1984 Lincoln Town Car Cartier 302 from North America

Summary:

Subjectively the best looking sedan that was ever made

Faults:

Having owned the car for over 20 years; of course I have replaced countless things; mostly due to age.

This included sourcing new weatherstripping and window run channels. The chemical composition used made them rock hard over time.

I own many classic cars, but have to say the extremity of this issue is unique to the Town Car.

General Comments:

The ride quality is unsurpassed. These days I drive this car maybe 2000 miles a year as I have many cars, and since I moved to a snowy area I don't drive this all year round.

Some age is starting to show after 41 years; the headliner needed some careful glue injecting in certain places. It is good now, but of course it is on borrowed time.

The half vinyl roof is still in excellent condition; I have treated it every time I wash the car for the past 20 years.

Overall this is a super solid and wonderful sedan.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 31st March, 2025

10th Jul 2026, 22:28

I’m not convinced any Lincoln built after 1969 could justify its MSRP. Even if another company wasn’t offering a superior competitor, Lincolns were never differentiated enough from a related Ford or Mercury model. Living memories of World War Two were the singular factor that gave enough space for this brand.

1984 Lincoln Town Car Base 5.0 TBI from North America

Summary:

This is and always was a great car!

Faults:

In twenty-five years, the only thing that has went wrong is that the right front wheel bearing seized up. That was very likely my fault for lack of grease.

The only real complaint is that the right front turn signal light lens has fallen off three times. Most all 1984 Town Cars have that problem.

General Comments:

I love this car! It rides and drives like a dream. I have the velour seats and they fit your body.

I have the 302 C.I. throttle body and I get about 28 MPG. That is excellent for the size of the car. I towed a 20 foot boat for two thousand miles and had no problems except for long grades. It is under powered for that.

I am a retired mechanic, and at two hundred thousand miles I completely rebuilt the engine. Everything is brand new from the radiator cap to the tail pipe. It was still running great, but I decided to rebuild it anyway because I plan on keeping it. I bought a new truck in 2007 and parked the Lincoln. Just last week after seven years just sitting in the Nevada sun, it started right up and runs great.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st August, 2014

3rd Sep 2014, 10:28

The old Lincolns were always great cars that rode very nice. I believe the 80's Town Cars were the last the classic Lincoln look, but they gave you some modern amenities that make them practical to drive everyday, even now. They were also reliable; Ford did make the better V8 engine in the 80's, starting with the 5.0 engine.

Their downfall however was the AOD trans. Other than than a few faults, these Town Cars were and still are very comfortable and luxurious to be in, especially if the car is in mint condition. Pulling up to a fancy hotel in an all blacked out 80's Town Car Cartier is classy, and will definitely garner more attention from others than say a newish Mercedes or Beemer, which are played out, and are as common as a loaf of bread.

In reply to 3rd Sep 2014, 10:28

3rd Sep 2014, 22:52

An all blacked-out 80's Town Car will garner attention, alright, just not the kind you want.

4th Sep 2014, 02:20

Letting a car sit for years is never a good idea. I realize life gets in the way though.

In reply to 4th Sep 2014, 02:20

4th Sep 2014, 16:30

I have cars that do 250 to 500 miles average now a year. Literally like new. But I bring them out every 2 weeks, warm them up and drive around the neighborhood. The other half of the mileage is a few local shows. Keep them on battery maintainers and keep fresh fluids in them. In the interim they appreciate as they are rare. This model I would drive as much as possible and not fret about it.