97 Mark. Should I buy or Not

GMAN

GMAN

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OK everyone opinions please. A while back I noticed a 97 Mark in this car lot. I didn't have time to go check on it, so I put it in the back of my mind. Lately I've been contemplating changing out the dash in my Mark, replacing it with a double din dash from a 96. Well the guy I was supposed to buy the interior pieces from is making me wait which is causing me to rethink the who project. So I took an afternoon drive and decided to go check out the 97 Mark at that lot and see if it was still there. It is still there. I had a look at it and the owner of the lot allowed me to take some pictures of it.
It has 104,000 miles on it. The interior is in great shape. It is black on black. Now for the problems I've noticed. Some idiot couldn't figure out how to put on the door panel, and drilled a screw into it from the side to hold it in. The passenger light is fogged over; the paint is worn on the roof, the chrome pieces under the light is coming off. Also, the driver side door handle sticks a little. After a couple of days of sitting, the front bags leak out, and the upper control arms needs replacing. I can take the car right now for $2700 cash. What do you think? Is this a good deal? I've had experience changing control arms and air bags on my Mark, so that wont be a problem. Opinions please.

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id say no...but its all about what its worth to you.
 
Add the fix-it up costs to the sales price and then decided. A car is what you make it or make it into. BTW weren't the chrome grills droped at the end of the 96s?
 
I would offer just about the price you said that you could get it for. If you do get it, are you going to sell your 93?
 
I'd buy it if I had the money

and use my 97 as a parts car.That's what I'v decided to do sence mine is such a beater.Looks pretty good to me and I think tke price sounds about right.Heck.If I wasn't presently unemployed and sorta broke I'd race ya to the car lot to purchase it.Mine is deep blue with gray interior.Black on black. Yeah man.I like it!;)
 
I agree with checking out the cost on the parts.. The miles are not bad. The paint might be a hassle later.

You might wonder what the tranny is like. If the guy used a screw to hold the door panel on he may have never taken care of the tranny and engine.
 
look for body rust....if there isnt...and the motor and trans are in real good condt...offer 2k but be willing to accept 2500.
 
GMAN said:
That is a a good thing about Texas, no real problem with rust.
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i wasnt sure...cuz i did see quite a bit on the inner fenders.
 
I'd say pass on it, and take the money you'd put into fixing it up and just get a nice one that's been taken care of. I'm kind of in the same boat, I've got a 94 for fairly cheap at the time. Bought it off of some 20-something who really probably just beat on it. I've had to fix so many things on it now, and the clear coat is really becoming bad. That thing being black in TX, once the paint has started messing up it only gets worse quicker. Just my $.02, even though it is very tempting; let it go...
 
here in ca you never see gen 2 under $5K, the main things are good motor/trans
can you fix all the stuff for under $2K
I go with it,
Only if the flag comes with it !
 
have to say it...i hate the non lsc moulding on the 97/98's
 
I'd buy it if the engine and tranny check out. You put $3k into it and you would have a very nice car for $5k total. If you buy on that has been "taken" care of for $7-8k, you still don't know the front end or airbags won't go out next week. I don't like the non LSC molding either, but you can black that out with tape or paint.

BTW GMAN, what exhaust, mufflers/tips are you running on your current Mark? That looks sweet.
 
what's up with the keyhole for the trunk......
all though all m8's had the swing lincoln cover though i havenot seen meny non lsc gen II
 
Fro99 said:
what's up with the keyhole for the trunk......
all though all m8's had the swing lincoln cover though i havenot seen meny non lsc gen II
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My 98 LSC has a key hole in the deck lid. I beleve all GenIIs have key holes.

any way $2000 is a good palce to start, check to make sure the blend door is ok, they are such a pain in the a$$ to fix. Like eveyone else suggested tranny need to be checked.
 
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