Bought this 2003 Grand Marquis, about 50k miles on it, for a little under $8k. Mechanic said there was nothing wrong with it, the power steering pump probably has to be looked at in about 5k miles but that's it. I'm very happy with my purchase.
>>29102121Get a set of center caps. Wheels will look much better.
>>29102121Based
>>29102126Noted.>>29102129Thank you, everyone I've shown it to has given me kudos or some kind of congratulations. Most importantly is that my dad likes it. His approval means everything to me.
>>29102132My son drove his Mercury Marquis into the median at 100km/hr. He was uninjured. Good car.
>>29102126And new taillights too, I'm pretty sure those chrome surrounds aren't OEM and they're ugly as hell. Actually the wheels are too, go to a junkyard and find some Lincoln flower wheels.
>>29102135I'm happy to hear he's fine. I saw one that had a tree fall on it and the car was surprisingly intact. Not in drivable condition but it looked survivable. >>29102136I'm not sure who added that, I think it's just a little accent thing I don't think the lights themselves were swapped or anything.
>>29102136>Lincoln flower wheelsThe LX sport wheels are the best size/style.
I made a little binder thing with a spreadsheet for service logging, an annual inspection checklist for my own records and another sheet containing a service schedule based on "the community's" recommendations. Are there any additives or car potions I should know about? Any wise words about owning one that I should know? I want to treat this car as well as I can so I can get the most out of it.
>>29102142I owned a vic for 7.5 years. They require no special maintenance. If you want, you can upgrade the diff cover to the one that came on GT500s that has cooling fins. If i was you, I'd upgrade to a limited slip differential, and probably swap to a 3.55. Otherwise the car is perfect.
>>29102152Did you stick to the ford recommended service schedule or did you go for the more conservative schedule? Also how many miles do you have on it? Any issues with the intake manifold? I heard they can be a headache if it's the all plastic one.
>>29102157not him but your intake SHOULD be fine. the usual failure point on the pre 2003s is the front coolant crossover passage which is pure plastic and the whole side cracks and blows out. 2003 on changes that part to metal which is better, but there's still another coolant nipple at the BACK that can break off but can at least be hobjobbed back together. either way if it ever goes bad all the original replacements are long gone and the newer ford production one is just the same shitty Dorman chinese one with ford stamped onthe last of the old American road boats will die to ford being cheap fucks
>>29102162I've been burned before so I'm just overly cautious. Under the hood looks borderline immaculate though (for a 23 year old car obviously). The previous owners hardly used it. I intend to keep everything stock until it needs to be frankensteined.
>>29102157Idk dawg I just changed the oil, ATF, and diff fluid. For diff fluid, I used conventional and added the Ford friction modifier. Only had to do some minor repairs over the years, such as a rear axle and crankshaft position sensor. Had over 200k miles.
>>29102167That's a relief. No replacing the valve cover gasket or heater core or anything? Nothing on the cooling system? I know for the Grand Marquis they recommend a specific transmission fluid (Mercon).
>>29102170Nah, none of those issues. I did add a lot stuff over the years. I kept a list:3.27 Trac-LokDual Unity spotlights Shaved trunk lid Weathertech window deflectors Rear bumper tuck15% tintCompustar 2-way remote start and alarm GT500 carbon fiber clutch packGT500 finned aluminum diff cover17" LX Sport wheels Nitto NT555 G2 255/50/17Stainless steel valve stems Gabriel Max Control monotube shocksDual Johnson Controls AGM batteries front/rear300 amp alternator Stinger 0 gauge copper wireStinger circuit breaker Big 3Kenwood Excelon DMX706S double dinKenwood excelon x802-5 5-channel ampAlpine R-S65C.2 components front/rearDual Kicker CompR 12" subwoofers at 2 ohmSound treated doors and trunk Custom center console/gun safeAftermarket red/white dome light OEM baby seat anchors
>>29102387Noted
>>29102121Ya done goodI'm going to get someone this
>>29102802>*something like this
>>29102802Best of luck soldier
>3.55's/gearsApparently the new move is to put a 6R80 in which takes about a second off the ET's. That's a huge difference for the price. OTOH it's still slow lol
>>29102121Police Charger didn't work out huh?
