Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: fotoguzzi on April 25, 2015, 05:52:14 PM
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still casually looking for a replacement for the Miata.. I like Ranger and Frontier pickups, extended cab or better yet a true 4 door with windows that go down in the rear.
I know I'm hopeful in thinking I can find something nice for around $5k.
I won't consider older Euro cars like Audi, VW or Volvo (I have experience) but
then I've seen a couple nice Mercedes ML class SUV's but with higher miles what is you guys knowledge about that..
and the C class could do what I want, which is haul dog & canoe, pick up son in Duluth and head to the northwoods/lakes.
add a hitch and tow a bike too.
anyone like this deal?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/cto/4984071967.html
Do MB normally need a timing belt service or do they use chain?
I even put ad on CL to trade my Uly for a Ranger but that thing will be harder to sell than a Guzzi.. I won't try to tell you guys it's a better bike than a Guzzi too.. and no problem getting parts yadayada..
I do look at the Subaru and Honda's but they usually priced too high for what I want and the timing belt service bugs me..
Just looking for great advice so I can make a smart purchase when and if I do.. thanks!
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I'm new to the MB, but just picked up a 1999 E300D (turbo Diesel) W210 (body style) with 188,000 miles. Had to repair some things and I found this website to have all the answers I needed:
http://www.benzworld.org/ (http://www.benzworld.org/)
You will have to search according to your body style for any info. I have done all the required work needed, not hard if you have someone that knows, which is what I use the forum for.
Mine are in good condition, but the FLEXDISCs need to be inspected for cracks (one at each end of driveshaft instead of universal joints).
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MB is a premium brand and, in this area, the maintenance costs reflect that. My used car friend (sells mainly Cadillac and GMC SUVs) will not take a MB in on trade. He says that it's too expensive to offer a warranty and any repairs the car needs prior to sale are deal killers. He says the same about BMW. Since he has been making money at that game for about 30 years I figure he knows the business.
Peter Y.
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MB is a premium brand and, in this area, the maintenance costs reflect that. My used car friend (sells mainly Cadillac and GMC SUVs) will not take a MB in on trade. He says that it's too expensive to offer a warranty and any repairs the car needs prior to sale are deal killers. He says the same about BMW. Since he has been making money at that game for about 30 years I figure he knows the business.
Peter Y.
Back when we were young and still poor new engineers, a guy at work offered a 200D for sale for $3000. Had about 100,000 miles on it, VERY basic and bare car, just the kind I like. SLOOOW car but a 4-speed and rock steady on the road once it got rolling, and didn't use much diesel.
I wanted it bad, but finally decided against it, and a friend of mine immediately jumped on it. Six months later, he let out the clutch at a traffic light and the motor went BANG and stopped. The camshaft mount had cracked in the block, the valves got out of time, and interference motor ... well .. the motor was junk.
$5000 1981 dollars later, he had a rebuilt motor in it. I knew then that I was never going to be in the Mercedes class of owner.
Around 1990, my brother bought a lovely primrose-yellow 450SL for $14,000. I went with him to pick it up; it smoked a little bit, but figured it might not be a problem. Started smoking some more and was using about a quart every 500 miles; we poked around a little, and one of the spark plugs had been installed with one of those "anti-fouling" shields like you might find on an aging Ford tractor. That cylinder had a broken ring and a gouged cylinder wall ... and the bill to fix it was over 3/4 the price of the car.
I wouldn't tackle one unless I was ready to learn to be an expert on them and do all the work myself.
Lannis
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pyoungbl & Lannis just gave you some very good information.
