1996 Mercury Grand Marquis LS review from North America

Nothing has gone wrong since I have owned the car, which has only been 1000 miles. The previous owner did give me a list of the things that went wrong in the 193000 miles he owned it.

Intake manifold leaked and needed replacement at about 70,000. New intake with aluminum cross-over was used, so leaking should not be a problem.

Front rotors need replacement. They are below spec, but have been in service since new. Not bad for almost 200,000 miles.

O2 sensor is bad, and two cats are clogged. They need replacement, and I'll go ahead and add the dual exhaust option when I fix this.

The door panels are coming loose, but that is to be expected with such an old car.

The front tie-rods need replacement. Will get that fixed soon.

Heater core is bad, and the previous owner did not fix it. He simply disconnected the coolant line leading to the core. I have no heat, but it is OK because I live in Southern California, and it is rarely cold enough to require a heater.

I love this car. I am a fan of big Crown Vics, Grand Marquis', and Town Cars. The platform is VERY solid, and comfort is an A++. Because these cars have been engineered for abusing by cops, they are very sturdy, and with proper maintenance, they will last forever.

The previous owner installed a tranny cooler when he first purchased the car, and by 190,000 miles, he had the transmission serviced only three times. I inspected the fluid, and it was a nice red color, no burnt smell, and pretty clear. The tranny shifts smoothly and there is no slipping or shuddering. I am very happy, as I have read that often these trannys need major service or replacement at this age, but I've had it checked out, and all mechs seem to think it is in great condition. Thanks, tranny cooler!

I love the interior of this car. It is fully loaded with electronic climate control, leather 8-way power seats, air suspension, premium sound, cruise, and all the other extras. The leather is showing a bit of wear on the driver's seat, but not as much as one would expect with almost 200,000 miles.

I changed the oil over to synthetics when I bought it, and after 1000 miles, I haven't noticed any change in oil volume. There does not seem to be any oil burning, and the engine does not leak at all.

The engine has a good amount of power for such an heavy vehicle with so many miles, but I suspect that the bad 02 and bad cats are killing some HP. I expect a dramatic increase when I get this fixed.

Overall, this is a great car. I paid $1800 for it, and put about $400 into servicing it after I purchased it. I am very happy with it, and plan to replace the tranny an engine if any major problems arise.

If you are looking for a panther-platform car, don't be afraid of high miles. If the previous owner took good care of it, you'll probably not run into major issues, and you'll get a better price.

I expect to get at least another 50,000 miles out of the car before anything major forces me to plop down cash for repairs.