Where are all the GOOD 89-91 boxes?

[Deke]

Looked at a 90 Grand Marquis GS today at a dealer. Just took it in on trade yesterday.

51K on the clock, but...could not confirm that the mileage was actual. I wanted to ask "Did the seller check odometer reading is correct, or 'exceeds mechanical limits'?", but was frustrated already.

Right rear dooor would not unlock or open. Could not pull up the button on the door, would not open with the power locks nor by pulling on the inside handle.

Driver's door lock did not work by switch or manually moving the lock button. Nice - car would never be fully locked on the street!

Asking $1995, cash deal only. Color was Rosewood with dark brown lower (nice combo, though) dark brown roof (small tear in it - looked like it was fron shrinkage).

These are hard to find, and all I come across are problem children!

Thanks for letting me vent, I feel better now!

Deke

[gabegt90]

shit $1995 for that I would only give him 500. There are nice ones out there just have to keep on looking

[P72Ford]

I have a good one... I think.

[91waggin]

erm....if the only problem you came across was a power lock problem...and it ran well, and it only had 152k at most on it...then it was probably a pretty GOOD box. The power locks aren't hard to fix, and remember, we're talking about an 18 year old car.

[Nathan in MI]

Looked at a 90 Grand Marquis GS today at a dealer.

There's your problem.

[FastGallopingPonies]

mines in pretty good shape I think. $1995 is Way too much IMHO, With gas prices and being 18-20 years old most should be around scrap value.

[interceptor1985]

www.craigslist.com I find all sorts of Panthers in there in the car's/trucks section.

[Deke]

There's your problem.

What I find by private sellers is one step from being crushed! Body damage, shredded seats, smoke so thick I'd think they were fogging for mosquitos!

IF they offered to fix the problems - and I didn't take the car for a drive, either, so I don't know how it rode - MAYBE I would have offered a grand. I was told that a car that old, they wouldn't fix a thing....

My budget is limited, and I cannot afford a car that I would need to sink another few C notes in in parts, etc. I need a car that has everyting operating and very reliable for my commute.

Some if you may be on CrownVic.net, and read about the 91 I saw a few weeks ago with the non-existend brakes, jerking tranny, flashing airbag light, etc...

Nice dark red Grand Marquis on eBay in Florida (not too far) with 43K, but BIN is $3200. If it checked out, I'd maybe offer book ($1800)....

[FastGallopingPonies]

Just keep looking I find great deals all the time around my area, I got my 88 with the 91 as a package, both cars had great body's the 91 had 47k on it, only thing was the 88 needed a tranny, guy was gonna just pull the tranny from the 91 and sell it with it in the trunk I offered to take both cars whole and he knocked $50 off of the $600 price. I see cream puffs a lot for sub $1k a lot. Just check craigslist a lot and if you have any of those local car selling flyers Like we have up here called the "Wheeler Dealer" costs $1 and a new one comes out every 10 days always good deal in both sources.

[yucatec]

Dear Panthers,

Mr. Deke wrote:
Looked at a 90 Grand Marquis GS today at a dealer. Just took it in on trade yesterday.

51K on the clock.

At $1995/51k it's a good deal. BUT. If you're talking about a CP, Ford didn't make many of them (4/5k) toward the end. That means that drive line parts are easy to get. Shared parts with CV and CS aren't bad. Exclusive body parts (esp tailgate)are very hard. The CPs(sigh) are becoming "collectible".

If you buy it, you MUST replace the alternator.Don't and your car may burn. Crawl underneath the passenger side and eyeball the front wheel frame. Condesnation from the AC collects and rots the frame. If it's bad, plate it. Scott invented a diversion so mine won't het worse.

In my not so humbe opinion, it depends what you want. Some on this list want to race, some to have a beautiful machine, some want a daily driver.

If the dd is your goal, and the 51k is accurate, why?

Ask the dealer where he got it. If it's an auction, no help, but if he picked it up when granny died, you can get a history.

All hoses and electric wires MUST be replaced if you want a daily driver.

We're now looking at maybe $1500 for alternator, frame and hoses.

If you ever drive at night, you MUST replace headlights and harness. Installed: $500

So, you've got a reiable daily driver for $4000. And it'll be good -with ordinary repairs plus door locks - they DO worry me) for another 150 k.

So: what kind of car can you find for 4k?

Donald McCaig

[P72Ford]

I obtained my car for nothing; it was free. It was missing the alternator, the radiator and the radio. The paint was victim to the typical peeling clearcoat that many Fords of the era suffered from. The interior was dirty, but not worn; the car needed an exhaust system too. The body was very rough as well...

Swapping in a used radiator and alternator, which allowed the car to be driven, proved to me that this was a good car. I drove it around the block, and it was smooth, and it seemed to run well once it warmed up (carb loaded up at warm up).

The unique thing about the car was how clean it was underneath. The floorpans were still primer, and there was just very light surface rust.

Since April of 2005, I have driven the car about 35- 40K miles. It had 100K on it when I got it, and the paint and such was completed in early 2004.

I have maybe $300 invested in necessary repairs. The other upgrades and such were things I just wanted to do. The car runs great, people are always giving me thumbs up, and it has only left me stranded a few times (the same recurring problem, which I caused).

What I am saying is: even if it looks ugly to begin with, it still may be a good car. The exterior is easy to spruce up. Mine was a city detective's car, but was maintained very well. It appears as though most past maintenance was done with geuine Ford parts too.

[interceptor1985]

Move to Oregon then....there is still rust FREE panthers here. and for a good price too.
I thought I would never find a Vic of my own till I found my 99.

[Deke]

Very nice box. I would have thought it was a former Fire Chief vehicle being it was red!

If I could get one for free, I'd be able to sink a few bucks into it!

Enjoy the car.

Deke

[Deke]

Move to Oregon then....there is still rust FREE panthers here. and for a good price too.
I thought I would never find a Vic of my own till I found my 99.

What, and give up Florida during hurricane season? Much as I'd like to find a Northwest rust-free car, the drive home would kill me! Also, if i get a car for a grand, I'd spend as much shipping it!

Deke

[mrltd]

My 89 was a dealer trade in, great shape 1000 bucks 10 years ago, base model slicktop. My 91 was 500 and the woman was estatic to get that much for it. It needed a motor and a good cleaning. The wagon was bought at a dealer for 1100 and needed valve covers and a heater core and some steering parts. Bad lock solenoids aren't a big deal. Very simple stuff to fix. You just remove them.