I used to get a new Mercedes or BMW (my choice) each year for around 15 years as part of my compensation package. The company provided the car and all the expenses to keep it running, registered, insured, etc. I had the top of the line models of both brands through those years and if I had to pay for the maintenance & repairs, I would have just taken a Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Honda or some other vehicle as my company car. You can easily spend $4k-$5k for repairs in the blink of an eye when you take a Mercedes or BMW to the dealer or other competent repair facility. A few years ago, my oldest son bought a nice, used, low mileage Audi for his wife. I warned him but he wouldn't listen. With only 40k miles on the odometer, the car started having one problem after another and they spend over $6k in around six or seven months on repairs. They wised up and bought a Honda.
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Dude, I want your job! my company gives me a Toyota rav and expects me to run it up near 200k before replacing it.. it's a PoS car.
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A used Mercedes still costs you for any services and often parts, the dealers don't care much how old it is.
Thing you really need to watch out for are the electronics. The computers do go out on them and then you are really stuck and it can cost plenty to get another one unless you go the refurb route and take your chances.
For a haul around get a Ford Expedition or Lincoln Navigator. They are beasts but carry just about anything. They are relatively inexpensive too.
For the 5 grand number you can find them in good shape and pretty well taken care of. They have their own set of issues but if you check it out before buying you can really score nicely.
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Dude, I want your job! my company gives me a Toyota rav and expects me to run it up near 200k before replacing it.. it's a PoS car.
Dude, I want YOUR job! A COMPANY CAR? OMG!
Lannis (I only ever just got a paycheck)
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I remember this saying... "Nothing is more expensive than a cheap Mercedes."
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The weird thing about old MBs is that they were really no more complicated than most other cars . I owned a 240D for a year or so , bought it cheap because it was not charging and the OEM alternator was some crazy price . Pulled the Alt , took it to an old guy here that actually still rebuilt starter motors , Alts , etc . Twenty bucks later it worked fine . He told me it was the same component as some VW Alt . Kinda like modern Caddy stuff that is the same as other GM parts , but costs way more .
Dusty
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A riding buddy has had MB C models for many years.
:+=copcar and really pleased with his trouble -free cars.
Boy, did one of his cars rust!
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Mine had the airbag light on, which means the passenger seat is not active. There is a big flat sensor under the seat and to replace by MB is like $600+.
The forum I linked earlier, has several threads on this problem that has been on going for many years. Turns out in most cases the wire coming from the sensor makes a bend under the seat where the factory zipties it and one of the 3 wires inside the cover gets broken over time.
Fix is a PITA, remove the seat (easy part) then pull the seat cover off (hard) to get to the sensor. Check each wire with VOM. Cut open the sheath at the bend, sure enough wire was broken at that point. Solder it back, heat shrink, put it back together (with help from wife). Presto fixed, cost = nothing.
Lots of other fixes like that on the forum. Some of the forum members are ex MB mechanics with over 30 years experience. If you are a DIY guy and in no rush to get the MB on the road, most of the problems can be fixed DIY. I have never seen a MB dealer.
P.S. I changed out the Charcoal filters, pretty sure they had never been changed before.
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My friend the body-repair guy had a nice older Mercedes wagon in his shop a few years ago. It had been in a minor front end collision which had damaged one headlight assembly and put a small crunch in the grill / fender. I asked him what he was going to do with it. "Nothing," he said. "It's totalled." One headlight, with bucket: $1100. It drove perfectly.
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The weird thing about old MBs is that they were really no more complicated than most other cars . I owned a 240D for a year or so , bought it cheap because it was not charging and the OEM alternator was some crazy price . Pulled the Alt , took it to an old guy here that actually still rebuilt starter motors , Alts , etc . Twenty bucks later it worked fine . He told me it was the same component as some VW Alt . Kinda like modern Caddy stuff that is the same as other GM parts , but costs way more .
Dusty
That's what I could never figure out. You look under the hood or peep under the dash of a 190 SL or a 220D, and it's no different-looking than any other car. The labor CAN'T be that much more than labor on a Chevy, there's no reason for it.
But when you get one worked on, you get charged like it's an F-22 fighter getting its annual checkup, or someone taking apart a Saturn 5 rocket engine. Weeks in the shop, dozens or hundreds of hours of labor, thousands and thousands of dollars total.
