Thanks for servicing and showcasing this beautiful Mercury Wizard! This car came from the same Gentleman that owned the 2k mile 1985 Buick Riviera you worked on and videoed. The Mercury is on my website if anyone is interested. I will drop a link in the comments. I will have my own detailed UA-cam video live tomorrow on my channel Euroasian Bob. Have a great day and happy motoring!
*@euroasianbob9268* Hey Bob, it's a beautiful car. I had a 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis (burgundy) with 300k with the same engine and transmission. The main thing to look out for is that the intake manifold valves would go out because Ford put in cheaply made thin plastic parts instead of thicker metal to save money. Plus, the HVAC motor for the air conditioner/heater core requires to take the dash off after a 100k miles but other than that engine wise, the car is a tank. 😉👍
I had a Crown Victoria Sport. I bought it after my Honda was totaled. I wanted a bigger car because of the accident. Man it was awesome (except for snow). I had a large tree branch fall and brake my taillight and it cost me 19.00 bucks to get a new taillight shipped to my house. Absolutely crazy.
You’re absolutely right. Either people from the ghetto have turned them into trash or grandmas have kept them living on 30 years later. That’s one or the other.
Most are crap by now. Almost impossible to find in that condition for a reasonable price and likely in another state. Bob is a professional who has time to hunt for these things. We are not.
I've been driving those for 30 years. I worked as a government fleet mechanic for 37 years. We had thousands of them. They were the ONLY vehicle we ever had that almost never had problems. I have an '06 I bought with 87,000 miles on it. It now had 384,000 miles. No major issues. I paid $7200 for it 11 years ago. It is still running fine. A few months ago I bought a like new, one owner 2007 Grand Marquis with 36,000 miles on it. I inspected it top to bottom, end to end. The only thing I could find wrong is that it needed windshield wipers. I bought it from an older couple, who had a stack of service receipts. It had been garaged since new. I paid $10,000 cash for it. No taxes, no fees. Having just turned 65, it will probably be my last car. I have 4 other cars, but they are mostly hobby cars. One is a race car. At least two of them could be used for transportation cars if necessary. I don't have to worry about getting stuck with one of those new spymobiles. I suggest taking care of these cars. Even the older more beat up high mileage ones. Engines and transmissions can be replaced fairly inexpensively. And they are everywhere. Despite being computer cars (they are the ONLY computer car I know about that doesn't have constant electronic problems) they are simple and easy to work on. Even the newest ones still use 1990s technology. They are built like tanks. Only 2 things can kill one of these. Either a really bad accident, or rust. Considering the absolute TRASH they are selling today as new "cars" we need to keep cars like this going for as long as possible. And out of all fairly modern cars ever made, the Panther cars are the best cars out there to put money and work into to make last. They were made in huge numbers, they use older technology, they did not change much, parts are plentiful and cheap, they are easy to work on, they are built like a tank. Tougher than some trucks. They are big, comfortable, have a V8, are rear wheel drive, body on frame construction. There will probably be some of these still running 100 years from now. The ones that are too far gone to repair can still be used as parts cars. Unfortunately, in AZ, dust is a way of life. No way around it. So is sunburned paint. And that is one of the worst paint colors as far as sun damage goes. But it can be repainted if you want. If paint means something to you, don't get a white one. The paint peels off like crazy. That is the case with ALL white American made cars over the past few decades. The white paint is defective. And it cannot be repainted without removing every single bit of the old paint. I probably wouldn't even use this one as a transportation car. I'd keep it as a collector car. Let somebody in the distant future know what a real car is.
@@c.jjones3587 Not on my own cars. Had several at work. I think the difference is because I always warm up my own cars at idle before actually taking off in them. They need to warm up slowly. Plastic and aluminum expand at different rates when the get hot. Taking off with a cold engine can cause them to get hot and expand too quickly. But if and when it happens, it's not a big deal to fix.
I had a leaking manifold on my 2003. I did the job on a Saturday. It all goes back together way quicker than coming apart. Looking on the forums I found that the Ford racing manifold with a Felpro gasket is the best way to go. The cheap Doorman won't last nearly as long.
Got mine with 124,000 on it. Now has 146,000. Gave $3,000 for it in 2019 . It's a 2003. I'm 79. It's my last car and there will be plenty of life left in it when I die. They're still out there.
I've seen so many of these this year in similar condition, there's actually been a lot of them and every youtuber that makes an ad to sell them says this is the nicest they've ever seen. It's just hype.
I can attest to how good those cars are, I've had 2 of the Mercury's, 1 Crown Vic, and 1 Lincoln Town Car. They're great cars. My nephew bought my mom's 2000 Mercury Sable LS Premium Package for his daughter's first car. Mom bought it new from the showroom. My nephew's X-wife told my great niece that old car isn't safe, just for spite, so she wouldn't drive it. He kept the car for over a year and was going to sell it, so I bought it from him. Today, it has just over 59k miles. Always garage kept, never driven in the snow. It's back in mom's garage. She can't drive anymore, but I take her to all her appointments in it, and sometimes just go out for a ride. She sits up straight and proud riding in the Mercury. She loves "her" car, and so do I. As long as she's alive, I will keep it, and I might keep it anyway. If not, I'll find one of the younger kids in the family who will appreciate it.
Great story my grandmother was proud of her 89 grand marque Ls slate blue with black half top and lights on outside B pillar Crome bumpers (real) and car was spotless! She had 80k miles on it when she was scammed by a garage who told her it was rusted frame in 2011 yet body had no blemishes! Sold her a 95 Taurus which she poured a crap ton of $ into over 2 years thing fell apart and her grand marque was sold in another lot for $8,400 (if the frame was rotted, it wouldn’t have been roadworthy to even sell! just say the family members were kind of pissed. We never did get the car back unfortunately so I’m glad your mom got hers back least she can enjoy it.!) Not only did the mechanic garage get her car she bought that Taurus off of him for like $2500 with her car as a trade and every month that Taurus needed to be repaired for some at least $1000 every other month and she took it to him to get worked on every time so he made out like a bandit !
@georgeperkins4171 Yes, it is a completely different platform. No, you don't see many on the road anymore. The base models were for families on a budget. The kids destroyed the interior, the parents ran them into the ground, neglected the maintenance, or they were wrecked.
Mostly insane government regulations are what stops good cars from being built. That, plus the stupidity of the people in constantly demanding more "toys" to be installed has doomed the ability for sensible people to ever own a good car again.
I absolutely agree. Too much plastic to break, too much tech to go wrong, and I bet they don't realize that electronics to not like heat cycles, humidity and vibrations. When there's an accident, the smallest thing can total one out, driving up insurance rates, and leaving the owner to go buy another one, and the producers make that money. Government regulations state "thou shalt not have nice things".
What’s crazy is Ford already has their current CD6 platform which is RWD and it could accommodate the Coyote engine. The only downside is it being unibody (whereas the panther was body on frame) so insurance would be hesitant to fix it in today’s market. A detuned 425hp Coyote would last for years.
Old geezer here. I put 250k on two Town Cars. They were used hard. First one had the 5.0. The second one is still running and in daily use by a single mom with three kids.
My brother put 550,000 miles on his 86 Colony Park. 351/Trailer Tow car. My first was a custom ordered 89 Grand Marquis, also a 351/Trailer Tow car. Most comfortable and most economical cars. They matched the fuel consumption I am achieving in a 2004 Toyota Corolla now!
GM made great pickups along the years so did Chrysler, but when it comes to cars, when Ford made the panther platform, they locked the door and threw away the keys. Best full sized American car ever made
i was looking at a 1owner 1999 yukon with the 5.7,brand new paint, 135K 1 owner miles, however head gasket need changing and im not paying the guy 3300 for the yukon, it'll probably cost 1500 to do headgasget
@@BabyJesus66it was not, especially against the 2003-11 panthers. You’ll never have a b body handling like these. The suspension upgrades these got are absolutely amazing, and unmatched in any full sized body on frame car.
Awesome review on the Grand Marquis! We own a 2008 Crown Victoria (same color) that we purchased new. It just turned 70K. My previous wife who passed away in 2016 picked this out as "My last new car." When she passed away the car had 27K miles on it. I can't bring myself to sell the old car because I know that there will never be another car that is as reliable or economical as this old Vic. It gets 27 MPG on the highway. I have been driving it as my summer commuter car. Otherwise and during the winter the car sits in a heated garage, and I drive a 4x4 Durango. Consequently the undercarriage looks like brand new. We had zero warrenty issues with this car. The first time it went to the shop was for a blend door control motor. The OE motor went bad in the warrenty period for the part and a second one was installed on Ford's dime. The OE Michilin tires had to be replaced due to dry rot at 3 years old. I pushed a set of Generals to 10 years because they shown zero signs of dry rot and like new tread. They are off the road now. Our local Ford dealer checked the car over while replacing the tires and couldn't find anything else wrong with the car. The OE battery lasted 10 years. Ford built this same platform for many years and by the time the last ones were made they cars were as trouble free as a mechinical thing can be.
