1991 Mercury Colony Park LS from North America - Comments

Air Conditioning needed re-charged.

Alignment required.

Power windows and locks malfunctioned on 3 of the four passenger doors. rear passenger side door still functions (weird). I think it is a ground problem, but I will be taking it in to get it looked at next week.

Trip odometer doesn't work.

Glove box latch jammed.

Rust.

This is the second full size ford station wagon I own. The panther platform with the 5.0 litre engines are the most dependable vehicles I have owned. I also have a 1988 Country Squire and 1989 Lincoln Town Car which I love just as much. The wagons are very comfortable and enjoyable to drive. When things go wrong they are very easy and inexpensive to repair. I also have power window issues with the country squire. Much better gas mileage than an SUV. There are still some wood panel wagon enthusiasts out there! Not too many SUV enthusiasts. Ford defiantly was the "Wagon Master" in its day.

I also love these cars - we currently have an '84 Grand Marquis with around 100K miles, running fine. Did have to replace the trasmission once. But I slightly prefer the GM version - particularly the Olds Delta 88 (Custom Cruiser wagon) or Buick Lesabre. Have you ever had any experience with those, author? How in your opinion do they compare?

I have found parts to be slightly cheaper than with the big Fords, and the transmissions slightly more reliable. The two have a suprisingly different feel - both are big cars, but the panther platform feels bigger and more 'luxurious'. I do like the Olds 307 more than the 302 though.. feels torquier to me. Of course for the used car buyer there are far more panther platform ford products still out there with low miles than there are the full sized Olds/Buicks/Cadillacs.

I have to disagree with the 307 having more torque than the 302. I've owned both GM's and Fords of this era. The 302 was fuel injected from 1983 on so more responsive, rated 250 lb/ft of torque from 83-85 and up to 270 lb/ft of torque with the aid of higher compression and multiport fuel injection from '86 to '91. The 307 was carberated until the bitter end in 1990 and I believed retained the same low 8.0 to 1 compression ratio also, developing only about 240-250 lb/feet of torque. (The only exceptions would be the Oldsmobile Cutlass 442's and Hurst Olds editions, which did get higher compression heads and roller lifters).

There were many different axle ratios available back then too, so you may have a 1983 Buick Le Sabre V8 with 3.23 gears that totally walks away from a Crown Vic of the same year with 2.65 gears. Both were wonderful engines as long as they were maintained once in a while, and I've seen many 307's and 302's with well over 300,000 miles on them. The Ford 302's also came with Dual Catalysts from the factory, put a dual exhaust with flowmasters or cherrybombs on 302 and you will be pleasantly surprised! :-)

I've had a number of GMs with the Olds 307. These engines are weak, and some have self-destructed fairly early.

Frankly, I prefer the big RWD Ford products... not that the GMs don't do some things better, but... the Ford products run better because of the fuel injection vs. carbs.

The big Fords/Mercurys are also far superior in the seat department. Admittedly, the big RWD GMs shift smoother and somewhat less frequency of power window problems.

Yet the overall quality of components in the RWD FoMoCo products is higher than the GMs: some of the Buicks that I've owned have really chintzy, cheap quality, IMO.

Now that we're knee-deep in the 21st century, I'll buy a RWD non-air bag Ford or Mercury over a GM, especially a wagon.

I have been a full size wagon driver since 1988.

My first was a 1978 Buick Estate Wagon with the Olds 403. An excellent car with lots of power.

In the early 80s GM decided to drop all the reasonably powerful V8s and stick wagon buyers with the 307 in the poor attempt to get better economy from the big cars.

I have owned 3 late 80s GM wagons. A 1989 Buick Electra Estate, a 1990 Olds Custom Cruiser and a 1989 Caprice Estate. All suffered from a underpowered, inefficient engine.

I purchased a 1988 Country Squire based on price. It would run circles around the GM wagons and get 23 mpg on the road. I have owned Ford or Mercury wagons ever since.

I currently own a 1991 Colony Park. It has been an excellent car and has required only minor repairs. Ford quality then was superior to GM or Chrysler. The Ford wagons cannot be beat.

I own a 1991 Colony Park and it is great fun to drive. It has 175.000 KLM and works like a clock. Purchased 5 years ago, recharged the A/C, opened up the injectors for more hp.. dual exhaust, full load leather in that rust color, still get comments about the car. A KEEPER.