Faults:

Nothing. I really enjoy this vehicle.

General Comments:

In the mid 1980's I had a Ford LTD as one of my first cars. Severe carburetor design flaws caused a lot of engine problems and I was happy to replace the vehicle with a Mazda (before Ford bought 1/3 of them). Over the last 20 years I have driven many cars, but kept thinking about how much I enjoyed that old LTD. This Mercury descendent of that old Ford LTD version is a delight. In my humble experience it is quieter than friends' Acuras, more powerful that friends' Toyotas, and more spacious than Hondas. I have thus far really enjoyed driving this vehicle. It is a bit "floaty" compared to Japanese cars, but on the interstate it offers a more enjoyable driving experience. Passengers unfamiliar with this version of the vehicle comment on two things: 1) They ask, isn't this a Taxi vehicle? And 2) I like this one much better than any taxi I've ever been in!

Good classic American car that excels against the competition.

Faults:

The right front wheel bearing-hub assembly had to be replaced at 104,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car was purchased new in January of 2000. The Grand Marquis is one of the best bargains when it comes to features, comfort, and dependability.

About the only knock is the gas mileage, which is actually not bad for a car of this size. With a full load at 75 to 80 MPH I average around 20 MPG. When I drop down to 70 MPH the gas mileage goes up to around 22 MPG. At 55 MPH the average is around 26 MPG. In town average is 17 to 18 MPG. This is with the higher horsepower 4.6 L engine and dual exhaust performance package. I also lose a little fuel economy because my particular car meets the California emissions standards.

This is a great road car with a very smooth and quite ride. The self-adjusting rear air suspension means this car is always level no matter the load conditions and contributes to a luxury soft ride with good cornering ability. Very little road noise can be heard at highway speeds.

The 4.6 L V-8 has plenty of acceleration and passing ability. The engine always cranks at the first turn of the key and never stumbles or runs rough, no matter the weather conditions. I am still on the original set of spark plugs and wires at 108,000 miles.

The Grand Marquis includes very comfortable, fully adjustable, leather seats. Both the driver and passenger seats are 6-way power seats with pneumatic lumbar adjustments. Most of the normal power accessories are included, such as power windows and door locks, automatic headlight on and off switch, a very good cruise control system, power mirrors, and the power seats mentioned above.

My particular model also has the full electronic instruments and key-less entry door locks. Now that I have had four years experience with these two systems I will never have a car again without them. The key-less entry system is especially worth the cost.

Up to this year I had not spent a single dollar on repairs. The failure of a front wheel bearing is almost unheard of on any Ford-Mercury product so I accepted my experience as a fluke. When you average that cost ($180) over 4 years and 100,000 miles that is a great repair experience.

The only other money spent on this car has been routine maintenance (oil and filters), replacement of original equipment tires at 82,000 miles, replacement of original shock absorbers at 70,000 miles, and new brake pads at 60,000 miles, although the rear pads could have probably gone another 20,000 miles.

The 2000 Grand Marquis LS is a very comfortable car to drive and an inexpensive car to own and operate. It comes standard with the accessories you would expect to find on a car that cost quite a bit more. This is my second Grand Marquis and I will most likely go to my third one if they are still available when I am ready to trade.