Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 56

Thread: Considering a Marauder purchase...

  1. #1
    Litsnsirn Guest

    Question Considering a Marauder purchase...

    Hi everyone, I am thinking about buying a new Marauder, I currently have a Caprice and seeing that there aren't very many RWD cars left, I may have to buy a Ford. Can I ask what you guys are getting mileage wise and how the initial quality seemed? Also, it seems that there are a few tuners working on the MM but I don't see alot of bolt on's(like were(are) available for the GM's). Is there anything worthwhile that you can do the car yourself or are you stuck sending it out? I was thinking about getting a p/u but the deals on the MM are just a little too good to ignore.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    St. John, IN
    Age
    45
    Posts
    14,251
    With about 3000-4000 dollars in upgrades and a dyno tune, you'll be right at 300 rwhp along with low low 14's and maybe high 13's with a FordChip Tune. GO FOR IT!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    St. John, IN
    Age
    45
    Posts
    14,251
    Or you can wait for the Trilogy Supercharger, drop about 6500 with install, run low 13's, high 12's all day long, be totally reliable and enjoy the car. If I ever buy a second car, this will be the plan.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Lawrence Twp., NJ
    Age
    73
    Posts
    14,950
    Litsnsirn: Welcome! Your right about one thing, deals are hot!!!! Jump in now you won't be sorry. Get the car and join us in Texas in Sept.
    Member # 383.

    2003 Marauder Black.

    Build 8/13/02

    Launched 9/28/02

    Sold May 16, 2018

    #3,646 of 7,839 black '03

    1995 Ford F-150. Mark III 2wd, reg. cab

    2011 F-150 Lariat crew cab 4X4 3.5 L twin turbo Ecoboost

    Fate rarely call upon us at a monent of our choosing.

    http://www.usdebtclock.org/index.html

  5. #5
    Jeff Guest
    Considering its current price point, the Marauder is the best new car value on the market!

  6. #6
    Litsnsirn Guest

    re

    I walked in and the first number I heard was 26,800 and I said "wow". Now only if it came in stick...

  7. #7
    TripleTransAm Guest
    Welcome to the group.

    You're already a full sized owner (the car, not you) so you know what you're getting into. Mileage wise: I just got 27.5 mpg on a 65 mpg jaunt lasting a couple of hours. In mixed city/highway, I get 18-19 mpg. Even if I hot dog it a bit here and there, I'm still pulling better than 17 mpg.

    You'll get the best impression of what this car is all about by taking a test drive. First thing you'll notice is the transmission shift pattern. That can be addressed with a chip.

    Quality-wise: there are a few recurring issues. Clunk from rear end (unresolved), seat squeak (fix available), harness-chafing issues (a good inspection before delivery + some tie-wraps = peace of mind), and weak paint. Some folks are also starting to worry about tire wear, and there are some who are experiencing a rough idle/stumble/hesitation on a cold engine due to a PCM software calibration issue (there are 4 different PCM s/w revisions so far, and at least one of them has a cranky calibration in it, although there may be a corrected calibration available to cure this depending on your s/w revision).

    That should cover it. I don't know if your Caprice was modified or not, but the Marauder *should* surpass it, especially once it's broken in. From an aesthetic point of view, there's not much on the streets right now that looks classier, in my humble opinion.

    Good luck in your search. Take the time to peruse as many of the older topics in the Community Discussion and Garage forums, this will give you a good idea of what to expect and how to deal with it. At the very least, it's good reading.

    And before making the decision, it might help to look at as many pictures of the car as possible. Since you'll be the one spending all those Dead Presidents on the car purchase, spend a good deal of time in the Photo Gallery of this site. It was all the time I spent drooling over the beautiful cars owned by the members of this site that drove me to take the plunge last March. I also have a collection of my favorite (so far) photos of my car at http://www.tripletransam.com/mm/mm_tint.htm

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Posts
    9,769
    litsnsirn - Welcome to site. Just got back from a 2,000 mile trip and averged 24 MPG. The price of $26.800 is less than most members of this board paid. Go for the Marauder you can't go wrong.
    2003 Marauder 300B,
    6468 out of 7839 - Thanks Brian
    Heated Seats
    35% Tint
    Mercury All Weather Mats
    Trunk Organizer - Thanks MartyO
    Sold 4/3/2009 Now resides in AL.
    1961 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible
    1973 Oldsmobile Toronado
    2012 Kia Sedona Van
    2008 Corvette Convertible
    2003 Marauder 300 A Thanks Larry O 6/14/17
    2021 Prius Prime Limited
    2023 Chevrolet Silverado High Country
    Member # 440
    ----- John

  9. #9
    Litsnsirn Guest
    Coincidentally, Triple TA, I am also full sized, 6'3" 250, one of the reasons I like full size cars is that I don't really like being cramped, I even find the GM full size trucks to be a little tight after they went to the new design. My Caprice is a fun car, it has been for many years, programming, raiss, 3.73 eaton, LT4 knock chip, F-car front and Herb Adams rear, Bilstiens, etc... I don't know what will ever replace the 30-70 surge when merging on the expressway. I know about the paint, I have alot of CV experience, it seems like they can can be scratched by just about anything when they first roll off the truck, I don't know if it is too thin(seems like it) or too soft(not cured enough?) but I remember a black CV that sat outside the first day after it was delivered, and the leaves that blew off of it when we took it for a spin scratched the heck out of it, so I would not be buying a black MM...

