a semi in one of these years ago! Mine was a 95 LS with 166K miles on it and was still going strong after 5 years that I owned it. Walked away from that accident with only bumps and bruises -was pretty spectacular really. Even the semi took on more damage than you'd think from a car hit - plus it was leaking gas all over the place too from the impact -so now the EPA had to respond to the scene which then shut down half of I94 the whole day -was a huge mess🙂
I paid $2000 for a retiired Crown Vic p71 retired Interceptor, this was way before covid and car prices going nuts, and drove the stuffing out of the car for several years. The car was dead easy to work on in my driveway also.
These cars are so great because they're built on a recipe that Ford has been refining for many many years. We had a 1986 Mercury Marquis Colony Park that was a fantastic vehicle! That car was built on an earlier version of the platform and used a Ford 302 V8 that was equally reliable. Before that, we had a 1973 Colony Park (400 2bbl) and before that a 1969 Colony Park (I don't know which engine came in that car- I was 5 years old at the time, lol)! All of these were variations of a theme that became the ultra reliable panther platform and they were all fantastic vehicles!😉😎
Just as an FYI that is a rarer model known as the LSE (won't say it anywhere in the car except maybe on the floor mats). More of a "sport" package with the bucket seats and floor shifter/center console, dual exhaust tips and a little more HP. Only made for a couple of years, I believe 2002/2003. I had one and loved it. Compares to the Crown Vic Sport.
Right. I had LSE as well. Lots of power and acceleration. Kinda swam down the road, though, and front end was always loose. Build quality not so great, especially on details such as carpeting in trunk not even being attached. Eventually got a Lexus LS 430. Much happier with build quality but I know it will cost me more!
@@shirleygoodness3086 Weird, never had any of those issues. Only real problems I had was the air suspension in the rear (converted to regular shocks) and the diff pinion bearing, but both of those were after 120,000 miles.
My dad owned a Crown Victoria from 1984 to 20011 when he could no longer drive and it was sold to a friend of mine and he still drives it today. Just like my dad he’s never had a problem or break down. It’s never had to have a problem fixed just maintenance and service. I don’t count having to replace things that are expected to wear out after so many miles as repairs but it has never broken down
As far as not scoring points on a date I scored several times in my Grand Marquis, I truly miss that car, drove the wheels off of it and it was one of the best most reliable vehicles I've ever owned. I'm old enough to still think that car is absolutely beautiful.
@bionicman6969-- These Panther Platform cars have very large back seats to have some romantic times with a date. The back seat in my Lincoln Town Car is very comfortable. 😊😊 It's nice that you had a grand time in your Grand Marquis!! :-) :-)
This platform can give the Japanese cars a run for their money when it comes to reliability. Its also very tuneable and can take extra horsepower easily. There's a reason why Law enforcement and commercial usage choose this platform.
My first car was a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis. I paid $500 at an estate sale. Side note, ALWAYS buy at estate sales. You get amazing deals from families wanting everything to simply be gone. Anyway, I drove that Grand Marquis until the engine gave out around 10 years ago. GREAT car.
Great job Wizard. I am a Great Grandfather and a retired law enforcement officer and can tell you that you are exactly right about those late model Crown Vics and its sister vehicles they are nearly unstoppable. I would definitely be interested in acquiring that fine specimen of automotive excellence. Keep up the good job I look forward to watching your videos now that I am retired (I find myself agreeing with nearly every thing you say, a first for me)
I bought a 2000 crown Victoria with 80K on it. When it got to 150k, the rear air bags failed, the AC went out& the heater core sprung a leak. All at the same time . The dealer gave me $2500 bucks for it on a trade in.
I've had my Grandmama mobile for 12 years. Such a comfy and smooth vehicle. Most parts on her are easy to replace and can tolerate all sorts of abuse (the alternator took 2 weeks of dull whining before it got loud and burned up, which was an easy swap). All the random lil memories I've made in that car will never be forgotten...
Dude!! This car is absolutely gorgeous and it honestly breaks my heart at the lack of Mercury vehicle videos in general here on the World Wide Web. They are SO underrated! I’m from Toronto and I come from a long line of Mercury cars going as far back as my mum’s ‘83 Mercury Zephyr (my father and HIS father) had the Fairmont, ALL with the inline straight 6! My mum had her ‘83 Mercury Zephyr from 1986 till 1997. I Literally grew up in that car…on the road… travelling from the East to the West of Canada.. over the hills and far away and sometimes in brutal unforgiving Canadian weather! By the time my mother FINALLY junked the Zephyr, it was rotted out and full of holes. The straight 6 had about a million CONFIRMED km’s on it and it was STILL going! That engine would NOT die! Then I grew up and I had two Mercury Topaz cars and one Ford Tempo. To this day my ‘93 Mercury Topaz LS with the Ford Vulcan V6 was the BEST car I ever had! I miss that car every day. And you know what? Try to find a Mercury Grand Marquis here in Ontario! There’s actually very few on the market and the ones that ARE on the market have at least 300,000 kms and if it has low kms, you’re gonna pay at LEAST $7,000… and that number is quite steadily going up!
I currently own a 01 crown vic and an 04 town car. I drove 150 miles to buy the town car. It only has 108,000 miles on it. The body and underside is as nice as the one in this video. The interior is immaculate like the car in this video. I spent $4500 to buy it and I have absolutely no regrets. I've had the 01 CV for 3 or 4 yrs now , I paid $1200 for it, it just turned 200,000 miles and runs like a top. It's my daily driver for work. In the past I've owned a 91 town car, 94 town car, and a 2007 town car that was a little rough body wise but it ran perfect. These cars are so reliable and when they do break, the parts are cheap and plentiful, and they're super easy to work on. These cars are the best kept secret in the used car market.
I went shopping for cars with my son a year ago. Found a Grand Marquis and never looked back. Been spot on reliable for him and I worry just a little less knowing he has such a heavy car.
I have an '05 Gran M. My Dad bought it new. Has only 70K and runs like a Swiss watch....only problem: thin paint. Worth the $$$ to get it re-sprayed correctly.
That's awesome! I just got myself a 2008 Grand Marquis about a month ago. I love it. Going to have Maaco throw a paint job on it after I gather up enough funds to do so.
I'm driving my fourth Grand Marquis now and I"ve driven all of them well over 200K miles with little repair expense. All of they dripped a bit of oil from the rear main seal just before I traded them in. I always got 24+ mpg on the highway. I think they are the best value ever.
This feels about 5 years too late. I had one of these back then, a 2004 P71 for $1500. It ran great, but was rusty and had a massive exhaust manifold leak. I don't see hardly any of them for sale anymore, especially for that price. It would've been nice to have an alternative being built past 2011.
That's what I was about to say, these really are getting hard to find. In decent shape anyway. I just bought an 01 crown vic lx 105k miles for 3k. But had to put 1100 into front suspension parts, but still totally worth it 👌🏻
They are still everywhere. And I'm not talking about in junk yards. I own and drive 2 myself. I live in Oklahoma, and they still run p71 crown victoria interceptors in certain cities here.
Yep, I bought a 1997 Lincoln Town Car in 2016 for $1500 and drove it for almost 6 years. Sold it for $1000 and it is still a daily driver for someone. Great cars.
bruh they are EVERYWHERE still. its what happens when they made literal millions of these cars. there are THIRTY in my area alone at all price ranges. what happens is a lot of older folk pass away and their grandkids dont want to drive or deal with old boats so they sell them cheap.