>>29102805Who are you quoting?
>>29103062He was correcting his typo.
>>29103054Nice try but it was a P71
>>29103054Nice try I bought 9C1 fuel injectors for my truck instead.
>8000 dollars>for a car designed in 1980>pushrod engine>cheapest shittiest suspension possible incl solid rear axleyou got scammedthis car was horrible in 2003, worse now
>>29103339SOHCyou are idioth.
>>29103339Find one (1) better car at that price.
>>29103339>8000 dollars>for a car with a timeless design that looks great through decades>bulletproof reliable undertunes smooth V8>simplistic suspension that is easy to fix in a driveway that provides iconic landbarge floatHe understands how life is and wins at it.
>>29103346I've been in enough of them as rental cars as a teenager. They are trash. Hell, my grandpa's old buick was nicer. >>29103344Used Kia forte sedan.
>>29103339
>>29103349>I've been in enough of them as rental cars as a teenager. They are trash.Ah. Well, in that case of course, you know better.
>>29103349>Gets molested in a rental car>The masterful suspension of the sensible Grand Marquis perfectly handles every bump in the road>Expertly crafted body-on-frame construction, factory rubber body mount bushings, and strategic acoustic insulation reduce the road noise to nothing>Any possible distraction from the horror is mitigated>Anon has no choice is powerless to block out the defiling of his delicious tiny teenager penis>Takes it out on the panther platform
>>29103359Speaking of noise insulation. It works both ways.I was hanging out with my friend who drives MGM, and standing outside leaning against the car, it had absolutely no vibration and barely any sound."Is your car running?" Had to peek inside to see lit up green dashboard to confirm that the car indeed is running.Smooth as fuck.
>>29103372There's so much to love about this car
>>29103372Got an Explorer with the 4.6 some years ago and it was like that until about 100k where it developed a light rocking at idle. Nothing obnoxious but you could tell it was running where you hadn't been able to before. Thought maybe it needed soem plugs or maybe mounts and I'd get around to it but never did. Around 130k it developed a timing chain rattle so I had timing chains done and it was back to the smooth it had been when I got it. Just something to keep in mind for yours
>>29102132> Most importantly is that my dad likes it. His approval means everything to me.To be honest, this is why I assume most white guys buy Panthers or trucks.I respect the shit out of my dad, I’d rather die than see him do so. But I’m my own person and I think he respects me for paving my own way instead of buying Chevy just because he did/does. You want your kid to think for themselves not just copy you, right?
>>29103385Dad:>Has valid opinionYou:>Well now I'm not doing it!
>>29103385I got it for my own reasons but it's nice to know that he likes it. He has a bizarre taste in cars>Toyota tercel>98 Ford escort >94 pontiac grand prix >2024 Ford Ranger but my favorite car we had growing up was the 2002 True Blue Metallic Lincoln Continental we had. That car was fantastic, great ride, so sleek.
>>29102162seconding this. My 03 f150 had the coolant crossover crack where it meets the the intake manifold and leaked coolant. I replaced it with a dorman bc they stopped producing OEM manifolds. no issues since
My dad is a wrenchlet. Could give a fuck about what he thinks in regard to cars lol.
>>29102121These are great cars, mine died from excessive rust after almost 200k, Soo many good adventures in that land yacht.
so kino
>>29102121Congrats on your purchase OP, i hate that you bought a grey car tho. So painfully boring. Sorry.
>>29103532Looks like a champagne color to me
>>29103535I'm not gonna argue about 50 shades of grey I'm not a woman or gay
>i hate that you bought a grey car>I'm not a woman or gayYou were the one who brought up color though. By your own standards, you are gay.
>>29103569shit bro i can't argue with that. You free on friday?
>>29103532It's gold/beige or something
>>29102157Look up Marty Ochs. He's THE guy to go for when it comes to tuning. ADTR.net for any performance stuff. Chris over there is a great guy.I've owned more panthers in my lifetime than most human beings cycle through cars.