  10. #10
    Litsnsirn Guest
    Another thing that would close the deal is the sunroof that is teasingly mentioned in the brochure...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    NewBrockton AL.
    Age
    74
    Posts
    955
    Welcome,
    I have two and love them. The one that my wife drive's every day she is getting 19 to 20 around town. We will be one the road this weekend going to Alt. hope to get 23to24. That depends on my foot. I have a local dealer that had two left and they where at 25,900.
    03MM 300A Build date 06/03/02 Production #446Tilogy S/C Kit#4 387RWHP 364RWTQ, Addco front and rear sway bars,Factory Spoiler,Auto,Auto Meter Gauges ,Boost,Air/Fuel,Trans. Temp. Oil and Volt. All are real working gauges now.Badgeless Grill,J Mod
    Metco D/S Loop,Boxed Lower Rear Control Arms
    New Made Upper Rear Control Arms
    Boxed Watts Link,Ford Finned Rear End Cover
    Colex Caps: Oil,Water,Enter Cooler,Power Steering,Master Cylinder and Windshield Washer
    Daniels Coil Covers and Buttons,Nitto 255/45 front
    Widen Rear Wheels with 295/45 Nitto's,Zack's Big Brakes, Rear Drilled a slotted rotors,TCE Braided brake lines,Pro Guard Skid Plate,Summit trans pan, New Exhaust.K&N Cold Air Intake,JLT Catch Can,fastblackmerc door seal plates, pedal covers and Mustang dead pedal.

  12. #12
    crom Guest
    Litsnsirn,
    I just purchased my MM ( 300A ) and I Love it. I'm going on 40 years old and I've dreamt of owning a car like this since I was 13. I really looked long and hard at getting a quality used 96 Impala SS. I made the plunge (for me) and bought the Marauder. No regrets at all, they just don't make cars like this anymore. Concur with everyone else on gas mileage ( who cares when driving a vehicle like this anyway ) and hope to see it improve once broken in ( i just went over a 1000 miles ). I will say this, this site has schooled me tremendously on the car and is a great source of knowledge. Hope you get the car, Semper Fi

    Crom

  13. #13
    crom Guest
    Litsnsirn,
    I just purchased my MM ( 300A ) and I Love it. I'm going on 40 years old and I've dreamt of owning a car like this since I was 13. I really looked long and hard at getting a quality used 96 Impala SS. I made the plunge (for me) and bought the Marauder. No regrets at all, they just don't make cars like this anymore. Concur with everyone else on gas mileage ( who cares when driving a vehicle like this anyway ) and hope to see it improve once broken in ( i just went over a 1000 miles ). I will say this, this site has schooled me tremendously on the car and is a great source of knowledge. Hope you get the car, Semper Fi

    Crom

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Lawrence Twp., NJ
    Age
    73
    Posts
    14,950

    Lightbulb What

    Litsnsirn: Well did you buy one yet???????????????
    Member # 383.

    2003 Marauder Black.

    Build 8/13/02

    Launched 9/28/02

    Sold May 16, 2018

    #3,646 of 7,839 black '03

    1995 Ford F-150. Mark III 2wd, reg. cab

    2011 F-150 Lariat crew cab 4X4 3.5 L twin turbo Ecoboost

    Fate rarely call upon us at a monent of our choosing.

    http://www.usdebtclock.org/index.html

  15. #15
    71red Guest

    Looking to buy

    Hello All:

    Just registered and am thrilled that there is a forum for the Marauder. I had been interested since I first heard it may go into production. Gotta admit though that i was a bit disappointed in the initial price. (So were many of the salesman) Any case, I have been longing for one and now that Mercury is offering up to $4K in cash backs or 0%...gotta take the plunge.
    Anyways, found a dealer in NJ that was offering their leftover new ones at $25999 (with a wing & tint), unfortunately I just got there when they sold their last one. I did no bother asking but they must have been code As. Just saw the blue color in a photo the other day & I am in love. The 04 red & silvers are beauties also, but I noticed that they didn't monochrome the front grills...Mercury should have stayed consistent. Problem is now I can't find a blue anywhere. Even called Mercury main customer service and their info wasn't accurate. Per their database, most dealers had the blue, but when I called each one, wasn't the case, they would each order which would have cost more. As a matter of fact got really turned off by a salesman who was actually shocked to hear that the blues were produced.
    Does anyone out there know how blues were / are going to be produced? (Mercury cust serv couldn't give me the info either)

    Lots of great info & pics on this site. Kudos to all for the feedback!

Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •