1995 Mercury Marquis LS review from North America

Replaced starter; also link for front-anti sway bar; now has slight brake system leak.

This is a well-built car with good torque and nearly every digital and luxury feature you could imagine. Perhaps the last gasp of the big US highway cruiser breed.

Mine has power sunroof, ABS, leather seats, A/C, cruise control, etc. and cost me just $1500 from a used car dealer because few want big V8 cars now.

It's a great highway car, very quiet and comfortable, and runs effortlessly at 120 kph, using around 8-10 litres/100 km at sustained speed.

It's easy to find parts from auto chains or junkyards as the frame and running gear are shared with the Ford Crown Victoria fleet car.

Unfortunately, it's a gas hog around town and hard to park because of its size, sloping hood and trunk. Also, the rear-wheel drive and torque make the hind wheels spin at even a suggestion of snow or ice, so you'd want snow tires on the rear, plus a handy shovel and bags of salt or sand to get you unstuck.

However, for the price, you can't beat it as a comfortable way to take four adults and a lot of stuff on a trip without the embarrassment of driving a van or over-sized SUV. And given the purchase price, it'll be a while before the overall cost/mile equals that of a newer economy car without all the luxury touches.