>>29102136the mercurys did come stock with those chrome taillights, to differentiate them from the crown vics
>>29103349yeah yeah those were definitely "rental cars", deqavious
>>29103349>Used Kia forte sedanwhat the fuck man
>>29103839OP here, I think he's right I've been looking at some on google and I don't see the little accent thing on them. I kinda like how it looks so I don't want to take them off
>>29103852I like it. I wouldn't change it.
>>29103808Much appreciated, bookmarked.
>>29103852Those were done as aftermarket packages by dealerships. I'm an oldfag that's been inactive in the panther community since the old CrownVic.net forums. Don't currently own one. The "community" is mostly retards and kids these days. A lot of old heads left because the retardation is just too much>Muh cop chip>My special enginesThis is me>>29103808
>>29103861My intention for now is to just keep everything stock (save the radio) since it's so low mileage for a 23 year old car. I wanna get the most out of OEM as I can. Although down the line I would like to do some tuning stuff with it, it's just not my priority as it stands. It drives too well to warrant any kind of changes.
>>29103870I'd strongly recommend an "upgrade as you go" approach. 90% of the time that transmission is going to need a rebuild at 100k. That's the time to do the J-mod which involves making some of the holes in the flex plate bigger. Suspension stuff like sway bars and aftermarket rear control arms change the dynamic for the better and are easy. Relatively cheap.Personally I'm saving up money to get a clean panther and swap an OM606 or some kind of diesel into it
>>29103877Yeah that was my goal, I meant to say that I'll only upgrade as needed.
>>29103877>J-mod which involves making some of the holes in the flex plate biggeThe flex plate is a flywheel for an automatic. It's the separator plate for the valve body you enlarge the holes on. Also, a j mod is preventive maintenance, it makes the transmission last longer.
>>29104143Thanks, fren. It's been awhile since I looked into it. Overall the Panthers are damn near perfect cars, be it Box, Aero or Whale Generation. However I feel these cars could have greatly benefited from a manual option and even an economic diesel option. Which generation is the best generation? That's something I like to gatekeep from the Normie masses.
>>29104173>Which generation is the best generation?2003-2005. You get the big 03 update, but still have drive by cable.
>>291042402005 was first year of drive by wire and only year that the whales had the exterior antenna as opposed to being integrated into the rear defroster circuit.It's in my utmost opinion the 92-97 years has overall the best build quality.
>>29104719Sorry I thought 06 was the first year. Why 92-97?
>>29104240If I want a Panther daily driver, is a 03-05 CVPI the best? I really need a limited-slip diff because of snow in the winter.
>>29104833Having owned a P71, if I were to buy another panther, I'd get a Town Car or Grand Marquis. The interior is a lot nicer. You can add LSD to any of them. DBW is fine unless you prefer a mechanical feel. Any panther 2003-2011 you can't go wrong.
>$8k for a 23 year old car.Grim. Is that really where we are?
>>291048212005 Model years all drive by wire. I used to own a 2005. The 92-97 model years known as the Aerobody due the the more aerodynamic Crown Vic and Grand Marquis design. The good is :>Lighter weight vehicle, all aluminum hood>Better quality and thicker paint>Strong impression the assembly workers were competent>Most compants as durable if not more than the whale generation ( ex: all aluminum intake manifold)The bad:>Door panels like to crack, especially the higher use ones likes driver door. (Can easily be remedied by swapping one from a whale)>Idle Air Control is pain in the ass to replace>Less aftermarket support for steering and suspension>>29104833You can find a limited slip in select 98-2011s for sure. You just gotta check the axle code on the door. If you want the absolute best P71 aim for a late 2004. Last year of the drive by cable and Ford used the 80mm Marauder air intake they had as leftovers. Stock 2004s were capable of running 15 and low 15s on the 1/4 mile as opposed to the high 15s a newer one would run. Avoid 2003s unless you have evidence the soft axle recall was done. Newer whales also suffer from the streering shaft recall where it snaps and you lose all steering. They liked to rust out as Ford changed the metarial on the whales.I'm sure I'm leaving stuff out if I recall correctly the last four years of production was a dip in transmission quality so those definitely will fail you around 100k no questions asked
>>29104850(OP here) Mine was built in April 2003 so apparently I avoided the rear axle issue
>>29105020buy this if you want to be the fucking boss
>>29105026Redpill me on this if you don't mind
>>29105026Nvm, I looked it up, sounds badass
>>29104844The most basic new cars cost 80k$ now. Anyone priced out of that is fighting over the scraps. Mark my words, the few repairable, reliable 10-15y/o cars of today will age like fine wine
>>29105028You'll lay power down to both tires and accelerate fast as fuck.
