possible 2003 purchase by newbie - sanity check request

[VinnyG]

Hello. I'm, Vincent from NJ. This is my first post, and it's long, so I apologize in advance. I expect my next vehicle purchase to last for a long time, and I'm just trying to do my due diligence. I am looking at buying a 2003 Grand Marquis LS Premium. Car currently has 43,750 miles. Ask is $5,500, I'm pretty sure owner will accept 5 even. According to CARFAX, vehicle was a rental for the first 2 years/17,000 miles of its life. One owner/family since then - an old guy who drove it sparingly until he died 2 years ago, and his widow, who just stopped driving at age 85. Car seems to have been well maintained, although there are no available records. Appearance is reasonably good. It's Ultimate White/grey leather: interior is immaculate, exterior fairly clean, but it doesn't appear to have been washed and waxed in quite some time. The paint is a touch chalky, there are a few small chips out of the front bumper covering, there is a small scratch (8" long) just in front of the front passenger door (would be difficult to see if the car was clean and waxed), the engine compartment is dirty/dusty but not greasy. Belts look good. Underneath the car is pretty immaculate as well. Started easily, no exhaust leaks, no sign of any oil in the exhaust, just a touch of carbon. I drove it for about 15 miles under a variety of conditions up to about 60 mph, gave it a pretty good workout. Accelerated, shifted, stopped and handled great - no apparent issues. I was actually surprised how firm it handled - I was expecting more "wallow". Tires have at least 50% left, and wear pattern is square, front and rear. There was just a touch of engine vibration sensible through the seat when idling in Drive at a red light. To put that in perspective, it was not a miss, or hesitation, or even overt roughness, just a bit of engine vibration perceptible through the seat (but not he steering wheel). I have driven brand new 4-bangers with more vibration, but it is slightly more apparent than in my F250 V-10 standard shift when idling in neutral. Here are my questions and concerns:

1. Does that vibration likely have any real significance, or is a tiny bit normal for this car/engine (just don't know whether or not idle should be absolutely glass-smooth)
2. How much of a risk is the early rental history? I'm thinking not much, but I welcome other opinions.
3. If it was originally a Hertz or other major program rental, is this a straight "civilian" car, or do the rentals get some of the same mods as Crown Vic taxi cabs and other fleet vehicles?
4. I wanted to run my ODBII scanner to look for codes, but I couldn't find the port. I found on-line info stating that it was on the lower left side of the dash, but I didn't see it. I didn't want to start ripping covers off randomly in front of the owner, but I really would like to look for codes before I commit. Can someone point me to the exact location and tell me if there is a cover that must come off?
5. Are there any particular codes that would be a deal-killer, especially in light of vehicle history and idle question?
6. Is the color coating on the bumper ordinary body paint (I was a bit surprised that the plastic wasn't colored all the way through) and is there any special skill involved in touching it up?
7. Any items that I should address that I seem to have missed?
8. Based on the above info and what you have seen these cars go for, does $5,000 seem like a decent buy for this car, or should I try for lower?

Many thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

-VinnyG

[johnunit]

Just for fun I'll go through them all

1. Not an issue. Might need something like a sensor cleaned. Nothing particularly expensive will typically cause that.

2. Lots of 300,000 mile curb-jump veterans out there, I would not worry about it.

3. I'm 99% sure that all Grand Marquis are the same, there is no fleet model, unlike the Crown Vic.

4. don't remember, not a Whale owner

5. Don't think so, but again not a whale owner or expert

6. Yes, it is just normal paint, hopefully with an additive to make it more flexible. In larger repairs you need that flexing agent added, but for little chips a parts store paint dabber type deal will be just fine

7. not that I can think of

8. I don't know the NJ market but around here it's certainly not a rip for the car you described.

[VinnyG]

Wow! Thanks for the quick response - I must have found the right place. I promised the owner an answer today, so the promptness is doubly appreciated.

-VinnyG

Just for fun I'll go through them all

1. Not an issue. Might need something like a sensor cleaned. Nothing particularly expensive will typically cause that.

2. Lots of 300,000 mile curb-jump veterans out there, I would not worry about it.

3. I'm 99% sure that all Grand Marquis are the same, there is no fleet model, unlike the Crown Vic.

4. don't remember, not a Whale owner

5. Don't think so, but again not a whale owner or expert

6. Yes, it is just normal paint, hopefully with an additive to make it more flexible. In larger repairs you need that flexing agent added, but for little chips a parts store paint dabber type deal will be just fine

7. not that I can think of

8. I don't know the NJ market but around here it's certainly not a rip for the car you described.

[johnunit]

stick around, there's people that know way more than me who will chime in.

