RE: Introductions
OK - so I'm a little late.
You gotta' cut us older guys a little slack. (It's probably a toss-up between me and Bobber.) But ya' get a little more detail, too.
I first got interested in these cars after I bought a Thunderbird. 'Just had to have a T-Bird before they were discontinued, and got a great deal on a new '96 still on the lot, (in '97). Not long afterward, I also started noticing Lincoln's "version", (the Mark VIII), but at over twice the cost, figured I'd never be in one.
Then, in 2001, realizing no one made a new car style I liked anymore, decided I should think about picking up a second car, effectively doubling the life. I started looking at sales ads for used Mark VIIIs, and came upon a great '96, asking only $5000! A custom Corvette shop had it from a trade, and just wanted to get it off the lot - $4900 out the door, tax and license included.
So that was nice for a few months, until I got T-boned in a parking lot. The other driver's insurance covered the $4800 repair, ('came out better than when I got it!) - meantime, I was still keeping my eyes open, more out of curiosity as to where the market was at.
That's when I saw my current '97 LSC listed online for $10,600 at
www.autotrader.com . And the seller was in San Jose - close enough for me to at least go window shopping.
So I drive the '96 down, drool for a while, haggle with the guy for a couple weeks, and end up getting it for $8600 cash, with only 38K miles on the clock, (including a new factory rebuilt engine!). Luckily, I was soon able to sell the '96 for $4500.
So that's where it's at today. Oh yeah - about me... :+ ... I grew up in Colorado, then moved to California in '78. I currently work as an IT/CAD manager at a Civil Engineering firm with offices in Novato and Petaluma. My real area of expertise is AutoCAD and computer networking. Besides managing computers at work, it's obviously also a hobby, as is a little flying, (when I can afford to keep current). For fun, I play bass in a rock, rhythm, and blues band, the "Hitmen". And though still single, I've pretty much had the same girlfriend, (Susan), for about 20 years.
John
http://mark8.org/users/johnaec/Mark_VIII_s.jpg
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6 LX
