33K-Mile One-Owner! 1997 Lincoln Continental

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The ninth-generation front-wheel drive Lincoln Continental is still quite luxurious, quiet, solid, and steady, although a lot of us seem to think that rear-wheel drive is the only way luxury cars should be configured. I would have a serious look at this 1997 Lincoln Continental if it weren’t in the Providence, Rhode Island area, an expensive shipping distance away. It’s posted here on Craigslist and the seller is asking $8,990. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!

The ninth-generation Continental was the second generation to have front-wheel drive. You had to go back to the seventh-gen bustle-back Continental to get one with rear-wheel drive. Speaking of traction, the seller says this gorgeous, rust-free example has never been driven in the snow or salt. With just 33,000 miles, it’s been parked in the winter months and it looks perfect inside and out.

The ninth-generation Continental was made for the 1995 through 2002 model years and as with most (all) Continentals over the previous few decades, they came in one body style, a four-door sedan. It’s funny how just a few years earlier, a Lincoln Continental would have looked out of place without white wall tires, but adding them to one from this era would look weird. I like the early models before the 1998 redo, when the front and rear got tweaked a bit.

As expected, the interior is beautiful and appears as perfect as the Deep Navy Blue exterior does. The leather seats are “buttery soft”, according to the seller and they appear like new both front and rear. Even the trunk looks great and has enough room for a decent road trip worth of luggage, and this would be a great car for road trips, even with it only returning 18 MPG or so.

The engine is Ford’s “InTech” 4.6-liter (280-cu.in) DOHC V8 with a healthy for the time 260 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque. It sends smooth power to the even smoother four-speed automatic and then to the front wheels. The seller says this one works perfectly and has a new battery, new brakes, new tires, and more. Have any of you owned a ninth-generation Continental?

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Comments

  1. Stan StanMember

    If somebody wants a tidy fwd Continental… real nice. 1 owner, $8900 wow. Good write up Scotty.

    Like 23
  2. JACKinNWPA JACKinNWPAMember

    Yes, I did have a 2002 that was originally a blue like this one. I bought it as a total that was T boned and required two doors and the B pillar. These 4 cam 32 valve engines really come on from about 25 MPH. Naturally I customized mine but this one for sale? Wow , what a nice car! and don’t worry about the ride comfort compared to a RWD car, these are fine. I would love to relive those days but have too many cars now. Believe me the new owner will be getting a “brand new” Lincoln for about 8 times less money than a 2025 model.

    Like 14
  3. Bob_in_TN Bob_in_TNMember

    Lots of very nice car for minimal money. Not much collector value, but maybe there is someone who would like to get it and continue to baby it. Otherwise…. as a point of reference, this amount of money would buy a ten year old Fusion with over 100k miles.

    Like 20
  4. Joseph A Crook

    A lot of car for the money. Put a back up camera in it and drive it for 10 years. You won’t find less expensive transportation. They got good MPG for what they were. Minimal depreciation. Great comfort and very dependable.

    Like 17
  5. Gord

    I have a 2000 that I bought from the original owner about 5 years ago. Drove from Vancouver to Arizona and averaged just over 20 mpg. The Continental is smaller then both the Impala SS and Mercury Marauder from that era and has similar performance for a lot less money. Mine is still looking and driving like new with 150k miles on it.

    Like 12
  6. ThunderRob

    I had a gold with tan interior 97′ Conty and it was a true joy to drive.It felt alot more powerful than the 260hp listed and took off like a scalded cat,so quiet inside you could communicate whispering and it handled like it was 500 lbs lighter(wasnt a floater but wasnt a sports car but it was secure)

    Like 10
  7. RICK W

    No Surprise to anyone who has seen my previous posts, This is NOT (IMO) worthy of LINCOLN, what a Luxury CAR should be. Too small. Plain Jane appearance (chrome trim), and too aero styling. Give me a genuine Lincoln LAND YACHT any day. That being said, it does offer SOME of Lincoln quality at a reasonable price. Fortunately, in the USA 🇺🇸, we can STILL have our own opinions. So that’s mine, since today’s Peasant vehicles
    are REVOLTING, I’m on to VERSAILLES (even going in reverse) in my Town Car Signature Limited! 😅 🤣

    Like 4
  8. Steve Crist

    Shades of the Crown Vic

    Like 8
  9. KurtMember

    Wish it was closer. Great bargain! I wonder what local law here in Cali would keep me from registering it however.

    Like 5
  10. James Thuener

    Never a Continental but 3 Town Cars, the last 1 got flooded and totaled by Hurricane Helene. 3′ Water & over the dash. The insurance company (USAA) paid me 1 day after the appraisal ! Surprised that it was so quick.

    Like 5
  11. Billy

    To note; CL ad is gone. A next door neighbor probably kept it in the neighborhood. Nice shrunk Lincoln.

    Like 3
  12. Joris Bergsma

    The editor writes: “expensive shipping distance” ?!?
    Aside the snow we have now, where are you located, Hawaii?
    I would kill to drive this ‘beauty parlor’ across country 🙂

    Like 4
    • Scotty GilbertsonAuthor

      Ha, I wish. I’m in the upper Midwest, the heart of snow and cold country – probably a $1,500 shipping ride away. I drive 40,000+ miles a year around the country so it’s not a bad idea to grab a cheap flight to Providence and drive it home!

      Like 0
  13. MarkMember

    These excellent older cars with decent mileage are the best deals for folks who need a good and reliable car without spending north of 30K. What a deal!
    A buddy’s mom passed at 101 but bought a 1999 Jag XJ8 when she was 78. She put 70K on it and performed all of the maintenance per the manual. It was garaged and the paint and interior were 9/10. I bought it 2 years ago for 8K after getting it checked out at an independent Jag shop. The only thing I have done with it is replace the coils and plugs. It is the best road car I have ever owned, gets 22 MPG and my wife would kill me if I sold it. There are plenty of these rides available. Great for families and kids. Beautiful Lincoln.

    Like 6
  14. GeorgeMember

    A lovely car for daily transportation, but at this point, Lincoln was just a name plate. There was no Lincoln marketing or design studio. Someone at Ford said “Make a Luxury car out of the Taurus that we can sell x units of.”

    More than competent, but without any distictive Lincoln personality. By the time Ford saw what its German/Lebanese managers had done, the American brand was pretty much dead.

    Like 4
  15. Jeff Szal

    I bought my dads 2001 in 2008 when the gas got expensive because my work trucks get low mpg. I teased my dad when he bought it new where is the other half..lol.. I divide my gallons into the miles every time i fill up. The best I got was 28 mpg on highway.I am a semi pro lineman football player so I am not small. The car was nimble, peppy and comfortable to my surprise. I went on many road trips for business its a nice car. I gave it to my x girlfriend when I bought a new Chrysler 300 in 2018. The new Chrysler only got a litter better mpg. That age lincoln may need air bags soon from dryrot.

    Like 0

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