Hi I have a 96 Mark with 170,000 in the ticker. I love the car but I think it might be falling a part on me. The motor is great, I kid you not, it does not burn a drop of oil. I can go 4000 miles and the oil is still on the top of the stick. And the motor still pulls hard, it still makes me grin when I pull on to a onramp. But Im afraid that there are other things that are goin to start falling apart. Plus the head lights are just horriable and for 500 bucks to get new ones is a lot of money. What do you guys think? Is the car worth sticking money into it to keep it running? What is the history of this car with this many miles? If I were to replace the Mark8 im looking at a used Lincoln LS, What do you guys think of the LS? Thanks
Is it time for a new car???
- Thread starter Johnnysrx
- Start date
mine went 360,000 miles before I pulled the motor and put a low mile 93 motor in.
Somewhere around 150,000 miles I changed my stock air bags and fuel pump.
Then again at 300,000 miles I changed the fuel pump again as a preventative measure.
Front suspension, LCA, UCA, bushings and ball joints are somewhere around 200,000 miles.
So, you are approaching some trouble areas in the miles yet to come, but..with some time, paitence and a little money that car can carry you for many MANY more miles.
Of course, if you have "the new car bug"..there is no hope.
The LS is a nice car, but I dont find it a replacement for the Mark 8..IMHO
Somewhere around 150,000 miles I changed my stock air bags and fuel pump.
Then again at 300,000 miles I changed the fuel pump again as a preventative measure.
Front suspension, LCA, UCA, bushings and ball joints are somewhere around 200,000 miles.
So, you are approaching some trouble areas in the miles yet to come, but..with some time, paitence and a little money that car can carry you for many MANY more miles.
Of course, if you have "the new car bug"..there is no hope.
The LS is a nice car, but I dont find it a replacement for the Mark 8..IMHO
I agree with Tommy 100% here. I don't know what could replace the Mark VIII.
If the only thing wrong with your car is the headlights, I'd just replace them with new ones. I did that to both of my Marks (HID on the green, Halogen on the red).
Both of my Marks have higher mileage but at this point, I've replaced most of the high mileage wear parts anyway.
If the only thing wrong with your car is the headlights, I'd just replace them with new ones. I did that to both of my Marks (HID on the green, Halogen on the red).
Both of my Marks have higher mileage but at this point, I've replaced most of the high mileage wear parts anyway.
The headlights are not the only problem. I was just quoted 750$ to do some front end work. I have not done the fuel pump. I did do the water pump about 20,000 ago. Also I got rid of the air ride. Besides that nothing is wrong with the car. Oh yeah the passengers seat is broke. I don't have the new car bug because I don't really want to have a car payment. But im just afraid that the Mark is going to turn into a money pit. After the front end what eles might I be looking at to fix? 500$ for the lights 750$ for the front end now im at 1250$ thats a pretty good start for a down payment on the LS. What to do??? What to do???
Ford nut
Registered
Can you do any of the work yourself ?
Front end work is not that hard with the right tools.
If you keep your mark you can save alot of money if you learn to do some of the work.
I bet if you took the total cost of the LS and put that money into your Mark you would have one sweet ride
Front end work is not that hard with the right tools.
If you keep your mark you can save alot of money if you learn to do some of the work.
How much is the LS ?
I bet if you took the total cost of the LS and put that money into your Mark you would have one sweet ride
The lights should've been done long ago. The front end of any car will eventually need work. The LS is no match to the Mark VIII. If you love the Mark VIII, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed with the LS, even though they are nice themselves.
I bet if you took the total cost of the LS and put that money into your Mark you would have one sweet ride
Every time something goes wrong with the Mark VIII, I grin at the repair costs knowing I've saved thousands over the price of a newer car. What most people forget is the newer car will need maintenance and repairs as well. Don't kid yourself. You're trading a known set of problems for an unknown set of problems.
Roadboss
On Work Release
Let's go to the extreme and say you need rotors and pads to go with the front end job. These are maintainance items, and once done your set for a very long time. Oh- unless you are going to be buying a new car, there is a very high probablity that you'll be needing to spend some cash on replacing worn out parts on it very shortly. I'm with the guys above, you got a great car now that just needs some casual maintaince. LS is no Mark Vlll.
Well that is the kind of news I wanted to hear. I really dont want to buy a new car. So I talked to some friends and they are on board with helping me out with front end work. Is there any thing that my friends and I should know before taking on this project. Thanks
ps I was going to go test drive a LS this week but I wont have to now.
ps I was going to go test drive a LS this week but I wont have to now.
750 dollars for "some front end work" is "not a good deal".
you can buy ALL the front end replacement parts for 200.00 {not including the air struts) labor to install should not be 550.00!
What was the "parts" needed to fix your front end?
If you want to bring it to Texas, I know of a "Mark 8 Friendly" shop that can/will get ALL your front end parts replaced for cheaper than 750.00.
Likely save enough, to cover the cost of the trip...
you can buy ALL the front end replacement parts for 200.00 {not including the air struts) labor to install should not be 550.00!
What was the "parts" needed to fix your front end?
If you want to bring it to Texas, I know of a "Mark 8 Friendly" shop that can/will get ALL your front end parts replaced for cheaper than 750.00.
Likely save enough, to cover the cost of the trip...
Just got off the phone with the Mark 8 Friendly shop in Bastrop, Texas {close to Austin)
he said 200.00 labor to install Lower Control Arms, Upper Control Arms and Inner and Outer tie rod ends.
So roughly you'd save 350.00 over your "quoted price" IF we're talking about the same "front end parts".
