In fall ’04 I’d had enough with the beater ’82 Malibu that I had been driving for the past two years. I was finally feeling like an adult–a couple years after graduation, I had my own place and a decent job, and that translated into a desire for a more appealing set of wheels plus the means to acquire one. Most early 20’s folks in my spot would probably take the “new or nearly new compact” route, and I considered it for a moment–but it wasn’t really for me. The options that were budget-friendly were not exciting at all. So, used. But, a used what?
If you were to consider the automotive interests of the average 24 year-old guy, you’d probably imagine I was interested in things like Mustangs, or a 240SX, or maybe a Jeep? Nah. Not for me. I wanted something fun to drive, sure, but I also wanted some comforts. Leather seats, a nice interior. Basically, a premium sports coupe, sports sedan, or thereabouts. This meant I’d have to settle for something 5+ years old, but I was OK with that. Autotrader yielded some candidates soon enough. A ’97 Audi A4 2.0T seemed promising; but not having driven a stickshift in a while, I stalled the car in the middle of an intersection on the test drive. Nearly getting myself and the salesman killed was probably not the best omen, but it was a possibility still. After being unimpressed by other options, including a BMW 323i, I saw an ad for a 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII. One owner, 44k miles, clean. Again, maybe not typical for a 24 year-old. But I had loved the VIII since the first time I saw one in a magazine at age 12, and I just had to go check it out.
The original photo from the listing for the car.
Upon arrival at the dealership in nearby Durham, I found “clean” to be an understatement. They actually had this 8 year old Lincoln displayed *inside* the showroom alongside the brand-new models, and for good reason. Opal Opalescent paint (aka pearl white) over graphite leather, polished wheels, an engine compartment clean enough to eat off of. It was certainly a striking car, even at age 8. The inside was just as clean as the exterior. Sadly, I wasn’t able to actually drive it, as I showed up near the dealership’s closing time and they didn’t want to open the big showroom doors to get it out. Thanks, guys. I did come back the next day for a test drive and I knew I liked it quite a bit. I told myself I needed to sleep on it, as not to rush into a decision, but it was basically a formality–I was signing the papers the following day.
So I was now the owner of a car that had been on my radar for a long time. Quite an upgrade from the ’82 Malibu… The styling was what got my attention early on, and to this day I still find it a very attractive machine. The long, low design of the Mark VIII featured aggressively slim headlamps set alongside a waterfall grille, a gently sloping hood, a graceful greenhouse with C-pillar slanted to preserve the sleek design without becoming a fastback, and a trunk that tapered down to a full-width taillamp. The most controversial piece was the throwback element–as a link to its predecessors in the Mark series, a vestigial “Continental hump” remained on the decklid. Personally, I liked it. It didn’t spoil the design at all, and I appreciated the call-out to the car’s Mark series heritage. Others were not so favorably disposed to this element, but to each their own, and enough people liked it for Lincoln to sell over 126,000 units for the car’s lifetime. ’96 was the final year of the initial 1993 design, which would be facelifted for ’97. The build date on mine was a rather late 6/96, so I’m guessing it had to be one of the last of the pre-facelift cars to roll off the line.
The infamous hump.
Inside, The seats were amazingly comfortable–still among the best I’ve ever experienced. The interior design had the same flair as the exterior, the best expression (in my opinion) of Ford’s design language at the moment. A sweeping two-tiered dash flowed into the door panels on either side, and the shapes were organic without being too ovoid (preventing a catfish Taurus situation). Accommodations in the back were a little tight–plenty of knee and hip room, and a sharply reclined seatback preserved headroom, but the low front seats meant the footwells were peculiarly small.
The mechanicals were impressive as well. The engine was Ford’s DOHC 32V “InTech” V8, a higher-spec relative of their bread-and-butter 4.6 V8, shared only with the Continental (in a lower state of tune to suit the FWD transaxle) and the Mustang SVT Cobra. For service in the VIII, it made 280 HP and 285 lb-ft of torque. The platform was the FN10, which was based on the Thunderbird’s MN12 platform with several key differences. Full air suspension at all 4 corners was used, with a trick speed-sensitive setup where the car would lower itself an inch at speeds above 50 MPH for better aerodynamics and roadholding. All in all, it was the best Ford had to offer in ’96, befitting a car that stickered for $40k new ($61k adjusted).
And on the road? The car acquitted itself quite well. While it was more of a cruiser than a sports coupe, it was still entertaining enough to hustle down a twisty road. It had a propensity for understeer, but body roll was better controlled than you’d expect from something wearing a Lincoln badge. And when you pressed the narrow pedal, the car moved out quite well. Factory listed 0-60 was 7.5 seconds, but that seems a little under-reported based on my exprience. I can’t vouch for top speed, but I can tell you that it was remarkably composed at triple-digit speeds. The VIII truly excelled at covering distances quietly, confidently, and with supreme comfort, thanks again to the well-tuned air springs. I heard “like riding on a cloud” more than once, proving that the tradeoff for soaking up road imperfections doesn’t have to be flabby handling. (The tradeoff, in fact, is a complex and somewhat failure-prone suspension, as I’d learn later.)