Only car I’ve never seen on the side of the road. I’ve seen Honda, Toyota, buick 3.8, but have NEVER seen one of these broke down on the side of the road
Those 4.6 engines are absolutely wonderful. I love the panther platform and especially the engine. I have that 4.6 in my work truck and it has never let me down or left me stranded at 187k miles. I’m about to be getting a marquis or a t c for my kid to drive because they are so dependable
I guessed right. 4.6 engine which I have in my 2007 f150. The truck still pulls out very quickly with 350,000 miles on it. They stopped making this engine because it was to good.
Love this!! As owner of a Lincoln TC & a Ford Expedition both with the 4.6 V8 Car Wizard is 100% right. My Expedition has 270k miles on it and doesn’t burn a drop of oil, no smoke 💨 it just runs!!!
Watch out for the 96-01 plastic intake manifolds. Especially low mileage ones may still have the original one which is very prone to cracking and will leave you stranded. The 2002+ upgraded manifolds have cast aluminum piece up front the alternator attaches to. Ford settled a class action lawsuit but all extended warranties offered by Ford have expired by now.
Inherited my old man's 06 towncar with 56k miles last year. Ive since put 4k miles on it and it averages over 19mpg city! My wife's sienna gets 19.5 I'd say that's pretty good for an old American yacht
Take great pride in our 21 year old Mercury Grand Marquis with 130k on the odometer and in showroom condition. Car has been in our family since new I received it ten years ago after he passed. Has the usual replacement parts, manifold, radiator, water pump, front suspension, window regulators and wiper motor we absolutely love the car the most reliable we ever owned. Still driven a few miles daily since it's semi-retired and amongst the easiest to work on for a shade tree mechanic.
The Panther platform was awesome. Full frame, really good visibility from the cab. I had a 2001 Crown Vicex detective car, 139,000 miles. Fired right up with no smoke. It did need valve cover gaskets, sort of a normal thing to go bad. Interior on the ex detective car was a bit sparse with cloth seats, but still comfortable. I traded in for a 2006 Mustang GT, which was nice except for removing the spark plugs, the I went to a 2013 Caprice PPV. Out of the 3 I think the Crown Vic was the most reliable, and well designed to be user friendly.
If there was a car type capable of almost singlehandedly putting the Car Wizard out of business (nothing to fix) these cars would certainly be in the running, pun intended. Nothing like a car that gets praise from the Car Wizard for giving him nothing to do. Kudos for sharing this gem, Car Wizard.
Thanks for the recommendation! I just finished purchasing a 2008 Grand Marquis today from a local car lot. My Grand Marquis came with a Silver exterior, Beige interior. Happily paid $5500 for it in great condition. It drives so smooth, quiet V8 engine and the lazy boy seats are so comfortable! Unfortunately in the past I've gone though so many cars that didn't last, bad cars. Should have purchased myself a Grand Marquis 20 years ago! I'm late but I got myself one. Plan to have it repainted and plan to order a deluxe seat cover set for it.
Absolutely agree! My 99 Mercury Grand Marquis had 410,000 before the transmission finally went out. Seriously it was like driving a velour couch with the best air conditioning you ever had.
I drove one of those cars for many years for a car service (limo company) where I worked for many years, and it was a real pleasure to drive. So when I saw one for sale on- line, I bought it! and i have no regrets after 3-1/2 years and 215000 miles!
Oh, I whole-heartedly agree. Being the owner of a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria P71, it's such a pleasure to drive and it's absolutely bulletproof! And I think these are really good-looking cars, particularly the Crown Vic P71 and the Mercury Marauder. Not to mention they're also great platforms to build upon as a performance vehicle, since they share a lot of the same components as the SN-95 and New Edge Mustangs.
I personally love these cars . They’re very reliable, great on gas, and some of the most comfortable vehicles known to man . They also have a good amount of get up and go. They were used as police cars and taxis for so long for a reason. I’m willing to bet the maintenance bills for the police stations more than doubled after switching out of these cars
@@shanemcman3665Bruh, 20 MPG in an engine that size hasn't been "great" in over twenty years. By modern standards, you can't call gas mileage "great" until you've passed 40 MPG.
They had a statue of the engineer who designed this at ford but then stock prices started to go down and they decided to stop making their vehicles reliable and easy to work on and tore down his statue....his name is David Long...
Way to go, Wizard! I've owned 3 Grand Marquis, and 1 Crown Vic. They're wonderful. The headlight module is expensive to fix. Avoid air ride (go for solid springs).
One of the best options you could check was the tow package, With the tow package you get every thing that was on the police Crown Victoria except the extra horsepower that came with the police tuned engine. That's oil and trans cooler, real dual exhaust, heavy duty radiator, heavy duty battery, bigger alternator, 11 inch rear brakes, 3.55 traction lock rear gear, and heavy duty shocks and springs.
All Panther chassis cars have the same size brakes - no difference in size between Police Intercepters, regular Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, or Town Car. The police car rear axle ratio depends on what was ordered -- not all came with 3.55.
![[#2024MAMA] BIGBANG (빅뱅) - 뱅뱅뱅 (BANG BANG BANG) + FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQsYfiPR9uM/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey Wizard! Thanks for the professional inspection! I have a lot of out of town buyers inquiring on this car and decided to go ahead pay to do a PPI for them. I am actually doing my detailed TH-cam video overview on my channel this afternoon and will upload today as well. Who will be the next owner of this special car?
Very nice Grand Marquis. The condition and miles is on the level of something Anthony and Papa Bear over at Specialty Motorcars would sell.
I don't know how you do it. That is an amazing specimen. The supercharged Park Avenue you have is nice too. I had my Dad's Olds supercharged Touring Sedan after he passed and that big old car got 34 mpg highway on 93 octane!
The Leftist Promoted Ecoboost Engines destroyed the Crown Vic. It's why Ford Discontinued them.
Hey, @euroasianbob9268.
I'd love to buy this car if the price isn't crazy. I left you an email on your website with my info.
Me
I took your advice a few years ago and purchased a 2011 Town Car. I had one incident with it when driving on the I70. The engine ran rough and check engine light started flashing. I took it to two mechanics. One just threw parts at it and didn't fix it. The other ran tests and declared that one of the cylinders had zero compression. He suggested junking the car as it wasn't worth an engine rebuild or replacement. I took it home and tore off the valve cover. One of the valve springs had broken, explaining the zero compression. I used a borescope to view the piston and saw no damage. I purchased a valve spring compression tool for just this engine and replaced the spring myself. Engine has been running fine with no codes for many thousands of miles since. All that said, you were right!
💯🤙🏻😎
Fuck yeah, a buddy of mine who is a 20+ year mechanic, and owned over 30 Lincoln Town Cars from 1990s to 2011. He said you can't get anymore reliable than a panther platform. He owned a 97 with 500k miles, had good compression in all 8 cylinders. sold for $2k because it was super nice, great condition.
Same thing happened to my Silverado, it broke a valve spring at 350,000 miles. I just replaced all 16 just in case and it’s been running perfect. Other than the valve springs and water pumps it’s all original. Had a Lincoln Town Car back when I was 19. It was great car.
Hell!,you gotta be the wizards clone!
Broken valve spring, That’s pretty much in heard of in this platform especially with the 2v engines. Glad you didn’t junk it.
Drove one for nearly 13 years on the police force until we went to the Explorers, and yes, the crown vic/mercury marquis were TANKS!