Panthers are THE best!! I bought my 2004 Mercury Marauder in 2005 and still have it. In late '19 I bought a 2004 Town Car for $3200 that only needed maintenance. The tires and suspension were old so I did all those for my own benefit. Durable , cheap to fix, cheap, to maintain, easy to maintain, and parts are available EVERYWHERE.
Ford Panther and GM 3800 powered car, theyre the only USED cars that you can get that are cheap and reliable. Usually its one or the other, never both except for Ford Panther or GM 3800 car. I had both! A 94 Regal custom that I paid $2400 for that I had for 5 years with zero major repairs (it met its end by a grand cherokee rear ending it, no injuries) and an 01 Grand Marauis GS that I paid 3700 for and had for 7 years. Both were terrific and I really miss rhe utility of the Grand Marquis. The trunk is so huge its like having a pickup truck without pickup truck mpg or pickup truck tires. Todays sedans have no utility, just a hole for a trunk you gotta crawl deep into instead of opening it and having it wide open for you. This is why people are ditching sedans for crossovers.
I bought an 05 LaCrosse because of the car wizards recommendation ofbthe 3800 engine. Bought it for $2k and at 90k km (~56k miles). I don't know any other car for the same price point where I could double the mileage on it in under a year and would have held up with absolutely zero drivetrain issues!!! (Suspension, bushings, brakes and religious oil changes means I've put a decent amount of money into it, but it's all wear and tear items I would have had to do anyways).
True story, I fit 3 toilets in box in my Grand Marquis. Surprisingly only one in the trunk, 2 in the backseat. Someday I may try for 4, I just know I could jam one in the front seat, but I had a passenger.
I owned a 2002 Grand Marquis in steel blue. Great ride, big interior, big trunk. Plush leather interior. If not for my wife lacking basic decision-making skill, I might still have this car. Instead, the car was totaled when my wife spent way too long on the I-40 freeway (had been driving over 15 hours, returning to CA from TX), stopped to eat, and then turned the wheel over to her friend who then set the speed to 70 mph and then fell asleep driving through New Mexico on I-40 (flat and boring driving when you actually drive instead of putting speed control on). The car went off the road, the driver overcorrected, and then the car rolled down an embankment at least three-four times. Some trucker witnessed the car flipping and radioed ahead so that truckers going the opposition direction closed down the traffic. The car ended upright on its wheels in the east bound I-40 lanes. Luckily, the driver and my 3-year-old son (strapped securely in the back seat) survived with minimal injuries. However, my wife took the brunt of the force from the rolls and had compression fractures in her spine that she never really recovered from. The car was towed to a lot. I recovered all personal belongings (the cops and others did a great job scooping up all the belongings off the freeway and putting it all back inside the car) and there was not a straight piece of sheet metal on the car. If it hadn't been such a tank of a car, the outcome would have been much more tragic.
I own a similar one, a 2006 model, green in color. They call it the Crocodile because it is long. As you said in the clip, a car that was made to perfection and will never be repeated.
I bought a 08 merc LS with 104,000 miles on it 2 1/2 years ago for $2400 in good condition. Mostly a gm guy all my life but i love this car. This car on the vid is beautiful! Thanks wizard and family.
Good ole' Bob Rohrman kicked the bucket a few years ago, but eternally known for his dealership empire stretching up into the Chicagoland area and his commercials featuring himself and a cartoon lion driving a red car and saying in an exaggerated bass voice "There's only one, Bob ROOOOOOHRman!" at the end of every commercial. Essentially the dictionary entry for car dealer, if there ever was one.
Hey, Wizard, viewer from Indianapolis here. Bob Rohrman used to be a pretty big dealer down in Indianapolis years ago. Rohrman himself has since passed away and all his Indianapolis dealers have since closed or got new ownership. The ones in Lafayette are actually still in business as the family decided to downsize operations after his passing. I miss my 2006 Grand Marquis. It was the Ultimate Edition and was a nice metallic blue. Hopefully I'll find one again that isn't ragged to Hell and back!
That is a great car, I've owned several of them, but never one that nice. One of the few words of Japanese I remember is natsukashii. That is a word that means happy nostalgia, it is the moment in which memory transports you to a beautiful memory that fills you with joy. I feel the same way about older cars I have driven in my youth.
I agree I've been Mechanic like you for 45 years also for ford lincoln mercury dealer for 18 of those years and I've been telling people how great these panther cars are back when you could get one new nobody would believe me they get great fuel mileage can Cary up to 6 passengers and unbelievable great trunk I really don't think ford wanted people to know they wanted to sell Taurus, explores and all the other disposable products they all make now.
I used to love the sweet smell of the Zebart rust proofing as a kid riding with my dad in the 1960’s. The days before cars were galvanized sheet metal.
My elderly female neighbor has a 2009 Lincoln TC that she's owned since almost new! She's gotten to the point where she only does short trips in the car for her groceries, church, etc. But if she needs to go anywhere that has some distance, she'll ask me if I can drive her to her destination and use her Lincoln! Let me tell you, the car is stunning! It only has around 70,000 miles and is a Lovely, lovely car to drive!!!!
Just yesterday, I bought a 1995 Buick LeSabre with only 29k original miles (complete up to date maintenance records included). It's in mint condition and everything works as it should. I'm going to give it to my daughter so that she and my twin grandsons have a reliable vehicle. The best part is that I paid less than $5k for it!
I wouldn't! Every seal and hose on it is gonna be well past its prime and start leaking. You should spend another $5k and have it completely refreshed with all new gaskets, seals and hoses. Especially the brakes!
Never thought as a kid that a car could be nostalgia. The smell, the newness of the headlights. It takes you back because when it came out you were like I can't imagine that car being 10 or 15 years old and how will it look by then. When the 2005 f350 came out I wanted one when I was a kid now I own one and still think of 2005 when I drive it. Cars are time machines.
I've got one of these and It's been a great car. Still runs and drives pretty much like brand new 25 years later with minimal repairs/maintenance. I grew up around nothing but older cars, whenever I get into someone else's modern car with all the infotainment and climate control built into a damn screen I get instantly annoyed with it. I'll drive this thing and everything else I have into the 22nd century at this point, screw the prices of new cars and their recalls.
HVAC simple compared to modern cars where the controls are buried in the touch screen. But the simplest HVAC control is 3 knobs: one for fan speed, one for temperature, one for air position. That’s it. That’s all you need. No push buttons required.
@@jaime3452 That can happen on any modern car regardless if it’s push button controls, knobs, or touchscreen. I have a 2001 Toyota Highlander with 3 knobs for HVAC. Love the simplicity, but once in a while I can hear the temperature actuator moving even when I’m not touching the temperature knob.
I bought a totally clapped out '94 Grand Marquis from a pawn shop in 2011. We drove that POS for five years, including a road trip halfway across the country and back. Parked it for two years because the landlord said he wanted to buy it... and when he finally came around to get it I charged the battery, aired up the tires, started it and drove it around the block. Only thing I could tell was wrong was that all the power steering fluid had leaked out. Those things are damn near unkillable.
I’ve got an 05 town car as well. Owned 2 years and only replaced the suspension air bags, and brake pads, did both myself. Currently sitting at 142,000 miles. Should last for many years!
I have owned a couple of these over the years. I also worked as a Towncar driver driving 2004-2010 Lincoln Executive L series Towncars. I found that when these cars are taken care of properly they are not at all expensive to maintain. In the case of the Lincoln derivitive we put 400,000 miles on a few of them. They do begin to burn oil around 375,000 miles, but I am given to understand that is the valve stem seals, which are not all that hard to correct.
2:24 Bob Rohrman is absolutely still around. It's a HUGE chain of dealerships here in the Illinois-Indiana area. They're very well known at least in my area (Chicago suburbs).
Two things I’ve heard to watch for on these is the 2nd gear slip under light acceleration. The 2nd issue is something to do with the steering shaft. There was something about a recall on a metal piece that had to be replaced with a plastic piece, but it’s now to the point that most of those repairs are so old that the plastic piece gets brittle. It can actually randomly shatter and disconnect the shaft from the steering box while you’re driving.
