New member, maybe a new owner, pre buy questions. :)

[juno]

Newbie here from South FLorida. I am considering trading in the 00 stang gt drop top for a maruader. I am currently looking at a 2003 with 30k miles on it. The only issue I see so far with the car is that there was an aftermarket amp/woofer installed at one time. The stock stereo and speakers are still there, but it doesn't sound like the other marauders I have driven. Anything I should look out for on this car? Born on date appears to be 6/3/02.

I read a little about the axle seal problem. What is the best way to check for that? Will there be noticeable leakage at the seals?

Anything else to look at on a model built that early?

I noticed a member had a dealer service check by vin number service, but damn if Ican find it now! Who is that?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[fastblackmerc]

Newbie here from South FLorida. I am considering trading in the 00 stang gt drop top for a maruader. I am currently looking at a 2003 with 30k miles on it. The only issue I see so far with the car is that there was an aftermarket amp/woofer installed at one time. The stock stereo and speakers are still there, but it doesn't sound like the other marauders I have driven. Anything I should look out for on this car? Born on date appears to be 6/3/02.

I read a little about the axle seal problem. What is the best way to check for that? Will there be noticeable leakage at the seals?

Anything else to look at on a model built that early?

I noticed a member had a dealer service check by vin number service, but damn if Ican find it now! Who is that?

Thanks in advance for any help!
Get the VIN and there are a few members on this site that can run an OASIS report for you. Will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the MM in question.

[ckadiddle]

Send member RoyLPita a PM with the VIN and he will run it for you.

['03BlkMM]

I think its the soft axle problem that your talking about. That "born on" date would put it in the right time period for it to be a possible problem. The symptoms are excessive noise and vibration. Mine sounded like loud tire tread noise when driving on the highway. So, I thought it was the tires. It wasn't until I went to have my gears installed that we found it. It was all covered under warranty.

Here is my original post on the problem.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17351&highlight=soft+axle

[Eric91Z]

I wonder if the 2003 that I test drove last night has this. It did seem louder at highway speeds than the '04 I test drove. Guess I did not associate that problem with potential "loud tire noise". I just chocked it up to the new tires they had just put on the car. Will have to check on that if we go with this car. I am getting an Oasis run on the car.

[RF Overlord]

^^^what '03BlkMM said^^^

[SouLRioT]

I'll repete what ckadiddle said, Get with RoyLPita, if its a MM for sale in South Florida, more than likely he knows about it. He is the man with answers.

[juno]

Thanks for the info Everybody!

[rayjay]

Is the subwoofer box still attached to the rear package tray? I had a loose wire at one point and instantly knew the sub was not working. Despite what is generally thought here, I like the OEM stereo and have not made any changes other than to secure anything loose in the back to prevent unwanted rattling noise and distortion.

[juno]

Is the subwoofer box still attached to the rear package tray? I had a loose wire at one point and instantly knew the sub was not working. Despite what is generally thought here, I like the OEM stereo and have not made any changes other than to secure anything loose in the back to prevent unwanted rattling noise and distortion.There is about a 10 guage wire laying on the upper part of the trunk under the amp. There is a set of RCA jacks laying next to it. The amp is still there and whatever is in front of it. It appears to be still connected. There is also a circuit board dangling just under the amp. Where would the SW box be?

The dealer does not want to seem to go any lower than 20,500 (which just happens to be retail) but he says he will make everything "right". I would just like to know what "right" is. He did offer to let me take it home overnight and I might take him up on it tonite. :)

[rayjay]

There is about a 10 guage wire laying on the upper part of the trunk under the amp. There is a set of RCA jacks laying next to it. The amp is still there and whatever is in front of it. It appears to be still connected. There is also a circuit board dangling just under the amp. Where would the SW box be?

The dealer does not want to seem to go any lower than 20,500 (which just happens to be retail) but he says he will make everything "right". I would just like to know what "right" is. He did offer to let me take it home overnight and I might take him up on it tonite. :)The OEM is a sealed plastic box up under the left side of the package tray. There are wire harnesses on both sides. The right side is two wires (to the driver), the left side is the a larger harness with multiple wires that heavier in gauge than what you would expect to see on OEM equipment. I'd just crank the bass to see if its working. On a bass heavy song you'll know. -or- the previous owner disconnected the OEM sub unit at the head unit. I've never pulled the head out, so I don't know how its connected, hard wired vs RCA plugs.

[juno]

Yeah, it's disconnected. No bass.

['03BlkMM]

The dealer does not want to seem to go any lower than 20,500 (which just happens to be retail) but he says he will make everything "right". I would just like to know what "right" is. He did offer to let me take it home overnight and I might take him up on it tonite. :)

That sounds a bit on the high side to me. I paid approx $19,500 for my '03MM with 18k miles on it 6 mos ago. It still had approx 9 mos of factory warranty left at that time. Does the one your looking at still have any of the 3/36 warranty left?

I think I'd take it home overnight, come back in the morning and offer them less. If they say no then tell them to give you a call if they change their mind. Just my .02

[juno]

Another question: about the air suspension. Shouldn't the car riaise or lower when you start/shut it down? This one doesn't.

[LCSO34]

Another question: about the air suspension. Shouldn't the car riaise or lower when you start/shut it down? This one doesn't.
No, I will only adjust itself if you load or unload something, the system is more for load leveling. For example I once unloaded about 800lbs of tile out of the trunk, by the time I got to the last box the rearend of the car was so high I almost couldn't reach it. I showed my wife because I thought I was hallencinating, but within 10-15 minutes it was back down to normal.( level)

[jgc61sr2002]

juno - Welcome to the MM site. :) You came to the right place. Excellent vendors and a membership that can answer any questiions you have regarding the Marauder. :D

[juno]

juno - Welcome to the MM site. :) You came to the right place. Excellent vendors and a membership that can answer any questiions you have regarding the Marauder. :D
Thanks!

Yeah, i took the MM for a ride to one of the bars tonight. Normally I would put the top down on the stang and that is pretty hard to beat. But damn this marauder is nice. :)

[juno]

Alright,

So I test drive this MM and it has the tires reversed (small ones on the back).

The dealer rotates the tires and the car acts a lot better, (no abs/brake lights, shifts normal) but I noticed that the rpms at 80 are still at about 2450.

So it's not the tires causing the rpm problem. Stock should be about 2300, right? 4.10s would be 2650 or so, I think this has 3.90's or 3.73's in it. Anyone have a gear calculator for the 4r70w?

And it has a small graphic on the rear of the trunk sort of like a light blue swoosh and a checkered flag swoosh crossing like an X. WTF?

['03BlkMM]

Doesn't matter which tires are on it as far as RPM's vs MPH are concerned unless your dealer reflashed the computer for the different sized tires. The computer sets up the RPM's/MPH based on the parameters programmed into it, Tire size and rear gear. You can put whatever gear or tire you want on it and unless you reflash the computer nothing will change.

But based on what your saying it sounds like 4.10's, I'd guess 4.10's over 3.90's as they are more popular on the MM. The 4.10's should be around 2500 at 80mph.