Faults:

I use the car as a contracted corporate private taxi.

I acquired this car new and it is one of 3-Town Cars that I and my wife use to “Fill in” for the other limo companies when they are overbooked or need a car NOW.

Needless to say that we are constantly on the move.

I change my own oil on all three cars at 4,000-miles and I service the transmissions every

50,000-miles myself.

Plugs and plug wires every 75,000-miles.

Fuel and air filter every 25,000-miles.

Brakes and new battery every year-even if not needed. We take no chances.

All miles are heavy duty city traffic.

2003 Executive L (Black) (Bought New) (This has been the best one of all and we fight each other to drive it on a service call.)

439,856 miles.

Problems have been one alternator at 399,000-miles and one light control module when new.

Uses no oil and no leaks of any kind.

2001 Signature (Dark Blue) (Bought New)

397,400 miles

Radio control on steering wheel no longer light up-300,000-miles or so.

Speedometer shakes, but digital speedometer still works fine

Intake manifold replaced for free before it could break by dealer for free.

No leaks and uses no oil.

1998 Executive (Black) (Bought used in 1998 with 24,000-miles) (We keep this one as an extra)

488,000 miles

Intake manifold replaced last year before it could break, replaced for free by dealer.

Driver’s side power window failed twice. 75,000-miles, once again at 85,000-miles.

Small hole in exhaust above rear axle in bend- 250,000-miles

Blend Door actuator arm broke at 270,000-miles.

Small oil leak from front left of oil pan gasket- May leak a quart of oil in the parking pad every month. Cost too much to fix. The car is not worth fixing.

Rear air ride suspension air bladders got weak and we had them replaced for $300 total with regular coil springs.

All three average about 17 mpg, but this is all city driving.

I can say that these cars have proved to be very solid. We started out with a 1995 and a 1997 in 1999 and the 1997 proved to be quiet troublesome. It seems that the current Town Cars are super will engineered and ultra durable.

The leather is holding up like new- except for one spot in the 1998 on the driver’s seat.

None of these cars has ever needed a steering alignment and the tires all wear evenly. Also all three have never had to have any Freon added to the a/c, unlike the 1997.

Problems with 1997

Total miles achieved was only 220,000.

Driver’s door hinge pin every few years

A/C leak-no shop could fix the leak- not even the dealer.

Transmission solenoids would mess up every 50,000-miles or less

Rear air suspension failed. Air bladders once, air pump, sensors once.

Crank shaft position sensor would keep wiggling loose and the car would die.

1995 Was wrecked at 160,000-miles with no problems at all except excessive spark knock- “pinging” on 87 octane gas and a clogged EGR valve.

We plan to buy two new 2006 L’s this winter, before the tax year ends and we will sell the 1998 and 2001 on ebay with a super cheap cash price. Keep on the look out. I am going to keep the 2003 as an extra.

The bottom line is that you cannot beat these cars.

General Comments:

These cars are heavy and don’t handle like a sports car.

The cars could use a bit more power and the engines do make a lot more noise than my mother’s 2003 Cadillac Deville. But it is still hard to notice unless you floor the car.

All three cars are as solid as a new car with out any pops in the suspension or rattles in the body or interior.

The paint looks new on all three. The windshield on all three is pitted all over and the headlamps are kinds of dulled and abrased a bit, but otherwise the cars would pass to have 50,000-miles on them.

Faults:

Nothing has ever gone wrong with the car or with any of the previous 4 Town cars owned since 1984.

General Comments:

My mother has insisted on owning a Lincoln Town Car to impress her friends at church since 1984. In spite of our jokes about it being an "aircraft carrier" and taking up two parking spaces, I have to say all 5 of her Town Cars have been truly impressive, solid and whisper-quiet. The 2003 had quite respectable performance for something the size of a small city. Although none were ever driven over 50,000 miles, none of them ever had the first hint of a problem.

The only drawback to the Town Car is its gargantuan size. Modern parking spaces are not designed for cars the size of Rhode Island, and maneuvering it in tight areas is somewhat akin to trying to land a 747 on one's patio. Parking lot dings will be far more prone to appear on the Town car because it simply takes up too much space.

I understand the Town car is due to be discontinued, which doesn't surprise me. In times of ever increasing population growth, tighter parking and higher fuel prices, such large cars just no longer make any sense. Even Mom has agreed to get a smaller car next time as long as it costs a lot.

Although my wife and I flatly refuse to drive anything as large as a Town Car ourselves, I have to say that as far as luxury cars go, the Town Car is a truly great high-end car. Of course if one is not all that concerned about impressing the church members, the Ford Crown Victoria is exactly the same car (as is the Mercury Marquis) and can be purchased with the same exact options for about $15,000 less. Dropping that extra 15 grand in the collection plate might get you on the preacher's good side.