I have a 2007 police interceptor. Love it
Just bought one of these! 2002 Grand Marquis with 49,000k miles on it. I love it so much, couldn't be happier with my purchase. It's a beautiful blue color, luxurious inside, and I get to use my cassette collection on the road!
i also just bought an ‘02 grand marquis for 700 dollars. last guy straight piped it and it’s loud as hell lol
I just got a 1999 grand marquis 53K Miles. It is in the shop before I can pick it up, but selling dealer has helped me in the past, so I feel good buying a car from them
@@oldschool9447 there's always parts that need replaced on low mileage old cars. I replaced all shocks and the whole front in, plus belts, bearings, brakes, sensors and thermostat. Flushed fluids too. If you're willing to put the work and money into it, it's definitely worth it
@@oldschool9447 i suggest keeping it far away from salt/snow, they rust easily and will rot out very quickly (fords in general rust easily).
I'm a cabbie, and we drive these for a reason. We had a Grand Marquis we got over 700k out of, typically these will run 4-500k, they tend to get wrecked before they wear out.
My current cab is an 09 crown Vic, it has 90k on it and drives like a brand new car. No rattles or squeaks, I put 420 miles on it tonight, no problems whatsoever.
Don't these have bad fuel economy? That's the only concern I have
@@Zaidi_227 they're also exclusively RWD. Not ideal if you live in the midwest or northern states
@@Zaidi_227 i get 17.5 mpg around town,. I got 29.4 mpg on the Interstate.
@@kevinjack1171 Yes that's true, if you are an inexperienced driver, rear drive can be tough in the winter but if you throw some snow tires on it and some weight in the trunk you can do just fine with them. Plus who doesn't like doing rear drive donuts in a snow-covered parking lot?
@@Zaidi_227 If you strictly drive around town, yes fuel economy isn't the best but on the highway they can do better than my V6 accord which gets 26 on average. It's all about the gearing, the rearend ratio is set up for highway driving, the engine is under 2k rpms at 80 mph.
Biggest mistake Ford did...ending production.
It was a good business decision
They quit producing the Grand Marquis sometime in January of 2011 and they quit producing the crown Victoria 8 months later sometime in September of 2011
S.O.Bs know what they are doing,you cant have cars that can last more than 5 years,they wont make enough money if that happens.
These cars were damn near perfect
@@gregorsamsa1364 BS. They could have made money on this car with baby boomers like myself.
In my area they use Ford Victoria and Town cars as taxi's all have over 300k ,they beat the snot's out of them !!! AND THEY STILL RUN GREAT !!
8 and half years ago I bought a 2006 Town Car with 440,000 miles for $900. Im still driving it daly with 520,000 miles on it now. Most of the repairs (if not all) range in the $100 to $200 range for parts. The Panther Platform is the most reliable car ever built in my opinion. And also (at least with the Lincoln) the heater core can be replaced without pulling the dash out!!!
You can buy parts for these cars online so cheap unless it's a lower control arm bushing that bolts to the frame on a Grand Marquis. The aftermarket ones didn't work.
That’s crazy I bet if you rust proof spray it with like rust check or Krown you could literally keep it going forever. I imagine engines and trannies aren’t crazy expensive either
How??? I need to do it on my 2000 town car and it is said to pull dash apart
I have a 2006 as well. How is your transmission? Although I have serviced mine. I am afraid it is getting worn after “just” 170,000.
@@fredc8618 I don't know on a 2000 model. That's a different style of dash than a 2003+
I drove a cab from '06 to '07, and we used the Ford Panther platform exclusively. Usually used cop Crown Vic's that we'd get at auction from the various police departments in the local area, with the occasional Town Car which we'd use for airport runs. When I left, the company had TWO of these cars with over SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES on them -- still with the ORIGINAL engines and transmissions! It was *VERY* common to see these things go 350K to 400K before a major failure. In fact, it was unusual *not* to see one hit 400K before needing something big like an engine or transmission. They built the platform for so long that they had literally decades to work out all the bugs. Utterly bulletproof!
I purchased a 2004 Lincoln Town Car with 101,000 for $4500. I purchased it knowing it had a few issues. It was sitting a while due to the original owner passing away. I put new tires, brakes, fuel pump. Runs like a top!!! Rides like a dream!! Looks and runs like new!! I'm 65 and retired...I drive 3000 miles a year. It may be the last car I buy!! 😂 My car has no leaks or rust. It's a Florida car! Looks like new underneath.
I am very happy for you, because I believe that after the grand lincoln, the next amazing comfy car is the 1994 cadillac fleetwood brougham!
@eidh6998 Give me a break. Your religion is bullshit.
@eidh6998 Absolutely old boy.
I'm a bit older than you, however, keep telling my older friends look for reliability in a car and don't try to impress anyone with your car. No one cares about what you drive besides yourself. And most importantly these days an older person can buy a car to last the rest of their lives. So many boomers grew up with the buy a new car ever three years then get rid of the car as it was more or less shot, back in the 60's and 70's. Many boomers have a hard time shaking their old mind set with car longevity.
I’ve had over 9 cars in the past 10 years. Mustangs, diesel pickups, Toyota Tacoma. Out of all of them the one I’ve kept the longest and drive every single day is my 2006 mercury grand marquis. Hands down the best car I’ve ever owned. Dead reliable is an understatement. Averages 23-25 mpg highway. Mine is approaching 200k miles. I’ll drive it until it needs to be scrapped. I can’t explain how much I love these cars. Best cars ever made.
Hello, don't scrap it, repair it if needed
That's my experince also. I'm driving my fourth one in over 30 years.
I want one so bad.
@@juanpaVlz I live in the northeast so eventually the frame will become rotted out to the point it isn’t safe to drive anymore. Until then I will surely keep repairs going as needed.
Apply fluid film everywhere underneath once a year, car will never rust!
I love these Panther Platform cars! My 2007 Town Car had 465,000 miles on it and still had 181 compression with the original nonrebuilt engine or transmission in it. The Panther Platform first came out in 1979 and went until 2010 for civilians and 2011 were for fleet services.
Wow! Does that happen to be the long wheelbase model? Those always rack up insane mileage and are extremely hard to find
I think most of the police departments grabbed up as many of the last year model they could and still use them today. I guess every one that gets wrecked can still be used for parts as well as there still being tons of available new parts to get.
I think its the single best platform Ford has ever made. It's funny, when America wants to. They can beat the Japanese on the reliability metrics. They just don't value it for most vehicles and Toyota does.
@@MegabeanToyotas aren't excused either. They had/has problems also
@@samsonCobyEvery car has troubles, I worked my early 20s at Toyota in Southwestern Ontario. I also worked for GM and a bunch of the suppliers that are spotted around that area. Toyota is better organized, higher quality machines and they treat their workers the best. Every factory I worked at except Toyota focused primarily on quotas. However Toyota focuses on the PPM defect rate. They want perfection at all costs and they shut their lines down a lot. That part is frustrating but worth it. Toyotas are built different imo. I hear really good things about Ford as well, I just don't have any experience with them. I think Toyota makes up for the inefficiencies by using more automation though. All manufactures use automation but I noticed that Toyota's seemed kinda next level.I'm not a engineer but you could tell that they were on the cutting edge.
I have a 2004 Town Car. Love it !!! I also owned 2 Buick Park ave's, loved them also.
I've got a Lincoln Town Car and I can't agree more. Car is an absolute tank, reliable as ever, comfortable, and fairly easy to work on. Parts are cheap and easy to find. And if you smoke a deer on an old backroad you can 9 times out of 10 drive it home. And as an added bonus you have enough room to put the entire deer comfortably in the trunk and still have room for a spare tire.
