Cite?
Bwahahaha! I’ve **always **wanted to say that! 
Actually, can you give me any sites (teehee) or any keywords to punch in? I tried asking about similar review sites, what have you, in a thread earlier this year. Coincidentally, it was about Lincolns.
Thanks,
hh
At one point you could log into Ford’s website, key in a VIN and it would tell you what recall repairs had been done. IIRC, the engine used in that car has a recall on it, where Ford generally replaces the engine as part of the recall.
I had a 1988 model which I think is the same body style. Absolute POS, and back when they had model discussions on Car Talk’s website, I looked through them to see if anyone had the same kind of problems as me. I was lucky, as it turns out, I only had an engine failure, electrical problems, and rack and pinion failure. Other people had things like the subframes falling off, fires, and the like.
Tuckerfan,
Thanks for the input.
Your '88 Continental would have been the generation 1 Ford Taurus with the 3.8L “Essex” V6 used in the top-of-the-line Taurus and a bunch of options.
The Taurus forums I sometimes frequent have a sticky on the head gasket in the 3.8 Essex as one of the first things you see in their “engine” forum.
The one I’m shopping has the 4.6L “Modular” V8. It’s the 32-valve version of the 4.6L V8 you see in every Ford Crown Vic police cruiser since 1992, and it doesn’t have the same problems as the Essex, although apparently the valves are twitchy based on feedback I’ve been getting.
Also, the '96 should be based on the Gen2 or Gen3 version of the Taurus/Sable.
I find my best general reviews on www.edmunds.com.
Reliability info, you may want to hit the consumer end of www.jdpower.com.
I usually try to find model-specific info on “club” web sites, as marque enthusiasts tend to know all the important (and unimportant) things about their marques.
Sadly, the modern Continental really doesn’t have any free-standing clubs, and most of the existing forums focus on pre-1980’s Continentals.
If you’re trying to learn about the Town Car, I’d reccomend trying the Ford Crown Vic community’s forums…
So it sounds like it’s not the total Edsel that mine was, but I’d still be careful. IME Ford doesn’t have much luck with their electrical systems, and those things tend to have every kind of fancy digital/electronic gimmick Ford could cram into them.
Oh, one other piece of advice, if you do your own brake repairs, have your mechanic take a good look at the rear brakes (or check it out on the various forums) and make sure what set up it has as far as the parking brake goes. Working on the rears on mine was a total PITA and it’s well worth paying someone else to do the replacement job. Trust me.
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The octane issue - the “de-tune” will likely be retarding the ignition under WOT if detonation is detected, so for normal driving you won’t notice anything. Which means that the extra expense for higher octane gas will only be beneficial when you are calling for max power. Now, if you like the thought of having max power available any time you need it, then it makes sense to spring for the higher-octane gas. Otherwise, not so much. IMHO.
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Philosophically, I would be careful of taking the car when it’s primary selling points are cheap price and that you know the seller. If this model was really exactly what you wanted, and if you were shopping around already, and then your cow-orker offered this one up - I’d say go for it. But the way you describe it, it seems like a good car for a good price, and now you are convincing yourself that this is a good purchase. If you really are in the market for a new/replacement car (I know you said cost was a major consideration), then my suggestion (FWIW) would be to decide what car model(s) make the most sense, and then look for reasonable examples for sale. If you can find a good deal on this one, chances are that you could find an equally good deal on the model that actually meets your needs, when the needs are evaluated objectively rather than seeing how they mesh with the abilities of this particular car.
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The reason I went through all that is that it would be a bitch to purchase this car, if it is in fact not what you reeeaaaly need, and then to be hit with expensive electronics, transmission, or engine work in the near future. How much better, if you have to pay that stuff on an older car, that the car is your first choice, rather than something that you settled on because it was convenient. Hope this helps, and best of luck.
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I get like this all the time - something comes along, and I convince myself that it would be perfect (not saying that this is you necessarily). If I can cool off for a week or two, then the urge/fascination goes away, and I save myself from an expensive headache.
Re: detuning
THANK YOU! for that explanation. Really, you just told me all I wanted to know on that topic generally, although I’d love to find someone who could tell me precisely how many horsepower the ignition retardation robs the car of.
I’ve checked both the manual and the factory repair manuals and I believe that neither tells me. I’ll probably have to find a formula somewhere and extrapolate.
