Help - Need Advice

[NewfieMarauder]

Hello everyone, seems like a great site going here. I hope someone can add some insight into a problem I'm facing.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I purchased a new 2003 Marauder last June with a few hundred miles on it from test-drives. I love the car.<o:p></o:p>

Had the car into the dealership for checks at 8000km and no problems.<o:p></o:p>

Now with 19700km, I'm being told the rear tires (center thread) are worn out, transmission fluid was dark and needed changing and rear brakes were worn down. Dealer is accusing that the car was ill used by having the brakes locked and spinning rear tires. As far as I know the car has never been driven hard or different than any other car I've ever owned, and I've never experienced these problems before.<o:p></o:p>

From reading other posts I see others have had similar problems with tires. Can anyone suggest how I deal with this, very frustrating not having warranty cover these problems because they say car was mis-used.<o:p></o:p>


Any thoughts?

[Marauderjack]

Rear tires wear in the center quickly if underinflated!!?? :cry: Mine were going fast and then I talked to BFG and others to find that the rears are a little too big for the rims causing the center to bulge slightly (center wear) while the fronts are a little small causing the center to be slightly concave (edge wear) if under inflated?? :shake:

I currently run 35 PSI in front and 40 PSI in the rear and have found that to help quite a bit....The rear wear has evened out with the increase in pressure!! Not enough to get 30 K miles but BFG only expects 10-20 K miles before replacement.....My rears may make 20 K and the fronts 40 K?? I have another pair of rears ready to install and suspect the second set of rears and the original fronts will wear out around 40 K miles....I hope!!

Maybe there will be economical alternatives by then?? :burnout:

BTW....I have never spun the rears on dry pavement.....Contrary to what others say!! They will spin like crazy when it's wet though!! :help:

Good Luck!!
Marauderjack :D

[merc406]

Wow, must have been a rough first few hundred miles for the M/M before you got it, salesmen love to hot rod around in Demo's......

[RoyLPita]

1st off, welcome aboard. Due to the lack of being able to rotate tires, the center wearing of the rear tires is normal even with the proper air pressure. As for the worn rear brakes, it could be the rear caliper slides are binding. If all else fails, take it to another dealer. If you plan on doing this, tell them that the rear brake pads are wearing abnormally fast in the rear. Also have them check the tranny, too. Your MM has anti-lock brakes, so they can't lock up whatsoever unless it is done with the e-brake. Skidding would cause flat spots, no even center wear. Keep us posted.

[Sactown]

Hello everyone, seems like a great site going here. I hope someone can add some insight into a problem I'm facing.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I purchased a new 2003 Marauder last June with a few hundred miles on it from test-drives. I love the car.<o:p></o:p>

Had the car into the dealership for checks at 8000km and no problems.<o:p></o:p>

Now with 19700km, I'm being told the rear tires (center thread) are worn out, transmission fluid was dark and needed changing and rear brakes were worn down. Dealer is accusing that the car was ill used by having the brakes locked and spinning rear tires. As far as I know the car has never been driven hard or different than any other car I've ever owned, and I've never experienced these problems before.<o:p></o:p>

From reading other posts I see others have had similar problems with tires. Can anyone suggest how I deal with this, very frustrating not having warranty cover these problems because they say car was mis-used.<o:p></o:p>


Any thoughts?

My first thought is Welcome! Lots of good info for you here, and you might make a friend or two. As for tires, I can't help you as my car is too new. But you could probably get more feedback from others if you could convert your mileage to US...I'm guessing that many here are metrically challenged like myself.

[sailsmen]

@19K miles my rears had to be replaced due to center tread wear.

My rear brake pads have over 1/2 of their original thickness left.

The Dealer saying the center tread wear on the rears due to burn outs is :bs:

Many a member has reported rear center tread wear. One member has BFG looking into it and he will report when he gets their official repsonse.

I suggest you save the old tires and bring them to a BFG dealer making a formal complaint. If you replace them w/ BFG you have a better chance of obtaining some releif.

[Dr Caleb]

How ya gettin on buy? Where you from, Fort McMurray?

Listen to these guys! They've been there. I've got 13,000km on my beast, and no signs of tire wear yet.

If your dealer is so convinced that the wear is from burnouts; take him to a patch of warm, dry pavement and have him try a burnout. Don't tell him how to turn the traction control off.

[RF Overlord]

Now with 19700km, I'm being told the rear tires (center thread) are worn out, transmission fluid was dark and needed changing and rear brakes were worn down. Any thoughts?

OK, as far as the rear tire wear, yes it's very common on this car...as sailsmen indicated, your dealer is "unfamiliar" with the car, so he assumed you must have been hot-dogging to wear the tires like that. Ditto for his assumption on the rear brakes, but that much wear IS uncommon, so you should have it looked at.

Regarding the transmission fluid, the 4R70W is kinda hard on fluid, so it should be changed sooner than the manual would indicate...many members here, myself included, prefer to change it at 15,000 to 30,000 miles MAX. Get one of Dennis's pans with the built-in drain plug...makes changing the fluid much easier and MUCH less messy. And be SURE whoever changes it uses ONLY Mercon V...don't let anyone tell you anything else is acceptable...it isn't.

