(This is the forums archive - If you want to get back to the main site simply
click the banner above and you will be taken to our homepage.)
Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums is the Ultimate Online Resource for Owners and Enthusiasts of American Luxury Cars. Feel free to browse through our archive - but make sure you make it
back to our main site - Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums
hi, i just turned 16, and i really reaaaallly LOVE the Town Car
any suggestions about one?
what problems to look for, what you like, what you hate?
i want to turn one into a sleeper but keep the awesome ride and keep it looking stockinside and out
any suggestions?
Posted by: mark0101
which one are you looking for? They don't really require much attention, just keep up with your regular stuff. One thing that you might wanna look at is if it has the new intake but other then that its a good car.
Posted by: skenneyjr
i would say 1997 or older because thats IMO the best looking ones and they are cheaper
and i can get a cobra or lightning engine for cheap here to swap in after i scrape up more $ so engine dont matter as long as it runs nice and smooth
Posted by: 87LandYacht
I'm selling my car
Posted by: skenneyjr
the one with the 22s?
you have the stock rims?
Posted by: 97ltc
I picked up a 97 Towncar for $1000, needs a little mechanical work, but perfect body, do some looking around on autotrader.com
Posted by: slowmkviii
I say 95-97 best interior 98 and newer look the best
Posted by: D-Ice
I know a younger driver of a TC, its a 94, he likes it...
Posted by: dRock95MarkVIII
A Town Car, or either of it's panther platform siblings (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis (and 03-04 Marauder)) are a great choice for a first car. Reliable, affordable, attractive (IMO) and safe. Their body on frame construction, though antiquated to many, provides a solid platform which is praised for it's durability and smooth ride.
91-95 are prone to valve stem seal seepage (resulting in oil burning and as it becomes worse, puffs of smoke from the exhaust)
The 91-95 manifold is also prone to clogging the EGR passages. Luckily, that's fairly simple to clean out - an EGR flow insufficient code with higher mileage is a red flag for this problem.
96-01 are all potentially effected by the intake manifold front coolant crossover rupture issue. It's NBD to change, but if it has the composite crossover look into replacement before it leaves you stranded some time.
The brake lines on -97 models are suspectable to rusting out in harsh winter climates where lots of road salt is used. So inspect them right away. The 98+ models use rubber coated lines which helped a lot with this issue.
97+ have a revised steering gear which greatly improved on-center feel. The front of the chassis was redesigned and given rack and pinion for 03+, but they do ride stiffer than ever.
The 03 models had a few minor issues following the upgrades, most commonly LCM failure.
95 brought the 4r70w, but the 95 unit is weak. 96 a few enhancements (deep sump pan, new VB and case) to it, 97 even more (new accumulators for one) and more yet in '98. The '98+ units are pretty stout, even more so the 06+ 4r75E units, which have upgraded internals from the 4R75W.
That all said, I'm partial to the 98-02 models. If you like the keypad feature, get a 99- as 98s did not have it. Only thing I did not like was the revision to the speedometer face in 00, the 98-99 speedo was more attractive IMO.
Posted by: 97ltc
I got my first towncar at 16, my girlfriend has one no too, shes 17. And my mom liked driving mine so much she bought one, its contagious.
