New '03 DBP Marauder owner in Minnesota! [Archive]

Chad1987

04-30-2012, 08:35 PM

Hello everyone!

My name is Chad and for my 25th birthday (4/15/12), I treated myself to a favorite car of mine....an '03 Marauder in Dark Blue Pearl. I've liked Marauders since they were new (I remember seeing them at the Minneapolis Auto Show in '03 or '04 and thinking how awesome they were) and I started looking around this spring for one. I knew they made a LOT of them in black, but I knew there were other colors as well. I was searching the local auto trader for Marauders on Easter Sunday, and I found one was recently traded in at a local Honda dealer, so I emailed on it, and I was VERY surprised/happy to hear it was DARK BLUE (not even knowing yet how rare Dark Blue Pearl is) as opposed to the very common Black....AND it had the lighter leather interior AND heated seats! I was sold!

So I went out there on Monday, drove it (never drove a Marauder before), fell in love and agreed to trade my '00 Regal GS in on it. Completed the deal on Friday the 13th and had myself an awesome birthday present!

(It didn't occur to me until after I agreed to buy it that ONLY 328 DARK BLUE PEARL MARAUDERS WERE EVER MADE!!)

I LOVE this car, probably the favorite one I've ever owned (right up there with the '99 Mercedes Benz S320 I had for a couple of years) and am looking forward to putting many miles on it!!

Here's some pics!

Shining in the morning sun....
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/Chadillac8705/The%20Marauder/2012-04-17_10-35-40_546.jpg

Goodbye Regal...
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/Chadillac8705/The%20Marauder/2012-04-20_15-42-15_376.jpg

Out on a beer run yesterday...
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/Chadillac8705/The%20Marauder/IMG_8734.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/Chadillac8705/The%20Marauder/IMG_8733.jpg

Light Flint Interior!
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j313/Chadillac8705/The%20Marauder/2012-04-13_13-29-41_671-1.jpg

dohc324ci

04-30-2012, 08:36 PM

Nice excellent choice in the DBP!

Comin' in Hot

04-30-2012, 08:42 PM

Welcome to the blues bros!!!

DOOM

04-30-2012, 08:43 PM

:welcome: to the site!

:congrats: on the marauder!

How many miles on her?

MOTOWN

04-30-2012, 08:47 PM

Congrats on you MARAUDER, and welcome to the site/madness!

Chad1987

04-30-2012, 09:40 PM

88k miles, got a solid loan on it, and my payments ended up being LESS than they were on my '00 Regal GS.

Being that it's 1/328, I will be buying myself a winter car, as this one has shown no evidence of being winter driven with either of the two prior owners. It was sold in Burnsville MN at Thane Hawkins Burnsville Lincoln Mercury. Build date is 1/03. Not sure on the exact date.....how do I get one of those certificates from FoMoCo? I'd REALLY like to get one of those and get it framed!

The car overall is very, very clean. No dings or dents on the body anywhere, no rust or anything. The carfax is clean and I'm the 3rd owner. The only physical mar on the exterior is the right rear wheel is coming delaminated or is corroded, but the other 3 are perfect. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Very pleased with the power the Marauder puts out. I timed it's 0-60 yesterday and got 6.8 seconds, which is on the low side of the Marauder's times (everyone says from 6.5 up to 7.5), and it's acceleration only improves as the speeds rise. Compared to the Supercharged 3800 in my Regal, the Marauder lacks (a bit) out of the hole, but at wide open throttle on the highway, especially over 70MPH, the Marauder shines, especially considering how big & heavy it is. It really reminds me of the FWD Northstar Cadillac STS's.

It gets great mileage as well....17-18MPG is normal around town, whereas my V6 Regal would get 19-20 in that same area. The LT1 Roadmaster I had averaged 13 and my 4.9 deVille averaged 14-15.

How do I find Marauder apparel? Hats, keychains, t-shirts and the like...

