New Guy in Central IL

[Black5Projects]

Hello All,

I've enjoyed watching from the sidelines for quite some time and am happy to join Marauder fans, even if I'm 15 years late.

Last month I purchased a neglected 2003 Marauder with only 85,500 miles for just $6,400. It sat dusty for 60 days behind the garage of a Lexus dealer priced at just under $9,000. Dealer felt as though I was an enthusiast and cut me a deal for cash. I couldn't believe it. The paint cleaned up amazingly well, despite some small scratches here and there, a wrong passenger-side rear taillight, yellowed headlights and missing front floor mats. I've enjoyed detailing it in the evenings and correcting certain flaws. Managed to fix the vacuum leak on my A/C head unit after watching a great YouTube video that boosted my confidence to tackle other little issues. Spending money like crazy on eBay having bought stuff like floor mats, dealer brochures, an '04 owner's manual, etc. I think I've caught a disease. I'm in full-on restoration mode. Now if I can find the right spare tire for the trunk ...

I love the comments on this forum and can't seem to get enough information to absorb. It's inspiring to know that I can get a flash and some 4.10 gears installed to boost the fun factor a little and overcome the transmission hunt that goes on at 40mph and 60mph. Even still, this Merc has quickly become my favorite daily. So smooth ...

Standard CD/Cassette, No TracCntl Switch, No Heated Seats, Long Overhead Console, etc.

[Ms. Denmark]

Congrats on your Marauder! Sounds like you'll give her a good home and welcome aboard!

[NorthShoreChiMM]

Theres a meet for us windy city guys on sunday at tilted kilt in Schaumburg at 2 pm weather pending. Come and join us. Congrats

[justbob]

Theres a meet for us windy city guys on sunday at tilted kilt in Schaumburg at 2 pm NOT weather pending. Come and join us. Congrats


Fixed. [emoji6]

Congrats. Looks really shiny for cheap price tag! Welcome from the western burbs.






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[Invective]

Welcome! Looks like a Marauder sibling has found a good home - they deserve one! Just purchased my car in March from the second owner - never a second thought - quite the contrary!


I'm looking at your K&N install - installing one myself at the moment. Apparently the wrong fasteners got packed into my box. :-(

[GoldPanther]

I like your style. welcome!

[Ambitious1]

Welcome and Congratulations! Great job on getting the right parts!
You will be happy when everything comes together!

[kirk]

Nice car. Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the site

[Gryphonzus]

Congratulations on your new ride and welcome to the MODNESS!!!

[Grimrepairman]

Looks good. Congratulations and welcome.

Can we assume that you have, or will remove the Lexus license plate frame?

[Black5Projects]

Looks good. Congratulations and welcome.

Can we assume that you have, or will remove the Lexus license plate frame?

Haha, that Lexus plate frame has been a great conversation starter everywhere I go with the public. Yeah, figured I'd ditch the frame when I can decide on a vanity custom plate.

Any ideas?

[champ1173]

Welcome! Looks really nice! There's a lot of helpful people here.

[Maverick pro]

Very nice marauder you have there. It is definitely a addiction looking for marauder parts lol.

[Mr. Man]

Without knowing the part numbers off hand that tail light might be correct just Silver Birch on the bottom rail. Marauder tail lights are lightly smoked and black is obsolete, as are many MM parts. Previous owner may have found a SB tail light and not had a chance to paint the rail. Long story short don't throw it away, might just need to be painted black.

Congratulations on the purchase.

[03MAU4V]

Welcome !!!coming from newbie to the modness , it definitely a fun DD , crazy how many people like these cars still after so many years

[1Marauder]

Welcome and congrats! Great job bringing your Marauder back to Glory!

Photos look amazing.

Warning! Sounds like you've been bitten and infected; the euphoria you have recently felt is addictive in nature and 1000 or so people are completely strung out accross the nation. This illness can manifest in many different ways. Some seek perfection in just one unit, while others have a multi unit breakout, even into lesser lesions like CVSports and HPPs.

Serious manifestations can include extreme impairment in judgement, including but not limited to seeking smaller homes, with larger four and five car garages.

Noted in previous expert testimony (just last week) in another Marauder journal, addiction can override normal judgement creating abnormal irrational ermergency response: Put out house fire(?) or continue to wash Marauder?

Other judgement impairment examples include complex decision making conundrums: Be inside with loving family or outside with cool beverage adding yet another coat of wax to an already shiney Marauder.

Physical examples include the intense, premeditated, need to "detail another section" of a Marauder. One patient logged three hours cleaning and detailing his trunk, and (again-irrationally) shared his perceived victory as perfection in writing and even proudly declared he would post pictures (of a trunk no less!) later in week. Worse yet, other patients logged on wanted to see these photos and admitted they hoped to, or admitting to have done, the same trunk detailing recently.

All patients report the desire to add boost, in one format or another.

Universal symptoms include desire to hoard certain parts: floor matts, front and rear bumper covers, and wheels-especially if widened. A recent and new symptom is coveting upgraded front brake calipers (of all things), and many report having one or two sets uninstalled!

Less damaging universal /commen symptoms have been noted as well: the impulse to bid $8.00 on any and every item ever put up for sale, and the impulse to use the cliche "Pictures or it didn't happen." Perhaps even worse than this abject cliche use... Is the physical let down or dampened mood when someone "shares a symptom manifestation" on this forum, and neglects to include the pictures for all patients to see.

Please watch for these signs of infection and disease spread within your household and community.

Report back your findings, outbreaks, and personal manifestations, as we have found each case to be both uniquely different, and universally similar in nature. To ease and sooth other patients, please try to include photos.

Best of luck in beating this illness. Please know you are not alone and we are here for you!

[guspech750]

Wow. What a great find you found. A diamond in the rough. Car looks great. Nice job on bringing back to life. Good luck with your new addiction. It’ll be a hard one to cure. LOLzzzzzzz


Sent from the White House on the tax payers dime.

[BUCKWHEAT]

Congrats on a great buy. There are a few MM owners in the St Louis area, as well as the Chicago group.