The parts alone can't make up the difference. I think there's some sort of "monopoly" thing going on and the Anti-Trust boys ought to look into it .... ::)
Lannis
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Ok... if you are interested in any car, go to CarMax & get the extended warrenty to cover at least the period you will be finanacing it for. Get it used or " previously owned." CarMax has about every brand you can name &... you can shop online for the exact car your want from their nationwide stock. I speak from experience as I currently have a Mercedes 350 SLK & Mini Cooper S purchase from them. For the first 30 days you have the car, they will fix anything that you find wrong. Believe me, I compiled a very nitpicking list and they didn't flinch. After that, they repair according to the warrenty you choose. You then have the choice to take it to them, or take it to a dealer for additional $50. If they can't repair it, they will take it to the dealer or a specialist at no additonal charge to you. The Mini has had 3 recalls, one covered by CarMax, one covered by the local Dealer & one sent out to a BMW specialist. The dealer screwed up the repair and the whole top end had to be rebuilt by the specialist. All told.. the bills ran something like $12,000+. Our cost including a rental car for when the car was being repaired ..... $0, nada, as the warrenty was a no-deductable. On the Mercedes, something let loose in the intake and then the transmission, disableling the car each time. They came, picked it up, fixed it the 1st time and when the tranny computer went down 200 miles later , did it again.. this time not charging me the $150 deductable I had on the policy. All told that would have been about $4,000 out of my pocket instead of $150. I also had a Dodge stratus bought from them and the service was the same. I have a extensive background in mechanics, but trying to service late model cars... is a fools game unless you have all the equipment, which often times you can't buy even if you wanted to. That the way it is now, witness that I can't turn off the service icon on my California 1400 as it requires the PADS program which.. I can not get. So... buy what you want, but get that service contract. I recommend CarMax as I also had a PT Cruiser with a bumper to bumper warrenty from the Chrystler Dealer, which on the very first time it broke... they denied the repair & demanded the $500 then and there. No I don't work for CarMax, it's just I am very pleased & it might be worth giving them a try.
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I have some little experience with recent MBs from new till we made them "used".
Won't buy another one again any time soon. Our most recent family revisit of MB was a 2001 ML55, this after many years away. It's called a W163 in MB-speak and I can't recommend the particular line more heartily. Even if it weren't an AMG (too damn much fun!) I'd still-still have it.
It sits behind me now in the front drive - this, after we've turfed off three newer and supposedly better MBs.
The 163s, being the first foray of MB into the consumer SUV - excluding softened, former military designed G-Wagens - is quite over-engineered in the good and old meaning of the word. I have effected all repairs except warranty work myself and the vehicle is as old MBs - a maintenance cake walk. Parts for now are surprisingly inexpensive from MB and of superior quality. Lots of interior space, a pleasure to drive and the AMGs are a rockin' good factory hot-rod though tires are dear.
Fortunately, I resisted parlaying this one against any of the following vehicles; SL55, ML500 (W164 model) and an SL500. Each of these was a sore disappointment in excess technology - often over the heads of service departments for the first year or two - and operator complexity seemingly for complexity's sake.
Having been familiar with MB since childhood, I can't help but feel that the Daimler-Chrysler years offer a great deal of cross-pollution in the respective lines and almost entirely to the detriment of either. My 2001 I believe to be a Daimler-Chrysler offering but designed originally prior to the misadventure of 1998-2007.
Base cars of any given line are the best and MB spends a lot of time with a unit base design before giving up on it so each succeeding year of development pays dividends to a long-term owner.
Even now, were I not tuning up a Scout to replace my wife's Discovery, I'd get her a cream-puff W163 though, as their quality is becoming more known, they are getting harder to find at "a price".
Todd.