MOTOWN

04-30-2012, 09:55 PM

Heres a good place to start http://www.ebay.com/itm/150314574866?ssPageName=STRK:M EWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

kernie

04-30-2012, 10:35 PM

Congrats on the blue, be prepared for lots of looks and compliments. They do look nice in the sun but my fave is just before dusk, in the right light, they seem to come alive like no other!

:beer:

gdsqdcr

04-30-2012, 11:10 PM

From one blue to another, welcome!

REAL4WD

05-01-2012, 12:17 AM

Welcome!

you got a DPB MM and a LF (Light Flint) interior? that's crazy! congratulations on that! IIRC there were only like 117 DPB MMs with LF interior.

Mercguy04

05-01-2012, 01:06 AM

Nice going.
I am a big fan of the DBP, My favorite color and I think the fastest.
Best of Luck with your new ride.
Russell

Shaijack

05-01-2012, 02:18 AM

Congtats to you. Great color and a very nice Marauder. 113/328 Welcome to the Blues Brotherhood.

guspech750

05-01-2012, 02:41 AM

Welcome bubs!! Welcome to the madness!! Yes. A winter car for the WIN!! Keep the DPB in minty condition.

But................ I think DTR is the fastest!!

http://img.tapatalk.com/638e256c-afa2-cd62.jpg

Now you will NEED to get a tune. The tune will awaken the demon inside the MM:burnout:

Sent from my iPhone
Eaton Swap + 4.10's = Wreeeeeeeeeedom!!

CBT

05-01-2012, 03:24 AM

Welcome to....the madness.... :beer:

SC Cheesehead

05-01-2012, 04:10 AM

:welcome1:

Hope we get a chance to meet up one day.

Hey, check out the threads for MV10, coming up in September; a bunch of the Blues Brothers will be there, you oughta join in on the fun.

PonyUP

05-01-2012, 04:15 AM

Welcome to the BluesBrothers. IIRC there were 210 DPB with light flint interior.

Like Guspech said, get yourself a tune and you'll notice a much different Marauder,

Welcome to the madness

Pony seal of Approval

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 04:45 AM

CBT

05-01-2012, 05:07 AM

What exactly does the tune do?

Why was Dark Blue Pearl such a rare color? It's a beautiful color on the car, so I guess I don't understand why they'd only offer it for such a short run. Everyone tells me that it looks like a detective's car in that color..

My buddy's mom has an '03 Marauder 300A, and aside from a few minor differences (her clock is in the dashboard, mine is in the radio), etc they're the same car, BUT he says his mom's will chirp the tires at a 1-2 shift at WOT. Mine will not, but it shifts very quickly and firmly into 2nd gear. Was there a certain run of Marauder that were the fastest?

Because every six months, the color was supposed to change, with the exception of black, they would always be an option. Blue was the second color made, and the first to end. Mine is blue, light flint inerior, no factory 6-CD changer option in the trunk, making it 1 of 71. :cool:

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 05:13 AM

CBT

05-01-2012, 05:15 AM

OK, so I have:
Heated seats (when I found out it was blue with the heated seats in Light Flint, thats why I jumped on it so fast)
6 Disc CD Changer
Trunk Organizer (one of the previous owners lost it)

My MSRP was $35,305.

Whoa, yours is 1 of 4, dude! :beer: Just kidding, I have no idea. Mine does not have heated seats that I know of, never had my face down there to look. Maybe I'll get Amy to look. :D

RoyLPita

05-01-2012, 06:08 AM

Welcome aboard. Enjoy the site and your new ride.

Ozark Marauder

05-01-2012, 06:26 AM

"I was searching the local auto trader for Marauders on Easter Sunday, and I found one was recently traded in at a local Honda dealer, so I emailed on it, and I was VERY surprised/happy to hear it was DARK BLUE (not even knowing yet how rare Dark Blue Pearl is) as opposed to the very common Black....AND it had the lighter leather interior AND heated seats! I was sold!"