This car re-introduced me to the pastime of driving just to drive, just because I wanted to. My commute to work–if you can call it that–was about a mile, so I walked as often as I drove. I lived a block from a major shopping center, and a half-mile from my closest friends. So there weren’t a ton of places I had to drive, yet I still managed to put about 10K a year on the Lincoln. It did make several long road trips up and down the east coast, but also, I simply enjoyed driving again. If I was feeling bored, or stressed, or just restless, I’d get in the car and go somewhere. Destination didn’t matter; often I’d just meander around the city and surrounding countryside. I had a car that I loved spending time in, with extremely comfortable seats and a good sound system. What else did you need? Well, a sunroof would have been nice, but that was one of the options not originally selected. Female companionship also would have been nice. But I digress.
The Mark and its predecessor Malibu. Sleek vs. Boxy.
One of those drives very nearly led to the demise of the car, or at least the transmission. I was driving through a hilly neighborhood late one night, and with a long downhill ahead of me, I had the bright idea that I’d coast down the hill in neutral. Keep in mind that this car was an automatic. Rather than bumping the selector from D to N, out of habit I depressed the selector button, then proceeded to overshoot neutral and land in reverse, traveling about 30 MPH. A very loud noise ensued, the car skidded to a halt, and the engine died. I just *knew* that I’d blown up the transmission. But, actually, no–started it back up, ran the selector through the gears, put it back into Drive, and–it was just fine. Continued to be fine for the rest of the time I had the car. Dumb luck, I guess.
As tends to be the case with any older car, the Lincoln was not without the occasional issue. It shredded a serpentine belt on the highway, thankfully near an exit. I replaced a multifunction stalk and a couple of other little odds and ends. The trunk-mount CD changer died on me eventually. The very slim headlamps, while a striking design feature of the car, were about as effective as “a candle in a hurricane” at night, to borrow a particularly descriptive turn of phrase. The LSC trim level had HID lamps which were somewhat of an improvement, but mine was unfortunately not an LSC. Either way the composite lenses also yellowed and clouded, as is common to many 90’s cars, though a polish job helped ameliorate that.
Perhaps the most annoying issue was a simple one–the outside door handle broke off in my hand one day. I guess it was a bad quality casting, or just the strain of pulling open those heavy doors proved too much for the metal. I ordered a replacement handle, but painting it was the first tricky part. Being pearl white, the paint was a fairly complicated tricoat, and had to be replicated in all three layers to look even remotely correct. A trip to the paint store and an aerosol-based sprayer later, the result looked good for a first effort. Installing it also required three hands at one point, or so it seemed. I snagged a passing-by neighbor to hold one piece for me and got it reinstalled and working, but I’m still not sure how one was supposed to do that job unassisted.
I also experienced this car’s most notorious issue–air suspension trouble. Eventually I noticed that the front air springs would leak down overnight; when I came out in the morning the car would have acquired a rake worthy of a 70’s hot rod. This meant a pinhole in one of the springs. But as soon as I’d start the car, the system would air back up and it would be fine for the rest of the day– the problem really only manifested itself if it sat for 12+ hours. This is not an uncommon problem with these cars, but the bill to have even just one air shock replaced with factory parts generally runs into the four figures. I toyed with the idea of converting it to coilovers, as is a somewhat popular modification among VIII owners, but I didn’t want to lose that wonderful balance of controlled handling and cushioned highway ride. Eventually I discovered that there are aftermarket replacements available for a much more reasonable price, so in due time I purchased one. As luck would have it, I never got to install it.
In October of ’06, I’d owned the car for nearly two years, and anticipated that not changing any time soon. I’d just had new pads and rotors done out back, and I the replacement air spring ready to install. It seemed like the Lincoln would be a keeper, for the foreseeable future or maybe even long-term. Then, of course, it all changed in an instant. Heading down Highway 54 one night, going from Raleigh to Cary, I glanced to the side for a moment, and looked back ahead in time to see a Saturn Vue pull out directly in front of me. I swerved, but not far enough to avoid a hard hit. Air bags deployed and I ended up on the center divider; the Vue spun around and sat leaking coolant into the outside lane. Thankfully neither I nor the other driver were injured. He had pulled out of a driveway and then noticed there was still oncoming traffic; I suppose he also noticed me but it was way too late to back up by then. The Lincoln still ran fine afterward, but it was very much not driveable.
The End.
Insurance confirmed that it was totaled rather quickly. Final odometer reading: 64,705 miles. I went back to the tow yard to retrieve my things from the car, and seeing it there, in that condition, was hard. The damage looked much worse in the light of day, and I’m sure it would have cost well more than the car was worth to repair. But it was the first car I’d owned that I chose based on what I wanted, not other reasons of expediency or necessity. It was like losing a friend. I won’t lie–a few tears were shed. But all good things must end eventually. Before I left, I freed the Lincoln emblem from the cracked grille and took it with me. I still have that memento, and a lot of good memories. I’d love to have another Mark VIII someday–and I’d also love to see Lincoln bring back another big coupe and revive the Mark Series. But this one will always have a special place in my heart.
