Roger Batts
Well-Known Member
The last Mercury rolled off the assembly line yesterday. RIP, Mercury!
The End of an Era.
- Thread starter Roger Batts
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EddieS'04
In Memoriam 1950-2022
Sad,
my mom has a 2001 grand marquis LS. fully loaded. It has some sort of precsiontrac suspension(cant find out that that means). It handles and rides good. To be a big car Im impressed with it in high speed driving. I recently put sensatrac shocks on it, and plugs. At over 100kmiles, it is well taken care of. Mom is 80 she plans on keeping it. She said it will out last her. Since my dad passed, I do the maintenance on it. I was suprised that the ball joints and steering linkage was still good at 100k. She drove a new taruas. She said that will be her next, if the grand marquis craters.
my mom has a 2001 grand marquis LS. fully loaded. It has some sort of precsiontrac suspension(cant find out that that means). It handles and rides good. To be a big car Im impressed with it in high speed driving. I recently put sensatrac shocks on it, and plugs. At over 100kmiles, it is well taken care of. Mom is 80 she plans on keeping it. She said it will out last her. Since my dad passed, I do the maintenance on it. I was suprised that the ball joints and steering linkage was still good at 100k. She drove a new taruas. She said that will be her next, if the grand marquis craters.
Kevin Palmer
Well-Known Member
Though personally don't really care about the Mercury brand, it is a sign of the future...
Sad things are yet to come I think.
Sad things are yet to come I think.
David Ponder
Well-Known Member
mom has a 2008 Grand Marquis, it has 14K on it... its still like brand new...
Bill Koonce
Active Member
Welcome to the future.
I remember when Mercury had some pretty desirable cars, like the (German) Capri, the Mustang copies and a handful of others. But in general, most Mercury cars appeared to be heavier and more expensive versions of their Ford counterparts that somebody hit with an Ugly Stick.
Apparently the Mercury brand was supposed to be a bridge between the "entry level" Ford brand and the luxury Lincoln brand. The problem with that was that some of the hottest (both in looks and performance) cars made wore the blue oval, and nobody cared that they weren't upscale enough.
The styling changes that they made to separate the Mercury models from the Ford ones was just plain awful. Who wants to pay more for a car that's butt ugly? Granted there were a few styling successes. The Mercury Cougar was a car that I wanted to drive, and had styling that was tastefully different from the Mustang. Mercury's later Mustang clone, renamed "Capri", was a much better looking car than the original 1979 Fox Mustang. And in fact, quite a few Mustang owners grafted Capri parts onto their 'Stangs to improve looks, and later Fox Mustangs featured styling cues from earlier Capri models. (The Fox-bodied Capri shouldn't be confused with the later, Mazda-based Capri.)
IMHO the greatest general success of the Mercury brand (in my lifetime) was their marketing of European cars like the German Capri and Merkur, and the De Tomaso Pantera. Maybe one day Ford will dust off the Mercury badge to put on some neat European car that wouldn't make it to American shores otherwise.
What I'll miss most is the Crown Victoria. Several years ago, Ford stopped selling the Crown Vic to the general public. With the demise of the Grand Marquis, private citizens and car rental companies alike will be unable to buy any version of the last of the true American touring sedans. Even the Lincoln Town car is only available for fleet purchase now, and its plant is scheduled to close this fall. So if you want to buy a new Ford full-size sedan, you'll need a badge, a gun and a government purchase order.
So long, Mercury. No tears shed here. I've been renting Dodge Chargers at airports, and although the controls are in strange places, I like them enough to forget the moribund Ford sedans very soon. Since 2009 Chrysler has been using the very same Borg Warner 4WD system that I love in my 2007 ST, I'd buy one in an instant if I were in the market for a full-sized sedan.
Ford, the ball is in your court.
I remember when Mercury had some pretty desirable cars, like the (German) Capri, the Mustang copies and a handful of others. But in general, most Mercury cars appeared to be heavier and more expensive versions of their Ford counterparts that somebody hit with an Ugly Stick.
Apparently the Mercury brand was supposed to be a bridge between the "entry level" Ford brand and the luxury Lincoln brand. The problem with that was that some of the hottest (both in looks and performance) cars made wore the blue oval, and nobody cared that they weren't upscale enough.
