My 'new' 2003 Grand Marquis.

[Piece-it pete]

It's the Ultimate!

Panther #6. Everything except moon, memory seats, and cd changer (from what I can tell).

52K miles, very clean mech/paint wise. One leetle dent on the hood. Converted to rear coil springs.

I picked it up mostly as my SOs DD. I picked it - her picking (a PC Cruiser) was a disaster. Small chryslers FTF!

It's very different than the 85 TC, heck even my last 97 Grand Marquis. As I get more time behind the wheel I'll add more to that.

It's got the faintest random ticking on startup, before the engine catches, then you can't tell. I'm guessing that is the timing adjuster/tensioner thing. It's so mild I'm guessing I've got some time.

It needs a good cleaning under the hood and inside. I'll be detailing it if the weather ever cooperates, and get under that hood, lubricate etc.

Current plans are just giving it the old onceover, hoses, belts, no wires! weird, plugs, swar bar links & bushings etc. Brakes look OK, slight pulse on one front rotor.

Can't think of anything else. Any comments/suggestions/tips appreciated. I'm also curious if there's any minor improvements I can get JY parts for.

Oh and it doesn't have a plastic cover on the engine. Isn't it supposed to?

Pete

[marquisman]

come on pete, that isent your car...lol

[Piece-it pete]

Lmao!! I used the dealer photo

Isn't very pimptacular, is it? I'm going stealth

Pete

[marquisman]

my point, if it atleast had dice hanging off the mirror, i would not say anything lol.

seriously though, nice car mang

[87gtVIC]

Looks beautiful.

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks guys! Yeah it's the 'good' car, grocery getter for the spoiled SO , trip car, and backup for Faded Glory.

Haven't driven it enough to name, but thinking 'Stealth Bomber', unless it's a copy?

I drove it a bit more last night, on and off highway including a bit of twisties.

It IS radically different. If the interior wasn't 96.37% the same as my 97 I wouldn't believe it's a panther. Accelleration, handling, steering, brakes, whoa. It feels 1/2 the size it is. After 650k+ miles on older ones it seems twitchy and grabby, but I have yet to really drive it much. I'm not slamming it, I suspect I need to get a bit more used to it.

My biggest concern is seating position / cockpit layout. I've always thought that was the panthers strong point. I hated the unified stalk on the 97 and it appears I will continue my hate affair with this one. That's minor though, one thing I noticed is the steering wheel sits differently, I feel like it's higher/further away. Better? or worse? Or simply different? I won't know till I take it on a longer trip.

As of right now, the Pimpster Deluxe wins the day. Getting in is, ahhhh. Which hoes am I gonna smack today.

But I like the 03! Understated and handsome, and undeniably better in many ways. I'm looking forward to getting to know it better.

Pete

[marquisman]

which hoes you gonna smack? the ones tha owe you money playah! lol the pimp factor of the box lincolns and mercs is one of the things that has kept me from getting a whale panther.

[Piece-it pete]

Absolutely agreed. I told folks about the 97, it's better in many ways (the bigger sway bars w/ ball links front and end links back made a huge difference, for example), most ways even perhaps, but it just doesn't have as much class. Imo of course.

I think a lot of it is the square hood with a hood ornament. Heck side lights too.

Pete

[gadget73]

ticking on startup sounds like tensioners. Known quirk of the 4.6. Those motors go and go and go though. One thing I do like about the rounder cars is how much quieter they are. I've got Scott's 92 GM at the moment, and its just so doggone silent even compared to my 86 with good / new seals and weatherstripping. I rode in an 09 Grand Marq, an 03 Towncar and a 2010 Towncar last week at various points and they were all very quiet.

[Lignum]

I just got my 03 marauder a few weeks ago. Not too much plastic on my engine except over the throttle cables. Of course I'm not sure if the 4v is the same as the 2v. It handles like a much smaller car!

[Piece-it pete]

Yeah again I'm not slamming it, just observing.

The sticker on this car was 32k. That means, what, it probaby went for 27 or so? Even more now I believe if Ford would've heavily advertised this car, gotten people to actually drive it, there'd be many more private sale panthers on the road. Perhaps even not discontinued it. It's just so superior to the cars in its' 'class', if there is such a thing.

Pete

[87gtVIC]

I had never seen commercials on television for them since I can remember/started watching television.

[Piece-it pete]

Last I remember was mid to late 80s, 4 guys coming off a golf course, they all just toss their clubs in the trunk and shut it

Pete

[79lincolnlover]

box commercial

Last I remember was mid to late 80s, 4 guys coming off a golf course, they all just toss their clubs in the trunk and shut it

Pete

I think that ad was for the '89 TC. IIRC, Jack Nicklaus was one of the guys in the ad.

[gadget73]

I don't even remember commercials for the Marauder. I didn't know they existed until after production ended. Most of the commercials that showed the general F/L/M lineup didn't even have the full size cars in them. I dont suppose its a surprise to anyone that sales were dismal to private parties.