What a bittersweet story. I absolutely LOVE these cars, they are probably my favourite Lincolns of all time. It is a crying shame that the MN12 and FN10 platforms weren’t used to make some competitive sport sedans. Imagine a Continental based off of this instead of the Taurus! It also would have sold better and been a lot more relevant in the 1990s than a full-size coupe and would have helped Lincoln reinvigorate its image even before the LS came. Alas, Ford didn’t follow that path. But these Mark VIIIs were absolute beauties, inside and out, and I love the blend of power, ride and handling. Were it not for that tricky air suspension – one of the car’s greatest strengths but also biggest weaknesses – I would happily buy a used one and I’m no coupe man. Glad you got to own one and sorry it ended the way it did!
I think FWD Continental was an answer to the general market trend in the late ’80s until late ’90s, as Buick LeSabre/Park Avenue were highly successful at the time, also few popular import FWD luxury sedans ( Acura at the time, Audi 5000 ) and Mark VIII platform isn’t suitable for further stretching ( the floorpan is complicated to engineering ) and probable body flex is risky too. Making Mark VIII into a Continental was considered with many other Mark VIII projects, but they were all scrapped ( four wheel steering, convertible, invisible doors ) and eventually they used Taurus with a Mark VIII engine and many other parts. It didn’t overlap with Town Car ( three RWD products were too risky in northern markets ) and could compete with Park Avenue, DeVille. But eventually it didn’t turn out too well somehow.
After reading comments on 96 Mark IIIV, I didn’t see a mention of the testing at Bonnyville Salt Flats by Ford engineers in about 1992. They took a IIIV there, and ran timed speeds of 182 mph, with essentially a stock Mark. The story was published in a magazine article. I don’t have the issue, but I think you can Google it. And yes I am a Mark IiiV owner. I like the Mark enough that I put Mark power seats in my 1941 Ford sedan delivery. I also know of a 1940 Mark I, from Oregon that the nowner bought a wrecked IIIV from his insurance company,, and installed everything he could, from front to back, engine, suspension, interior, accessories, etc. in the 40. I sure wish i could have gotten a ride in it.
Great story Chris, sorry to hear the fate that befell it though, it’s always sad to see a beloved car get sent to the scrapyard, especially one as well loved as this one.
Like you, I’m also an owner of a 90s luxury coupe. It’s my first car, and so far the only one I’ve had. A 1998 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe. I’ll admit, for a 19 year old like myself, a bit of an odd choice. I got it on Halloween 2014, I was looking for an old American car as a daily driver, and I had my eye on a couple choices. My dad was willing to indulge in me, but up to an extant (He didn’t want me driving a first gen Town Car for instance, something I actively looked for on craigslist). We eventually stumbled across my car for 5,500 dollars, it was in pretty good condition, 78k on the odometer. I liked it, so we bought it.
If I had known what I knew now, I might not’ve talked my dad into buying it. “Never buy a cheap luxury car” was in full effect here. First, the HVAC was broken, which meant that needed to be fixed, then I just recently replaced the tires because the ones that were on the car were 6 years old and cracked on the sidewalls. The biggest thing though, was the suspension. I knew about the air suspension on just the Lincoln marks of the era, never did I know that Cadillac offered electronic suspension of a similar setup on the Eldorado, and it was shot. I wanted to replace the broken suspension with cheap aftermarket air compressors for a similar ride, dad went with coilovers without consulting me, which made me pretty mad. Anyways, the suspension swap was expensive, the HVAC wasn’t too bad, and the tires are just fine.
Even still, it has problems, the passenger door interior material started to fall out one time, the automatic radio antenna got busted thanks to me going through a car wash with it sticking out (it still picks up a signal, it just won’t go down all the way. I need to get to a body repair specialist that can access and fix it), it’s 25 highway at best MPG is terrible, especially given the requirement of premium fuel, and it’s hard to park in Southern California’s cramped parking lots. Not to mention the potential problem of the Northstar, it hasn’t been having issues, and I do my best to take care of the engine, but you just never know.
And yet, I can’t replace the big Cadillac. Part of it is sentimental value, the car was bought shortly after a time in my life that was very painful for me, and even after numerous problems with me and hardships and self doubt I had, that car still starts up and has never actively treated me poorly. It’s ride is smooth, even with coilovers, the Northstar does have its good qualities, it’s perfect for my 6’3 frame, and I always feel alright driving it, custom burned CDs playing from the trunk, just not giving a damn about the hardships I face. It’s been a damn good car, and while I may not get another Northstar Cadillac in the future, I must confess that it’s an experience that was worth the plunge.
As for the Mark VIII as a car, well, I like it, but maybe not to the same extent that you do. Admittedly, I was rather cold on the styling of this car, but it has grown on me (Pre-facelift at least). I do like some of the qualities it possess, and for the most part, it’s still a Lincoln. However, I will admit that the air suspension is not something I want to deal with again (I will concede that it’s much cheaper than the competition, and its so well known that its not as painful to fix), I’m also not sold on the interior space and volume, being 6’3 with long skinny chicken legs, interior space is something I require. I’ve heard that many Ford interiors of the era are cramped for taller people, but it’s not something I can confirm or deny. Also, this car came after the Mark VII, one of my all time favorite Lincoln designs, and especially of the Mark series (second favorite after the V), so it’s sort of a tough act to follow in my opinion. But those are personal biases, I still like the Mark VIII and I’m glad that your ownership experience was a pleasant one, even if it ended in tragedy.