Careful Chad, :D......LOL...No really, congrats on your new to you BLUE, and :welcome1: to the madness..........

OZ

SC Cheesehead

05-01-2012, 06:38 AM

What exactly does the tune do?

Why was Dark Blue Pearl such a rare color? It's a beautiful color on the car, so I guess I don't understand why they'd only offer it for such a short run. Everyone tells me that it looks like a detective's car in that color..

My buddy's mom has an '03 Marauder 300A, and aside from a few minor differences (her clock is in the dashboard, mine is in the radio), etc they're the same car, BUT he says his mom's will chirp the tires at a 1-2 shift at WOT. Mine will not, but it shifts very quickly and firmly into 2nd gear. Was there a certain run of Marauder that were the fastest?

This is one of the things that a tune will do for you. Between that, and advancing the timing a bit, a tune will give you more responsiveness out of the car.

They came from the factory "de-tuned" so to speak, to fall within the CAFE requirements; that's also why they were equipped with 3.55 gears.

Suggest you save some bucks, then contact either Mo's Speed Shop or Lidio at Alternative Automotive to get an xCal tuner with one of their MM tunes installed on it. Plug n' play, and you'll really wake the car up. Get a set of 4.10 gears installed as well, and you'll have a car set up the way they SHOULD have come from the factory.

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 07:06 AM

Ozark Marauder

05-01-2012, 07:19 AM

http://www.alternativeauto.com/Marauder_Tune.html

OZ

breeze

05-01-2012, 07:23 AM

Ya lucky bastard.lol nice and ur at the right place to learn more bout the car.

gdsqdcr

05-01-2012, 07:24 AM

I don't wanna get too crazy with this yet... it is still my primary driver until I pick up a winter / 2nd car. The idea of a tune interests me but I would hold off on 4.10's until I have two cars to drive. How much is a good tune?

Get a good tune from Lido or Marty. I don't know the cost, my current Marauder came with 4.10's and a tune. I average 17.5 in my 80 mile round trip commute in solid traffic. It is okay, cause when I do a get chance to get on it and those rear tires (265's) chirp and the car slides to the side a bit ... that grin on my face goes from ear to ear.

As for blues, I am 232 of 328. I have the Dark Charcoal interior (Light flint was to close to white), heated seats, 6 disc changer.

As for getting crazy ... the bug will bite. First it will be a tune, then gears and the CAI. From there, maybe some cosmetics like the S-55 treatment or a badgeless ... or maybe a little extra power from an Eaton or Vortech. It will happen, so you should start putting the money away now.

:beer:

SC Cheesehead

05-01-2012, 07:46 AM

I don't wanna get too crazy with this yet... it is still my primary driver until I pick up a winter / 2nd car. The idea of a tune interests me but I would hold off on 4.10's until I have two cars to drive. How much is a good tune?

I used my car as a DD for six years, five of those running NA with a tune and 4.10s, saw minimal impact on mileage, but a big improvement in performance. Lost maybe a 1/2 mpg on the mileage. (You'll only pick up a couple hundred rpm at 75 mph).

An xCal tuner with two tunes loaded (generally one for 3.55 gears and another for 4.10s) will set you back around $400, but keep in mind that the tuner can be used for tweaking various parameters, and future upgrades to the tune are often provided for minimal cost from your supplier.

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 08:13 AM

The tune/ 4.10's sound great, but not as great as having a 2nd car so I can keep "Molly" clean and salt free come winter. :)

SC Cheesehead

05-01-2012, 08:16 AM

The tune/ 4.10's sound great, but not as great as having a 2nd car so I can keep "Molly" clean and salt free come winter. :)

Good point!

I've been out of the Midwest for going on 20 years now, so I've almost forgotten about snow, road salt, etc.

Buy a winter beater, then start saving up for the mods, but be forewarned: once the mod bug bites, you're hooked.