I bought my 2006 Crown Victoria P-71 11 years ago and it's still running as good as the day I bought it. Hands down the most reliable best built car I have owned. I'm 60 years old and I'm sure it will outlast me.
Mine came from Florida so Even though I'm in Chicago. Have had it for a year and it's my third car so I don't drive it much but when I do (in the summer/ it's nothing but smiles.
Awesome find. I'm looking for the same. I'm an ex cab driver and drove these for years in San Francisco and survived some nasty crashes too. I have an '05 Grand Marquis with 56 K on it. Love it. Some drunk Mexican just hit and ran me ( he got caught the next day) driving out of a bar parking lot last week and dented the front right door. The car was in mint condition like this one. Now I want another one. These cars go 500K miles with oil changes every 3 K easily. Best car Ford ever built. What a shame when they stopped building these.
as I sit here at my PC and see my 81 year old neighbor's 2003 Crown Vic sitting in her driveway. For an older gal - she doesn't let any grass grow under her feet she left her driveway at 7:06 this morning and has gone in and out several times today. She loads the trunk up with crap like a truck and keeps going. She states it is her best car ever she bought it used and has put 150k on it since then. She drove me to my surgery last month in the dark before daybreak and she is no slouch on the accelerator! Still rides comfy and quiet much quieter than my 2017 SUV. More and more I want one of these Panther Platforms
Thanks. A Bowtie man at heart but love the looks of the Crown Vic, Marquis and Marauder. I know that they are the same platform but have their own unique style. What I would like is a look at that Grand National I happen to spot behind your shop...
Don't be sorry ,I'm glad u praising any ford products thats wonderful,because of your knowledge of cars,thanks for warning us of bad cars and giving us the okay on good cars,that's why ur prosperous on the channel,honesty and chivalry go a long way, I live in detroit and we use to be able to recognize a hoopty but now a car can look good on the outside and a hoopty on the inside meaning bad engine and components, thanks,thanks for ur insight CAR WIZARD😊
I not only remember seeing them brand new, I actually had a brand new one - same color inside and out as this one in the video. It was a Ford Crown Victoria Sport (no console shift but it was a sport edition). The very best Panther I owned. I wish I could have kept it but a low mileage Escalade tempted me away. 😉
Last December, 2023, I bought a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis with 38,000 miles on it for $6,000. As of today, 09/20/24, it has 52,000 on it and all I have done is change the oil, service the trans, replace the fuel filter, flush/refill the coolant, and replace the brake fluid and it has been dead reliable. I'm sure with regular maintenance I will get at least 250,000 miles out of it, and the reason I bought that car is because of the first EuroAsianBob GM video you did about a year ago. Thank you!!
I bought a top trim 2006 Lincoln Town Car Designer last November from an elderly owner for 11 grand that had 29,411 and as of this morning it has 37,000 on it now. The car is absolutely perfect and one of the nicest driving cars I’ve owned in my life and I own it outright so no car payments which is awesome. Since I bought it and all I’ve done is 2 oil changes. All I’m going to do soon is have all the fluids changed out and have the serpentine belt changed out. These are the best deals out there if you’re looking for a low mileage vehicle that’ll last forever if taken care of. One of Car Wizards videos from a couple years ago is what convinced me to find a nice Panther platform vehicle for my next car which is what I did and it was a great decision. Being a 33 year old guy I get people asking me why I’d get an “old man’s car” but I couldn’t care less what people think. The only downside to the car is the 14 mpg in the city but highway is really good at around 24-26 mpg. I knew that going into it and it doesn’t bother me one bit. I saw this Grand Marquis posted online a week ago and he’s asking 20 grand for it. It’s one of the nicest GM’s I’ve seen for sale and it’s definitely on the high high end but if you want a fully loaded and perfect condition car you couldn’t go wrong with it. Still beats a $1000 month car payment for 5 years on a new car. You can find them just as nice through a private party for less money but it takes time and patience to do that and you’ll end up having to travel most likely. Just do your due diligence and if something isn’t right don’t be afraid to walk away and find another one.
Ford tech here. This thing is beautiful, puts my 3 panthers to shame. Got an 05 P71 Vic close to 200k, 11 P7B Vic w/216k , 06 Grand Marquis LS Ultimate w/107k and daily a 10th gen F150 with the same powertrain (2v 4.6 4r7xx trans) at 164k. All still going strong and will work hard to keep it that way well into the future. Nothing I work on at Ford/Lincoln today aside from maybe a gasser Super Duty or non-hybrid Interceptor Explorer is going to hold up at all. I've also got an old unmarked 87' 9C1 Caprice with the good ol' 350, 181k on the clock, sat for 20 years but still turns right over. The saying "they don't build em' like the used to" couldn't be more true than it does now.
We have a 2003 Lincoln Town Car named Moby (it's white) with 153 thousand miles on it. It cruises like a dream. We've just spent $1300 on replacing the air shocks with coilovers, a new serpentine belt and repairing a rainwater leak in the grill in front of the dashboard. It's really only worth maybe $3K but I look at it as how much would I have to spend to replace it. We spend about $1,000 a year on age-related maintenance. Last year we replaced the lower front control arms because the ball joints were clunking. The year before that was new tires and a brake job. Last year we travelled from Los Angeles to Seattle. We did it in a day. It was like sitting in my favorite recliner watching a travel movie of the west coast. They are very special cars and yes I'm 68. Grandpa knows best.
If I find one I will get it . right now running a 98 escort manual shift which gets 40 mpg and has 400,000 miles still runs fine. hard to give that mileage up.
This channel has aged me 30yrs. I regularly am looking for low miles Buick's (3800's), Mercury's and Town Cars on craigslist now. Last night I excitedly called my wife over to look at a low mileage LeSabre on my phone, and she gave me the stink-eye for wasting her time to walk across the room. P.S. He wants $20K for this baby...
My grandparents bought one in 1991 as a 92 model brand new. My grandfather passed away in 1997 but grandmother kept driving it. She had a stroke around 2007 and could no longer drive. She sold it to me for $1000. It only had 85,000 miles on it all put on by grandmother. I used it as a work commuter for quite a while and got 25 mpg on the interstate. It still smelled new when I sold it a few years later. Good riding car.
I wanted to buy a Panther platform Merucury Marauder, but it was hard justifying it when I already have an Impala SS. The Impala had a little over 6000 miles on it when I bought it. Up to 43k now.
I looked recently and a Marauder with relatively low miles sells for like $20k+. I got my 2015 mustang for $20k with 30k miles on it. I know the marauders are good but like, they shouldn't cost that much, it's the fact they're kinda collectable now.
@@stephenmoore1541 It was around 13 years ago when I bought my Impala, it was $15k, and that was from a dealership that dealt with special models. They were having trouble moving it. It still had the wheel lug lock sealed in plastic, it had never had even so much as a wheel removed when I bought it.
I currently own a 2008 Grand Marquis which I bought in2015. I absolutely love this car. It’s rust free and has been well maintained. I’m trying to find another one but here in Nova Scotia everything rusts so badly, I swear the province has shares in a salt mine.
WIZARD! I've learned so much from watching your videos about cars, car care and repair. Thank you so much for making videos. I truly get something out of each of them. PS- That Grand Marquis is a beauty! I'm guessing Euroasian Bob won't sell it for $1500 or a used PS5, right? 🤣
Love the way my '05 LTC drives and it looks like new @ 68950 miles! I've only put 4k miles in two years of ownership on it. Sad thing is I have a drain on the battery since I don't want to drive it everyday or every other day. Wish I could get to your shop for that!
I’ve owned 5 Panther platform cars, Ford and Mercury. I currently have a 2008 with 203k that I’m going to keep. I’m also looking for another Panther platform car as a loaner car. They are dead reliable. 😊
Thanks Mr Wizard for a great presentation. I don’t care if anyone calls it a grandpa car. I’ve owned many cars throughout my lifetime, and these panther platform cars with a 4.6 V8, are by far the best car to own today, August of 2024. I own a 97 Lincoln Town Car with only 33K original miles. It’s also been garaged its whole life and never driven in inclement weather. I’m 66 years old now, and this gorgeous car will be the last car I ever buy. If I live to be 100, and my Lincoln has been driven for over 500K miles, it will still look and run like new, so it can be handed down to the next lucky owner!