Don’t know if I’ll get accurate results, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.
Re: is this what I wanted?
Actually, I had been actively wanting to get my hands on a car cheaper than my current one so I could be back to the place where I’m driving a car with no payment.
The car is gadgety, heavy and fast. That pretty much describes my ideal automobile. The gadgets are a vulnerability of this car, but I do like having a button to press to control the suspension stiffness, having a suspension that will recalibrate if I hit a bunch of bumps, a button to change the power steering boost levels to my preference, etc etc etc.
My ideal car would probably be gadgety Mercedes, but that sooooooooooo isn’t in the budget. This car is PRECISELY what I’d like, out of domestic options, except it’s older than I’d wanted, but I can’t really AFFORD the age I’d prefer. For money reasons I’d prefer it have less gadgets but be fast and big, let’s say a Caprice or Crown Vic, but I can’t get one at a similar deal.
Tuckerfan, I promise to be careful. I’m very paranoid about car purchases.
No brake repairs in my driveway.
I do NOT trust myself to do those right, and the “stopping” thing matters.
Well, just got her check out at the garage.
Here’s all the stuff wrong with her:
- Exhaust System Hangers… Rubber Donuts, shot
- $70
- CV Joint, Axle Shaft
- $250
- Ball Joints… Left Side Bad
- $300 for both
- Turn signal/high beam switch
- $150
- Turn signal (not switch)
- $90
- Front Bumper slightly smashed, front left corner
- Rear Bumper sound but could use painted
Not as good of a deal as before. I think still below book, though.
You might be able to get a cheaper price on the turnsignal and turnsignal switch from a scrapyard or eBay, still, the prices you’ve been quoted for repairs seem reasonable for the kind of work that needs to be done.
The “turn signal” quote is actually for the whole assembly, from a junk yard, plus half an hour labor.
I’m going to say that’s a decent deal on the repair, although shipping may push it upwards.
I’m still trying to figure out whether or not the car is worth buying at $1500 in this condition.
If there was no body work on the car, as far as accidents, it is a good deal. Fords tend to lose value very quickly. However, since they are not very technologically advanced, they do not break down as much. The Continental was a sought after car, especially the body style you talk about. If it runs good (take it on the highway), it is a good deal. BUT it is not a steal. The way you describe the car makes it sound like an average car, nothing special, nothing to turn heads (man, that looks new!).
A lot of people tend to quote KBB a lot. HOWEVER, remember that no dealers use KBB unless it is to their advantage. For example, if I were to take a 2002 Mercedes C230 on trade, the KBB trade-in value would be around 3000 less than what the car is actually worth. The only time a dealer will use KBB is to show the customer, and only if they are trying to rob the trade, which benefits the new car side and the profit for the salesperson.
Yeah, the interior stuff is generally worn, the outside isn’t in terribly good shape, but not too ugly either.
It’s not “ohmygod that’s nice” but if I get the back bumper painted and the front one replaced, it would certainly look respectable.
Oh, and it runs verrrrrry good. Gobs of juice, sounds perfect, shifts nicely.
I’ve decided if I get it I am NOT going to run 91 octane, because it basically scares me when I punch the gas, and I don’t operate my cars past 55 MPH very often.
If the car is used to running on 91 octane, I would not suggest changing in. Stick to what the previous owner used. Would definitely preserve the life of the car.
:dubious:
Are you fishing to be a guest on
“Overhauling” or “Pimp My Ride” ? 
Well, after prolonged discussion at my mechanic’s garage… decided to pass on the beast.
As far as the 87 vs 91 issue, FoMoCo pretty much said you could run 87 with no trouble besides reduced horsepower, right in the manual. Not my problem right now anyway… I suspect I’ll not own a Continental. If I do, it’ll be from one of the years wherein they simplified the air suspension to front only.
Still, NICE, NEAT GADGETY car, but… not for me, not right now. I don’t have the cash reserves to indemnify myself against certain forseeable breakdowns.
I’m glad to hear that you decided to pass. I have owned 3-4 older lincolns in the last 8 years. The last one that I ownded had to go into the mechanics every (literally) month. I kept thinking ‘what else could go wrong,’ and then I would find out. It is my theory that Lincoln’s will last until the end of their warranties before they start the downhill slide.
Also, thanks for your response.
hh