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Ok... if you are interested in any car, go to CarMax & get the extended warrenty to cover at least the period you will be finanacing it for. Get it used or " previously owned." CarMax has about every brand you can name &... you can shop online for the exact car your want from their nationwide stock. I speak from experience as I currently have a Mercedes 350 SLK & Mini Cooper S purchase from them. For the first 30 days you have the car, they will fix anything that you find wrong. Believe me, I compiled a very nitpicking list and they didn't flinch. After that, they repair according to the warrenty you choose. You then have the choice to take it to them, or take it to a dealer for additional $50. If they can't repair it, they will take it to the dealer or a specialist at no additonal charge to you. The Mini has had 3 recalls, one covered by CarMax, one covered by the local Dealer & one sent out to a BMW specialist. The dealer screwed up the repair and the whole top end had to be rebuilt by the specialist. All told.. the bills ran something like $12,000+. Our cost including a rental car for when the car was being repaired ..... $0, nada, as the warrenty was a no-deductable. On the Mercedes, something let loose in the intake and then the transmission, disableling the car each time. They came, picked it up, fixed it the 1st time and when the tranny computer went down 200 miles later , did it again.. this time not charging me the $150 deductable I had on the policy. All told that would have been about $4,000 out of my pocket instead of $150. I also had a Dodge stratus bought from them and the service was the same. I have a extensive background in mechanics, but trying to service late model cars... is a fools game unless you have all the equipment, which often times you can't buy even if you wanted to. That the way it is now, witness that I can't turn off the service icon on my California 1400 as it requires the PADS program which.. I can not get. So... buy what you want, but get that service contract. I recommend CarMax as I also had a PT Cruiser with a bumper to bumper warrenty from the Chrystler Dealer, which on the very first time it broke... they denied the repair & demanded the $500 then and there. No I don't work for CarMax, it's just I am very pleased & it might be worth giving them a try.
Interesting, but I'm not financing.. I'll look into it.
cruzziguzzi,
I found one like that I think?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/4954891735.html
but I hear ya all and will put the MB in the same category as Audi, BMW, VW aand Volvo.
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You don't have to finance the car to buy from Car Max. You can buy the car outright and also purchase their warranty. You will NEED a warranty if you buy a used Mercedes or you will be likely to spend more for repairs within the first year or two than you spent on the purchase of the car.
Good luck with whatever you decide to purchase.
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I'd buy this instead and pocket the difference:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/4969536709.html
Less money and unless it was beat will probably last for another 100K, just make sure he has changed the timing belt/water pump.
I would only buy a used MB if someone else was paying for the maintenance and that isn't likely to happen.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ctd/4973292390.html
Another one, price is reasonably given the mileage but might be out of your budget.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/4984846937.html
Looks to be in very nice shape:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/ctd/4979183748.html
One owner:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/4990254064.html
Hell, I wish these were down here because I'd buy one. The 1999 to 2002 4Runner's are great cars.
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Thanks BlackCat! that last one, I don't see where it says one owner but a 1 owner is what I'm looking for.. I rather find a PU so the Tacoma I think is same platform as the 4runner?
the Tacoma trucks seem to run a little higher $ that the 4 runner?
but for the price, I like this,
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ctd/4980680363.html
practically I should look at Honda Civic too, it will do most of what I want except for the pickup truck function.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/4972753790.html
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Interesting, but I'm not financing.. I'll look into it.
cruzziguzzi,
I found one like that I think?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/4954891735.html
but I hear ya all and will put the MB in the same category as Audi, BMW, VW aand Volvo.
I don't think I'd pop for that one. Too much rust considering the availability of these in "rust-free" states. Doesn't have the AMG wheels as I know them to be and the mileage - though half what a fella can expect outa these before they enter "hobby" ownership is still a bit high.
I'd pass and look about in other states for a salt-free example. In all honest, a guy can have near as much fun with an ML500 as with the AMG if you don't intend to hammer the bejeepers outa it embarrassing Mustangs.