(pictured on the bottom. My car in question)
Joseph: thanks for sharing your story; It’s like a COAL in itself. If you ever want to write up your car, let me know.
I too am interested in reading a full writeup from you. You’ve got a great start! I think I subconsciously kept a car far into beaterdom for similar reasons. Hope that sharp black car serves you well for a long while!
Please write it up! I have a huge soft spot for these Eldorados, despite their flaws.
If only the antenna mast is broken, fixing it shouldn’t be too big of a deal. You might even be able to do it yourself – check out YouTube videos on how to replace one. Don’t be too hard on your dad about replacing the air suspension with coils – I’m sure he meant well.
I totally agree with you about the small parking spaces in SoCal lots. It’s why I drive a G37 and don’t want anything bigger. And street parking is a nightmare in so many places here.
With only 78K, that car was a find and is a real beauty. You definitely should do a COAL piece, Joseph. Your start here is very interesting, especially the range of cars you were considering at your age. My Dad bought a new Mark V Cartier edition back in 1978 that you would have liked!
Thanks, I may think of doing a COAL piece. I just need some pictures and how to go about writing it.
I’ve forgiven my dad for the coilovers, I wasn’t prepared to go OEM (parts were 3300 bucks OEM) but I just wanted something similar. Mainly this was concerns I saw on some Cadillac forums of owners saying they went coilovers and their cars were worse off with them, but I’ve learned that YMMV items like that are just that. As for the broken antenna, it is just the mast that’s broken, but it’s the part of the mast that’s designed to retract in the car itself. The motor is fine, but the internal bottom portions that are in the car are bent to a degree that it won’t fully retract downwards.
I always have wondered why the parking spaces around SoCal are so small. I still see a ton of people around my neighborhood and around other counties that drive their SUVs without a care in the world, so I don’t know why the spots are still only fit for a Geo Metro.
Take about 8 – 10 pics of the car – different angles/heights and detail shots. Arrange them in sequence in Powerpoint or Word with a heading underneath each. ‘How/why I got it’, ‘under the hood’, ‘driving it’, ‘friends/family reaction’, ‘specific memories/great times’, ‘dad and the coils’ etc. then write these out to about 100-200 words each. Some sections may need more words, some less. Some sections might fit over a couple of pics.
Don’t sweat the format too much. If you’re talking about the engine, shoot the engine (not elvis style hehehe). If it’s something hard to shoot like the coils, a pic of a wheel will do. General reminisces can go with any pic.
What you’ve written above is actually a great start so break that up and expand upon it. Then maybe get a friend/dad to read it for feedback.
Once your first draft/pics is put together its downhill from there. Most people stop before then because it seems overwhelming, but it’s not.
Just one very important thing. DON’T send the combined words/pics file to Paul. Read this first.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/submissions/
Looking forward to reading it.
The antenna is easy to replace. Do the following:
1. Open trunk
2. pull down the carpeting on the passenger side of the trunk
(after that is pulled down you will see the antenna assembly)
3. Unplug the Gray connector from the relay mounted on the body of the antenna(the connector to unplug will have a green, black(or blue) and orange wire. Leave the black connector plugged in(has green, white and gray wires) as that is from the relay to antenna motor)
4. Unplug the antenna cable from the antenna( mounted on the side of the antenna shaft)
5. Unbolt the ground strap from the car body(this is a mesh looking thing attached to the antenna.
6. unbolt the antenna from the mounting bracket.
7. Gently pull antenna downward and it will come out. (though some years you will need to unscrew the shiny metal bezel at the top of the antenna first)
To install reverse procedure
Any antenna from a 92-02 Eldroado, 92-02 Seville, 94-99 Deville will work (I pulled a antenna from a junk yard 94 Eldo to use in a friend’s 95 Deville a few years ago and it worked fine. The local pick it pull it yards around my way sell the antenna’s for $15.00 plus tax. Look for one on a car that has been in a front or drivers side crash and that is completely down and that should be a working one. Conversly you can just replace the mast but given the age of the antenna in your car, it is probably better to simply replace the entire thing.
I have a 1995 Deville and I love the comfort it gives. I finally found a set of un broken seat trim pieces that hold the recliner switches last week.
Joseph, that’s a great story about yours and it’s like a mini-COAL in itself. Definitely agree that we’d love to see a full writeup sometime! It’s a useful counterpoint in that these cars were direct competitors while in production, though the Eldorado did last several more model years after the VIII was discontinued.
And I can, of course, totally understand your choice of that Eldorado. It’s a sharp car, especially in black, and if the Northstar hasn’t given you problems then it seems like all things considered it’s doing quite well.
As to the cheap luxury car costing more than expected…I’ve got that one covered in an upcoming COAL entry also. And yet, I haven’t learned my lesson yet, given the things I’m considering for my next car whenever I have to replace the one I’m currently driving. As long as the repair costs aren’t ruinous, it’s worth it to me to get to drive something that would have been totally unaffordable new!