My son hit a dear in my late model town car. It damaged the hood, bumper, and everything in front of the radiator. But still drove it for 200 miles to get it home with no problems. Insurance totaled it out. But it was so nice I purchased it for slavage value.
If you get in a serious accident though youre dead... And comfyness is relative. They are still bad cars NVH wise. You get all the outside noises that you can think of, all the damper and engine vibrations, plus the boaty drive can make a lot of people feel sick if youre going any twisty roads....
I'm gonna name mine "The Deer Hunter!"🤣
😂😂
@@an-dr6euAll of those things are true but none of them would ever stop anyone from buying one of these cars
That owner took impeccable care of this vehicle. Man, it looks nice. I was very impressed by the ease of maintenance that was pointed out. I had a 1996 Toyota Corolla for 25 years and 360,000+ miles. I had handle-operated windows at a time when it had become an oddity. That was my standard of good and low-maintenance and reliable car. It never stranded me. It was the body that gave out, not the engine.
I've had similar great LT experiences w an 85 Accord (20 years still drivable but rusting ) and an 03 Corolla (totalled 2 years ago) Ea w over 200k mostly trouble free miles good mpgs handling and bad weather traction
I’ve got a 2011 Grand Marquis, that was my work car, before I retired. I’ve gotten 30 MPG, on long trips, and other than regular maintenance
It hasn’t cost me a dime in repairs. I’ve gotten rear ended twice, and it never even scratched the paint on the bumper. Both other cars had significant damage.
I drove mine from Maine to Florida. I had tanks where I got 30 mpg, no AC driving 60 mph.
My step brother's dad bought a '93 Grand Marquis from an old lady for about $1,500. It only had 32,000 miles on it. All Church and grocery miles. Garage kept it's entire life. Thing was the mintest Panther I have ever seen. Then he traded it for a non running RV with a broken windshield and all the mold in the world. I offered to buy it for $2,000, but he really wanted that dumb RV. And after a month of trying to get it liveable/running, code enforcement told him to get rid of it. So he sold it for like $500. You could imagine how mad I was. We don't talk no more..
@user-mj9lq9vp3wid like to imagine there was more to it. That's as descriptive as "you don't talk over words...?" When somebody has been abused all their life by somebody
Your Father simply needs guidance. Get him drunk and talk to him about it.
@@dicarlo57 no no get him to smoke a pipe...
A local used car lot had one of these on the lot with 60k miles, 1999. Tried to convince all my broke college student friends to buy it and none of them were convinced. I picked it up for five grand and have been driving it for a year. I really enjoy it.
I misread this as bought it back in 1999
Try to find 03-2011!
@@stevenkleinhenz1017
Why not the 90’s?
$5k for a 1999 is a rip off.
@@Immigrantlovesamerica Depends where you live. And the trim. On bringatrailer the right TownCar could definitely bring that in
I got a 2010 Grand Marquis with a 100,000 miles drive like a dream.
My brother-in-law had one.
I borrowed it when our vehicles were down for a couple of days. I asked if he wanted sell it. The ride was so smooth and quiet. The seats were plush. You didn't sit in the seats, you sunk into them. He drove that thing for quite a few years, put a ton of miles on it, much of which towing a pop up camper. He had very little trouble with it.
Had one for 8 years. Like a couch on a cloud. LOVED it.
These were also used as NYC cabs before the Prius took over. Super reliable cars.
Actually NYC passed a city ordinance advising that city cabs couldn't be more than seven years old. The last one was a 2011 model although Ford continued fleet sales for one more year. A few outlaw cabs continued to run these for another few years before the last of NYCs famous Crown Vic yellow cabs was recently retired.
Most agencies retire Crown Vic police interceptors (PI's) retire these after 100k but smaller agencies continue to run these despite being out of production for the past dozen years.
I had a cvpi version. thirsty car, and even with the best winter tires available - was utterly terrible in winter. loved it for what it was, but traction issues were a no go long term.
@@houseofnothey went to fleet only sales in 2008. Last year in the US was 2011. They were only sold in the Middle East in 2012. Larger agencies also run them for a long time for whatever reason, like various California agencies and Chicago PD. Smaller agencies buy up old used ones sometimes
Officially on record there are two 2011 (yellow) NYC crown Victoria long wheel base taxi cabs left still in service. Unfortunately TLC said there at there going to be taken out of service soon due to age. Owners have put extensions to keep CV’s operating in NYC streets
I am in a West Michigan snow belt - my 2003 Grand Marquis and my 2009 Crown Victoria has been the best winter, driving in snow cars I have ever owned. Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires lasted me 3 winters with a set of 4. I am starting this winter with my 2nd set of 4, in the 2nd winter on them. @@trumpet12345
As a european this is what I want to be seen in. To me it looks amazing! I love American cars. I’m actually looking at some crown vics but the 2 or 3 that are up for sale in my country are beat up old state trooper cars on 200k miles and probably double that in hours idling so no luck there 😢
I took a lot of airport limo rides in the late 90s, early 2000s, and rode in some very high milage Mercurys and Lincolns. Highest milage one was a long wheelbase Town Car with 390,000 miles. Dulles Airport mandated retiring the limos at 400,000 miles, so that one was almost done.
I used to deliver parts to a limo company who exclusively used town cars from this era. He did all his own maintenance on a good schedule. He had a town car with original engine and trans that had over 740,000 miles on it. He even started it up to show me that it still ran, and it ran great. A bit of oil smoke on cold start, but that was it. Was literally shocking to me that they can go that long.
Yes my 09 with over 500 k and still running strong 😂
Sounds like some new valve seals would have cleared that up...and judging by some of the other DIY repairs listed here, that doesn't sound all that hard.
On a cold start, white smoke might be water vapor. The vapor will clear up once the engine is at operating temperature. If the smoke has a bluish tint to it, and persists after the engine is warm, it is oil smoke.
@@wittwittwer1043 it was blue
What gets me is people will go on and on about a ricer or German car that has that kind of longevity, but few people will extoll the virtues of truly fantastic American cars like the panther platform.
I just bought an 05 Town Car for $800. It's not what I'm used to, but its not bad at all. It runs damn near perfect, just needs some TLC.
Hi Wizard!
Grandpas and Grandmas are the best people - not only the're patient, but drive cool underappreciated cars and also maintain them very well! More younger people could learn o lot from them about, simpler cars and life...so respect them, because they and their cars won't stay forever.
[comment written by a 38 yo guy that appreciates and likes "grandpa" cars]
I have a 2003 Crown Vic LX with the HPP option. Has 145000 miles on it now and is still going strong. I love driving it and people really like it. It has the digital dash, leather interior, six cd changer in the trunk (still works), 3:27 gears, 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic air suspension in the rear. I replaced the air suspension recently with some Arnot replacements. I have owned it for 5 years now and have no plans of selling it now or in the future. Yes, I am an old 73-year-old guy who loves all cars. I also have a 1993 Pontiac Trans Am that I purchased in 1993 when I retired from the military. Have always been a Pontiac guy and am so sad they are gone now. Everyone have a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas.
It sucks that GM got rid of Pontiac and that Ford discontinued the Panther platform... It was the last true American car...
65 yr old Pontiac girl here who lived in the MOTOR CITY growing up. My first car, was a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville 2-door fastback coupe... it was a street legal race engine with a modified 454, as I recall. I don't know what my parents were thinking,lol! Zoom!!!
@@autiemuse my parents had a 1965 pontiac grand prix with a 389 c.i. V8 engine and a gigantic trunk...it was 18 feet long.