Joining an MB forum/board will be priceless even in pre-ownership. Good to know for the usual cheap-a..., er, parsimonious Guzzi owner. MB long-term owners are very open and honest about the good and the bad of these. My favorite: http://www.benzworld.org/
Watch too for the 430 and 500 V-8s. Cheaper buy-in, much less expensive tires/exhaust and you can run the gamut in old school hot-rodding; exhaust, chips, turbos and even better... blowers. These make great tow platforms and exceptional snowmobile/slippery landing boat tugs.
Todd.
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Tacoma is the same as the 4Runner and yes you will pay more for them. Same 6 cylinder engine, avoid the 4.
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You guys are all full-a Shiite.
I have owned the following Mercedes to great personal satisfaction. . All were bought used, all were daily drivers offering exceptional service. :
1967 230S < 1974 - 1978 > No issues. Solid car. Sold it to buy 911S.
1978 240D < 1983 - 1992 > starter went out. It was cheaper to replace with a rebuilt than an equivalent Toyota corolla's starter- by almost $100 ! Great car, but Diesel slow.. Sold it to buy new Camaro RS Convertible
1993 300E < 2006 - 2009 > Great car, no issues. Sold it for more than we paid originally. Had too many cars ( 5 for 3 people ); one car had to go.
1999 SL500 < 2003 - Present day > BEST One, Yet! Awesome car. Eats Toyotas for Breakfast, Nissans for lunch, and shits Subarus at Tea Time. Out raced a M3 "playing Tag" down Hwy 1 from Monterey to Paso Roble and Beat a Shelby GT500 down some long straights and fast sweepers around town outskirts. Bested only by a late model Corvette.
Issues ( items bought online, replaced by me ):
Crank positioning Sensor replace : $27.00
(2)Oxygen Sensors replaced : $80.00
Brake Pads, Front: $130.00
Mercedes been Verry GOOD tp ME... ;-T
You just gotta know with a used Mercedes, how to buy right. Stay away from Snow Belt cars. Best bet are Calif End of Lease term turn ins..( Calif has more MBZ per capita than any other state. Lotsa good, solid late model candidates from which to choose .. 8) )
I have owned Toyotas, Nissan, Jeep XJ, '65 Mustang, (2)Camaros, Scirroco, (2) Beetles, Porsche; Dodge Dart GT, and feel qualified to state that..
MBZ : BEST all around AUTOMOBILE ON THE PLANET. Period
This is my SL500 -
(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e383/blndyhb/Cars/IMG_2966_zps32e0cd04.jpg)
All yee MBZ Naysayers can bite my MBZ Leather Sport Seat covered butt. ... ;D
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Well, first had a well-used 240D (W123) Station Wagon. Slow! Gave it away with 600 000 km on the clock, only because of rust (would have been fixable) and a badly worn-out niveau regulation (much too expensive to fix). Now I drive a C 180 (W202) from 1994. No rust (because it was our family car in southern Spain where we have a flat, now it is waxed at the underside and inside the structure), but it had it´s issues: Motor control computer is new, head gasket had to be renewed. Otherwise only wearing parts. And at least here in Germany they are less expensive than at VW / Audi / BMW!
It pulls my sailboat which is heavier than the car and drived great!
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Based on Mike's recommendation though it might be out of budget. Can't see fitting any sheetrock in the back but it is a convertible.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/cto/4978509438.html
Guzzi content:
"Best time to call is in the morning, early evenings. Speak clearly though he can be hard of hearing sometimes"
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and a badly worn-out niveau regulation (much too expensive to fix).
Darn those pesky "niveau regulations"! The one on my BSA wore out in no time and it was a bugger of a job finding another one and welding it on .....
Lannis
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I have had a Mercedes for about 10 years and it has given me very good service.
It says Dodge on the outside, but it is Mercedes through and through.
It is the Sprinter van that I use for my business.
