Mark9
LVC Member
AmericanAirSuspension.com sells great air compressors for $135 - if you need one.
You can't go by what your read in Auto Trader - you're going to HAVE to go and examine the vehicle in person, drive it, pay a couple bucks to put the one you like up on a lift to look at the underside closely. Especially examine the air springs in the rear - if you see anything more than surface cracks you're going to have to replace them in the near future.
Generally, the lowest, mileage vehicle will buy you more miles before you have to spend much money on it. The 95+ models started using the better 4R70W transmission (basically the same as the AODE transmission used in the early 90's, but with minor mods for strength and a wider gear ratio set). The 95+ models have a more modern looking interior, but the pre-95's are built just abit better in almost all areas in most opinions of people that own both.
When you drive the car do some heavy accelarating and have someone outside the car watch for excessive blue smoke. If there is some than more than likely some jack-ass changed plugs without blowing out the spark plug wells. This is the single largest cause of oil consumption in these engines (per a large fleet owners organization) - and not just by back yard mechanics. A lot of todays garages simply want to save time so they let the dirt and grit fall into the cylinder so the job gets done QUICK....
Bottom line normally is - MILES ON THE VEHICLE!!!!! There really isn't much difference, mechanically, between 1992's (the '90's only had the new body style, the '91's were a sorta in-between model in some areas) and the 1997's!!
I have three Town Cars currently: a '94 Signiture with 174,000 miles that still runs strong and burn almost NO oil between 3500 mile oil changes; a '96 Cartier with 82,000 miles, and an '03 Sig that my wife babies with 21,000 miles. Excluding the styling differences, in our case the '94 is the best of the three - so don't get hung up on age!
Lastly, if you're going to own one of these and operate it on a shoe string then you better get a shop manual, a small set of tools, a voltmeter, and plan on getting your hands dirty on a few occasions. Even a semi-retarded person (with some coaching) can perform most of the simple wear and tear repairs that will be required (cleaning the MAF, replacing the TPS, possibly the Transmission Range Selector on the side of the transmission eventually, Plug wires every 75,000-85,000 miles along with the plugs, etc). Otherwise buy aToyota or similar....
You can't go by what your read in Auto Trader - you're going to HAVE to go and examine the vehicle in person, drive it, pay a couple bucks to put the one you like up on a lift to look at the underside closely. Especially examine the air springs in the rear - if you see anything more than surface cracks you're going to have to replace them in the near future.
Generally, the lowest, mileage vehicle will buy you more miles before you have to spend much money on it. The 95+ models started using the better 4R70W transmission (basically the same as the AODE transmission used in the early 90's, but with minor mods for strength and a wider gear ratio set). The 95+ models have a more modern looking interior, but the pre-95's are built just abit better in almost all areas in most opinions of people that own both.
When you drive the car do some heavy accelarating and have someone outside the car watch for excessive blue smoke. If there is some than more than likely some jack-ass changed plugs without blowing out the spark plug wells. This is the single largest cause of oil consumption in these engines (per a large fleet owners organization) - and not just by back yard mechanics. A lot of todays garages simply want to save time so they let the dirt and grit fall into the cylinder so the job gets done QUICK....
Bottom line normally is - MILES ON THE VEHICLE!!!!! There really isn't much difference, mechanically, between 1992's (the '90's only had the new body style, the '91's were a sorta in-between model in some areas) and the 1997's!!
I have three Town Cars currently: a '94 Signiture with 174,000 miles that still runs strong and burn almost NO oil between 3500 mile oil changes; a '96 Cartier with 82,000 miles, and an '03 Sig that my wife babies with 21,000 miles. Excluding the styling differences, in our case the '94 is the best of the three - so don't get hung up on age!
Lastly, if you're going to own one of these and operate it on a shoe string then you better get a shop manual, a small set of tools, a voltmeter, and plan on getting your hands dirty on a few occasions. Even a semi-retarded person (with some coaching) can perform most of the simple wear and tear repairs that will be required (cleaning the MAF, replacing the TPS, possibly the Transmission Range Selector on the side of the transmission eventually, Plug wires every 75,000-85,000 miles along with the plugs, etc). Otherwise buy aToyota or similar....