I actually have one of these in a 99' GS model with about 130k miles on it. The only thing I had to replace on it was the spark plugs and the window motors. Got it for $1500.
I have 2 Towncars, a 99 and a 97. The Panther platform is the most reliable car I ever had. If I just want to go from A to B without ever even thinking about what can go wrong with the car I always take one of them.
I daily drive an ‘05 Grand Marquis and put 500-600 miles weekly. Bought it several years ago with 60k on it and it currently reads 140k. I have put less than $1000 in non routine maintenance. Hands down the most reliable and comfortable car I have owned. Besides a ‘97 Town Car which I sold with over 300k on it. Great video Wizard!!
We just bought a 2001 Grand Marquis LS after watching this video and reading about them. It was a one-owner, estate sale car with 11,400 actual miles. Always garaged, looks almost new inside, outside, and underneath. Paid $7k, and we love it! Thank you, Car Wizard!
what a steal
Got yourself a brand new Panther sheesh
Deal of the century!!
Dude, you will absolutely get points for taking a girl on a date in this thing. Maybe not for how it looks, but once she's in there... It's spacious, extremely comfortable, Rides so smooth. It's literally 2 couches riding on 4 wheels. They're freaking great cars, i kinda want to get another one. The older ones have bench seats front and back so there's no center console getting in the way if your gal wants to snuggle up while you're driving.(with a column shifter) the Lincoln Town car might've kept the column shifter, I'm not sure.
You can move the action into the back seat or the trunk( bring a light) with the release handle when you're finished!
@@factstrumpfeelings4551 did the first part, and one night my buddy legit wanted to ride in the trunk for some reason. So he did, leaving me and his girlfriend up front. He said it was very comfortable in the trunk. He's a strange man
@@stephenmoore1541 The ultimate grocery getter.
All of them had column shifters standard, save for a few upgraded models like the Crown Vic LX Sport (Very rare) and the Mercury Marauder. I was actually taken by surprise to see a console shifter in a "regular" Grand Marquis. Must have been an LSE thing.
Edit: LSE, not LX.
@@factstrumpfeelings4551maybe not the back seat if it’s an old cop car… made that mistake on mine once. Since then I have a front bench seat now and I re-enabled the rear doors.
I have an 04 Town Car converted to coil overs in the back. Love that thing. It just works. Had an oil leak when I bought it, turned out to just be the drain plug. They don't make em like this anymore.
I have a Buick 3.8 and a 1988 f250 no computer 300 six 5 speed. Near zero repairs in the last 20 years.
I have had 5 Crown Vics and Grand Marquis. Currently I have a Crown Vic and a Lincoln Town Car. My brother has had seven. They are bulletproof. I have always gotten around 28 miles per gallon and no repair problems. They are great. I've talked to police officers who don't want to get rid of their units when the department transitions to suv's. Thanks Wizard.
I work with a large Sheriff department. They love their crown vics and loathe the new Ford Explorers.
Why did you have so many if they're such a great car?
My buddy owned over 30 90 - 2010 town cars lol
@@RecklessSarge-bz1co
How do you get 28mpg? I get 18 in my 2000 model P71 crown vic
25.5 highway is the highest I've ever been get (2011 GM) @@VincentVader
Quiet, very strong movement, and V8 authority. I fixed a brake light sensor on the way home from buying it. Almost every part you can get at Advanced. Body on frame build makes it quick to get off the ground. Durable, feels great to drive through various conditions. Most models come without a middle console which I like for some convenience. Gigantic trunk that can fit almost anything. Cassette, CD, radio and bluetooth option(through cassette). Perfect for long drives with cushion and pushin. I could keep going. Its like having Bentley for a couple grand. I highly recommend.
And the large Ford double din stereos of the era mean if you want modern things like CarPlay it’s easy.
I miss my '99 Town Car. 110k, sold it at 140k and 5 years with ZERO BREAK DOWNS. The most reliable car next to my '77 Granada.
Despite not made for several years, these are out there and in very good shape, low miles largely due to fact that they are Grandpa cars. I found 1999 MGM LS in similarly pristine condition with 60K miles 3 years ago for $3.5K. Just drove it 1/2 way cross country to Yellowstone, very smooth ride, absolutely love it.
Dirt cheap to fix, as well. Like 1990s prices instead of this oopsie (Dr. Evil grin) I guess we have to take the engine out to get to that part... or gosh, how DID the plastic in the timing gear destroy itself?
Love the Grand Marquis and Crown Vics! My late husband loved big "grandpa" cars and we had three of them over 25 years together. Always reliable, easy to handle, and great on long trips. I kept his last GM, a 2002 GS, for over 5 years after he passed, and I'd still have it now if it hadn't developed chronic engine problems. It had only 214K miles on it, so we must've gotten a defective one, lol. Still hope to get hold of another one if I can.
My father always drove a grand marquis when he got older. He loved the power on his road trips & tricked out a stereo system for his cd collection...
How lucky you guys are to have your hands on this beauty! It’s really hard for me to fathom that today’s auto industry is progressed in any real sense! They actually went backward in my humble opinion. I simply love these rear wheel drive big ole American cars! Hands down! I am in my seventies, and lived in the US for thirty some years, my current love is Chevy Suburban!
I love my 93 Town Car. It's kinda the opposite of this car, higher mileage and not in the best condition. It has a lot of little issues but runs and drives great and has been very reliable. It's a very easy car to work on for the most part, and I only paid $500 for it almost 6 years ago.
Still rolling in a 93 Grand Marquis here!
Best way to make money in life way to Josh.😊
Way to go!
These are some of the best used cars to buy because most were owned by elderly people who drove slowly and had them maintained properly. Unlike a Mustang or Camero that get thrashed by young guys.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I just prefer my 2003 for the rack and pinion steering, extensive use of aluminum and slightly firmer ride. I’ve owned mine nearly 21 years with 150k miles and only have replaced the fuel pump. They can also be a great deal used for all the reasons you mentioned.
I drive a 2001 Grand Marquis on a rural mail route. The routes I deliver are about 150 miles long of stop-and-go driving on gravel roads. It is a comfortable ride with plenty of power. I can put a lot of mail bundles and packages in the old girl and still have room for *two full sized spare tires* and all my tools! She is a dirty beast! 189K miles and still kicking! Even the AC works! 😊
Body on frame is good for dirt roads.
Where?
@@reallyhappenings5597 Nebraska.
My Pop, God rest his soul, was a HUGE fan of Crown Vic's. I personally would LOVE TO HAVE a Merc Marauder!
Had a 2007 Crown Vic retired cop car with 170k miles. At 220k, I blew out a spark plug , fixed that, then at 230k electric fan crapped out & car overheated but it was ok. After that repair, the A/C went out at 250k & decided to sell it. A year later, saw the kid I sold it to driving it around town! These cars refuse to die!
Definitely an LSE. Pretty rare option, especially for the mileage.
I highly recommend this transmission pan for high mileage models because it includes a drain plug to drain the transmission fluid without removing the pan.
Dorman Transmission Oil Pan: Direct Fit, Steel, 17 Quart
Part # 265-813
Limited Lifetime Replacement
(8 reviews)
$39.99
Hot tip, change the fluid by removing the transmission cooler lines. I pump out about 4 quarts from the line using the transmission's pump, and put 4 in through the dip stick, drive it around a week or two and do it again. Do that once a year or two.
I have a 1999 Grand Marquis with 190,000+ miles and will do ANYTHING to keep it running. It is super reliable and very easy to work on. Fantastic car, super comfortable. I believe this is the best car ever built for the money.