That sucks. I don’t expect to see cars like this made again in my lifetime and that is a shame. Well, you can look for a 1998 version. The last of the last. Lexus made something similar in the SC400 through the 2000 model year but it wasn’t quite as nice as the MKVIII, imo. The rear seat was less usable.
If I ever get another (it would probably be as a hobby car/”modern classic” at some future point) I’m torn as to whether I’d go with another ’95-’96 or with a ’97-’98. The facelift cars have much better headlights (legitimate projector HIDs) and a couple of really nice new wheel designs, but I don’t like the nose styling quite as much.
The SC400s were very nice cars, but the rear seat was kind of a joke. It was more of a 2+2 than a legitimate 4-seat coupe.
Well written and heartbreaking story! I felt for you when I saw that last picture. The Mk VIII is one of my favorite cars of the 90’s.
+1.
Sorry for your loss. It really was a beautiful car. I’ve never been particularly fond of this generation of Ford’s coupes, but it’s a shame that these were pretty much the end of the line for big, heavy, rwd V8 powered American 2 doors. As has been said before, child seat regulations and the rise of the SUV are surely partly to blame. A friend had a 97 Thunderbird about 10 years ago, and I remember thinking of it as somewhat of a dinosaur under a “modern” skin, but getting into that car and pulling that long heavy door shut, feeling the vague but somehow assuring steering and suspension just felt “right” on some level. We’re not likely to see anything like this again, as they’re just so impractical, with poor space efficiency, clumsy ingress and egress, and limited utility. But they’re pretty. And they cuddle, coddle and caress driver and passenger in such a reassuring way.
Thank you for a fine read, I always liked these, not as much as the Mk V11 but still a very attractive car. I’m sorry to say there isn’t anything Lincoln makes today that excites me and I can see it going the way of Edsel & Mercury before long
I felt the same way about Lincoln’s modern lineup until recently. However, the MKC is evidently selling well, as small crossovers are very popular right now, and the new Continental which is set to replace the MKS is actually a very attractive car. There might be hope, but I think this really is the last chance.
Living in Florida, I sometimes see low mileage luxury SEDANS, and very occasionally large sporty coupes like your Mark, and a previous posters Eldorado, for sale on Craigslist or in the local Auto-trader type mags. I didn’t pay them more than a casual interest until recently when I needed a new car and decided to use the same sort of criteria that Chris used to start shopping.
I never would have thought I would own a Crown Victoria as I have not owned many big, V8 powered cars (3 out of 25, actually).
I’m not sure I could have made a Mark VIII purchase, since I actually prefer the slightly more formal-looking Eldorado…..or even the Mark VII, but there is no denying the Lincoln Mark VIII was a high point for the brand. I agree that Lincoln-Ford really missed the boat by not using the Mark VIII’s platform as the basis for a sedan. Maybe they were feeling “burned” by the market after the LS failed to sell in big numbers.
Chris: sorry about your car, but glad no one was seriously injured.
And you sure were lucky when you “overshot” your gear selection that no damage was done. I did that once, in an older car, at parking lot speeds and was sure I was going to need a mechanic’s help to get my car moving again.
I have the same thoughts from time to time but here in Austria owning such cars presents a whole new set of issues; the only half-sensible option would be a Lancia Thema (Chrysler 300 with Lancia grill and a 239 hp V6 diesel) which I looked at and with heavy heart rejected as I lived in Vienna at the time and had no way to park it other than on the street in the 15th Quarter (not a nice area). The funny thing, I then moved to the country where such a behemoth would make sense (particularly the fact it has a 4X4)… Maybe later. One problem though which is always at the back of ones mind is the electronic complexity of such cars; unlike their predecessors from the 50s and 60s where most of everything was electro- or hydro-mechanical – and hence manageable for someone with mechanical background like me – these are a closed book unless you are into electronics, and once something goes wrong it can get very expensive or totally un-doable.
I Agree with Howard, the most important thing is you walked away…
Oh, I’m on the overshooting into reverse without any damage club too (Checker cab at 03:00 in the morning half asleep).
I wasn’t aware that 300C is now called Lancia Thema over here in Europe… 2004-2010 generation of 300C looks way better, IMO. But how does it compare, driving-wise, to the new generation of 300C?
And how does the earlier Lancia Thesis (one of the most gorgeous cars) compare to it? (I don’t know if you have the answers, but you seem to have looked into these cars and I thought I can at least try to ask)…
Was is the operative word – they stopped making them in 2014 once the capos at Fiat decided Lancia was not worth bothering with, but there are enough low mileage cars around and you can find a good one for €20-25K. I can’t compare with the 300, as I never experienced it here or anywhere. Smooth is how I would describe it; slightly softer than the usual German suspects (and some will say worse handling, but you would not buy it for carving Alpine passes anyway). And of course with that diesel 35 MPG can be touched. Lancia Thesis is also a car I admired but never drove – I would not consider it now as body parts are getting hard to find and again there’s the issue of 10 year old Italian electronics…
Such an interesting car. I had the opportunity to buy an ’96 LSC; nice red, as mint shape as you can get in rural areas. Test drive probably didn’t do it justice, as a heavy rain set in at the time, but it was fascinating to drive, a unique experience I’d never had before. Had it been a better test drive, and had life not preferred 4 doors, I might have gotten it.
