Two-Tone Marauder?

[frdwrnch]

I was traveling on Hwy 64 west of Manteo NC and spotted a small Ford, Lincoln-Mercury dealer as I was driving through a small town. In front of the dealer was a two-tone Marauder. It appeared to be a silver one with the top surfaces painted black (silver sides, black grill, hood, top and decklid). I wish I had time to stop and look at the window sticker but I still had seven hours to drive and six hours to get there.
Has anyone else seen anything like this? It is very similar to the paint scheme on the centennial F-150's.

[nhinterceptor]

Sounds like the garage companion for Logans Harley Hauler.

-Dan

[Jay Stark]

:puke:

[prchrman]

Law Law Law...Highway patrol maybe...NC trooper color?

[SergntMac]

shipping wrap?

[Marauder57]

Oh that car is not done yet...they still have to install the Vinyl roof with the gold trim.....

YEAH BABY!!!! :D

[gja]

BLEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! !!

[Bigdogjim]

Vinyl did I hear some say the the WORD?? Where where???
Black or white top????

[Marauder57]

Originally posted by Bigdogjim
Vinyl did I hear some say the the WORD?? Where where???
Black or white top????

BigDog...someone loves you...not only do you get the Vinyl Top...but you get two-tone as well.....all you need is white walls and you are good to go.... :up:

[Bigdogjim]

How about the red pin stripe size?? Cool huh????

[Marauder57]

Originally posted by Bigdogjim
How about the red pin stripe size?? Cool huh????

Now you are just getting greedy.....Vinyl Tops, Two Tone paint...White Walls......now you want Red Pinstripes.....Jeeeeezzzzz!

Next you will be wanting gold wire rims and curb feelers...... ;)

[Jeff]

And purple undercarriage lights!

[gja]

OHMYGAWDIMGONNABESICK.........

[Marauderman]

It definitely could be N.C. Tropper's car--wouldn't surprise me one bit for them to be using one of our MM's.......can't catch' m..so join'm..

After all--there is four of them in L/E just outside ALt..ask TAF...

I would however, expect them to be left "undercover" like ours though for more of a suprise attach though....my .02cent

[jgc61sr2002]

If in fact that is the color scheme, it was probably special ordered for the Police or some other corporation. IMHO.:(

[Marauderman]

In N.C --HP colors are Silver on Black on Silver --the middle section of the car from front to rear ...so ,..you never know anymore....

[Bigdogjim]

Originally posted by Marauder57
Now you are just getting greedy.....Vinyl Tops, Two Tone paint...White Walls......now you want Red Pinstripes.....Jeeeeezzzzz!

Next you will be wanting gold wire rims and curb feelers...... ;)

OK! curb feelers A-OK gold:help: What do I look like:confused:

Gold:P I have a can of spray paint in the trunk just incase:flamer: :flamer: :flamer: :flamer:

[SergntMac]

Originally posted by jgc61sr2002
If in fact that is the color scheme, it was probably special ordered for the Police or some other corporation. IMHO.:(

The only color I am concerned with are the colors red and blue, and only when flashing from over my shoulder.

Thanks to cheap gas and superior mirrors, I worry less these days. Nonetheless, red/blue flashing behind me = bad.

I still get cold sweats, shivers and sometimes nausea too! Moreso when my pop-off valve is being a bad boy...

"Yes Officer, I see that, yeah, that's a shame too. Well, yeah, it does look like rubber, sir, you could say that... But, none of that looks Italian to me, sir...Pirellis don't leave that much evidence..."

[frdwrnch]

That would be consistent w/North Carolina Highway Patrol colors. After they put some seat time in their new Impalas they'll be fighting over that one. Hate it for 'em.

[mtnh]

Pace car??

[Patrick]

Wait!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone forgot to put the fuzzy dice on the rearview mirror!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[01 Interceptor]

Yeah, the ones around here aren't selling too well(big surprise huh?) and I heard from a buddy of mine that some LE agency in Snohomish Co, maybe it's the WSP, but they have a black MM and they ruined it with a set of Setina pushbars. I mean, if you wanna sneak up on people, what a better car to do it in, but the pushbars on the MM? Oh the humanity!

[RCSignals]

01 Interceptor
The whole Northwest region which includes more than one State, sold 74 Marauders at May month end, and there are only 59 "available" Since Marauders weren't available in the NW until late July/early August, that's not too bad sales for something most people don't even know exists

[01 Interceptor]

I agree. I would guess that most of those 74 aren't in Western Washington. I have yet to see one on the road. It'd be nice to see some other local MM owners once I purchase my own.

[RCSignals]

I know of a few sold in the Portland area, but the only one I've actually see other than mine, is Looking's

[01 Interceptor]

The local L/M dealer claims to have sold "5 or 6." I guess he couldn't remember, but every time I drive by I see the same three cars lol. I will have to see if they still have the 300A on the lot. No silver as of yet(that I have seen.)

[frdwrnch]

THE UNFORTUNATE REALITY IS THE CAR WAS JUST POORLY MARKETED. EVERY TIME I DRIVE MINE SOMEONE ASKS ME "WHAT IS IT?". 95% OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEM LOVE THE CAR. MANY OF THOSE HAVE HAD A POOR BUYING EXPERIENCE OR A POOR SERVICE EXPERIENCE BUT THEY STILL LOVE THE CAR. I GUESS WE WILL JUST BE AN EXCLUSIVE GROUP.