They have frame rot. Have a 98 and it will be scrapped over that. Real sad. 200K runs like new.
I will also do anything to keep my '95 Crown Victoria running because car prices are absolutely ridiculous right now, I don't see what else I could buy that would offer a similar driving experience. Maybe a Roadmaster or Park Avenue but even those are creeping up in value.
Best ever for the money? Can you not think outside of America?
@@CadillacDriver If there is a Mercedes or BMW that offers similar reliability and road presence for the same price as a Grand Marquis, please let me know haha.
@@rockguitarist931 wtf
I bought an 04' Grand Marquis for $3000 based on your previous video. From a used car dealer, rebuilt engine yanked from a junkyard,, odometer not working, air only blows out of the dash and this car just won't quit. Multiple round trips from DFW to MPLS at 70 mph. Gotta love it.
How many miles?
@@jonathon0010He doesn’t care and neither does the car 😂
I own a 2007 Lincoln Town Car and its the best car I have ever had. Beautiful American Reliable Automobile. !!!
This appears to be an LSE, based on the dual exhaust, floor shifter/console and air ride. Very nice 👍
Similar to the HPP!
I agree as its the same as mine except in color. I might be 60 but, I still think they are good looking cars even if I was younger. My air bags were replaced with coils before I bought it and thought about going back but, I hear they just go out again. Mine rides nice enough for me.
@@RedBud315 Yep, my daily driver is an 03 Towncar. When my airbags went out I swapped to coil springs for a permanent fix. They definitely ride better with airbags, but the springs are definitely not harsh in comparison.
@@RedBud315 yes, I know that some people think the rear air suspension is not that reliable, but I beg to differ. I have had five of these cars and I have never had any problems with the bags. You can get a remanufactured compressor, which goes in the driver side front corner of the engine bay for about $150 from Arnott.
That dual exhaust caught me off guard. Didn’t know they were in that car.
Surprisingly, my 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis actually got me a 2nd date because she knew how beasts these cars actually are. Sure, they're Grandpa status type but gets me around with no problems. Thanks for the spotlight Wizard!
a girl that doesn't judge on your car is a keeper. plus that car has a large backseat.
I have a silver '08 GM.....the Gram'pa status goes away quickly if you don't drive it like a Gram'pa.
Hotel on wheels lol I had a grand mark and a Vic. Great cars
Ive had many of those during my years on the road as a sales rep. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT 👍🏻
These are actually great first cars for young drivers, especially those who have a desire to learn and do their own maintenance. You can swap pretty much any small modular Ford V8 into this platform. You can throw in power adders, bolt ons or just leave it bone stock for longevity. It rarely breaks down, but it’s like a 15-45 minute fix if does break. This is probably the best platform since the Chevy Caprice or possibly better because it’s easier to get parts and the transmission and fuel system are bulletproof.
Not to mention the dimensions, learning to drive in a big ol boat of a sedan or a large truck is Luke high altitude training for your spacial awareness
They are great first cars but I remember debating with my parents over getting a Crown Vic and at first my dad was like no because they are too long for you you're a young driver and you're gonna have trouble parking then he also said they are dangerous because they RWD you should get an FWD car as your first car it's safer (I hate FWD with a passion I believe all 2WD vehicles out there should come with RWD period even 4 cylinder nonsports cars like a Focus, Camry, civic or accord it's my OCD! They should also come standard with a limited-slip differential open differential should be long gone by now obsolete they suck ass in poor traction, especially in RWD id rather have a limited-slip rear and have a locking rear and end up sliding or fishtailing and learn how to correct it but have forward movement than not go anywhere spinning only one wheel) (BUT I DIGRESS) He also said that it's gonna be a gas guzzler with the V8 but then when he finally got me a crown vic he ended up loving it. (It turned out to have an open diff but it can still rip fire donuts off-road on sand or gravel even with an open rear from my experience RWD is not that bad in the rain and snow if you know how to drive and if you take the proper precautions like you need good tires cause with an open diff in the rain with worn out poor tires it would do one wheel peel any time you hit the gas harder likewise put a ton of weight in the trunk when driving in the snow. The 4.6 V8 isn't that bad on gas although I never owned a 4 Banger or a hybrid so IDK what having better gas mileage even looks like the fuel consumption seems average on the Crown Vic. Moreover, I learned how to parallel park really well with that long thing so when I took a smaller car out for my road test it was a piece of cake.
They use the front suspension clips off these cars to build custom pickup trucks, upgrade old Fords and other makes from the 50'S and 60's. They use the whole front suspension from the firewall forward. And the clips themselves can be upgraded very easy. With tubular A-arms and coil overs. The most versatile suspension clip there is !
The Caprice is a HORRIBLE car to buy nowadays if you just want reliable transportation. They along with their parts are EXTREMELY rare these days.
I just acquired my dad's 2006 Town Car, in the same color as yours. It's in great original condition, and I agree with everything you've said here. The car isn't exciting or sporty, BUT it's drop-dead reliable, easy to service and fix and is by-far the most comfortable and quiet car I've ever driven, aside from a Rolls-Royce. I'm not a Ford guy, but I highly recommend these...
the best cars Ford ever made were the Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis and the LTD...great riding luxury cars that would last forever.
I've test driven a Rolls. It was an extremely disappointing experience.
Are spare parts plentiful ?
@ccrider Check out ADDCO sway bars, front and rear. Transforms the body roll. Shift improvement kit and high rear gears wake Panther cars up.
@@gordonstarship I appreciate that. It's just a nice daily driver for the wife, so stock is fine. I have a 71 Pinto in the driveway that will be our hot rod...
They’re great if you live somewhere with no snow year round, but since they’re only rear wheel drive they aren’t good for winter driving in states where it snows. Other than that I agree they are great cars
I've a 2010 Grand Marquis Ultimate with the air ride suspension. I absolutely love t and just turned 40k miles. I love that it's built on a frame so it's built like a tank. HUGE trunk. And the 4.6 V8 runs like a top. Highway driving on long trips I can get 28 mpg, though typical stop and go and short highway runs I average 24 mpg. The ride is so comfortable, it's like riding your leather couch as you cruise down the road...
I had one. I believe 2002. Loved it and it saved my life. T-Boned from the drinker’s side at 45 mph. The center post between front and rear door was less than 12” from my hip after that side was shoved in. Had bench seat with fold down arm rests. Ironically I was already scheduled for a major back surgery which I had about a week later. Great car to by a young driver. Will protect their lives.
Vgg fan I see lol
I own a 08 Lincoln Towncar Limited with only 44K miles on it. It is a fantastic auto. Showroom clean as well.
I visited the Ford plant that made these cars back in 2003 in St. Thomas, ON, Canada. Well done cars. The plant was closed in 2011, stayed under dismantling for several years until the area was purchased by Amazon and a distribution center was built there.
These can also be found in the form of the mercury marauder, which looked sick and had the 300hp 32v 4.6 V8 from the new edge ford mustang mach 1. They are also very safe, partly because they rated very well in crash tests, and because if yours is white with a black grille, even without lights or a pushbar, people drive safer around you.
This particular car makes 239hp as its the lse trim with the center console, rear sway bar and dual exhaust.
"...people drive safer around you." They sure do! One of the family cars when I was first becoming a licensed driver was a 1974 Dodge Monaco. It wasn't precisely the Bluesmobile - there were two "cop" versions as Elwood described it, one with the 440 like theirs and another with the 360 but still having the cop suspension, brakes, etc., for cops who wanted a big tough car but weren't as likely to need the power. Ours was a civilian-issue one with the 360 "cop" configuration, painted a nice dark blue. The same dark blue as oodles of unmarked police cars that were around at the time, as a matter of fact.