I think any story on used cars can be applied to any brand.
I bought a used Ford van that was less than 10 years old with about 85,000 miles on it.
It cost me $5,000 over the next 4 years to keep it on the road. The worst vehicle I have ever owned.
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I have had a Mercedes for about 10 years and it has given me very good service.
It says Dodge on the outside, but it is Mercedes through and through.
It is the Sprinter van that I use for my business.
I think any story on used cars can be applied to any brand.
I bought a used Ford van that was less than 10 years old with about 85,000 miles on it.
It cost me $5,000 over the next 4 years to keep it on the road. The worst vehicle I have ever owned.
Had a buddy that used to keep coon dogs. Water dish in their pen cracked and he found a Ford truck hubcap in the barn. Used that. Next morning every one of them was stone, graveyard dead.
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If you are a DIY guy, you'd be surprised at how reasonable parts are for the older MB's. I'm looking at an 89 300SE and priced parts at http://www.pelicanparts.com/Mercedes-Benz/index-SC.htm
You'd have to see if that 2.2 4 cylinder has enough oomph for you. Also, service records would be good, especially the auto trans service.
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You guys are all full-a Shiite.
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Is that like shit? Don't be afraid, just say it. you'll feel better.. ;D You says MB are the best, Lannis goes on about his Festiva, someone else loves his Toyota...I like Jeeps, old Jeeps with dents and rust. I judge vehicles by the ability to push a fallen tree or a stalled vehicle out of the way...Cars are appliances, bikes are toys...
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What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?
My dog would look pretty cool in an X canine black and white with a no squirrels badge on the door..
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The times I was looking at a used Mercedes, I would talk to Todd Haven (RIP bud) and he would give me the scoop on them, I ended up with a Miata with a retractable hardtop for the same money and zero repair costs.... Another service provided by the friendly folks at MPH!
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What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?
A friend of mine had one of those Crown Vic's and it was free from his brother. Lasted a couple of years(similar mileage) and then the engine went. Just stopped. Nice ride but not nice enough to put in another engine even with it being a free car. Just one example so who knows.
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We have always had Acura/Honda's primarily for the past 20 years. My wife wanted a BMW forever so she got an X3 (300 HP Turbo ;D). Quick little SUV. I only relinquished due to their 4-year free maintenance program. I took it in for it's annual maintenance last Friday (2 yrs and 13 K miles total). The service guy told me it would have cost me ~$1,400 if not under their maintenance plan. It is the funnest car I have driven but not sure I spent $1,400 in maintenance on my Japanese cars over the past 20 years combined (probably a slight embellishment but not too much). We typically do not keep a car more than 4 years but I do believe the European vehicles require more pampering than others IMO.
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I'm currently looking to replace my '79 300CD with one a bit newer. Won't be anything newer than a '93, reliability after that seems to have taken a serious nose-dive. Right now an '84 190D 2.2 with five speed has my interest the most.
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What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?
I bought my son a '05 Crown Vic Police Interceptor, formerly of the Boise Idaho police department. Made its way to Chicago somehow and I picked it up a few years ago (from Motorsource in Highland Park) for ~$5500 and 95,000 miles. Used government vehicles are typically well maintained despite the high miles. Be careful of Crown Vics that are former taxicabs though.
Except for a problem with the heater (which required a $15 part and $400 in labor to remove the entire dash assembly) it has been--pardon the pun--bulletproof.
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I bought my son a '05 Crown Vic Police Interceptor, formerly of the Boise Idaho police department. Made its way to Chicago somehow and I picked it up a few years ago (from Motorsource in Highland Park) for ~$5500 and 95,000 miles. Used government vehicles are typically well maintained despite the high miles. Be careful of Crown Vics that are former taxicabs though.
Hard to believe that anyone would have access to a Crown Vic that was a "former taxicab". They generally start out as police or fleet cars for the feds or the state, then when they have a lot of miles on them, the county and city police get them, then when they have about 250,000 miles on them, the local school board or animal warden gets them ....