Yup, Rohrman is still in business. They have several lots and sell most of the major brands available here in the States, both domestic and import. My wife and I have a nephew who works there in their Honda branch. He is one of their top salesmen. We bought a 2011 Jeep Patriot from him about 1½ years ago. His sales manager cut us a whale of a deal on it. We had planned to pay cash for it until he told us that he would have gotten a real nice boost in his commission if we had financed the purchase. We did the no-brainer obvious thing. We financed it for 3 years, made 3 monthly payments on it, and then we paid it off! Sure, it cost us a little in finance fees, but it was worth it! Our nephew was able to take a really nice paycheck home to his family because we did it that way! I would do it again in a heartbeat!
You'd need the center console from a marauder or Continental for it to look right, but you can. The fact that these have the same V8 as the 05-10 mustang means you could swap in the 5 or 6 speed auto trans from a mustang as well as the LSD and have a nice performance boost without a ton of custom swap work.
@@andrewkruse4900 yup, aside from the head, those engines are virtually identical. And I really should've said 95-04 GT mustang cause those have the 2 valve but whatever. Most of the 4.6 was unchanged for 15 years. Reason I specified the 05-10 is cause those auto trans would probably be better than a 95-04.
45 Year master tech. I got over my speed days in the 90's. Got me a 93 Grand Marquis in the late 90's for 3k. It had 45K on it. Drove it for many of moons and had 430K on the odometer when I gave it to my brother. He is still driving with over 600K on it to this day. I picked up a 01 with 34k on it 8 years ago and now has 180K on it. Other than the obvious intake manifold, just brakes and oil changes.
I've owned 26 vehicles over the years. The pride of my current fleet (5 cars/trucks) is a 2006 Lincoln Town Car Presidential Edition (Signature Limited): Light French Silk exterior, double rare black canvas carriage roof with a factory sunroof, the same 18 spoke factory chrome wheels as on your featured Grand Marquis. I like to drive it, I'm not preserving it for the next owner, but I still consider it to be lower mileage at just over 140k miles (average of ~ 8k miles a year). I have occasionally set the cruise control between 100 to 105 mph when driving through some of the rural highways of my West Texas region. Its a sublime ride. I believe in over maintenance: engine oil changes very 2,500 miles, transmission service every 25,000 miles (I installed a trans pan from an E450 with a factory drain plug), differential service every 50,000 miles. Changing oil is easier and cheaper than changing engines. I had a East Coast nephew in the Black Car executive limo business. He said they usually ran these to 400k to 500k when they were in production - but they ran them up into the 800k range after production ended because it was the car their executive clients requested. He said that except for collision totaled cars, all the cars they retired out of service were still running driving cars when they sold them.
Love this video, I just bought a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Palm Beach Edition with the same options shown in this video, 135000 miles , beautiful condition, California car here in San Francisco, no rust whatsoever!!!
Brings me back to when I worked at the Lincoln Mercury dealership in my town 20 years ago..I ever only did oil & filter changes, tire rotations, and other fluid services to these..the rear air springs would dry rot and leak but other than that, they truly were great cars!
These so-called “blocks” were a favorite among police, taxi and limo drivers. They were so popular, my mother’s block was stolen right in front of our house!
If only all cars were looked after and still in showroom condition. Cars of this standard are hard to find, there are plenty of well used and abused samples to be found on dealer lots. I hope this one remains in this condition for many more years.
I have a 93 Lincoln Town Car Jack Nicklaus Edition, like the one Hoovie had, but Green. It's not nearly as nice as this Mercury, but I've had it for 6 years now, put 35k miles on it, and it has been very reliable. Not bad for a $500 car. They have their issues, but if they are maintained, they can last a very long time.
I am a fan of this, newest, 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis full-size sedan, because they are excellent vehicles to purchase. It has the 4.6 L Modular 2-vavle V8 engine and the regular four-speed automatic transmission. These things last forever with proper maintenance.
I got mine last year at 67000 miles with new tires, the engine bay and underbody cleaned back to bare metal. The cd wouldn't eject but a modern double-DIN head slides right in. I just upgraded the headlights with complete new assemblies, Sylvania's brightest halogens, and a relay harness from Ebay = Relay Wire Harness 30A 9008 H13 Head Light Halogen Bulb Female Socket Replace OE.
I found a 2009 with 40,200 miles on it back in December. White with beige leather. Always garaged and even had the factory stickers on it in several places. Never smoked in and darn close to perfect,but it does have a few nicks and petty scratches. I snatched it up and love it.
Doug thinks that the solar panel built into the Fisker Ocean is a stroke of genius, even though it can’t produce a useful amount of electric power and is just one more thing that can break. I’m getting skeptical about his common sense.
I sold FLM back in the 90's and those along with the Crown Vic and Town Car were such a step forward from the prior models, that 4.6 modular is such a great engine.
Mercury Maroon is one the most beautiful colors in person as well. My grandparents had a 1989ish model with the velour seats you sunk into like clouds, etc. GREAT car.
I have owned new Town Cars and Grand Marquis. I used them for long-distance driving and touring. I was not fascinated by their handling during lane changes at Interstate speeds.
@@brianmeegan6384 yeah…KBB has it in excellent shape with that mileage at a little over 9k. Add 25% for extra awesome condition and the car wizards touch…
Thanks for servicing and showcasing this beautiful Mercury Wizard! This car came from the same Gentleman that owned the 2k mile 1985 Buick Riviera you worked on and videoed. The Mercury is on my website if anyone is interested. I will drop a link in the comments. I will have my own detailed UA-cam video live tomorrow on my channel Euroasian Bob.
Have a great day and happy motoring!
I’ll give you $3,000.
*@euroasianbob9268* Hey Bob, it's a beautiful car. I had a 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis (burgundy) with 300k with the same engine and transmission. The main thing to look out for is that the intake manifold valves would go out because Ford put in cheaply made thin plastic parts instead of thicker metal to save money. Plus, the HVAC motor for the air conditioner/heater core requires to take the dash off after a 100k miles but other than that engine wise, the car is a tank. 😉👍
@@Nousername9-b1n he wants $20k
What an Absolute Gem! You struck gold again Bob!
@@Nousername9-b1nI'll see your $3k and lower you $2k.
The panther platform cars might just be ford’s finest hour
Don’t forget about the pinto.
Along with GM/Buick's 3800 motor.
@@wccrispy amen 🙏
I had a Crown Victoria Sport. I bought it after my Honda was totaled. I wanted a bigger car because of the accident. Man it was awesome (except for snow). I had a large tree branch fall and brake my taillight and it cost me 19.00 bucks to get a new taillight shipped to my house. Absolutely crazy.
@@wccrispyGreat engine, but the rest of the car fell apart. 😬😂
They are either absolutely clapped out or perfect condition Grandma cars.
You’re absolutely right. Either people from the ghetto have turned them into trash or grandmas have kept them living on 30 years later. That’s one or the other.
They are (were?) at the price where 16 years old buy them to slam to the ground and make holes everywhere to install big speakers.
So true.
Most are crap by now. Almost impossible to find in that condition for a reasonable price and likely in another state. Bob is a professional who has time to hunt for these things. We are not.
either grandma changed the oil every 3000 miles at the dealer or nothing but sludge in the oil pan
Stop. You’re running up the prices.
In 4 minutes? Behave.
@@lemoncake9385 Don't recognize sarcasm?
Okay?! these are a well kept open secret don’t let grandma know what she has😂
These are not the best at gas though.
Too late for that
I've been driving those for 30 years. I worked as a government fleet mechanic for 37 years. We had thousands of them. They were the ONLY vehicle we ever had that almost never had problems. I have an '06 I bought with 87,000 miles on it. It now had 384,000 miles. No major issues. I paid $7200 for it 11 years ago. It is still running fine. A few months ago I bought a like new, one owner 2007 Grand Marquis with 36,000 miles on it. I inspected it top to bottom, end to end. The only thing I could find wrong is that it needed windshield wipers. I bought it from an older couple, who had a stack of service receipts. It had been garaged since new. I paid $10,000 cash for it. No taxes, no fees. Having just turned 65, it will probably be my last car. I have 4 other cars, but they are mostly hobby cars. One is a race car. At least two of them could be used for transportation cars if necessary. I don't have to worry about getting stuck with one of those new spymobiles.