[jerrym3]

IMHO, I don't totally agree with the "lack of marketing" argument causing poor sales.

Ford stated early in the game that the goal was to sell 18,000 MMs in the first year.

If you were in charge of Ford's advertising budget, where would you put your marketing dollars? Towards a limited run vehicle, or towards your "bread and butter" SUV and truck line?

How many non car crazy people can look at a BMW and know immedietely if it's a 3, 5, or 7 series? How many know what "M" even stands for on a BMW?

Every auto magazine and TV car show either commented on the car or ran road tests on it, and if you didn't read those magazines or watch those shows, you're probably not a candidate to own a Marauder, anyway. The car was also displayed in the major autoshows, although the quality on the one that I saw in NY was atrocious.

Too much press claiming the car did not hit the musclecar bullseye and a bad economy caused the slow sales, along with initial dealer greed.

I've said this before, but when Motorweek TV does a road test on the Mercury musclecar and calls it, and I quote, "a ****ycat off the line", don't you think that turned off many potential lookers/buyers?

Even the Mercury DVD that was distributed had comments from the testers that the car wasn't quick off the line, even though both reports (and many others) had good things to say about the car.

Now that the car is selling at prices that should have been available on day 1, they seem to be moving, but you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

[frdwrnch]

You have a good point but I feel they should have chosen a wider market to appeal to. They targetted enthusiasts by marketing the car on the speed channel. But hey, these guys already knew what the car was. Better market penetration could have been achieved by advertising the car on the big three networks during major sporting events. Just my thoughts, after all I am just a lowly shop foreman w/no formal economics training.

[SheboyganGuy]

I never heard of the Mercury Marauder until a fateful day in late April 2003. There was a review in our local paper. I read it, went over to the dealership, and bought it. I don't think it took 4 hours from reading the article to signing the papers... I agree, Mercury should have done broader advertising for this car.

[jerrym3]

Well, look at it this way.

If increased marketing would have greatly increased sales, you wouldn't be getting the deals that you're getting now.

Kind of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't".

It would also be real interesting to compile figures showing how many Marauder owners decided to go the mod route.

How about it, vendors. How many Marauders have you chipped, SCed, rear ended (poor choice of words), or whatever?

[Hemlock]

I SAW THE PROTOTYPE AT SEMA SHOW VEGAS , OCT 99 THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE IT IN AT LEAST A YEAR . 2 YEARS LATER IT FINALLY MADE IT TO MY GARAGE . MADE SOME CHANGES THAT SOULD HAVE COME ON THE CAR . 29,000+ MILES AND I LOVED EVERY ONE !!!!

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by jerrym3
IMHO, I don't totally agree with the "lack of marketing" argument causing poor sales.

Ford stated early in the game that the goal was to sell 18,000 MMs in the first year.

If you were in charge of Ford's advertising budget, where would you put your marketing dollars? Towards a limited run vehicle, or towards your "bread and butter" SUV and truck line?

How many non car crazy people can look at a BMW and know immedietely if it's a 3, 5, or 7 series? How many know what "M" even stands for on a BMW?

Every auto magazine and TV car show either commented on the car or ran road tests on it, and if you didn't read those magazines or watch those shows, you're probably not a candidate to own a Marauder, anyway. The car was also displayed in the major autoshows, although the quality on the one that I saw in NY was atrocious.

Too much press claiming the car did not hit the musclecar bullseye and a bad economy caused the slow sales, along with initial dealer greed.

I've said this before, but when Motorweek TV does a road test on the Mercury musclecar and calls it, and I quote, "a ****ycat off the line", don't you think that turned off many potential lookers/buyers?

Even the Mercury DVD that was distributed had comments from the testers that the car wasn't quick off the line, even though both reports (and many others) had good things to say about the car.

Now that the car is selling at prices that should have been available on day 1, they seem to be moving, but you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

I don't agree, lack of positive advertising was a huge factor.

You think General Motors won't be advertising the GTO? I find it interesting that recently GM is avoiding saying "18,000" as they first did, now just saying "limited availability"

Your DVD example of Ford including less than positive comments is typical Ford. What other car manufacturer does this? None that I've noticed.

while I agree that cars are overpriced, I can't see how Ford could have priced the Marauder lower than other Panther line cars. that's exactly what they would have done if it was introduced at $29,900. From what I gather that price was published in error, then appeared everywhere, unfortunately for Ford.

I do agree with this "Too much press claiming the car did not hit the musclecar bullseye and a bad economy caused the slow sales, along with initial dealer greed."

It's something the press is good at when it comes to Ford. Almost like they feel "challenged" to do it, right or wrong.
And as for dealers, overpricing should be against their franchise agreements!

I recently read some magazine reviews from the '90s about Caprices, and found it interesting how "forgiving" the reviewers were of observed shortcomings, compared to the recent reviews of the Marauder.

[jgc61sr2002]

RC As per the marketing director for the 2004 GTO he stated" They will only have one shift at the Holden Plant to build the GTO and 18,000 is the Maximum production."

[RCSignals]

John, Yes I understand that, however the latest advertising I've seen now just says "limited availability" That's a nice out if they don't sell 18,000.

It's what Ford should have said about the Marauder. If they had it would be considered a sales success