[O's Fan Rich]

I'll add to the rear brake issue, since the tire wear thing has been beat to heck before.
If you have traction control, it works by pulsing the rear brakes too.
I wore out the rear brakes on my 'ol 99 Vic way before the fronts went out, all because of the TC.
Had the tire wear problem ( 13500 miles on all 4) but no brake issues , as I have no traction control!

[RF Overlord]

If you have traction control, it works by pulsing the rear brakes too.
I wore out the rear brakes on my 'ol 99 Vic way before the fronts went out, all because of the TC.

^^^what Rich_Long said^^^

I don't have TC either, so I didn't even think of that...good call, Rich...

[NewfieMarauder]

<SPAN style="COLOR: black">Thanks for the warm welcome and quick response. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><P style=I'm located in St. John's Newfoundland, Canada bye lol.

I think part of the problem is that this is the only Marauder to be sold from this dealership. The techs may not be familiar with normal wear and tear on this vehicle.<o:p></o:p>
I am feeling the tire wear is probably normal given improper inflation and the experience of others in this forum.<o:p></o:p>

The transmission fluid, well, not a big deal as long as I keep an eye on it and have it changed regularly. I'm not having any problems with the Trans with the exception of discoloured fluid.

I will have to look into the break wear a little further. If anyone else has experienced abnormal rear break wear please let me know the outcome.<o:p></o:p>

Thanks again for the warm welcome.<o:p></o:p>


Dan

[MARAUDER S/C]

Hello everyone, seems like a great site going here. I hope someone can add some insight into a problem I'm facing.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I purchased a new 2003 Marauder last June with a few hundred miles on it from test-drives. I love the car.<o:p></o:p>

Had the car into the dealership for checks at 8000km and no problems.<o:p></o:p>

Now with 19700km, I'm being told the rear tires (center thread) are worn out, transmission fluid was dark and needed changing and rear brakes were worn down. Dealer is accusing that the car was ill used by having the brakes locked and spinning rear tires. As far as I know the car has never been driven hard or different than any other car I've ever owned, and I've never experienced these problems before.<o:p></o:p>

From reading other posts I see others have had similar problems with tires. Can anyone suggest how I deal with this, very frustrating not having warranty cover these problems because they say car was mis-used.<o:p></o:p>


Any thoughts?

I don't believe tires and brakes are covered under warranty anyway. Also the more air you put in the rear tires the more likely the centers will wear, imo.

[Haggis]

Welcome to the site Dan there is another member in your area, I think his name is Bobby Clobber, not sure on spelling. You will have to check the members list to find out where exactly he is located. Good luck and enjoy the car.

Here is his profile if your interested.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/member.php?u=940

[ts-pa]

Hello Dan,

Welcome to the site!

I have a 2000 Grand Marquis that I had the rear pad wear down to the metal.
It was the right rear pads. The Traction Control is very sensitive in the winter road conditions. It would pulsate the brakes like mad at the slightest gas pressure. My solution was to get a second set of WINTER tires for winter driving. My wife says that it drives like a 4x4 with them on. She wasn't serious, but the difference was dramatic! They are "Nokian Hakkapeliita Q" tires for my stock 16 inch rims.

[Dr Caleb]

I'm located in St. John's Newfoundland, Canada bye lol.

Dan

Yea Skipper, it was 50/50, you were ethier in Newfoundland and Labrador's largest city, St. Johns, or Newfoundlands' second largest city, Fort McMurray, Alberta. :lol:

I think our other nearest member to you is Bobby Cobber in Halifax.

Check out Larry's (MapleLeafMerc) thread about the St. Thomas meeting in July. It's in the Maple Leaf Marauders forum.

(For those that don't get the joke, unemployment in Newfoundland has been high in the last 15 years or so. In Fort Mac, they've been dying for people to work in the oilsands, so at least 60% of the population there are Newfs come looking for work. The population of Newfs in Fort Mac is greater than all other cities in Newfoundland except St. Johns. One high shcool principal even came to Fort Mac to announce a reunion, because 80% of his town moved there.

When I was working there I once was giving a friend a hard time for 'immigrating here to steal westerners jobs' (Newfoundland didn't join Canadian Confederation until 1949) and he replied in typical Newf fashion, "Well, me and the boys finished all our work back home, so we figgered we'd come out here and give you fellers a hand.")

And the TC thing makes sense. Happens with my Crown Vic too, I don't know why I didn't connect the dots like Rich did.

Welcome again Dan!

[MAD-3R]

When I was working there I once was giving a friend a hard time for 'immigrating here to steal westerners jobs' (Newfoundland didn't join Canadian Confederation until 1949) and he replied in typical Newf fashion, "Well, me and the boys finished all our work back home, so we figgered we'd come out here and give you fellers a hand.")

Now, that's funny.