I suggest taking care of these cars. Even the older more beat up high mileage ones. Engines and transmissions can be replaced fairly inexpensively. And they are everywhere. Despite being computer cars (they are the ONLY computer car I know about that doesn't have constant electronic problems) they are simple and easy to work on. Even the newest ones still use 1990s technology. They are built like tanks. Only 2 things can kill one of these. Either a really bad accident, or rust. Considering the absolute TRASH they are selling today as new "cars" we need to keep cars like this going for as long as possible. And out of all fairly modern cars ever made, the Panther cars are the best cars out there to put money and work into to make last. They were made in huge numbers, they use older technology, they did not change much, parts are plentiful and cheap, they are easy to work on, they are built like a tank. Tougher than some trucks. They are big, comfortable, have a V8, are rear wheel drive, body on frame construction. There will probably be some of these still running 100 years from now. The ones that are too far gone to repair can still be used as parts cars.
Unfortunately, in AZ, dust is a way of life. No way around it. So is sunburned paint. And that is one of the worst paint colors as far as sun damage goes. But it can be repainted if you want. If paint means something to you, don't get a white one. The paint peels off like crazy. That is the case with ALL white American made cars over the past few decades. The white paint is defective. And it cannot be repainted without removing every single bit of the old paint. I probably wouldn't even use this one as a transportation car. I'd keep it as a collector car. Let somebody in the distant future know what a real car is.
Nice comment!
You never had the intake manifold problem?
@c.jjones3587 I think that's a fairly easy side of a problem.
@@c.jjones3587 Not on my own cars. Had several at work. I think the difference is because I always warm up my own cars at idle before actually taking off in them. They need to warm up slowly. Plastic and aluminum expand at different rates when the get hot. Taking off with a cold engine can cause them to get hot and expand too quickly. But if and when it happens, it's not a big deal to fix.
I had a leaking manifold on my 2003. I did the job on a Saturday. It all goes back together way quicker than coming apart. Looking on the forums I found that the Ford racing manifold with a Felpro gasket is the best way to go. The cheap Doorman won't last nearly as long.
LONG LIVE THE FORD PANTHER PLATFORM!!
The Merc. Marauders. Were the. Hot rods of the day
Let's keep it alive and buy more!
Got mine with 124,000 on it. Now has 146,000. Gave $3,000 for it in 2019 . It's a 2003. I'm 79. It's my last car and there will be plenty of life left in it when I die. They're still out there.
They are. Just nabbed a 1999 with 95k for $2700.
I have a 04 and it's lovely 💯💯
That's how I feel about mine
Let me but it off you before you go gramps 💯💯🙏 I’ll take care of it
@@geobyaickareth2823 Just because he’s 79 doesn’t mean he will die before you. You may never own it.
This one needs to go in a museum. Too clean to be driving around.
I'll buy it $5000 🤣
@@user4136_euroAsian is asking $20k for it.
@@user4136_ Euro Bob has it listed for $19,999 on his website.
I've seen so many of these this year in similar condition, there's actually been a lot of them and every youtuber that makes an ad to sell them says this is the nicest they've ever seen. It's just hype.
They produced millions of these cars between the mercury and the crown Victoria, none of them deserve to be in a museum.
I can attest to how good those cars are, I've had 2 of the Mercury's, 1 Crown Vic, and 1 Lincoln Town Car. They're great cars.
My nephew bought my mom's 2000 Mercury Sable LS Premium Package for his daughter's first car. Mom bought it new from the showroom. My nephew's X-wife told my great niece that old car isn't safe, just for spite, so she wouldn't drive it. He kept the car for over a year and was going to sell it, so I bought it from him. Today, it has just over 59k miles. Always garage kept, never driven in the snow. It's back in mom's garage. She can't drive anymore, but I take her to all her appointments in it, and sometimes just go out for a ride. She sits up straight and proud riding in the Mercury. She loves "her" car, and so do I. As long as she's alive, I will keep it, and I might keep it anyway. If not, I'll find one of the younger kids in the family who will appreciate it.
Great story!! Glad mom loves her car again❤😊
Nice
The Sable is totally different. A Taurus really. I've had 2 Taurus and 2 Sable s. But suddenly you don't see many anymore.
Great story my grandmother was proud of her 89 grand marque Ls slate blue with black half top and lights on outside B pillar Crome bumpers (real) and car was spotless! She had 80k miles on it when she was scammed by a garage who told her it was rusted frame in 2011 yet body had no blemishes!
Sold her a 95 Taurus which she poured a crap ton of $ into over 2 years thing fell apart and her grand marque was sold in another lot for $8,400
(if the frame was rotted, it wouldn’t have been roadworthy to even sell! just say the family members were kind of pissed. We never did get the car back unfortunately so I’m glad your mom got hers back least she can enjoy it.!)
Not only did the mechanic garage get her car she bought that Taurus off of him for like $2500 with her car as a trade and every month that Taurus needed to be repaired for some at least $1000 every other month and she took it to him to get worked on every time so he made out like a bandit !
@georgeperkins4171 Yes, it is a completely different platform. No, you don't see many on the road anymore. The base models were for families on a budget. The kids destroyed the interior, the parents ran them into the ground, neglected the maintenance, or they were wrecked.
Bring these back, instead of these new, disposable plastic cars. But that'll never happen. Profits over quality is the name of the game.
Mostly insane government regulations are what stops good cars from being built. That, plus the stupidity of the people in constantly demanding more "toys" to be installed has doomed the ability for sensible people to ever own a good car again.
I absolutely agree. Too much plastic to break, too much tech to go wrong, and I bet they don't realize that electronics to not like heat cycles, humidity and vibrations. When there's an accident, the smallest thing can total one out, driving up insurance rates, and leaving the owner to go buy another one, and the producers make that money. Government regulations state "thou shalt not have nice things".
@@jimsmalleimb7709Don’t forget that this was an affordable car on the day. Agree to much tech these days. Rolling I phones
Most cars will be like new with 19k miles in the garage.
What’s crazy is Ford already has their current CD6 platform which is RWD and it could accommodate the Coyote engine. The only downside is it being unibody (whereas the panther was body on frame) so insurance would be hesitant to fix it in today’s market. A detuned 425hp Coyote would last for years.
Old geezer here. I put 250k on two Town Cars. They were used hard. First one had the 5.0. The second one is still running and in daily use by a single mom with three kids.
I learned to drive in my mom's 1977 Town Car with the 460. Giant Cloud.
My brother put 550,000 miles on his 86 Colony Park. 351/Trailer Tow car. My first was a custom ordered 89 Grand Marquis, also a 351/Trailer Tow car. Most comfortable and most economical cars. They matched the fuel consumption I am achieving in a 2004 Toyota Corolla now!
GM made great pickups along the years so did Chrysler, but when it comes to cars, when Ford made the panther platform, they locked the door and threw away the keys. Best full sized American car ever made
i was looking at a 1owner 1999 yukon with the 5.7,brand new paint, 135K 1 owner miles, however head gasket need changing and im not paying the guy 3300 for the yukon, it'll probably cost 1500 to do headgasget
Nah Chevy Caprice was better, and better looking.
Ford made great pickups too. The Impala, looked better, but then there was the Marauder. Maybe Dodge shoulda had a mid engine GLH Dynasty?
@@BabyJesus66 An optometrist can fix that eyesight problem for you in about an hour.
@@BabyJesus66it was not, especially against the 2003-11 panthers. You’ll never have a b body handling like these. The suspension upgrades these got are absolutely amazing, and unmatched in any full sized body on frame car.
Awesome review on the Grand Marquis! We own a 2008 Crown Victoria (same color) that we purchased new. It just turned 70K. My previous wife who passed away in 2016 picked this out as "My last new car." When she passed away the car had 27K miles on it. I can't bring myself to sell the old car because I know that there will never be another car that is as reliable or economical as this old Vic. It gets 27 MPG on the highway. I have been driving it as my summer commuter car. Otherwise and during the winter the car sits in a heated garage, and I drive a 4x4 Durango. Consequently the undercarriage looks like brand new. We had zero warrenty issues with this car. The first time it went to the shop was for a blend door control motor. The OE motor went bad in the warrenty period for the part and a second one was installed on Ford's dime. The OE Michilin tires had to be replaced due to dry rot at 3 years old. I pushed a set of Generals to 10 years because they shown zero signs of dry rot and like new tread. They are off the road now. Our local Ford dealer checked the car over while replacing the tires and couldn't find anything else wrong with the car. The OE battery lasted 10 years. Ford built this same platform for many years and by the time the last ones were made they cars were as trouble free as a mechinical thing can be.
Panthers are THE best!! I bought my 2004 Mercury Marauder in 2005 and still have it. In late '19 I bought a 2004 Town Car for $3200 that only needed maintenance. The tires and suspension were old so I did all those for my own benefit. Durable , cheap to fix, cheap, to maintain, easy to maintain, and parts are available EVERYWHERE.