[Piece-it pete]

I bought a 03 MGM this spring, did a little research (most of the answers I got here!) and already hit 2 of the 3 main problems.

First, driving it home from the lot, the LCM went bad. The headlights only worked holding the flash-to-pass on. $100-150 rebuilt part of Ebay, or I've heard tell if you can solder it's a pretty easy fix. Only takes 15 minutes or so to change.

If you've got auto climate control, the 'blower motor resistor' goes bad due to cracking solder joints (again an easy fix if you're inclined that way) and the blower stops working. I'm not certain, but I think I paid about $55 for it, 20-25 minutes to change.

Then the big one, a timing chain tensioner is a known factory defect (99-03 iirc). I've seen it described as a 'sewing machine sound', and at first I didn't get that, but as it slowly gets worse it's becoming clear. At first it was a minor tick sound right at startup. Now I suspect a novice would think it's drivetrain noise, said plainly it just doesn't sound like a healthy V8 should. I was hoping to do it before winter hit but unlikely now. It's a second car/wifey grocery getter so I'm not too concerned. Once done the replacement parts should fix it permanently, life of the chain. If you don't hear the tick on startup then you've either got plenty of time or it's been fixed already.

I have a touch, just the slightest hint, of a miss on mine. I've been planning changing the plugs, to see, but...

Not to worry you It sounds like you're getting a GREAT deal, better than I got. I'd still offer $4500 (tell him about the timing chain) And it should last a long long time. With class.

And the 03s and up don't wallow Wait till you see the front end. Not your father's Oldsmobile for sure.

Pete

[VinnyG]

Re timing chain: No such noise at this time. I will be sure to pay attention for it if I buy the car. Anyone know how much labor is involved in getting an actual visual inspection of the chain guides? I plan to take this to my wrench for an oil change and general once-over shortly after I buy it (assuming) and if it isn't a lot of labor to inspect the guides I'd ask him to do that as well. If we're talking 3 hours labor just to make the inspection, then I think I'll pass and rely on hearing the noise start.

stick around, there's people that know way more than me who will chime in.

[johnunit]

I'm not sure of an hour number but it's more money than it's worth. You'd have to take the front engine cover off, which means belts, pulleys, draining the oil, etc.

You can hear it a while (like usually thousands of miles) before it becomes an issue. The only one I've personally seen actually die from the timing chain issue lost oil pressure at least a month after I heard it ticking loud enough for me to not buy it, and IIRC it was the plastic that came off the guides clogging the oil pump, so he probably could have made it live longer with more regular oil changes.

[Piece-it pete]

Agreed. If I couldn't hear it, I wouldn't worry too much. Heck I can hear it and I'm not worrying. But plan on it eventually from what I've seen. Ask to see the front end while it's on the lift, if you're familiar with that sort of thing.

John thanks for the info. I'd better keep up on those changes!

Pete

[VinnyG]

Re front end. Yeah, I did alignments for a living in a long ago and mostly forgotten former life. I'm pretty sure though, based on tire wear observations, shaking the front tires, and driving the vehicle that there are no major issues there. It certainly is tight and set-up on specs. The only thing that I can imagine could be seriously wrong there would be if something was seriously bent so that some of the adjustments were at range limits to get it track correctly. That would seem to be much less likely on these cars than unibody vehicles (one reason to own one).

Agreed. If I couldn't hear it, I wouldn't worry too much. Heck I can hear it and I'm not worrying. But plan on it eventually from what I've seen. Ask to see the front end while it's on the lift, if you're familiar with that sort of thing.

John thanks for the info. I'd better keep up on those changes!

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Sorry I'm not very clear. Check out the front end to see how cool it is! Even the eurospec VW GTI I checked out didn't have cast alloy LCAs

Pete

[79lincolnlover]

There shouldn't be any major issues with 43,750 miles on the clock.

[VinnyG]

Done deal

Purchased it yesterday for $5k. Very smooth drive home. According to the door sticker codes it has a 2.73 rear axle ratio. Was this considered the "normal" spec? Should be good on the interstate, in any event. I will have a ton of questions as I start driving this car daily, but my first is over confusion on the traction control setting. With the letters "OFF" illuminated on the switch, is traction control engaged or disengaged?

-VG

[sly]

yeah... 2.73 or 3.08 are the norm for the rear axle on these cars. 2.73 is great on highway runs... not so good around town.

[87DeuceVic]

...my first is over confusion on the traction control setting. With the letters "OFF" illuminated on the switch, is traction control engaged or disengaged?

Traction control is on automatically when you start the car, so if the button is illuminated as "off" then it is off.