The styling changes that they made to separate the Mercury models from the Ford ones was just plain awful. Who wants to pay more for a car that's butt ugly? Granted there were a few styling successes. The Mercury Cougar was a car that I wanted to drive, and had styling that was tastefully different from the Mustang. Mercury's later Mustang clone, renamed "Capri", was a much better looking car than the original 1979 Fox Mustang. And in fact, quite a few Mustang owners grafted Capri parts onto their 'Stangs to improve looks, and later Fox Mustangs featured styling cues from earlier Capri models. (The Fox-bodied Capri shouldn't be confused with the later, Mazda-based Capri.)
IMHO the greatest general success of the Mercury brand (in my lifetime) was their marketing of European cars like the German Capri and Merkur, and the De Tomaso Pantera. Maybe one day Ford will dust off the Mercury badge to put on some neat European car that wouldn't make it to American shores otherwise.
What I'll miss most is the Crown Victoria. Several years ago, Ford stopped selling the Crown Vic to the general public. With the demise of the Grand Marquis, private citizens and car rental companies alike will be unable to buy any version of the last of the true American touring sedans. Even the Lincoln Town car is only available for fleet purchase now, and its plant is scheduled to close this fall. So if you want to buy a new Ford full-size sedan, you'll need a badge, a gun and a government purchase order.
So long, Mercury. No tears shed here. I've been renting Dodge Chargers at airports, and although the controls are in strange places, I like them enough to forget the moribund Ford sedans very soon. Since 2009 Chrysler has been using the very same Borg Warner 4WD system that I love in my 2007 ST, I'd buy one in an instant if I were in the market for a full-sized sedan.
Ford, the ball is in your court.
scott degroot
Well-Known Member
The German Capri..that brings back some momories. I'll have to see if I can dig up come pics of the one I used to have when i was in Germany.
Johnny O
Well-Known Member
Sign of the times. Mercury joins Plymouth, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. More imports plus the fact that cars just last a lot longer than they used to.
I loved the looks of the Mercury over the Fords. The Milan, Mariner, and Moutaineer was WAY better looking than the Ford Fusion, Escape, and Explorer.
When Theresa and I were originally shopping for an Escape, we looked at the Mariners. The interior was a better quality, they had better colors, better option packages, and best of all, a better price.
For example, we wanted auto darkening rearview mirrors, auto headlights, and a cloth interior. We also wanted a moonroof and upgraded audio system.
With the Escape, to get the mirrors and headlights, you had to buy a Limited. A limited ONLY came with leather. Also, you had to get an upgraded package to get the moonroof.
With the Mariner, I go one level down than the premier model, get the mirrors and headlights standard, a choice of two different cloth interiors, and the "moon and tune" package (that is what it was called) that got me a moonroof and upgraded audio system for $1500, with a $2,000 "moon and tune" package discount.
Two exact vehicles, and I could get the Mariner for $2,500 LESS than the Escape and I wouldn't have to deal with things I didn't want like leather.
Tom
When Theresa and I were originally shopping for an Escape, we looked at the Mariners. The interior was a better quality, they had better colors, better option packages, and best of all, a better price.
For example, we wanted auto darkening rearview mirrors, auto headlights, and a cloth interior. We also wanted a moonroof and upgraded audio system.
With the Escape, to get the mirrors and headlights, you had to buy a Limited. A limited ONLY came with leather. Also, you had to get an upgraded package to get the moonroof.
With the Mariner, I go one level down than the premier model, get the mirrors and headlights standard, a choice of two different cloth interiors, and the "moon and tune" package (that is what it was called) that got me a moonroof and upgraded audio system for $1500, with a $2,000 "moon and tune" package discount.
Two exact vehicles, and I could get the Mariner for $2,500 LESS than the Escape and I wouldn't have to deal with things I didn't want like leather.
Tom
Thomas Rogers
Well-Known Member
The auto industry is like most any other. It was started by a very few leaders, and then once the marketplace was defined (e.g. it was clear there was money to be made) then the industry got saturated with many, many manufacturers and brands. Someone told me once there were HUNDREDS of car companies in the 30s and 40s...take a look at the link of defunct manufacturers below.