Sorry about the accident, I can empathize. My Acura TL was written off last year after owning it for only 4 months. It’s a sad thing to lose a car you really enjoy, it was difficult to find a worthy replacement. Still upset at the other driver.
I loved your story, except for the end of course. I can’t say that I always liked the Mark VIII. It was a bit too futuristic for my tastes, maybe a bit too showy. Lincoln got it right though. It’s a personal luxury car. The owner should be proud of it and feel special driving it. I totally get that you enjoyed driving it with no particular place to go – just for the experience of indulgence.
Nice article. I drove an LSC version, and worked on it, in the latr 90’s. I loved the car. Imo people worried about the air suspension far too much. The aftermarket airsprings are pretty cheap these days and easy to change. We swapped a few and could do one in 15 minutes. Frankly, i feared doing an oil change more than an airsping. The oil filters are notoriously difficult to reach.
The LSC was, in my opinion, the ultimate development of the American luxury coupe. I loved the spacious, airy interior. The dashboard curves forward away from the front seats, quite the opposite of the modern car, which gives me a claustrophobic feel. I seriously tried to find a nice one a few years ago. No luck. All the ones around here were high mileage and somewhat worn.
Oh good grief, that oil filter. That thing was SUCH A PAIN to get to. It seems like they mounted it in the most difficult place possible just because there were so many things around and underneath it, and getting it out without spilling the oil inside was pretty much impossible. My next car had the same engine and despite slightly different suspension packaging, it wasn’t any easier to reach.
A poster on one of the Lincoln forums summed it up well with the quote “Who designed the oil filter location on these things, the Marquis De Sade?”
I heard similar complain about the oil filter on 5.0 MN-12 Tbird also. Probably it’s fortunate enough for them to put it in, and it’s too much to consider the oil filter accessibility.
The platform designers clearly only had the Naturally aspirated 3.8 V6 in mind when the engine compartment was laid out. It’s the only engine the MN12/FN10 platform had where access wasn’t miserable to key maintenance parts.
I wonder why the power steering pump on these weren’t mounted to the head with a forward angled filter mount from the start like it was on the later truck/SUV 4.6s and 05+ Mustangs. The original filter location wasn’t even good on the Panthers that got the mod motors first.
That is what oil filter relocation kits are for. I moved the one for my 81 TC-3 powered by a 360 V-8 from the back over the headers to in front of the engine on the frame. I can remove it by reaching down with the hood open.
A good though sad story. There is definitely something sad about a car that you have bonded with being left in some muddy lot with fatal body damage.
These always struck me as the last cars that Lincoln really tried on. There was a lot about these cars that was not found on their Ford and Mercury counterparts, including that 32V 4.6. The flip side, of course, is that such exclusivity tends to get expensive for the owner as the cars age, which I why I will probably never have the guts to buy one of these.
After this car, it would be hard to go back to another Malibu. 🙂 Looking forward to what comes next.
Great write up. I too love the Lincoln Marks, pretty much every model even the Mark VI though I would only now want to own a VII or VIII. I still really love these cars, and unlike the contemporary Cadillacs they are RWD. The VIII combines that futuristic design with good old American Luxury and that Intec V8 is a great motor. The VII’s styling really resonates with me a little more. That 5.0 ain’t no slouch either. I’ll go on record as loving the vestigial trunk bump. These cars are real runners. I had a’94 Seville STS, my dream car at the time. I would have preferred an Eldo but I promised my son his own door, that he wouldn’t have to fight over with his sister! That car along with it’s Eldo brother were great cars that delivered it all, speed. comfort, looks and pride of ownership. I kept mine for ten years and yes it did develop some problems and for some reason I just didn’t want to put any more money into it. It still looked great and the motor was strong at 135k. I guess It was just an older used car at the time. I kind of felt that way about my ’92 Nissan 300zx, another fantastic car I let go of. I never thought that this type of car would become extinct. I seriously considered a Mark or Eldo, even a T Bird or Cougar before I ended up buying my Jaguar XJS. For some reason I feel that I am willing to put the time, effort, and money into keeping this car up. If it doesn’t work out I may be coming back to the Mark or Eldo fold. For a little FWD Cadillac action check out the chase scene in “Get Carter”, there’s even a Jaguar XJ6 in the mix!
The damage looks a lot like what happened to my CTS when I collided with an Acura that went through a red light. I hit the rear fender/bumper as I was turning left. Your damage is more to the right fender, while my right front was worst. They replaced both front fenders, the bumper and radiator grill, headlights (@$1300 each) and……. $16,000 total. The A/C and radiator did not leak, so damage to frame was minimal. Car seems as good a new.
