help me choose a Mark VIII

[transam396]

Hi everyone I'm looking for a Mark VIII these cars have always been one of my "one day" cars now the problem is i only have about $1500 to go towards one . I want to use it as a dd so i can park my 04 F150.
these are the 2 that I'm thinking of lookin at. a 96 for 1500 with a sunroof and 130000 miles http://atlanta.craigslist.org/ctd/817316950.html and a 1995 with 143000k for 1100.http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...oors=&transmission=&max_price=2000&cardist=42

Which one would u go look at and what common problems should i be on the look out for.

I relize that with 1500 i'm not gonna findthe perfect mark unless the planets alighn and I just happen to get damn luck but any advice would be appreciated

 

[jhargarage]

I would say look at both see how they run and shift, trans are a weak spot. I had 2 Champagne colored and loved the interior color. Even though the miles are up there car should idle smooth if they don't you have to worry about internals. Remember the way the interior looks the trunk and body will tell you how good the motor has been taken care of. Dirty carpet, seats, trunk mat, a lot of body dings etc. always tells me the car was not appreciated. Good luck.

 

[kustomizingkid]

I would personally go with the 95 due to the fact that the parts are interchangeable with 93-95, where the 96 has a lot of unique parts to that year.

 

[Green Machine]

get a 93. theyre the fast ones.

 

[ford nut]

I would personally go with the 95 due to the fact that the parts are interchangeable with 93-95, where the 96 has a lot of unique parts to that year.

Same here if your just going to drive it as transport.
The plus to the 96 I believe is its OBD-II but its a one year only ...different then the gen 2s "97-98"

So many things that go bad on these cars with miles on them.
Just be ready to spend some money on it, buying it is just the start to what it cost to keep one of these things on the road.

Head lights, front end "ball joints ect", Air ride, check trans for mercon v see how it shifts are just a few of many I can come up with.

Do a search on any of these problems an be ready to read for hours.

Also welcome to :V

 

[mikemark8]

I would personally go with the 95 due to the fact that the parts are interchangeable with 93-95, where the 96 has a lot of unique parts to that year.

I have a 96 and like that it is OBDII, but there are some unique engine parts/controllers on the 96, and it had the lowest production numbers of all the Marks. Advantage 95-

The photos make the 95 look better than the 96, and there is no bargaining room on the 96, the 95 is $400 less to start (more money to fix what needs to be fixed)-I'd check that one out first since you might get it at a lower price, but drive it and see if it has any major problems-especially trans, air suspension, front end, both could have problems in these areas since when they get up there in mileage, these are the areas to check. good luck.

 

[fonzieguy]

Yeah that I've been watching that 96 and it used to be over 2k but every week or so they have steadily dropped it which leads me to believe that something is wrong with it and they just can't sell it. I emailed them asking about it and they didn't respond..

 

[k9t8m]

The problem with buying a cheap Mark VIII is that is what you end up with, a cheap Mark VIII. In reailty these cars are pretty costly to maintian, but can be worth it in the end. Be VERY selective and make sure you can handle the problems it does have, because for that amount of money I'm sure its got its share of problems. Good luck!

 

[bryantaylor]

you can find cheap mark viii's all day. but be prepared to pay if you actually find a real nice one.

 

[mark0101]

the 96 looks like it is a little lower in the front which means time to replace the air Bags. Or it might be sensor lowered. anyways the 95 has an aftermarket head unit but the 96 has a tint. Also the antenna is broken on the 95.

 

[transam396]

Yeah that I've been watching that 96 and it used to be over 2k but every week or so they have steadily dropped it which leads me to believe that something is wrong with it and they just can't sell it. I emailed them asking about it and they didn't respond..

I've been watching it also, I have a friend that is going to look at it for me tomorrow, I told him all the things that i have been told to look out for and I'm excited to see what he says.

I hope to have another friend look at the 95 tomorrow also . I am aware that u get what u pay for and i'm not expecting a perfect mark but i don't want to get stuck with a complete turd either. kinda like jamie my dream car is a 98 LSC in the red color but right now a 97-98 is out of my price range and i want to use this car to learn about marks .as i posted before these have always been one of my "One day I'm gonna have one cars"

I will post what i learn about thesetwo cars and if there is anyone on here from the douglasville or marietta area's that knows about marks and would be willin to help out it would be greatly appreciatted