Thinking about a mark 8; but i got some questions

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joekitch

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been searching long and hard for my first car, i've been through like 6 different possibilities, and i've arrived at the mark 8 for;
-looks good
-powerful (great acceleration given its weight)
-decent handling (depending on how low the air suspension is)
-SUPER comfy ride from said air suspension
-great interior
-enormous trunk
-powerful (can haul up to 3000lbs with a tranny cooler and a brake controller i bet)
-reliable
-cheap parts
-super easy to modify, both mechanically and electrically, unlike most european cars. can drop a full remote starter kit in this thing for $300 installed. on a mercedes that would be over a grand!
-CHEAP AS BEANS to insure. like $180 a month.

only downsides are
-it's absolutely titanically long (207", jesus on toast that's long)
-the mileage is awful (18 combined, eugh)

now i still got some questions that the search function couldn't really answer acceptably
*what would be an acceptable price for a mark 8? i'd probably be looking for less than 150k miles with working airbag suspension. dont really mind the interior isn't doing well i was planning to spruce it up anyway, same with the exterior. i can fix some minor issues like the water pump as well.
*how much rust is too much? i'm in the northeast, and it plagues everyone. should i look for something from out-of-state that would have almost no rust that i could then rust-proof with treatment?
*The air suspension fails pretty often, but that Arnott company makes replacement bits. Are they any good? they got a lifetime warranty on basically everything so i assume they DONT want to lose money?
*How do i survive in snow in this thing? get a full set of wheels+blizzaks? could simple snow chains on the rears solve most issues? is the mark8 so damn heavy it doesn't even matter?
*Are there any mods to increase gas mileage? The manual tranny swap apparently gets people up into 31mpg highway? that sounds exaggerated but possibly not. just how good can you get with the automatic though?
 
On a trip from SE Tenn to Pittsburg PA, my automatic Gen1, with new plugs, Mercon V ATF flush, Mobile Synthetic 5W-20, Unleaded 93 Octane averaged 29mpg highway. It would have been higher if I didn't race this one import.
 
97 Octane said:
On a trip from SE Tenn to Pittsburg PA, my Gen1 averaged 29mpg highway. It would have been higher if I didn't race this one import.
Click to expand...
well....****
i'm using fueleconomy.gov as my resource and it's entirely possible they just guessed the mileage based on the year.
were you driving full on granny-like?
possibly had some mods done?
 
Drove the car above the speed limit for the most part. Id say steady on gas at 80 mph.

In a Mark, 80 seems like you're doing 55 it is so smooth.

The best part is when you get to your destination, you don't feel fatigued. The seats are probably the most comfortable of any cars I have driven.
 
i've owned a little bit of everything hondas, camaros, minivans, trucks big and small,a 77 pinto wagon, and 76 caprice(now thats big), even drove a newer cadi for a few weeks. i'm also a chevy guy but once i got my 94 mark im not looking back. like 97 octane said the seats are the most comfortable i've also been in. mine had airbag issues when i got it but when it did air up the ride was wonderful. even after switching to used almost wore out springs and struts it still rides great. my car isnt close to being a "nice" mark the only vehicle i would trade to would be a nicer one than mine lol. and for a heavy v-8 car the gas mileage on them is pretty good. that is if u can resist the urge to punch it and feel the pull lol

as far as cheap parts i disagree on that completely. body parts are no longer produced and unless u find the parts u need at a pull a part most everywhere else knows what they have and want stupid money. and as far as performance it will cost u close to double what it would cost to build a chevy motor.

pricing on mark viii's is good though a mint garage kept low mileage one here in oklahoma would at most on the high end be $4-5000

any rust is to much. find a rust free one and park in a garage. as far as snow traction not enough snow expierience in mine

and damn ur insurance is high
 
Reliable? Don't know about that being these are 16 year old cars at the least..you'd have to find one that you know has been maintained..otherwise they can be money pits and headaches. Any bit of rust is too much..once body rust starts appearing its too late..by that point the underside is probably too crusty to save. Why of all cars would you choose to drive a mark viii in the winter?? I mean if its your only vehicle and you have no other choice then that's one thing. Mileage ain't bad..lik e some have said you can get iup to the mid to high 20s on the highway and low 20s average which is pretty damn good for a 3800 lb v8 powered car from the mid 90s. I would not say parts are cheap either..parts are getting scarce every passing day which does only one thing to the cost of the remaining parts thst are left. Additionally there is virtually no aftermarket out there for mark viiis so parts have to be sourced from junkyards or modified from other vehicles (thunderbirds/cougars) to work. I'm not trying to discourage you from buying one but I just want you to be well aware that a mark viii is hardly practical these days compared to what else is out there. I didn't buy mine for that reason, I bought it because I like the car and knew I'd have to spend some money here and there to keep it up.
 