The other family car was at first a '71 Plymouth Cricket, replaced by a '76 Dodge Aspen. There was a night and day difference in the way other people drove around me when I was in the Monaco, vs. the others, and I know it wasn't just 'cause of the size.
I can certainly testify they are safe -I survived a head on collision with a semi in one of these years ago! Mine was a 95 LS with 166K miles on it and was still going strong after 5 years that I owned it. Walked away from that accident with only bumps and bruises -was pretty spectacular really. Even the semi took on more damage than you'd think from a car hit - plus it was leaking gas all over the place too from the impact -so now the EPA had to respond to the scene which then shut down half of I94 the whole day -was a huge mess🙂
I have a marauder and I can agree they are sick lmao
I paid $2000 for a retiired Crown Vic p71 retired Interceptor, this was way before covid and car prices going nuts, and drove the stuffing out of the car for several years. The car was dead easy to work on in my driveway also.
These cars are so great because they're built on a recipe that Ford has been refining for many many years. We had a 1986 Mercury Marquis Colony Park that was a fantastic vehicle! That car was built on an earlier version of the platform and used a Ford 302 V8 that was equally reliable. Before that, we had a 1973 Colony Park (400 2bbl) and before that a 1969 Colony Park (I don't know which engine came in that car- I was 5 years old at the time, lol)! All of these were variations of a theme that became the ultra reliable panther platform and they were all fantastic vehicles!😉😎
I still own a Colony Park, a 1991.
Just as an FYI that is a rarer model known as the LSE (won't say it anywhere in the car except maybe on the floor mats). More of a "sport" package with the bucket seats and floor shifter/center console, dual exhaust tips and a little more HP. Only made for a couple of years, I believe 2002/2003. I had one and loved it. Compares to the Crown Vic Sport.
Yup!
Right. I had LSE as well. Lots of power and acceleration. Kinda swam down the road, though, and front end was always loose. Build quality not so great, especially on details such as carpeting in trunk not even being attached. Eventually got a Lexus LS 430. Much happier with build quality but I know it will cost me more!
@@shirleygoodness3086 Weird, never had any of those issues. Only real problems I had was the air suspension in the rear (converted to regular shocks) and the diff pinion bearing, but both of those were after 120,000 miles.
I’ve owned SIX Crown Vics, and I’m now on my SECOND Merc. I SWEAR by these cars.
My dad owned a Crown Victoria from 1984 to 20011 when he could no longer drive and it was sold to a friend of mine and he still drives it today. Just like my dad he’s never had a problem or break down. It’s never had to have a problem fixed just maintenance and service. I don’t count having to replace things that are expected to wear out after so many miles as repairs but it has never broken down
Dang he kept it for 18,127 years. Nice job!
As far as not scoring points on a date I scored several times in my Grand Marquis, I truly miss that car, drove the wheels off of it and it was one of the best most reliable vehicles I've ever owned. I'm old enough to still think that car is absolutely beautiful.
Your damned right!
@bionicman6969-- These Panther Platform cars have very large back seats to have some romantic times with a date. The back seat in my Lincoln Town Car is very comfortable.
😊😊
It's nice that you had a grand time in your Grand Marquis!! :-) :-)
This platform can give the Japanese cars a run for their money when it comes to reliability. Its also very tuneable and can take extra horsepower easily. There's a reason why Law enforcement and commercial usage choose this platform.
My first car was a 1985 Mercury Grand Marquis. I paid $500 at an estate sale. Side note, ALWAYS buy at estate sales. You get amazing deals from families wanting everything to simply be gone. Anyway, I drove that Grand Marquis until the engine gave out around 10 years ago. GREAT car.
Had a 1989 from wife’s grandfather , it was our travel and trip car for years
Hi, what is the best way to find estate cars? Thanks!
Great job Wizard. I am a Great Grandfather and a retired law enforcement officer and can tell you that you are exactly right about those late model Crown Vics and its sister vehicles they are nearly unstoppable. I would definitely be interested in acquiring that fine specimen of automotive excellence. Keep up the good job I look forward to watching your videos now that I am retired (I find myself agreeing with nearly every thing you say, a first for me)
I bought a 2000 crown Victoria with 80K on it. When it got to 150k, the rear air bags failed, the AC went out& the heater core sprung a leak. All at the same time . The dealer gave me $2500 bucks for it on a trade in.
I've had my Grandmama mobile for 12 years. Such a comfy and smooth vehicle. Most parts on her are easy to replace and can tolerate all sorts of abuse (the alternator took 2 weeks of dull whining before it got loud and burned up, which was an easy swap). All the random lil memories I've made in that car will never be forgotten...
Dude!! This car is absolutely gorgeous and it honestly breaks my heart at the lack of Mercury vehicle videos in general here on the World Wide Web. They are SO underrated! I’m from Toronto and I come from a long line of Mercury cars going as far back as my mum’s ‘83 Mercury Zephyr (my father and HIS father) had the Fairmont, ALL with the inline straight 6! My mum had her ‘83 Mercury Zephyr from 1986 till 1997. I Literally grew up in that car…on the road… travelling from the East to the West of Canada.. over the hills and far away and sometimes in brutal unforgiving Canadian weather! By the time my mother FINALLY junked the Zephyr, it was rotted out and full of holes. The straight 6 had about a million CONFIRMED km’s on it and it was STILL going! That engine would NOT die! Then I grew up and I had two Mercury Topaz cars and one Ford Tempo. To this day my ‘93 Mercury Topaz LS with the Ford Vulcan V6 was the BEST car I ever had! I miss that car every day. And you know what? Try to find a Mercury Grand Marquis here in Ontario! There’s actually very few on the market and the ones that ARE on the market have at least 300,000 kms and if it has low kms, you’re gonna pay at LEAST $7,000… and that number is quite steadily going up!
98-02 are definitely the best looking
😊❤
I bought a used 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis, 4 years ago. Best car I every owned.
By the way what year is the old Ford pick up. I own a great 1968 F100
I currently own a 01 crown vic and an 04 town car. I drove 150 miles to buy the town car. It only has 108,000 miles on it. The body and underside is as nice as the one in this video. The interior is immaculate like the car in this video. I spent $4500 to buy it and I have absolutely no regrets. I've had the 01 CV for 3 or 4 yrs now , I paid $1200 for it, it just turned 200,000 miles and runs like a top. It's my daily driver for work. In the past I've owned a 91 town car, 94 town car, and a 2007 town car that was a little rough body wise but it ran perfect. These cars are so reliable and when they do break, the parts are cheap and plentiful, and they're super easy to work on. These cars are the best kept secret in the used car market.
I went shopping for cars with my son a year ago. Found a Grand Marquis and never looked back. Been spot on reliable for him and I worry just a little less knowing he has such a heavy car.
I have an '05 Gran M. My Dad bought it new. Has only 70K and runs like a Swiss watch....only problem: thin paint. Worth the $$$ to get it re-sprayed correctly.
That's awesome! I just got myself a 2008 Grand Marquis about a month ago. I love it. Going to have Maaco throw a paint job on it after I gather up enough funds to do so.
I'm driving my fourth Grand Marquis now and I"ve driven all of them well over 200K miles with little repair expense. All of they dripped a bit of oil from the rear main seal just before I traded them in. I always got 24+ mpg on the highway. I think they are the best value ever.
