Problem areas and how much?

[sho89mtx]

I read the FAQ on markviii.org and since i'm in the market to buy my first Mark VIII now, what else should i look for that are problem areas? Do all mark VIII's air shocks go out? Looking at a mark VIII with 93k on it this week and he said the shocks have never been replaced, does this mean they are gonna go out soon? If so, how much do they cost to fix? Thanks for all your help so far in answering my questions, even though i'm a bit of a bug-a-boo on here

thanks,
scott

 

[cobra8]

mine is a 97 with 114k and the original air bags. Never had a problem with them

 

[Strutmasters]

I read the FAQ on markviii.org and since i'm in the market to buy my first Mark VIII now, what else should i look for that are problem areas? Do all mark VIII's air shocks go out? Looking at a mark VIII with 93k on it this week and he said the shocks have never been replaced, does this mean they are gonna go out soon? If so, how much do they cost to fix? Thanks for all your help so far in answering my questions, even though i'm a bit of a bug-a-boo on here

thanks,
scott

I would like to start by saying, in my opinion the Mark VIII is the nicest of the Lincoln line. They are very good cars. However, every Mark VIII will eventually have problems with their air suspension. It is not a matter of IF, but rather a matther of WHEN. They usually begin to have problems around 90,000 miles. There are two options available to you when trying to correct the air suspension problems. You can either replace the air suspension parts that are currently on the vehicle, or convert the car to a passive coil suspension. The replacement air struts will run you about $169 a piece and $69 dollars a piece for the rear air bags. The benefit of going with a conversion over replacement air suspension, is that simply put, it is more reliable. With standard struts and coil springs, there are NO electrical components that can malfuntion, there is nothing that can leak, therefor, saving you money in the long run. The conversion kits cost considerably less than the replacement air suspension parts. I would not let the air suspension problems on these vehicles scare you away from owning a GREAT car. If you have any more questions about the Mark VIII's suspension system, please let me know and I will be glad to help.

Thanks,
Strutmasters Team