to o.p.; if you get a Mark VIII, plan to work on it yourself and plan to stockpile used parts;
If you are getting it for the air ride, plan to have deep pockets. I have coils on both cars and the ride is fine- if the road you're on is smooth, why not feel it?
I drive in mixed highway traffic m-f, run errands on the weekends, have kind of a heavy foot, and average about 23mpg running 93 oct ( need a trans flush however)
how much rust is too much? I'm from the south, so any rust is too much imo. There's a member in Fla who currently has a gen 2 in EC with under 80k for less than $5k, pm for more info;
point being: it may be worth a plane ticket to fly south and buy a car with little to no rust
 
oh dear lord, when even the big fans of a car say it's unreliable and expensive to fix...

although to be fair, this must at least be miles more reliable than a bmw or something correct?

perhaps on the cheaper to maintain side while still being quite comfortable, would the towncar from the same era work?
 
Any and all parts can be found cheap used. There are aton of these in boneyards and people here parting them out. Most of the time you can find part right here. Car is easy to work on pretty much. There are many mk8's with 200, 250K on them. Only thing that cost alot is air ride. If you just go springs never have to worry again. (both mine on air) All problems are shown with fixes here. (all cars wear) If you can't work on cars don't matter what car you drive you will pay more. Do your own wrenching and save $. The only thing to go wrong in my red car was factory radio and amp which I got used ones for 40 each.
 
over 200k, and i've run the wheels off the car for the past 55k.

i get 17 mpg mixed, but i have mods and a heavy foot.
stock, 28 on the highway wasn't unheard of.

its left me stranded maybe 4 times. starter, trans, and 2 crank sensors.
and once when i didn't put the intake tube on properly, but that was my fault.

but i maintain the car, its still on air, and has no problem getting out of its own way.

expensive? eh, the SHO, LS and Powerstroke we have all have more expensive replacement parts.
seems like the SHO and LS sit broke more than my car. and they're both slower..
that 7.3 is damn reliable though.

my bro is looking to sell the SHO and get a gen 2.

guess i have the reliable one out of this bunch? ;)


coil conversion, keep up on the maintenance (buy one that has been maintained), and it will be no less reliable than any other car.

guy i know bought a "cheap, reliable" honda. needed a new motor within the week. some cars are just better than others.
 
Mine has left me stranded two times over the last 14 years. Once for the fuel pump and once for the air ride. Just turned 205K and running perfect!! This car is the oldest drive-able car I own and the most reliable, most comfortable, best gas mileage.
 
Price? I bought my 1997 LSC off a used car lot in Philly for $3995 & only 90,000 miles about 3 years ago. With many parts out of production, Ebay & parts yards we be your friend.
Rust? Mine has none. In fact, I've yet to see a rusty one. Far cry from my first car. A 1979 Datsun 280zx. Worst rustproofing ever. Floors already had holes when I found it in 1998. Snow? Not a big deal. 1, I upgraded to yokohama 550's. 2. Let the plows do their thing. Seriously, the store will be open the next day. 3. Last few winters, we have not had any heavy snow. 4. Experience. Take your time, leave distance, Traction control on.

Millage? Some folks play with tuner chips. Tranny swap? That is a major move. It's a lincoln with a 300hp v8. Not a Prius..... Live with it.
 
These cars are not necessarily expensive to fix but being able to do the work yourself or having a close friend that can do it is 100% necessary. There is also a fairly steep learning curve with working on these cars. Your day one first investment should be the factory shop service manuals which hopefully you can find on eBay. If you are just learning how to work on cars they are not a bad way to learn either. Actually, they are an excellent way to learn.

You also could get lucky. You may find one that needs nothing but normal maintenance stuff for the entire time you own it.
 