Glad yours was repairable! Money being no object the damage to mine could have been, but what needed replacement (fender, bumper, grille, hood, headlight, wheel, air shocks on both sides, tie rod, and probably a couple other things I couldn’t see, plus potential frame damage as the passenger side door no longer closed correctly) it would have been much more than the $7000 or so the car was worth at the time.
The car was about a year old, so the insurance company was not going to total a $70,000 car.
A great story and an excellent write up. I just wish the ending was not as sad as it was, I could feel your pain…
This car looks absolutely stunning, this is a great design. Many 90s ’rounded’ cars now look dorky and dated, but this one looks very sharp even today, especially in this color. I would love to have one, especially after reading about how nice it drives …
My brothers last car was a dark green/chamois interior VIII. It was a superb automobile. It got good fuel economy, and the ride was unbeatable. The only problem were the air bag suspension. He replaced all of the typical parts but never found the problem.
Seems I never hear about a vehicle with air suspension without also hearing that it’s problematic and expensive to repair.
Been there. I remember watching my ’87 Cadillac go away on a flatbed. Even though I strongly suspect someone got it going again, I know the feeling of shedding a tear because it’s the first car you wanted and really had a choice in getting. I had saved the salary for it and it had become part of my identity. It was the one time I pretty much got exactly what I wanted rather than doing the best I could with “available alternatives”. So it hurt a lot to lose that.
I always liked these even though I’m a boxy boat guy generally. While I like the V and even the VI, the VII was never my bag. But a trumpet player I worked with in my side life of jazz band work had a dark green one. It was just beautiful. I can see owning one as a DD.
A shame such a nice car you were so happy with had to wind up being totaled.
A similar story is playing out right now. About a year ago a family member bought an ’04 Mazda6. It had the recalled Takata air bags, and after about six months of waiting and bugging Mazda of getting the backordered parts in, the defective inflator modules were finally replaced at the end of September.
3 weeks ago my neighbor knocks on my door, he had just backed his Chevy pickup into the side of the Mazda. $1900.00 bodyshop estimate, luckily I know a body repairman that was able to fix the quarter panel for $600.00 including paint. 2 weeks later the car was fixed and the neighbor took care of the bill.
Thursday night while my 19 year old niece was driving the Mazda, one block from home a 16 year old girl in an SUV turned left in front of her and they had a rather hard head on collision. Both airbags deployed, and thankfully other then being a little sore, neither were injured but both cars were totaled. The Mazda6 got the worst of the damage, the whole front end is destroyed. The other driver has good insurance thankfully, so the car will be replaced. I had just put new brake pads front and rear on it, but other than that not much money has been spent on repairs. It did use a quart of oil about every 500 miles and had about 180k miles on it. I think the insurance is going to pay about 5k for the car, we only paid 2300 for it. Cars can be replaced, people not so much.
Anybody buying a used car with airbags should always check for all recalls and get them done! The life you save may be your own or a loved one.
Halogen or HID, that car in stock form is a don’t-drive-at-nightmobile either way. The headlamps are far too small to do more than just barely meet the minimum legal intensity requirements, even though the halogen version used one of the highest-output bulb types, (its output was severely crimped by voltage drop in Ford’s grossly underspecified wiring and switches). Moreover, because they’re so small, the reflectors and lenses run very hot, which makes for fast and severe deterioration of the cheap, not-very-durable plastic materials they’re made of. With headlamps in brand-new condition, passable performance can be wrung out of the system by dint of relays, decent wiring, and thoughtfully-chosen bulbs.
The HID system was a different kind of bad. It was a system co-developed by Ford and GTE-Sylvania, with that duo’s customary priorities: cheap, legal, and cheap. It is a DC system nothing like the AC system that was already well standardized in Europe and Asia (and was fully legal for use in the USA; Ford just chose not to). That Ford/Sylvania DC system was only used on the Mark VIII. No other make, no other model. Component reliability and durability were piss-poor.
The ’97 facelift got much bigger headlamps, but kept the problem-prone Sylvania DC HID system.
When Osram bought Sylvania from GTE, they quickly discontinued this troublesome system. Repair parts dried up in a hurry — occasionally one still sees bulb/igniter units or ballasts on eBay, at ridiculous prices.
Ford offered a very expensive halogen headlamp retrofit kit for the ’97-’98 cars.
These HID headlamps, too, can be made to work well and reliably—it requires a couple of small custom-machined parts, then a world-standard D2S bulb and its AC ballast can be properly installed and everything works great (until the cheap lenses cloud up terminally).
Similar situation at the rear with the “ooh, fancy!” neon central tail/brake light panel: unreliable junk, difficult and expensive to repair.
Just wondering if you’d care to speculate on the 2017 Ford Fusion Sport new LED headlights?
The HIDs on my Golf R are stellar and I hate to downgrade — but I need a bigger back seat.
I like these coupes (and their predecessors); too bad there was never a successor unless you count the anonymous LS and ’02 Thunderbird retro-barge. The Mark VIII sure was futuristic!
As I’ve said before, cars from this “jellybean” era have either aged very well or very badly. The Mark VIII falls into the former category (see also: ’93 RX-7, Toyota Supra, ’97 Grand Prix), while the ’96 Taurus and ’98 Concorde fall into the latter.