Ford Panther and GM 3800 powered car, theyre the only USED cars that you can get that are cheap and reliable. Usually its one or the other, never both except for Ford Panther or GM 3800 car. I had both! A 94 Regal custom that I paid $2400 for that I had for 5 years with zero major repairs (it met its end by a grand cherokee rear ending it, no injuries) and an 01 Grand Marauis GS that I paid 3700 for and had for 7 years. Both were terrific and I really miss rhe utility of the Grand Marquis. The trunk is so huge its like having a pickup truck without pickup truck mpg or pickup truck tires. Todays sedans have no utility, just a hole for a trunk you gotta crawl deep into instead of opening it and having it wide open for you. This is why people are ditching sedans for crossovers.
I bought an 05 LaCrosse because of the car wizards recommendation ofbthe 3800 engine. Bought it for $2k and at 90k km (~56k miles). I don't know any other car for the same price point where I could double the mileage on it in under a year and would have held up with absolutely zero drivetrain issues!!! (Suspension, bushings, brakes and religious oil changes means I've put a decent amount of money into it, but it's all wear and tear items I would have had to do anyways).
True story, I fit 3 toilets in box in my Grand Marquis. Surprisingly only one in the trunk, 2 in the backseat. Someday I may try for 4, I just know I could jam one in the front seat, but I had a passenger.
When I was in the car business I always kept a Town Car or Marquis to drive to auctions, nothing compares to the comfort.
Driving comfortability of my $700 94 Town Car was better than my friend's 2024 Hyundai.
I owned a 2002 Grand Marquis in steel blue. Great ride, big interior, big trunk. Plush leather interior. If not for my wife lacking basic decision-making skill, I might still have this car. Instead, the car was totaled when my wife spent way too long on the I-40 freeway (had been driving over 15 hours, returning to CA from TX), stopped to eat, and then turned the wheel over to her friend who then set the speed to 70 mph and then fell asleep driving through New Mexico on I-40 (flat and boring driving when you actually drive instead of putting speed control on). The car went off the road, the driver overcorrected, and then the car rolled down an embankment at least three-four times. Some trucker witnessed the car flipping and radioed ahead so that truckers going the opposition direction closed down the traffic. The car ended upright on its wheels in the east bound I-40 lanes. Luckily, the driver and my 3-year-old son (strapped securely in the back seat) survived with minimal injuries. However, my wife took the brunt of the force from the rolls and had compression fractures in her spine that she never really recovered from. The car was towed to a lot. I recovered all personal belongings (the cops and others did a great job scooping up all the belongings off the freeway and putting it all back inside the car) and there was not a straight piece of sheet metal on the car. If it hadn't been such a tank of a car, the outcome would have been much more tragic.
Oh my god. I’m so sorry.
I own a similar one, a 2006 model, green in color. They call it the Crocodile because it is long. As you said in the clip, a car that was made to perfection and will never be repeated.
I bought a 08 merc LS with 104,000 miles on it 2 1/2 years ago for $2400 in good condition. Mostly a gm guy all my life but i love this car.
This car on the vid is beautiful! Thanks wizard and family.
They built these for many years and perfected them !
Good ole' Bob Rohrman kicked the bucket a few years ago, but eternally known for his dealership empire stretching up into the Chicagoland area and his commercials featuring himself and a cartoon lion driving a red car and saying in an exaggerated bass voice "There's only one, Bob ROOOOOOHRman!" at the end of every commercial. Essentially the dictionary entry for car dealer, if there ever was one.
Damn! Do they still show the commercials? I left the area in 2018. RIP Bob
Chi Town legend.... Just like victory auto wreckers😂😂😂😂
Hey, Wizard, viewer from Indianapolis here. Bob Rohrman used to be a pretty big dealer down in Indianapolis years ago. Rohrman himself has since passed away and all his Indianapolis dealers have since closed or got new ownership. The ones in Lafayette are actually still in business as the family decided to downsize operations after his passing. I miss my 2006 Grand Marquis. It was the Ultimate Edition and was a nice metallic blue. Hopefully I'll find one again that isn't ragged to Hell and back!
That is a great car, I've owned several of them, but never one that nice. One of the few words of Japanese I remember is natsukashii. That is a word that means happy nostalgia, it is the moment in which memory transports you to a beautiful memory that fills you with joy. I feel the same way about older cars I have driven in my youth.
P
I had one and they are fantastic . The ride is better then any new car I have ever been in . The car was perfect
I agree I've been Mechanic like you for 45 years also for ford lincoln mercury dealer for 18 of those years and I've been telling people how great these panther cars are back when you could get one new nobody would believe me they get great fuel mileage can Cary up to 6 passengers and unbelievable great trunk I really don't think ford wanted people to know they wanted to sell Taurus, explores and all the other disposable products they all make now.
I used to love the sweet smell of the Zebart rust proofing as a kid riding with my dad in the 1960’s. The days before cars were galvanized sheet metal.
My elderly female neighbor has a 2009 Lincoln TC that she's owned since almost new! She's gotten to the point where she only does short trips in the car for her groceries, church, etc. But if she needs to go anywhere that has some distance, she'll ask me if I can drive her to her destination and use her Lincoln! Let me tell you, the car is stunning! It only has around 70,000 miles and is a Lovely, lovely car to drive!!!!
My 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis LS was probably the best car I ever owned.
Yes got a 2003 also great car only got 125000 will last another 10/years
I think that car looks sharp, I don't care who says grandmas car, I just want a car that is reliable. Thanks for sharing.
Just yesterday, I bought a 1995 Buick LeSabre with only 29k original miles (complete up to date maintenance records included). It's in mint condition and everything works as it should. I'm going to give it to my daughter so that she and my twin grandsons have a reliable vehicle. The best part is that I paid less than $5k for it!
I wouldn't! Every seal and hose on it is gonna be well past its prime and start leaking. You should spend another $5k and have it completely refreshed with all new gaskets, seals and hoses. Especially the brakes!
Where did you find it?
@@TerrenceLCarpenter I got it from a local estate sale.
Never thought as a kid that a car could be nostalgia. The smell, the newness of the headlights. It takes you back because when it came out you were like I can't imagine that car being 10 or 15 years old and how will it look by then. When the 2005 f350 came out I wanted one when I was a kid now I own one and still think of 2005 when I drive it. Cars are time machines.
I've got one of these and It's been a great car. Still runs and drives pretty much like brand new 25 years later with minimal repairs/maintenance. I grew up around nothing but older cars, whenever I get into someone else's modern car with all the infotainment and climate control built into a damn screen I get instantly annoyed with it. I'll drive this thing and everything else I have into the 22nd century at this point, screw the prices of new cars and their recalls.
HVAC simple compared to modern cars where the controls are buried in the touch screen. But the simplest HVAC control is 3 knobs: one for fan speed, one for temperature, one for air position. That’s it. That’s all you need. No push buttons required.
Until hvac blend door actuators go out
@@jaime3452 That can happen on any modern car regardless if it’s push button controls, knobs, or touchscreen.
I have a 2001 Toyota Highlander with 3 knobs for HVAC. Love the simplicity, but once in a while I can hear the temperature actuator moving even when I’m not touching the temperature knob.
@@jaime3452 And still those are much easier to replace
I bought a totally clapped out '94 Grand Marquis from a pawn shop in 2011. We drove that POS for five years, including a road trip halfway across the country and back.
Parked it for two years because the landlord said he wanted to buy it... and when he finally came around to get it I charged the battery, aired up the tires, started it and drove it around the block. Only thing I could tell was wrong was that all the power steering fluid had leaked out.
Those things are damn near unkillable.
I had a new 1989 LeSabre that had the new car smell in the empty trunk after ten years. Flawless!
Did your hood open up from the cowl area instead of front like most cars?
@@davidnessel1706 👍That’s the one!
Picked up an 05 towncar signature, amazing ride!
I’ve got an 05 town car as well. Owned 2 years and only replaced the suspension air bags, and brake pads, did both myself. Currently sitting at 142,000 miles. Should last for many years!
Back in the day I had the Crown Vic equivalent. It was a fabulous car and actually pretty good on gas for a large car.
Those and the GM 3.6L/3.8L from the same era are such a treat now to work on.
You don't understand how much I want this car Wiz 😂
I have owned a couple of these over the years. I also worked as a Towncar driver driving 2004-2010 Lincoln Executive L series Towncars. I found that when these cars are taken care of properly they are not at all expensive to maintain. In the case of the Lincoln derivitive we put 400,000 miles on a few of them. They do begin to burn oil around 375,000 miles, but I am given to understand that is the valve stem seals, which are not all that hard to correct.