... then when they're too worn for civil service, they get cleaned up and auctioned and a private party gets them, they get traded two or three times until they're completely beat to pieces, the suspension is gone, none of the gauges work, they're burning oil ...
.... THEN they go into taxicab duty with a coat of paint in taxi livery and some seat covers. By the time those boys are done with them, there's usually not enough left of them to drive. :D
Lannis
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nother twist, wife's friend has a 99 Suzuki Vitara.. 129k Might be able to get it cheap. (under 1500.). looking wed night.
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Rented the Suzuki one summer to drive to Duluth. Similar year, rode very nice on the road, seemed to track better than Buicks I had rented. I was disappointed in the mileage; I expected more.
That's my only data point on that. :)
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Rented the Suzuki one summer to drive to Duluth. Similar year, rode very nice on the road, seemed to track better than Buicks I had rented. I was disappointed in the mileage; I expected more.
That's my only data point on that. :)
at least it was summer, bet that was a relief to go from Az to the N Shore..
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If you have to ask you can't afford them.
Dean
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I was thinking of somewhat the same thing only I remember my ford aerostar minivan was a great van until I blew it up @ 230,000 because I didn't take care of the cooling system
Other options I have been looking at is a Grand Caravan (Chrysler not trailer for those of us who drive on the right side of the road) and Honda Element.
In California they make an interesting pop top to use as sleeping quarters. The only problem is you have to be limber enough to use it.
(http://www.ursaminorvehicles.com/sites/default/files/gallery/hz_skidoo.jpg)
(http://www.poptopvans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/image34.jpg)
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Hard to believe that anyone would have access to a Crown Vic that was a "former taxicab". They generally start out as police or fleet cars for the feds or the state, then when they have a lot of miles on them, the county and city police get them, then when they have about 250,000 miles on them, the local school board or animal warden gets them ....
... then when they're too worn for civil service, they get cleaned up and auctioned and a private party gets them, they get traded two or three times until they're completely beat to pieces, the suspension is gone, none of the gauges work, they're burning oil ...
.... THEN they go into taxicab duty with a coat of paint in taxi livery and some seat covers. By the time those boys are done with them, there's usually not enough left of them to drive. :D
Lannis
Ford built NEW modified Crown Vics for taxi service, state and local police and other government agencies. An example: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature)
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I currently have a CLS 550 (bought new in 2012) and I haven't had any problems with it. Before this one I had a 2003 C240 and I do not remember having any major problems with it either. With the newer cars though there is nothing you can work on. You pop the hood and the engine is a block, I wouldn't know where to start.
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I had the opportunity to ride in a Crown Vic taxi the other day.
The driver didn't baby the car at all and I commented on how it seemed to run pretty well.
He said it had 365k on it and the drivetrain was original. The rear end startedto howl at speed and he commented on how a lube change helped it when it got loud. He said if the rearend made it to 400k they would retire it then. Meanwhile he was going to flog it. They regularly run them 400k+. And these are ex cop cars, so you know they have seen a lot of idling and WFO operation.
The interior was even in good shape.
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Ford built NEW modified Crown Vics for taxi service, state and local police and other government agencies. An example: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature (http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature)
In our little city, I don't think any of the 4 taxi companies operate more than 5 cabs, and 2 of them are 1-man operations on a shoe string, driven by dudes just making a living. NYC cabs are probably different .....
I got in late to the Denver airport one night, and missed the last bus into town for the night by 30 seconds. Had to take a cab to my apartment in Lone Tree, and it was a ragtail Crown Vic.
NO suspension at all, steering wheel shaking in the driver's hand at 80 MPH down the deserted tollway, and either it was flat out of gas and had no thermostat, or the speedometer was the only working gauge. $95 +$12 tip and I was glad to get home in one piece, I know that ....
Lannis