Buying a Used Marauder

[Eric91Z]

OK, I am sure many of you know me and have sat back and listened to me ask my questions and go back and forth all the time on my next car to replace my Honda Accord as a family car and daily driver. It has to have good safety rating, 4-doors, good size, reliable, and comfortable and enjoyable to drive. I wanted a Marauder bad and enjoyed a 3-day weekend test drive of one last fall.

Now, the price range for a used one has been out of my range, especially with the wife getting a new car and the new baby being born just 11 days ago. But figuring out the price range I can work with and checking autotrader.com, there are now some used 2003 Marauder 300A's for sale in the range that we want to stay in. And we know they can be reliable and run well with minor mods.

My concern is this: I am worried about buying a used Marauder, especially a 2003, with around 40,000 miles not knowing how it was used (or abused). And also buying more or less sight unseen since there has not been anything close to home. I do kind of want to buy from a dealership (preferably Ford or Mercury) and get a Ford extended warranty on the car, too. I guess it is just the cold feet and being scared to take the plunge.

Actually I wasn't even back to considering the Marauder until today when I started looking on AutoTrader and there are a couple of used ones for about the same price as some used 2003 and 2004 Crown Vic LX Sports that I was looking at (although the CV's had much lower miles than the Marauders).

Anyway, what are thoughts on buying a used Marauder that has somewhere from 30,000-40,000 as long as it has a clean CarFax and Oasis report and is available with an extended warranty. This car will be my daily driver. I know this is a Marauder website and we come here because we love the car and I really want one, but just a little worried about buying one used, site unseen, and not being able to test drive. Hoping if I find one that I can talk someone on here in to checking it out in person for me to help with the "hand holding" that I really seem to need....


Thanks for the input.

[cyclone03]

OK, I am sure many of you know me and have sat back and listened to me ask my questions and go back and forth all the time on my next car to replace my Honda Accord as a family car and daily driver. It has to have good safety rating, 4-doors, good size, reliable, and comfortable and enjoyable to drive. I wanted a Marauder bad and enjoyed a 3-day weekend test drive of one last fall.

Now, the price range for a used one has been out of my range, especially with the wife getting a new car and the new baby being born just 11 days ago. But figuring out the price range I can work with and checking autotrader.com, there are now some used 2003 Marauder 300A's for sale in the range that we want to stay in. And we know they can be reliable and run well with minor mods.

My concern is this: I am worried about buying a used Marauder, especially a 2003, with around 40,000 miles not knowing how it was used (or abused). And also buying more or less sight unseen since there has not been anything close to home. I do kind of want to buy from a dealership (preferably Ford or Mercury) and get a Ford extended warranty on the car, too. I guess it is just the cold feet and being scared to take the plunge.

Actually I wasn't even back to considering the Marauder until today when I started looking on AutoTrader and there are a couple of used ones for about the same price as some used 2003 and 2004 Crown Vic LX Sports that I was looking at (although the CV's had much lower miles than the Marauders).

Anyway, what are thoughts on buying a used Marauder that has somewhere from 30,000-40,000 as long as it has a clean CarFax and Oasis report and is available with an extended warranty. This car will be my daily driver. I know this is a Marauder website and we come here because we love the car and I really want one, but just a little worried about buying one used, site unseen, and not being able to test drive. Hoping if I find one that I can talk someone on here in to checking it out in person for me to help with the "hand holding" that I really seem to need....


Thanks for the input.


I know of a 2003 for $22,900 with less than 20,000 miles.
PM me for info if you like.
It's near San Antonio,TX.

[carfixer]

The "unseen" portion can easily be fixed. If you locate a car you are interested in, post it here and I'm sure a local Marauder owner wouldn't mind checking it out for you.

[fastblackmerc]

I know of a 2003 for $22,900 with less than 20,000 miles.
PM me for info if you like.
It's near San Antonio,TX.
I just found an '03 at the dealership where I purchased mine. Has 22,462 miles on it and it's just 'ol Henry thought all cars should be.... black & black. If you want the info PM me.

[Eric91Z]

I had originally wanted a 2004 for the TC, upgraded tranny, and that they "seem" to run better. But if I really want one, it will probably be a 2003 300A. Although I did find a 2003 300B on Autotrader for the price that we want.

I do want black/black and preferrably no more than 40,000 miles. And to make it worse, the price range we are looking at is $17,000-$19,000 plus cost of extended warranty. And the factory warrant is 3 years/36,000 miles from the in-service date, right? So some of those could be coming up year wise out of warranty this fall.