Ask me how I know.... ;) -----> :D

Mercguy04

05-01-2012, 10:14 AM

Not a chance DBP everyday.

clmrt

05-01-2012, 11:50 AM

I went to see that one the day after it was listed - already gone! Luck you, as I'd have traded in mine for it.

If you want, PM me for contact info and you can take my '03 for a spin around the block. CAI, Lidio tune, 4.10's and modified exhaust.

Then we can drag race on your way home.

- Colin in Hopkins

HD4

05-01-2012, 12:17 PM

Congrats on the Marauder.
I have only had mine for about 3 weeks bought with 30,000 original miles on it and I have the Lidio tune in, had the whole car repainted, TCE brakes lines and 4:10 getting installed next week!
totally different car with the tune as MANY have said before here

Gryphonzus

05-01-2012, 04:09 PM

Congratulations on the DBP purchase. My first mod on mine was a SCT and a tune. It really does make a difference for so little money and it is easy to get a new tune. Glad to hear you like your new ride. Look forward to meeting you at a get together some day!

crouse

05-01-2012, 05:31 PM

Welcome. I'm in Rosemount. Where are you located?

Maybe consider joining our local car club.

www.mnfords.com (http://www.mnfords.com)

Also, Apple Valley Ford has a car show every year. This year it's Sunday June 3rd. I'll be there. Would be fun to have another Marauder there this year.

Thanks,
Curt

jdando

05-01-2012, 07:59 PM

Welcome Chad!

Great looking car! I am over on the west side of the cities. Looks like it is time for a get together.

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 08:17 PM

Welcome Chad!

Great looking car! I am over on the west side of the cities. Looks like it is time for a get together.

I'd agree! I bought the car on the west side of the cities....Hopkins Honda. The first place I went after I took delivery was The Lions Tap down in Eden Prairie, arguably the best hamburgers in the cities.

Welcome. I'm in Rosemount. Where are you located?

Maybe consider joining our local car club.

www.mnfords.com (http://www.mnfords.com)

Also, Apple Valley Ford has a car show every year. This year it's Sunday June 3rd. I'll be there. Would be fun to have another Marauder there this year.

Thanks,
Curt

Thanks! I grew up in Eagan but now live in Maplewood. I know exactly where Apple Valley Ford is (used to go there every once in a while to browse around) and I've heard of that show, but usually it's during the same Sunday as the All-GM show at the Fairgrounds, but this year they're on different Sundays, so I'd love to make it down in "Molly" and show off one of the few (if not only) DBP's in Minnesota.

I went to see that one the day after it was listed - already gone! Luck you, as I'd have traded in mine for it.

If you want, PM me for contact info and you can take my '03 for a spin around the block. CAI, Lidio tune, 4.10's and modified exhaust.

Then we can drag race on your way home.

- Colin in Hopkins

Hah! I emailed on that car on Easter Sunday and the salesperson called me back the next morning and told me if I wanted it, I'd better get down to look at it QUICK as he'd already gotten a few different emails about it. I guess he wasn't lying! :D I ran down there Monday after work (I sell cars at Luther Nissan Kia in Inver Grove), drove it and agreed to buy it that night. I picked it up on my day off, Friday 4/13.

Maybe we can all get together sometime and take our Marauders out on a run somewhere and get a burger or something sometime soon. :)

Chad1987

05-01-2012, 08:59 PM

Maybe consider joining our local car club.

www.mnfords.com (http://www.mnfords.com)

I joined. MaplewoodMarauder is the screen name. :) Thanks for the invite, looking forward to coming to some meets & cruises.

vegasmarauder

05-03-2012, 12:52 AM

Congrats on the blue! Yours was built the month before mine. I have had mine since 2003 and still it feels like I just got it. Now does anyone have a spare Silver Birch laying around so I can complete my set?

Bluerauder

05-03-2012, 04:06 AM

Hello everyone!