If the front end parts you were quoted were for "only" the Air Struts then the labor cost would probably be MUCH MUCH less than I quoted above.
let me know "what front end parts" your 750.00 quote was for.
he said 200.00 labor to install Lower Control Arms, Upper Control Arms and Inner and Outer tie rod ends.
So roughly you'd save 350.00 over your "quoted price" IF we're talking about the same "front end parts".
If the front end parts you were quoted were for "only" the Air Struts then the labor cost would probably be MUCH MUCH less than I quoted above.
let me know "what front end parts" your 750.00 quote was for.
I think the parts were the same as you said. upper and lower and tie rod ends, and I think that came out to be about 350$ for parts. Then they wanted about 350$ for labor and tax came out to 750$ Does that seem high? I think that my friends and I are going to be doing the work though.
I thought the UCAs are $85 a piece... the LCAs are 45 a piece and the outer tie rods are 40 a piece on rockauto+ shipping.
Total without shipping is $340.
$350 in labor depending on where you are located is 4.4 hrs at 80 an hour. In my area this would be 2 hrs of labor lol.
So 4.4 is not excessive and below the book #s. I'm posting the book #s here.
The numbers on the right are standard work hours and the #s on the left are warranty numbers.
Replace
Front Suspension
Upper Control Arm
One Side B 1.6 2.2 Notes
Both Sides B 2.2 3.1 Notes
Lower Control Arm
One Side B 1.6 2.2 Notes
Both Sides B 2.4 3.4 Notes
Tie Rod End
Replace
Outer Tie Rod
One Side B 0.9 1.3 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Both Sides B 1.0 1.4 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Inner Tie Rod
Both Sides B 1.7 2.4 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Right Side B 0.9 1.3 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Left Side B 0.7 1.0 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Total without shipping is $340.
$350 in labor depending on where you are located is 4.4 hrs at 80 an hour. In my area this would be 2 hrs of labor lol.
So 4.4 is not excessive and below the book #s. I'm posting the book #s here.
The numbers on the right are standard work hours and the #s on the left are warranty numbers.
Replace
Front Suspension
Upper Control Arm
One Side B 1.6 2.2 Notes
Both Sides B 2.2 3.1 Notes
Lower Control Arm
One Side B 1.6 2.2 Notes
Both Sides B 2.4 3.4 Notes
Tie Rod End
Replace
Outer Tie Rod
One Side B 0.9 1.3 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Both Sides B 1.0 1.4 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Inner Tie Rod
Both Sides B 1.7 2.4 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Right Side B 0.9 1.3 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Left Side B 0.7 1.0 Notes
Includes: Adjust Toe-In.
Max said :"I thought the UCAs are $85 a piece... the LCAs are 45 a piece and the outer tie rods are 40 a piece on rockauto+ shipping."
On that auction site they are selling the entire kit.. for 200.00 buy it now price. uppers, lowers, inners and outers and sway bar end links too.. if I'm not mistaken
They are world suspension products and I saw two complete sets installed on two seperate mark 8's last week...200.00 labor..
DONE BLAM..finite
On that auction site they are selling the entire kit.. for 200.00 buy it now price. uppers, lowers, inners and outers and sway bar end links too.. if I'm not mistaken
They are world suspension products and I saw two complete sets installed on two seperate mark 8's last week...200.00 labor..
DONE BLAM..finite
Wow you got a great price Tommy!!
Moog parts were said to be of superior quality to "OEbrands" which was the manufactorer of those. I have heard some issues with those suspension parts back when some members installed them and they rusted over quickly etc, some also bent. That said I am only going by word of mouth with no personal experience.
here is a link to the parts !!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUSP...004QQitemZ140152184299QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Anyone in the Houston area should do it at the shop you were at!!!
Moog parts were said to be of superior quality to "OEbrands" which was the manufactorer of those. I have heard some issues with those suspension parts back when some members installed them and they rusted over quickly etc, some also bent. That said I am only going by word of mouth with no personal experience.
here is a link to the parts !!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUSP...004QQitemZ140152184299QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Anyone in the Houston area should do it at the shop you were at!!!
The shop I use is in Bastrop Texas, not houston.
But.. the cost savings absorb the additional drive time Easily.
I drove up there friday night after going to the dragstrip stayed all weekend tinkering with Grandmas car.
From the track it was closer to head to "the shop" than it was to go home.
HAHA
But.. the cost savings absorb the additional drive time Easily.
I drove up there friday night after going to the dragstrip stayed all weekend tinkering with Grandmas car.
From the track it was closer to head to "the shop" than it was to go home.
HAHA
I replaced my 95 Mark with a new 2005 Dodge Magnum RT one year ago. It's a great replacement with its independent rear suspension, rear drive, 340hp engine, and 5 speed automatic.
I still miss my Mark though. After installing the Addco 1 1/8" rear sway bar on the Lincoln, it handled so great and didn't feel as heavy as the Dodge.
The Dodge gets off the line much better, has more room for passengers, and also tows my 3000lb. boat. I just need to install a big rear sway bar to get the handling where I like. After the Superchips reprogramming, I get 24-25mpg on the interstate. This is a couple of mpg worse than the Lincoln without a chip.
I still miss my Mark though. After installing the Addco 1 1/8" rear sway bar on the Lincoln, it handled so great and didn't feel as heavy as the Dodge.
The Dodge gets off the line much better, has more room for passengers, and also tows my 3000lb. boat. I just need to install a big rear sway bar to get the handling where I like. After the Superchips reprogramming, I get 24-25mpg on the interstate. This is a couple of mpg worse than the Lincoln without a chip.
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