I recall at the time of the car’s introduction, Car & Driver called the styling “mystifying”. Or it resembled a Buick LeSabre (?!?!?)
I remember looking at these in the lot when they were new, very striking design. Nice car!
I too have memento’s from my wrecked cars – I still have the keys from the GTI that was wrecked in 1994 and my son has the Subaru logo from the Outback wreck of ’14 on his shelf.
And you’re right about doorhandles! I just replaced the door latch in the 911 and while i was able to keep the doorhandle installed, a third hand to connect everything inside the door would have been very handy but there is no room to fit one in…Took awhile but eventually seemed to be able to contort a knuckle (counterclockwise swirl, anyone 🙂 ) enough to make it work and reattach everything.
Good read and I can see the appeal of this shape. I never had a problem with the rear hump on the earlier ones, I think they could have done it better on these – maybe a bit smaller. As mentioned above, shame about the loss but happy to hear both drivers emerged unscathed.
Great read and car. It’s obvious you have a passion for the VIII – when you can afford it, buy another nice example – there are plenty out there well cared for by “senior” owners. Then find your local LCOC chapter and join – you’ll find many other very nice folks that share your passion.
That’s a shame what happened to your Mark VIII, but looking at the damage, you were lucky it was all sustained by the car and not you. That long hood probably helped save your life.
I’ve always been a big fan of the Mark VIII. I’m about a decade younger than you, but I was around when the Mark VIII was new, and it always stood out then as an appealing choice. I never tire of looking at its sleek lines, and the fighter jet-like interior is still one of the most exciting designs of its time.
And no offense to Mustang and Jeep owners, but as car guys we have to get a different car than the pack once in a while. Good for you, and I’m glad you got two years of fun out of it.
Nice story – sorry for your loss.
I’ve been looking at these Lincoln’s lately. We are currently a three-car family with four drivers, and will need another car very soon. I’ve been thinking of giving my son my 2008 Fusion and then buying myself something interesting. I work from home so I don’t really need a “daily driver”. There is a Mark VIII in town for sale that I’ve been drooling over. Now just to convince my wife!
Go for it! The engine, despite being more “exotic” than the standard 16V 4.6, is still pretty bulletproof. Just be careful changing the spark plugs, as it’s all aluminum. The air suspension is notorious, sure, but just be sure that it seems to operate properly (it should raise up just a touch when you start the car, and after driving at speed–the lowering is pretty imperceptible). Parts for it are inexpensive nowadays, you can get replacement air shocks from Arnott for something like $150 each, last I checked. Other than that, it’s pretty much all off the shelf Ford components, except for the unique body panels and interior pieces, but there were enough of these made that replacements are generally available. Watch out for odd interior colors (there were a few in the earlier models), as they’re very cool in terms of rarity, but would probably be a nightmare to find matching trim pieces for.
Take a look:
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5403816130.html
Less than 100K miles? Very nice, and having just passed inspection for another two years also inspires confidence! Looks very nice and, while I haven’t priced them in a while, what they’re asking seems quite fair.
Besides scrutiny of the air suspension, on a ’97-’98 you’ll also want to make sure the headlights work properly. OEM replacements are no longer available, as they were an unusual style and the manufacturer of the assemblies pulled the plug on replacement parts. They can be retrofitted with more standard pieces, but it’s a pain from what I’ve heard. (I think you can still get the bulbs, but not necessarily the other pieces).
The neon panel in the taillights also often fails, but if I’m remember correctly that was for looks and the actual brake/tails are standard bulbs.
Thanks for the info – much appreciated!
Great to hear you bought what you wanted and not what others think you should have purchased. Sorry about the sad ending, but at least you walked away!
So sad the way it ended Chris, but at least you did not get hurt. That last picture? Yeah, seeing that image of a car so well loved would’ve brought a tear to my eye as well.
Beautiful car in a beautiful color, man. I had a 94 T-Bird (MN12) in that exact same color and wow was it pretty, especially at sunset when the sky had a red glow to it.
My interior was blue (odd choice for a car that color), but looked like it was laid out exactly the same as that car. Very nice ergonomics. Of course my 4.6L V8 only had 16 valves, but the car was a nice performer anyway.
Great write-up.
The tail hump- has anyone else noticed it on other cars masquerading as a spoiler? Some Mazdas built around the same time, like the RX7 and MX5, had similar humps.
I’ve noticed sort of humps on Monte Carlo’s from around 2000 and Suzuki Kizachi’s.
I’ve owned a ’97 Mark for a few months short of 20 years. Opalescent over gray like yours. I still can’t convince myself to get rid of it. People ask me about it all the time & think I’m joking when I tell them it’s 20 years old. Only one problem with it other than maintenance in 20 years. Din headlamps are $1200 each.
At this age, burning out a headlight totals the car. But I’ll Scotch tape flashlights to the hood before I sell it.
After 20 years as the original owner, of course you can’t get rid of it! That’s really something else…kind of shocked that no one has created a solution to retrofit a newer/more commonly available lamp into that setup though. (Or, for that matter, a way to use LEDs to replace the neon panel in back). Glad to hear of such a long and happy relationship with your Mark!