The Best of Ford's 3rd Generation "Panther-Platform" Chassis.
2:24 Bob Rohrman is absolutely still around. It's a HUGE chain of dealerships here in the Illinois-Indiana area. They're very well known at least in my area (Chicago suburbs).
My grandparents exclusively drove Panther platform TownCars. I remember riding in and driving them as a kid. They really are good cars period.
Two things I’ve heard to watch for on these is the 2nd gear slip under light acceleration. The 2nd issue is something to do with the steering shaft. There was something about a recall on a metal piece that had to be replaced with a plastic piece, but it’s now to the point that most of those repairs are so old that the plastic piece gets brittle. It can actually randomly shatter and disconnect the shaft from the steering box while you’re driving.
That class of beast will live forever. I’d buy it if I wasn’t on the West Coast.
I bought my 2006 Crown Victoria P-71 11 years ago and it's still running as good as the day I bought it. Hands down the most reliable best built car I have owned. I'm 60 years old and I'm sure it will outlast me.
I have owned several Panther chassis based Fords they are arguably the best cars Ford ever put out
My 2009 with 60K miles is just like this. Brand new, underneath the metal still shiny like it was just off the showroom. I love my GrandMa!
Mine came from Florida so Even though I'm in Chicago. Have had it for a year and it's my third car so I don't drive it much but when I do (in the summer/ it's nothing but smiles.
Thank you Wizard for showing some love for the Panther cars. I own one myself, and I couldn't agree with you more.
Awesome find. I'm looking for the same. I'm an ex cab driver and drove these for years in San Francisco and survived some nasty crashes too. I have an '05 Grand Marquis with 56 K on it. Love it.
Some drunk Mexican just hit and ran me ( he got caught the next day) driving out of a bar parking lot last week and dented the front right door. The car was in mint condition like this one. Now I want another one. These cars go 500K miles with oil changes every 3 K easily. Best car Ford ever built. What a shame when they stopped building these.
I'm driving a 1992 grand Marquis LS. Love it so much
as I sit here at my PC and see my 81 year old neighbor's 2003 Crown Vic sitting in her driveway. For an older gal - she doesn't let any grass grow under her feet she left her driveway at 7:06 this morning and has gone in and out several times today. She loads the trunk up with crap like a truck and keeps going. She states it is her best car ever she bought it used and has put 150k on it since then. She drove me to my surgery last month in the dark before daybreak and she is no slouch on the accelerator! Still rides comfy and quiet much quieter than my 2017 SUV. More and more I want one of these Panther Platforms
Thanks. A Bowtie man at heart but love the looks of the Crown Vic, Marquis and Marauder. I know that they are the same platform but have their own unique style. What I would like is a look at that Grand National I happen to spot behind your shop...
Don't be sorry ,I'm glad u praising any ford products thats wonderful,because of your knowledge of cars,thanks for warning us of bad cars and giving us the okay on good cars,that's why ur prosperous on the channel,honesty and chivalry go a long way, I live in detroit and we use to be able to recognize a hoopty but now a car can look good on the outside and a hoopty on the inside meaning bad engine and components, thanks,thanks for ur insight CAR WIZARD😊
I not only remember seeing them brand new, I actually had a brand new one - same color inside and out as this one in the video. It was a Ford Crown Victoria Sport (no console shift but it was a sport edition). The very best Panther I owned. I wish I could have kept it but a low mileage Escalade tempted me away. 😉
Last December, 2023, I bought a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis with 38,000 miles on it for $6,000. As of today, 09/20/24, it has 52,000 on it and all I have done is change the oil, service the trans, replace the fuel filter, flush/refill the coolant, and replace the brake fluid and it has been dead reliable. I'm sure with regular maintenance I will get at least 250,000 miles out of it, and the reason I bought that car is because of the first EuroAsianBob GM video you did about a year ago. Thank you!!
I bought a top trim 2006 Lincoln Town Car Designer last November from an elderly owner for 11 grand that had 29,411 and as of this morning it has 37,000 on it now. The car is absolutely perfect and one of the nicest driving cars I’ve owned in my life and I own it outright so no car payments which is awesome. Since I bought it and all I’ve done is 2 oil changes. All I’m going to do soon is have all the fluids changed out and have the serpentine belt changed out. These are the best deals out there if you’re looking for a low mileage vehicle that’ll last forever if taken care of. One of Car Wizards videos from a couple years ago is what convinced me to find a nice Panther platform vehicle for my next car which is what I did and it was a great decision. Being a 33 year old guy I get people asking me why I’d get an “old man’s car” but I couldn’t care less what people think. The only downside to the car is the 14 mpg in the city but highway is really good at around 24-26 mpg. I knew that going into it and it doesn’t bother me one bit.
I saw this Grand Marquis posted online a week ago and he’s asking 20 grand for it. It’s one of the nicest GM’s I’ve seen for sale and it’s definitely on the high high end but if you want a fully loaded and perfect condition car you couldn’t go wrong with it. Still beats a $1000 month car payment for 5 years on a new car. You can find them just as nice through a private party for less money but it takes time and patience to do that and you’ll end up having to travel most likely. Just do your due diligence and if something isn’t right don’t be afraid to walk away and find another one.
Please send email or phone number very interested, thanks Mike.
Ford tech here. This thing is beautiful, puts my 3 panthers to shame. Got an 05 P71 Vic close to 200k, 11 P7B Vic w/216k , 06 Grand Marquis LS Ultimate w/107k and daily a 10th gen F150 with the same powertrain (2v 4.6 4r7xx trans) at 164k. All still going strong and will work hard to keep it that way well into the future. Nothing I work on at Ford/Lincoln today aside from maybe a gasser Super Duty or non-hybrid Interceptor Explorer is going to hold up at all. I've also got an old unmarked 87' 9C1 Caprice with the good ol' 350, 181k on the clock, sat for 20 years but still turns right over. The saying "they don't build em' like the used to" couldn't be more true than it does now.
I’ve always wanted one of these. Particularly the Lincoln Town Car.
We have a 2003 Lincoln Town Car named Moby (it's white) with 153 thousand miles on it. It cruises like a dream. We've just spent $1300 on replacing the air shocks with coilovers, a new serpentine belt and repairing a rainwater leak in the grill in front of the dashboard. It's really only worth maybe $3K but I look at it as how much would I have to spend to replace it. We spend about $1,000 a year on age-related maintenance. Last year we replaced the lower front control arms because the ball joints were clunking. The year before that was new tires and a brake job. Last year we travelled from Los Angeles to Seattle. We did it in a day. It was like sitting in my favorite recliner watching a travel movie of the west coast. They are very special cars and yes I'm 68. Grandpa knows best.
How often would you have to work on the front suspension?
I would take this Mercury over ANYTHING YOU HAVE IN THE SHOP
If I find one I will get it . right now running a 98 escort manual shift which gets 40 mpg and has 400,000 miles still runs fine. hard to give that mileage up.
This channel has aged me 30yrs. I regularly am looking for low miles Buick's (3800's), Mercury's and Town Cars on craigslist now. Last night I excitedly called my wife over to look at a low mileage LeSabre on my phone, and she gave me the stink-eye for wasting her time to walk across the room. P.S. He wants $20K for this baby...
20 is absolutely worth it for this car. It's actually quite a low asking price.
My grandparents bought one in 1991 as a 92 model brand new. My grandfather passed away in 1997 but grandmother kept driving it. She had a stroke around 2007 and could no longer drive. She sold it to me for $1000. It only had 85,000 miles on it all put on by grandmother. I used it as a work commuter for quite a while and got 25 mpg on the interstate. It still smelled new when I sold it a few years later. Good riding car.
I wanted to buy a Panther platform Merucury Marauder, but it was hard justifying it when I already have an Impala SS. The Impala had a little over 6000 miles on it when I bought it. Up to 43k now.
I looked recently and a Marauder with relatively low miles sells for like $20k+. I got my 2015 mustang for $20k with 30k miles on it. I know the marauders are good but like, they shouldn't cost that much, it's the fact they're kinda collectable now.
@@stephenmoore1541 It was around 13 years ago when I bought my Impala, it was $15k, and that was from a dealership that dealt with special models. They were having trouble moving it.
It still had the wheel lug lock sealed in plastic, it had never had even so much as a wheel removed when I bought it.
I love that color, what a wonderful car. I own a 99 town car, and a 2007 town car. Probably the best cars I have ever owned.!!!
Yep, Bob Rhorman is still in business... my company built their internal ecommerce site a couple years ago.