This feels about 5 years too late. I had one of these back then, a 2004 P71 for $1500. It ran great, but was rusty and had a massive exhaust manifold leak. I don't see hardly any of them for sale anymore, especially for that price. It would've been nice to have an alternative being built past 2011.
That's what I was about to say, these really are getting hard to find. In decent shape anyway. I just bought an 01 crown vic lx 105k miles for 3k. But had to put 1100 into front suspension parts, but still totally worth it 👌🏻
They are still everywhere. And I'm not talking about in junk yards. I own and drive 2 myself. I live in Oklahoma, and they still run p71 crown victoria interceptors in certain cities here.
@seancarr7018 I'm glad but locally in indiana they're not a common as they were
Yep, I bought a 1997 Lincoln Town Car in 2016 for $1500 and drove it for almost 6 years. Sold it for $1000 and it is still a daily driver for someone. Great cars.
bruh they are EVERYWHERE still. its what happens when they made literal millions of these cars. there are THIRTY in my area alone at all price ranges. what happens is a lot of older folk pass away and their grandkids dont want to drive or deal with old boats so they sell them cheap.
Only car I’ve never seen on the side of the road. I’ve seen Honda, Toyota, buick 3.8, but have NEVER seen one of these broke down on the side of the road
My Merc has 263k miles and runs like a top. It has the 4.6 engine and it doesn`t burn a drop of oil and parts are cheap and plentiful.
How is the fuel mileage?
I get over 20 easy. It only needs 1500rpm togo for groceries. Haaa@@thomato981
Those 4.6 engines are absolutely wonderful. I love the panther platform and especially the engine. I have that 4.6 in my work truck and it has never let me down or left me stranded at 187k miles. I’m about to be getting a marquis or a t c for my kid to drive because they are so dependable
Prices are going up on them, the word is out how good they are...
I guessed right. 4.6 engine which I have in my 2007 f150. The truck still pulls out very quickly with 350,000 miles on it. They stopped making this engine because it was to good.
Love this!! As owner of a Lincoln TC & a Ford Expedition both with the 4.6 V8 Car Wizard is 100% right. My Expedition has 270k miles on it and doesn’t burn a drop of oil, no smoke 💨 it just runs!!!
Watch out for the 96-01 plastic intake manifolds. Especially low mileage ones may still have the original one which is very prone to cracking and will leave you stranded. The 2002+ upgraded manifolds have cast aluminum piece up front the alternator attaches to. Ford settled a class action lawsuit but all extended warranties offered by Ford have expired by now.
Fyi all crown Vic’s 96-11 are in danger of it the whole assembly of the manifold is plastic still
Inherited my old man's 06 towncar with 56k miles last year. Ive since put 4k miles on it and it averages over 19mpg city! My wife's sienna gets 19.5 I'd say that's pretty good for an old American yacht
Take great pride in our 21 year old Mercury Grand Marquis with 130k on the odometer and in showroom condition. Car has been in our family since new I received it ten years ago after he passed. Has the usual replacement parts, manifold, radiator, water pump, front suspension, window regulators and wiper motor we absolutely love the car the most reliable we ever owned. Still driven a few miles daily since it's semi-retired and amongst the easiest to work on for a shade tree mechanic.
PS. My Town Car is ceramic coated. Strongly recommend that to help preserve your treasure!
The Panther platform was awesome. Full frame, really good visibility from the cab. I had a 2001 Crown Vicex detective car, 139,000 miles. Fired right up with no smoke. It did need valve cover gaskets, sort of a normal thing to go bad. Interior on the ex detective car was a bit sparse with cloth seats, but still comfortable. I traded in for a 2006 Mustang GT, which was nice except for removing the spark plugs, the I went to a 2013 Caprice PPV. Out of the 3 I think the Crown Vic was the most reliable, and well designed to be user friendly.
If there was a car type capable of almost singlehandedly putting the Car Wizard out of business (nothing to fix) these cars would certainly be in the running, pun intended. Nothing like a car that gets praise from the Car Wizard for giving him nothing to do. Kudos for sharing this gem, Car Wizard.
Thanks for the recommendation! I just finished purchasing a 2008 Grand Marquis today from a local car lot. My Grand Marquis came with a Silver exterior, Beige interior. Happily paid $5500 for it in great condition. It drives so smooth, quiet V8 engine and the lazy boy seats are so comfortable! Unfortunately in the past I've gone though so many cars that didn't last, bad cars. Should have purchased myself a Grand Marquis 20 years ago! I'm late but I got myself one. Plan to have it repainted and plan to order a deluxe seat cover set for it.
My wife's parents had a Crown Victoria, and her grandmother had a Grand Marquis -- in this same color! Slow, comfy, and reliable rides!
Absolutely agree! My 99 Mercury Grand Marquis had 410,000 before the transmission finally went out.
Seriously it was like driving a velour couch with the best air conditioning you ever had.
The way cara should be made! So sad where the auto industry has gone
I drove one of those cars for many years for a car service (limo company) where I worked for many years, and it was a real pleasure to drive. So when I saw one for sale on- line, I
bought it! and
i have no regrets after 3-1/2 years and 215000 miles!
Oh, I whole-heartedly agree. Being the owner of a 2009 Ford Crown Victoria P71, it's such a pleasure to drive and it's absolutely bulletproof! And I think these are really good-looking cars, particularly the Crown Vic P71 and the Mercury Marauder. Not to mention they're also great platforms to build upon as a performance vehicle, since they share a lot of the same components as the SN-95 and New Edge Mustangs.
I personally love these cars . They’re very reliable, great on gas, and some of the most comfortable vehicles known to man . They also have a good amount of get up and go. They were used as police cars and taxis for so long for a reason. I’m willing to bet the maintenance bills for the police stations more than doubled after switching out of these cars
@Nitrodamousthat's pretty great actually? You know how big it is?
@Nitrodamousthat’s pretty damn good considering the size of the car and the engine. My WRX is a 2.5l 4 cylinder and it also gets 20mpg
Driver's seat cushioning and springs always seem shot.
@NitrodamousI get 24 on hiway
@@shanemcman3665Bruh, 20 MPG in an engine that size hasn't been "great" in over twenty years. By modern standards, you can't call gas mileage "great" until you've passed 40 MPG.
They had a statue of the engineer who designed this at ford but then stock prices started to go down and they decided to stop making their vehicles reliable and easy to work on and tore down his statue....his name is David Long...
Way to go, Wizard! I've owned 3 Grand Marquis, and 1 Crown Vic. They're wonderful. The headlight module is expensive to fix. Avoid air ride (go for solid springs).
Good point. Reliable cars in general, but the most reliable trim is the GS without air ride and without automatic climate control.
avoid air ride goes for any car really
There was a recall for the headlight module.
@@TomahawkAssault Agree! Simpler = reliable
@@juki6377 Agree! Are you listening, Mercedes/Airmatic??
One of the best options you could check was the tow package, With the tow package you get every thing that was on the police Crown Victoria except the extra horsepower that came with the police tuned engine. That's oil and trans cooler, real dual exhaust, heavy duty radiator, heavy duty battery, bigger alternator, 11 inch rear brakes, 3.55 traction lock rear gear, and heavy duty shocks and springs.
It'd be badass to swap a 60's Galaxie onto a Panther frame (if possible).
All Panther chassis cars have the same size brakes - no difference in size between Police Intercepters, regular Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, or Town Car. The police car rear axle ratio depends on what was ordered -- not all came with 3.55.