My name is Chad and for my 25th birthday (4/15/12), I treated myself to a favorite car of mine....an '03 Marauder in Dark Blue Pearl.

Congrats Chad and welcome :welcome1: to the MM.Net. Your Blue MM may be a close cousin of the Bluerauder built early January 2003 with Light Flint and Heated seats too !!! Mine has 90K miles on it.

IIRC there were only like 117 DPB MMs with LF interior. You are off by quite a bit.

From the Ford Performance Group (FPG) trim and option breakout sheet for 2003 MMs >>>> http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=58208&highlight=option:

Blue/Light Flint = 215 of 328
Blue/Dark Charcoal = 113 of 328
Blue with Heated Seats = 217 of 328

Chad1987

05-03-2012, 05:50 AM

Wait, so according to that link, Silver Birch was offered in 2003 as well, but I've never heard that before....I thought it was 2004 only..

I never like silver cars, but that Silver Birch is great on the Marauder....it's a great shade of silver that really works well with the car's lines, and that grille looks so sexy in black..

wickedmerc

05-03-2012, 06:17 AM

Welcome to the site bro and welcome to Marauder-ownership!! Best of luck with it.

That's a sharp car ya got there, congrats! One of the more desireable combos out there.... good grab! :cool:

Do the tuner, you won't regret it.

Bluerauder

05-03-2012, 09:31 AM

Wait, so according to that link, Silver Birch was offered in 2003 as well, but I've never heard that before....I thought it was 2004 only...

Black (7093), Silver (417) and Blue (328) = 7,838 for 2003
Black (1237), Silver (997) and Red (980) = 3,214 for 2004

Black (8330), Silver (1414), Red (980), and Blue (328) = 11,052 Total MMs

Chad1987

05-04-2012, 12:55 PM

Wow, weird. I have both the showroom brochures for the 03 and 04 Marauders, and nowhere in the '03 does it mention DBP or SB in the color charts. Was it an after thought?

kernie

05-04-2012, 01:12 PM

Wow, weird. I have both the showroom brochures for the 03 and 04 Marauders, and nowhere in the '03 does it mention DBP or SB in the color charts. Was it an after thought?

Here is a story i heard yesterday, now i'm not saying it's true but the person who told me this is a stand-up guy who just wouldn't make it up.

My sons high school auto teacher told me he went on a plant tour and they had a blue in the middle of the plant and were angry because someone painted one blue when the bosses wern't paying attention. According to the plant tour person they were pizzed and wanted to find out who was responsible.

That's the story, any STAP workers who want to chime in, please do. Would be cool if true, i dunno.

:beer:

Bluerauder

05-04-2012, 04:05 PM

Wow, weird. I have both the showroom brochures for the 03 and 04 Marauders, and nowhere in the '03 does it mention DBP or SB in the color charts. Was it an after thought?

You are correct. The 2003 brochure does not show the Silver or Blue as available colors. They were introduced to the line later in the year (about October 2002 or later) as the 300B model and the brochure was not reprinted. I think Silvers started showing up first and then Blues were added beginning in November or December 2002. Mine was made in January 2003. There were other changes with the changeover from 300A to 300B like the additional of Traction Control and some other stuff. There's a sticky in the Community Forum that talks about the differences if you haven't figured it out by now.

vegasmarauder

05-05-2012, 08:34 PM

The story I heard was that one blue was made for each Ford and L/M dealer to have if they wanted. Not sure if this is true because I remember that the L/M dealer in Las Vegas had 6 on the lot at one time. They put out three and kept the other 3 in the back. I think that is how we ended up with the sequential ones. They all showed up in February 2003. I remember that because I bought a brand new black/light flint 300B on Valentine's day in 2003 and the blues were on the lot. Sold the black/light flint after buying the blue 10 months later (guess the color grew on me). Who knew I sold a more rare MM to buy the more "rare" blue....