Once a market matures, much of the competition gets pared down. It becomes survival of the fittest. There are mergers, there are bankruptcies. The late 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s saw a lot of manufacturers and brands go...many more than we have lost in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. The 50s, and 60s were probably the best decades for the American manufacturers that made it to the top.
The 70s and 80s saw huge rises in imports. Essentially the imports were a game changer. They created a second wave of market and industry maturation. Many would say Detroit didn't see it coming...but it should have. For every Honda and Toyota half-way around the world, Ford, GM and Chrysler had already beaten down 10x as many domestic competitors for the past few decades.
The major difference was that the importers, especially the Japanese importers, were selling something different. They were selling cheap cars, that sipped gas, and that ran like a clock...for miles and miles. Yeah, I know, there are those that are here that will say that the Japanese imports suck, that their brother or cousin had a Corolla that sucked, etc...and that may be true, but that individual reality does not (did not) hold up against the mass perception of the time.
With all the new imports that came since the 70s (Japanese and European) the marketplace "reset". Competition grew, big time, and with it the American consumers started questioning brand loyalty. It is one thing to be loyal to a brand when there are only two other choices, and arguably one probably does suck (Chrysler always sucks...just kidding). However, it is quite another thing to be loyal to a brand when competition is great and arguably value (a function of quality, cost, reliability, and versatility) is a toss-up. At that same time (70s and 80s) it became chic to own an import...it became a status symbol. That's just good branding...good marketing.
People drive what they want to drive, and their wants are based on many, many complex factors: marketing, price, looks, status, cool factor, uniqueness, what the vehicle says about them, etc...
So long Mercury. Unfortunately, the U.S. no longer needs and the business model cannot support a brand that is, for the most part, just a re-badge of another. There was a time in the automative industry when that was enough...that time is gone. There was a time when brand loyalty meant something. Not so much anymore.
TJR
Once a market matures, much of the competition gets pared down. It becomes survival of the fittest. There are mergers, there are bankruptcies. The late 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s saw a lot of manufacturers and brands go...many more than we have lost in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. The 50s, and 60s were probably the best decades for the American manufacturers that made it to the top.
The 70s and 80s saw huge rises in imports. Essentially the imports were a game changer. They created a second wave of market and industry maturation. Many would say Detroit didn't see it coming...but it should have. For every Honda and Toyota half-way around the world, Ford, GM and Chrysler had already beaten down 10x as many domestic competitors for the past few decades.
The major difference was that the importers, especially the Japanese importers, were selling something different. They were selling cheap cars, that sipped gas, and that ran like a clock...for miles and miles. Yeah, I know, there are those that are here that will say that the Japanese imports suck, that their brother or cousin had a Corolla that sucked, etc...and that may be true, but that individual reality does not (did not) hold up against the mass perception of the time.
With all the new imports that came since the 70s (Japanese and European) the marketplace "reset". Competition grew, big time, and with it the American consumers started questioning brand loyalty. It is one thing to be loyal to a brand when there are only two other choices, and arguably one probably does suck (Chrysler always sucks...just kidding). However, it is quite another thing to be loyal to a brand when competition is great and arguably value (a function of quality, cost, reliability, and versatility) is a toss-up. At that same time (70s and 80s) it became chic to own an import...it became a status symbol. That's just good branding...good marketing.
People drive what they want to drive, and their wants are based on many, many complex factors: marketing, price, looks, status, cool factor, uniqueness, what the vehicle says about them, etc...
So long Mercury. Unfortunately, the U.S. no longer needs and the business model cannot support a brand that is, for the most part, just a re-badge of another. There was a time in the automative industry when that was enough...that time is gone. There was a time when brand loyalty meant something. Not so much anymore.
TJR
Gavin Allan
Well-Known Member
RIP Mercury :sad:
Paul Maurer 2
Well-Known Member
Good- now that 2002 Grand Marquis I bought my Mom is a collector's item- I'll take $50K for it....
Johnny O
Well-Known Member
TJR said:
At one time, Studebaker and Hudson were the shit. :driving:
