1969350
LVC Member
should I drop the comprehensive and put that money towards a AAA membership.
Ever since I saw my first Gen II Mark VIII I loved the car, but hell $40K was laughable at my pay in 1997/8. Fuhgetabouditit! Someday...maybe. Well last year I put the T-Bird in dry dock ( 216 K miles but just tuned up and still running good) and got my MarkVIII LSC after searching for a year! Not a whole lotta Marks for sale here down in the S.C. Lowcountry. Mostly they drive pickup trucks. Seem to be more for sale where rich people live, guess it's a demographics study:} Anyway, God I love this car. Just looking at it gives me a chubby....c'mon I'm a car guy ...you guys know what I mean:} Toreador red,chrome 10 spokes,rich Corinthian beige perforated leather heheheh,awesome lighting, JBL stereo, tinted back windows, FORD V-8 power + great mileage, the hint of the spare tire on the deck lid ala. Lincolns. Oh yeah and the
'lasagna' weatherstripping on the back window. Oh well, I just tell myself I got $20,000 off because of that!
----------------------------
Well after 15 months and 12,000 miles (took some trips to Jersey) here's my review. This car was mechanically and electrically like new on purchase @ 88,000 miles
believe it or not, cosmetically sweeeeet.
After a few months..............
1) Drivers HID was dim... I bought it in daylight (looked OK on the lighting check)no biggy got one on 'the Bay'. Also drivers lens fogging up with moisture.
2) CD changer started acting up ...took apart and put back together. Now I just put in about 4-5 CD's spaced apart,seems to work most of the time.Can never remember all 10 in there anyway.Plus I like listening to my recorded old tapes
3) Steering column will not always tilt down, but comes out (telescopes) at key-on.
4) Rear window defrost not working although side views defrost.
5) Noise around front end going over bumps or going around bumpy corners.
6) Coil pack boots splitting and misfire, scanner codes, replace 2 boot.
7) No heat in winter...no AC in summer...the old BLEND DOOR problem. Take dash apart replace $5.76 Ford part ....2 days labor. Hey, it was my first one and I need pool time.
8) Misfire again,P0301 etc. bank 1 and 2 lean plus other codes...replace all boots and all plugs w/ double platinums.
9) While battery disconnected 2 days doing blend door fix...(Mucho gracias to whoever posted instructions) noticed front end was "in the weeds"...Don't tell me now front bag(s) leaking???
t
10) NOW it runs 'OK' cold (though I hear an intermittant miss in air box @ idle)it runs like :q:q:q:q after warmup, 20 miles or so. Stumbles, lack of power, MPG goes down ( I'll have to pay carbon credits to AL Gore now
gets progressively worse. Thinking gas tank is coming out now for a new fuel pump!!!! Getting 28 PSI pressure at idle hot or cold. Whaddaya think??? Any of you have same problem?
But hey when ya get a beautiful $43,000 car for $6,800, delivered, C.O.D. with a full tank, gotta reserve a few bucks and a few vacation days for quality times together, right! I still love looking outside and seeing her in the driveway but the T-Bird is jealous
Thanks for all the tips and tricks here in this forum, ya'll have a nice summer .
Ever since I saw my first Gen II Mark VIII I loved the car, but hell $40K was laughable at my pay in 1997/8. Fuhgetabouditit! Someday...maybe. Well last year I put the T-Bird in dry dock ( 216 K miles but just tuned up and still running good) and got my MarkVIII LSC after searching for a year! Not a whole lotta Marks for sale here down in the S.C. Lowcountry. Mostly they drive pickup trucks. Seem to be more for sale where rich people live, guess it's a demographics study:} Anyway, God I love this car. Just looking at it gives me a chubby....c'mon I'm a car guy ...you guys know what I mean:} Toreador red,chrome 10 spokes,rich Corinthian beige perforated leather heheheh,awesome lighting, JBL stereo, tinted back windows, FORD V-8 power + great mileage, the hint of the spare tire on the deck lid ala. Lincolns. Oh yeah and the
'lasagna' weatherstripping on the back window. Oh well, I just tell myself I got $20,000 off because of that!
----------------------------
Well after 15 months and 12,000 miles (took some trips to Jersey) here's my review. This car was mechanically and electrically like new on purchase @ 88,000 miles
believe it or not, cosmetically sweeeeet.
After a few months..............
1) Drivers HID was dim... I bought it in daylight (looked OK on the lighting check)no biggy got one on 'the Bay'. Also drivers lens fogging up with moisture.
2) CD changer started acting up ...took apart and put back together. Now I just put in about 4-5 CD's spaced apart,seems to work most of the time.Can never remember all 10 in there anyway.Plus I like listening to my recorded old tapes
3) Steering column will not always tilt down, but comes out (telescopes) at key-on.
4) Rear window defrost not working although side views defrost.
5) Noise around front end going over bumps or going around bumpy corners.
6) Coil pack boots splitting and misfire, scanner codes, replace 2 boot.
7) No heat in winter...no AC in summer...the old BLEND DOOR problem. Take dash apart replace $5.76 Ford part ....2 days labor. Hey, it was my first one and I need pool time.
8) Misfire again,P0301 etc. bank 1 and 2 lean plus other codes...replace all boots and all plugs w/ double platinums.
9) While battery disconnected 2 days doing blend door fix...(Mucho gracias to whoever posted instructions) noticed front end was "in the weeds"...Don't tell me now front bag(s) leaking???
t
10) NOW it runs 'OK' cold (though I hear an intermittant miss in air box @ idle)it runs like :q:q:q:q after warmup, 20 miles or so. Stumbles, lack of power, MPG goes down ( I'll have to pay carbon credits to AL Gore now
gets progressively worse. Thinking gas tank is coming out now for a new fuel pump!!!! Getting 28 PSI pressure at idle hot or cold. Whaddaya think??? Any of you have same problem?But hey when ya get a beautiful $43,000 car for $6,800, delivered, C.O.D. with a full tank, gotta reserve a few bucks and a few vacation days for quality times together, right! I still love looking outside and seeing her in the driveway but the T-Bird is jealous
Thanks for all the tips and tricks here in this forum, ya'll have a nice summer .