>>29105060Yeah it sounds cool
>>291050624.11s are nice HOWEVER you'll be topped out at 85MPH or so and you'll definitely be chugging fuel. I have only owned panthers with 2.73 and 3.27 years. A lot of guys say 3.55 is the sweet spot. Since OP has a 2003 Grand Marquis GS he most definitely is 2.73. Sure there were other gear ratios avaliable for the Grand Marqs at that year but if you're going to go higher gears you're 100% going to need an aluminum shift and u joint / yolk components from a P71. The steel shafts from the base models can potentially warp especially when push past 110mph. But if you're insane you can get a carbon fiber shaft and push that chassis to 150-175 but you may need a little extra power but not much at all.
>>29105026Brand new for half the price https://adtr.net/product/mercury-marauder/drivetrain-mercury-marauder/ford-performance-8-8-trac-lok-31-spline/
>>29105501The gand marquis is limited to 105 mph. With 4.11s he would still hit that. It definitely wouldn't top out at only 85 mph.
>>29105505That's the wrong spline count for his year and it also doesn't include the gears.
>>29102121How long has it been sitting before you bought it? That's a hidden factor to keep in mind.
>>29103339>fleet vehicle with 20 years of refinementsanon please I can only get so erect!
>>29105581Hard to tell, it regularly got the oil changed from what I could tell though
>>29105511I've speedo+GPS verified a few base models at 110. Also known a few people who personally swapped to 4.11 and they are topped at 85 100%, granted you may be able to tune it and disable all the software keeping the output shaft from spinning faster. I once had two identical aerobodies but one the previous owner said he disabled the 1st gear lockout and it most definitely did 70mph in 1st gear as well as reverse. Theoretically yes a higher top speed is possible 4.11 final drive but if you simply swap the gears over you're going to be stuck at 85mph or so with your engine screaming for another tranny gear.
>>29105581For the record I'm the faggot who's been dropping the panther lore around here and writing all these long winded replies. Ive had these cars sit for a year or two. It's fine. Granted as with almost any vehicle you let it sit too long there's potential for gaskets to dry rot but it's a panther it's fine just delete the catalytic converters and full send the whore.
>>29106063OP here, you wouldn't happen to have any advice to replace the blower motor resistor on my car would you
>>29106069What makes you think it is the resistor? Here is a link to help guide you.>https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=partner-pub-3621837458962818:3401304250&ie=UTF-8&q=blower+motor+resistor&sa=Search#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=blower%20motor%20resistor&gsc.page=1
>>29106074On max it blows all the way, on every other notch it's super low.
>>29106074Thanks for the link, it looks easier than I thought, apparently on some you have to clamp off some coolant lines for some reason but that doesn't appear to be the case for mine.
>>29106089No problem fren, I personally go max or nothing with the fan controls but that's because I'm an autistic fag. When I get home maybe I'll post the pics of the cars I had when Crown vic.net was more active. Thank God it's still up because that site is a national treasure of information.
>>29106092That's what I do too, for now I'll just switch to fan only if I wanna reduce the AC output
>>29106059>I suggest 4.11>you suggest 3.55How about we meet in the middle at 3.73
>>29106092I said this earlier. Here I am the black car on the bottom is the 05 I was talking about earlier>>29106136That's fair.
>>29106461I miss this car so much! It was cammed and no first gear lockout. I beat this thing so hard. Never tied. Made the super retard move to scrap it while it was running
>>29106461That caprice is nice, overall very sick batch