Thanks for the reponses guys. I appreciate the input and that is part of why I love this site. I have never met a better group of internet people. A huge part of why I keep coming back to the Marauder as a car I want to have.

[worksuxxx]

2003 300a Houston Tx area. $17300!!! I have just listed mine for sale. I work at a Ford Dealer, service writer actually. I have it listed on this site for my payoff only.. It has the common slight puff of blue smoke at startup after sitting every couple of starts, but am offering Ford Extended warranty at my cost at time of purchase. 12/12 Powertrain Warranty available for $386.00. If interested on longer or upgraded warranty package I can check to see what my cost is. I see you are a good distance from me, but pics, service records, walkaround video avail upon requests. Can fax carfax report on it also. Wife wants new minivan, so I must sell. Went to Carmax dealer two days ago, they offered $16000 (wholesale) if I wanted to sell it, so I know I am well in line at my price on the street. Vehicle does have 43000 miles on it, but extremely clean and mechanically sound. Vehicle has seen WOT many times, but not abused by no means. 410 gears installed about 6 months ago, tune was just done about a month ago. No other mods, did those for shifting and better off the line accelleration. Second set of tires on it, same size all around to allow for tire rotations to allow for longer life. The payoff amount I think is good for only couple of weeks, then interest accrues again. Let me know if any peaked interest. Pictures of it can be found http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=184197673&dealer_id=56467180&car_year=2003&search_type=both&make=MERC&transmission=&sponsorModel=&model=MARAUDER&distance=25&address=77474&make2=&advanced=y&certified=&max_mileage=&max_price=&min_price=&end_year=2003&color=&start_year=2003&drive=&isp=y&engine=&body_style=SEDAN&doors=&fuel=&lang=en&cardist=0

[txmarauder]

If you locate one in TX dfw area or there abouts let me know and i will check it out for you, be careful about the extended warranty if you plan to mod it might void the warranty.

[Eric91Z]

Thanks for the info. Yes, I know the extended warranty (or any warranty) can be voided depending on the modifications done. If I did modifications, it would probably be CAI, tuning, and exhaust to start with. Maybe gears, but that would be pretty much it until I got something to replace it as a daily driver and could really start having fun.

[dwasson]

If you find a car you like this company (http://www.automobileinspections.com/) can inspect it. A buddy used them when he bought a Vette from Georgia.

[Eric91Z]

If you find a car you like this company (http://www.automobileinspections.com/) can inspect it. A buddy used them when he bought a Vette from Georgia.

Not too bad an idea if you have about $330 to spend with the VIN report. I am sure they do a great job, but I guess I would hope I could get by with the CarFax, Oasis, and someone local to help check the car out. And, unfortunately, put a little faith in the seller...

[Eric91Z]

It has the common slight puff of blue smoke at startup after sitting every couple of starts, but am offering Ford Extended warranty at my cost at time of purchase.


Worksuxxx,

I thought this issue was actually pretty well know and something that Mercury was covering under warranty by pulling the heads and new valve seals or something similiar?

Any input on this? Is it similiar to the normal small block Chevy valve stem seals that I have had on cars in the past that allow a little oil leakage in to the cylinders? Just not sure I would want to deal with that on a car with lower mileage. All of my GM's had well over 100,000 miles when they were doing it...

[worksuxxx]

I never heard of the blue smoke on startup. I wish I had, would have taken care of under warranty, especially since I work at a ford dealer. I don't know how long it has puffed that little blue smoke at times, but after reading posts on here, I have been watching. Seems not to do it everytime, but enough to possibly have addressed. I am not to bothered by it, but if I sell it wanted it disclosed with warranty offer. At least I know it was nothing I have done, that it was a common issue. The car is a 300a build date 06/2. Well within the problem area. Probably would have never noticed unless mentioned. Have to actually start car and run behind it to see it for the second or two. I caught my axles though (tsb for taxi and police use only) prior to putting gears in.

[Eric91Z]

Good catch on the axles.

[txmarauder]

I posted a thread about the smoke and all is normal according to the guys on here.

[worksuxxx]

txmarauder,

I have recently switched to Royal Purple 5w-20, smoked for a few more days, now only smokes a little on startup every so often. Vehicle had been sitting all week long and used only on friday nite or saturday cruizen. But since up for sale, been driving daily again, hate to let her go, so getting some last drives out of her. Anybody know about switching oil or using Royal Purple? I haven't been happy with the performance since switching. Even the 1-2 shift isn't as strong. Noticed it off the bat after oil change 800 miles ago. Had consistently used Motorcraft 5w-20. May have to start new thread on this, but try continueing here.