Hey Joe, where you going with that gun in your hand? Hahahaha. Enough Hendrix references. I think the important point here is that you need to wrench this car yourself to keep on top of any problems. If you're driving 50 miles to work every day, maybe a Mark isn't for you. It could be, as a well-maintained car is less likely to strand you, but if it does and you cannot do it yourself, be prepared for the old "if I quote them high enough, I'll find some way to fix it" mentality of some independents. Forget taking it to Ford-Lincoln. Most competent mechanics (of the Mk.VIII) are retired or parts are unavailable. Wonderful cars when all systems go; I encourage you to buy as much car as you can afford, but to also be prudent enough to have a cash reserve to repair or replace a bag or two, as well as a compressor. Do not buy a rusted unibody. Foolish to do when suspension parts are hung from the subsystems. I applaud your approach to your first car. Research and accounting very important. Both of my cars averaged about 20 mpg in mixed driving - 16-17 just city, as high as 29 steady-foot freeway. Florida not that far, and with many cars available from my fellow dying Boomers make it a buyers market and worth the time and trouble. Should it self-destruct - heaven forbid - at least the rust free status will make it a viable rebuilder whether its death from mechanical failure or accident. I've purchased both a high miles project and a well maintained jewel, and do not regret either buy. Cruising down the freeway in a Mark knocking off the miles is a great experience - especially for a young person just starting their professional life. Good reasonably priced fun, that will return your investment, whether it is time and labor, or money. Better return with sweat equity. Good luck.
 
Plan on repairs, and doing the rapairs yourself. And keep an eye on the wrecking yards. If you own a Mark, they are your friend! Parts are reasonable at the yards, it's just when they come into the yards, you have to be one of the first to the yard and car, to get what your looking for. And they are plenty of fine folks here that sell parts, or are parting out their car, and make parts available. I was just in a yard yesterday, and pulled some parts of a gen 2 car, and was happy with what I got, and the price. Yes, you do have to stockpile parts.but Marks are a hoot to drive, when they are working the way they are supposed to! Heck, I just found a 95 LSC with 37,000 original miles on it, and its a real fine, pretty car, and I got a great deal on it!
 
I drove mine for a couple of Michigan winters. It wasn't to bad driving, but once you get a couple of inches of snow and slush plowed in the end of your drive way get out and start shoveling. Even with Blizzaks and traction control I had a hell of a time getting out of that drive way. I personally think the traction control on these cars is worthless, it cuts power to the engine and puts on the back breaks once it's engaged.
 
The ride isn't as smooth as you would think, it's not as floaty and soft as a town car or crown vic. I keep mine pretty low and it's a bit stiff but not jarring.

I've never had a problem that I didn't cause.

I get around 21mpg driving normally with the occasional romp onto the freeway.

I bought mine with 59k, reliability wasn't even a question but now that it's at 130k I've been pleasantly surprised that nothing terrible has happened. I replaced the front bags in 2010 or so but everything else has been fine.

I also had to replace my trans but that was my own fault.

Just be sure that it's coming from old people and you should be good.
 
he means it as old people tend to take car of there cars not abuse them. if they have had the car going on 20 yrs and the interior and paint/body looks well taken care of then then the drive train was most likely maintained. i mean i would rather by a car from an old retired couple with a well taken care of home/yard with a garage for a little more $ rather then joe schmo from craigslist that wants to meet in a walmart parking lot make you a "GOOD DEAL". the old guy will help you if theres a problem while the other guys phone is shut off and your stuck with a pos
 
I've had my 95 here in Ct for 13 years. Wife got stuck once in her aunt's driveway. I do switch to winter tires. Make sure the ft tires are good ones it likes to slide in the front and I have Kelly's. Wife wont drive in big snow. With the abs it stopped much better than a 4x4 Ford I used to have. My 95 gets 28-29 mpg on freeway and 18-19 all around driving. With winter gas it goes down a little. Watch out you could become a MARKAHOLIC. Good luck and find a good one. TONYyyy
 
I daily drive my 95 in the last 60k miles
I've done oil changes, trans flush, brakes all around,1 alternator, cleaned the IAC (on the motor), rebuilt the front suspension (had 1 bad ball joint so I did everything including bearings), one rear bearing, tires and the abs has never worked.
I bought the car with spring conversion and probably factory everything else.
I drive in the winter just needs some good snow tires on back.
Been stuck once in my driveway about 18" off snow.
Now at 190,000 miles

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