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2008 Mercury Grand Marquis

ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
Well, I finally did it and ordered one. After testdriving one I knew this was the car for me. I love this car. I've done lots of research and lots of places like Consumer Reports don't like this car and say to get others instead like Toyota Avalon, Honda Accord, etc. Well I am getting a loaded LS for about $23,500 after their rebate and I challenge anyone to find as nice and comfortable car as this for that money. I don't think these other cars compare at all to this.

Long live the land yacht! There must be something wrong with me, because I like big Detroit iron much more than all those overpriced subarus, Hondas, etc.

Dealer tells me it will take 8-12 weeks to get so I will be patiently waiting and trying to sell my current car meanwhile.

Comments

  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    Were there any specific packages you wanted that made you decide to order? Not to ask a trivial question, but do they come with white stripe sidewalls on the tires?

    The issue I noticed is the color combination doesn't seem to be allowed - Norsea blue with black interior.
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    I wanted a specific color and options, so I'm willing to wait. White stripe sidewalls is not one of the options. My dealer had only one model on his lot, and that model he just got. For awhile he had no models. Guess the demand is too low for dealers to keep in stock?
  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    They were in short supply because the first month or two after the model year switch, the factory builds almost nothing but Crown Vic Police Interceptors and other fleet vehicles, which is why the 2008 prices were released later than other Mercury products.

    Retail stock should catch up now. I'm just concerned that Ford is seriously considering dropping the vehicle, seeing how they won't invest a dime in the platform.
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    This car and the Lincoln Towncar are the last of these type of cars as far I can can see. I find it amazing that GM doesn't make any car like this anymore. What happened to the Cadillac "old geezer" market?
  • rs_pettyrs_petty Member Posts: 423
    I could have sworn this last weekend there was a $5500 cash rebate on the MGM. I went back to both the incentives list here at Edmunds and the official Mercury site and it is a meesly $500. Does anyone else remember or was I just dreaming?
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    It's still $5,500. You must not have clicked on the BUY button, but looked at the default LEASE.
  • rs_pettyrs_petty Member Posts: 423
    Ah, so! It does help to click the right tab. thanks.
  • joevetojoeveto Member Posts: 2
    That's awesome. The GM is a great car. I love my Ultimate Edition with the digi dash. My coworkers are taken aback when they see me in mine, I guess, because I'm a younger guy (at 36 younger than what we associate with the typical GM buyer/driver). But I've turned them on to the value the GM brings. On long trips, which a make frequently, I get OVER 31 mpg. It's amazing.

    And I have the white wall tires. I think they are cool.
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    Your gas mileage is that good? I'm surprised, since it is supposed to get lousy gas mileage. I wonder why I have to wait 8-12 weeks to get mine? There are cars like the Honda Accord, VW Jetta, etc., that costs more than the loaded LS I'm getting. They can have their little, overpriced imports. I'll take a big, American cruiser!
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    I wonder why I have to wait 8-12 weeks to get mine?

    When the dealer is behind in his payments to the factory, the factory is behind in their delivery to the dealer. = possibly why. :blush:
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    I did an inventory check of all dealers in my part of the state, 10 dealers. Except for the 1 car my dealer recently got in stock (the one I testdrove), NONE of the other dealers have a single LS in stock, not one!!!! Is this normal? Is this unique to the Grand Marquis, due to unpopularity perhaps? Very little demand? Is this also the reason it was not at the carshow? And perhaps the reason that it has what appears to be a bigger rebate than any other car?
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    In my 2008 Grand Marquis LS, why the following:

    1. The heat setting cannot be set for 61, 62, 63, or 64 degrees. It starts at 60, jumps to 65, then increments by 1 up to 90.

    2. The steering wheel does not lock into position by twisting it after parking (older models do).

    3. Some parts in the engine compartment have a "rust" look to it.

    4. I've driven the car about 900 miles so far. The information tells me that oil level is 85%. Is it normal to lose 15% of oil in 6 weeks?
  • veronaownerveronaowner Member Posts: 88
    I have had a 08 GM LS for 1 month with the same issues except the oil value is 88% and I think that is the life of the oil left and is adjusted with miles driven. The
    rust issue I am told, by a friend, is due to the item being a very high content of iron rather than alloy metal mixed. That is also evident with a few items in the frame and/or the chassis of the car. These would be issues to ask about on the first vehicle service visit to the dealer. I am very happy with the car, but I only have about 630 miles on it so far and the computer says I am getting 19 mpg around town -- hope it improves -- . I don't drive it enough now on the interstate that I can set the speed control and reset the MPG of the computer. (5 miles or more)
    I like the seats, the ride and the way the car drives. Overall I am very happy with the car.
    I was in a 04 Suzuki Verona EX before, which they manufactured for only 3 years, I think. I had 32K miles with very small problems, but according to the internet files it was plagued with problems from the start.
    Before my screen name was Veronaowner. Now I will have to be GMLSowner
  • veronaownerveronaowner Member Posts: 88
    Who can help me change my screen name from Veronaowner to
    GMLSowner?
    Thanks
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    I'm happy with my car too, but what's with not being able to set temperature between 60 and 65? Makes no sense to me at all.
  • jsylvesterjsylvester Member Posts: 572
    The temperature limitations are the exact same on my 2002. I take it as 65 is the lowest it goes before it justs basically turns the heat off, or the a/c on 100% setting.

    My 2002 is at 81,000 miles - I've had a total of two repairs - in 2006 the ATC sensor in the air intake system went bad - most likely due to a bad connection on the electric board inside the sensor. Last year the DPFE sensor went bad - that I was able to diagnose and replace myself, so all I paid for was the sensor.

    All I've had is minor electrical failures from using cheap foreign made components.
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    I hope my car's as reliable as it is supposed to be. Consumer Reports might not like the car, but they do indicate that it's well rated in reliability. I've had the car almost 2 months now with about 900 miles on it. Except for lousy gas mileage, which I expected, I'm very pleased with it. I plan to keep it for a very long time.
  • medicleomedicleo Member Posts: 2
    The steering column lock was discontinued several years ago as it was replaced as an anti-theft device by the electronic chip embedded in the key.
  • ionosphere1ionosphere1 Member Posts: 50
    If this is so, then why did my 2000 Dodge Neon have a steering wheel lock AND anti-theft chip embedded in key too, if the chip makes the lock unneccesary? Dodge didn't think it did.
  • thetazthetaz Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2002 CV Sport that I bought new and has been a very good car but for the last year something weird has happened with the Anti Theft system. Sometimes when you try to start the car the anti theft light on the dash will blink very fast and the car will not start. If you leave the ignition on and pull the #8 fuse (anti theft fuse) then turn ignition off and wait for a few minutes them replace the fuse it will start. Sometimes you have to do this several times. Anybody have any ideas?
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