I currently own a 2008 Grand Marquis which I bought in2015. I absolutely love this car. It’s rust free and has been well maintained. I’m trying to find another one but here in Nova Scotia everything rusts so badly, I swear the province has shares in a salt mine.
I have a Crown Vic, beautiful vehicle, no problems, just regular maintenance
You are correct. I love those cars. Run great. Good gas mileage with the V8. Great touring cars. Crown Victoria as well. Can't go wrong.
WIZARD! I've learned so much from watching your videos about cars, car care and repair. Thank you so much for making videos. I truly get something out of each of them. PS- That Grand Marquis is a beauty! I'm guessing Euroasian Bob won't sell it for $1500 or a used PS5, right? 🤣
Love the way my '05 LTC drives and it looks like new @ 68950 miles! I've only put 4k miles in two years of ownership on it. Sad thing is I have a drain on the battery since I don't want to drive it everyday or every other day. Wish I could get to your shop for that!
I’ve owned 5 Panther platform cars, Ford and Mercury. I currently have a 2008 with 203k that I’m going to keep.
I’m also looking for another Panther platform car as a loaner car. They are dead reliable. 😊
Thanks Mr Wizard for a great presentation. I don’t care if anyone calls it a grandpa car. I’ve owned many cars throughout my lifetime, and these panther platform cars with a 4.6 V8, are by far the best car to own today, August of 2024. I own a 97 Lincoln Town Car with only 33K original miles. It’s also been garaged its whole life and never driven in inclement weather. I’m 66 years old now, and this gorgeous car will be the last car I ever buy. If I live to be 100, and my Lincoln has been driven for over 500K miles, it will still look and run like new, so it can be handed down to the next lucky owner!
Ahh, the legendary Pather platform with the 4.6L 235 horsepower V8. Easy and cheap to repair 😊
Yup, Rohrman is still in business. They have several lots and sell most of the major brands available here in the States, both domestic and import. My wife and I have a nephew who works there in their Honda branch. He is one of their top salesmen. We bought a 2011 Jeep Patriot from him about 1½ years ago. His sales manager cut us a whale of a deal on it. We had planned to pay cash for it until he told us that he would have gotten a real nice boost in his commission if we had financed the purchase. We did the no-brainer obvious thing. We financed it for 3 years, made 3 monthly payments on it, and then we paid it off! Sure, it cost us a little in finance fees, but it was worth it! Our nephew was able to take a really nice paycheck home to his family because we did it that way! I would do it again in a heartbeat!
This thing's a museum piece
What a beautiful car! I imagine it drives and rides as smooth as it sounds. The owner is a lucky person.
A direct swap candidate for a Ford Coyote V8 & 6 Speed manual transmission, as well as Mustang Brembo Brakes.
You'd need the center console from a marauder or Continental for it to look right, but you can. The fact that these have the same V8 as the 05-10 mustang means you could swap in the 5 or 6 speed auto trans from a mustang as well as the LSD and have a nice performance boost without a ton of custom swap work.
@@stephenmoore154105-10 Mustangs had the 4.6 3 Valve, the Panther other than a marauder had the 4.6 2 Valve.
@@andrewkruse4900 yup, aside from the head, those engines are virtually identical. And I really should've said 95-04 GT mustang cause those have the 2 valve but whatever. Most of the 4.6 was unchanged for 15 years. Reason I specified the 05-10 is cause those auto trans would probably be better than a 95-04.
I own a ‘03 MGM LS. These cars are the Swiss Army knife of cars. They can do it all.
45 Year master tech. I got over my speed days in the 90's. Got me a 93 Grand Marquis in the late 90's for 3k. It had 45K on it. Drove it for many of moons and had 430K on the odometer when I gave it to my brother. He is still driving with over 600K on it to this day. I picked up a 01 with 34k on it 8 years ago and now has 180K on it. Other than the obvious intake manifold, just brakes and oil changes.
I've owned 26 vehicles over the years. The pride of my current fleet (5 cars/trucks) is a 2006 Lincoln Town Car Presidential Edition (Signature Limited): Light French Silk exterior, double rare black canvas carriage roof with a factory sunroof, the same 18 spoke factory chrome wheels as on your featured Grand Marquis. I like to drive it, I'm not preserving it for the next owner, but I still consider it to be lower mileage at just over 140k miles (average of ~ 8k miles a year). I have occasionally set the cruise control between 100 to 105 mph when driving through some of the rural highways of my West Texas region. Its a sublime ride. I believe in over maintenance: engine oil changes very 2,500 miles, transmission service every 25,000 miles (I installed a trans pan from an E450 with a factory drain plug), differential service every 50,000 miles. Changing oil is easier and cheaper than changing engines. I had a East Coast nephew in the Black Car executive limo business. He said they usually ran these to 400k to 500k when they were in production - but they ran them up into the 800k range after production ended because it was the car their executive clients requested. He said that except for collision totaled cars, all the cars they retired out of service were still running driving cars when they sold them.
most beautiful car ever made
Love this video, I just bought a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Palm Beach Edition with the same options shown in this video, 135000 miles , beautiful condition, California car here in San Francisco, no rust whatsoever!!!
Cars would not depreciate if everyone maintained their car like this one.
19K miles over 15 years will do that...
@@MichaelAMangonethis car was only driven to church on Sundays and once a month to the hairdresser.
Rock solid car. It's no mystery that the Panther cars are still on the road twelve years after they shuttered production.
Brings me back to when I worked at the Lincoln Mercury dealership in my town 20 years ago..I ever only did oil & filter changes, tire rotations, and other fluid services to these..the rear air springs would dry rot and leak but other than that, they truly were great cars!
These so-called “blocks” were a favorite among police, taxi and limo drivers. They were so popular, my mother’s block was stolen right in front of our house!
If only all cars were looked after and still in showroom condition.
Cars of this standard are hard to find, there are plenty of well used and abused samples to be found
on dealer lots.
I hope this one remains in this condition for many more years.
I have a 93 Lincoln Town Car Jack Nicklaus Edition, like the one Hoovie had, but Green. It's not nearly as nice as this Mercury, but I've had it for 6 years now, put 35k miles on it, and it has been very reliable. Not bad for a $500 car. They have their issues, but if they are maintained, they can last a very long time.
I am a fan of this, newest, 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis full-size sedan, because they are excellent vehicles to purchase. It has the 4.6 L Modular 2-vavle V8 engine and the regular four-speed automatic transmission. These things last forever with proper maintenance.
I got mine last year at 67000 miles with new tires, the engine bay and underbody cleaned back to bare metal.
The cd wouldn't eject but a modern double-DIN head slides right in.
I just upgraded the headlights with complete new assemblies, Sylvania's brightest halogens, and a relay harness from Ebay = Relay Wire Harness 30A 9008 H13 Head Light Halogen Bulb Female Socket Replace OE.
Panther platform cars ALWAYS deserve their own video. Excellent cars. Even up here in Ontario, you still see Marquis and Crown Vics _everywhere_ .
I found a 2009 with 40,200 miles on it back in December. White with beige leather. Always garaged and even had the factory stickers on it in several places. Never smoked in and darn close to perfect,but it does have a few nicks and petty scratches. I snatched it up and love it.
Doug demuro said that we need screens in new cars, its the best! No, this is the best. No screens. Not 1 million options u never use.. just simpel.
Doug thinks that the solar panel built into the Fisker Ocean is a stroke of genius, even though it can’t produce a useful amount of electric power and is just one more thing that can break. I’m getting skeptical about his common sense.
You gotta admit a back up camera is pretty nice.
@@Commentleaver-c6x Its okey! But we dont need it!:)
Went from a 04 mustang gt to a 96 grand marquis and I fell in love with it 😂😂 just hit 190,000 a couple days ago not a problem
I sold FLM back in the 90's and those along with the Crown Vic and Town Car were such a step forward from the prior models, that 4.6 modular is such a great engine.
Mercury Maroon is one the most beautiful colors in person as well. My grandparents had a 1989ish model with the velour seats you sunk into like clouds, etc. GREAT car.
I have owned new Town Cars and Grand Marquis. I used them for long-distance driving and touring. I was not fascinated by their handling during lane changes at Interstate speeds.
they are awesome because they are a throwback to the simple cars of the 70's - v8- rwd roomy good trunk and no overly complicated electronics
I love these cars so much (had a 2000). Curious what people thing of the price ($20k).
Overpriced
@@brianmeegan6384 yeah…KBB has it in excellent shape with that mileage at a little over 9k. Add 25% for extra awesome condition and the car wizards touch…