There’s a lot to be said for owning the last of a breed, especially in the world of classic luxury cars. The final production examples of a particular model should theoretically be the best of their type. The manufacturer has had the chance to fine-tune the design and engineering to achieve something close to perfection. However, what would you be willing to pay in a situation like that? This 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC is a case in point. It has a genuine 898 miles showing on its odometer and looks like it has just driven off a showroom floor. Located in Napa, California, this LSC needs a new home. Therefore, the owner has listed it for sale here on Craigslist. New car buyers pay a premium for luxury models, which will undoubtedly be the case with this Lincoln. If you wish to park it in your driveway, you need to hand the seller $105,000. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L for referring this jaw-dropping classic to us.
Lincoln launched the Mark VIII in 1993, and it remained in production until the end of the 1998 model year. The LSC variant broke cover in 1995, and for the final year, the company added two special editions to the range. Our feature car is a ’98 LSC “Collector’s Edition,” and I discovered that it rolled off the line on June 18th, 1998. Production records show that the company built eighty-eight examples of the Collector’s Edition on that day and that this was the fortieth of those cars. It wears its original White Pearlescent Tri-coat Metallic paint, which added a further $365 to the Collector’s Edition option price of $900. The paint appears perfect, with no signs of any flaws or defects. The same is true of the panels it covers, while the plastic exhibits no evidence of UV damage. With spotless glass and immaculate alloy wheels, this LSC seems to need nothing.
Lincoln offered the 1998 LSC Collector’s Edition with two exterior colors, and the same philosophy carried over to its interior trim. Buyers could select between two-tone Graphite and two-tone Prairie Tan, with this car featuring the latter. It’s no surprise that the interior presentation is flawless. The leather seat upholstery of the Collector’s Edition is unique, as it doesn’t feature the perforations found on other production versions of the Mark VIII. It is spotless, with no wear or other problems. The same is true of the remaining trim and plastic, while occupants received all the comforts of home when they climbed aboard the LSC. These included climate-control air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power front seats, power exterior mirrors, cruise control, a leather and genuine walnut tilt wheel, lashings of additional walnut to complement that on the wheel, and a premium AM/FM radio and CD player.
The seller provides no engine photos, but Lincoln offered the 1998 LSC with a single drivetrain combination. Lifting the hood would reveal a 4.6-liter “Intech” V8 producing 290hp. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission, while power steering and four-wheel power disc brakes with ABS are standard appointments. The company focused on luxury rather than outright performance, but that didn’t prevent the LSC from covering the ¼ mile in a neat 15 seconds before winding its way to 124mph. The owner doesn’t indicate how well this LSC runs or drives, but it should be barely broken in with only 898 genuine and documented miles on the clock. As well as the original Owner’s Manual and other dealer paperwork, the owner includes a clean Carfax and a Marti Report in the sale.
If you have your heart set on owning a Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, our feature car may be the best example in existence. A tour of the current market reveals a single car with an odometer in four-digit territory, but none with a reading below 1,000 miles. That poses the question of whether the price of this classic is justified. The seller could subscribe to the “if you don’t ask, you don’t get” philosophy. However, I believe this one could be more of an “if you do ask, you won’t get” school of thinking. I doubt that he will get his price. What do you think?
🎹 🎶 🎵
Mr. Lincoln I wish you were here
The Republic’s changed a lot in a hundred years
And I don’t think it’s working like you planned
Oh Mr. Lincoln we could use a hand
I just read the headlines in The Nashville News
And I wish I’d made this up but I’m afraid it’s true
‘Cause a man was murdered for his money in the streets
He was taking his wife to a nice place to eat
When they caught the man he did 23 months of time
He pled insanity like they do now all the time
Sir what would you have done in 1859
Now if you shoot someone Sir you can get off scot free
It’s the latest thing Mr. Lincoln can you believe
Now they sue the manufacturers of the guns
Ain’t the law changed a lot since 1861
Mr. Lincoln I wish you were here
‘Cause things have changed a lot in a hundred years
And I don’t think it’s working out like you planned
Hey Mr. Lincoln we sure could use a hand 🎶 🎵
I always liked these Mark VIII’s, especially the swoopy interiors. I might like the 1993-style front end treatment a little better. It doesn’t seem they have generated much collector interest or therefore value, so even for a very low mileage example like this, I don’t think the offer price is even close to reasonable. Nice car. Thanks Adam.
I had a ’97 LSC in white with graphite. I loved that car but there was always something wrong with it. The neon trunk light went bad, it leaked water on the passenger side floor, low beam headlight bulbs were $300.00 each, easy entry got stuck in exit mode until I whacked the steering wheel, never used that again, CD in the trunk quit, but boy it handled really well, was fast and got good mileage.
How many miles did you have on it when you got rid of it. I’m Robert the 898 mile Lincoln guy
Maybe 67,000, bought it with 57,000 and had it a year or so.. The CD quit on the way home the day I bought it.
As I began to read this I thought, this may be a 25,000 car. I fell off My chair when I saw the asking price! LOL
If I could post a gif here, it would be the one of Bette Davis
as Baby Jane slamming the door and laughing hysterically.
$105,000!! That’s insane!
Hey Greg
This 1998 , (898 mile ) Lincoln , collectors edition should be in a Lincoln dealers showroom
Do you know any owners of dealerships?
Thank You
Robert
These cars cost about $43,000 new. This seller is optimistic. Very optimistic.
HI
This 1998 , (898 mile ) Lincoln Mark VIII LSC CE , “collectors edition “should be in a Lincoln dealers showroom
Do you know any owners of a Lincoln dealership?
Thank You
Robert
I owned a 98LSC in charcoal green Metallic with tan interior. Great highway cruiser, plenty of power, very comfortable. The air suspension had it’s issues but was fairly easy to work on when guided by the shop manual. This one listed checks all the boxes. 6 figures? Meh…
In going down the list of equipment on this car, I noticed that my $19,000 sticker price 2006 Chevy Cobalt SS came standard with everything listed for this $40-something Lincoln (my car also has the premium 7-speaker stereo with satellite radio,, something you couldn’t get in a Mark VIII and a power sunroof – I didn’t notice whether or not the Lincoln had that) plus, my car handles and accelerates better, and gives me a real world 35 mpg. in my ordinary day-by-day driving, very importantly in these days of $4.50++ gas. And, with it’s 5-speed stick, it’s a lot more fun to drive. A hundred large for this car that probably has less interior room than my Cobalt? I think I’ll pass, thank you very much.
I thought that car was da bomb back in the day
Hope they don’t hold their breath waiting for a buyer!
The interior shot looks like a hot tub.
You say that like it’s a BAD thing.
You’d have better luck playing pickup sticks with your butt cheeks than me giving $105K for this no matter how much I like it.
Agree. I have snagged three sticks so far!
Imagine buying a new car and hating it so much that you only drove it 900 miles and then just parked it for over 30 years.
Very Unique Collector’s Mark VIII
I understand its 1 of 32 built with California Smog specs
Really should be in a dealership’s show room or with a serious collector
It when to his collectors’ vault and then he passed away.. Thats why it has only 898 MILES on it
Robert ( owner )
The seller clearly thinks somebody out there really, really wants to own a very low mileage, end of the line Mark VIIII. I think the seller could put it away for another 24 years and still not come anywhere near that price point.
I was an engineer working inside Ford’s Dearborn proving grounds when these were under development. One day, a large group of people were gathered at the end of the building that faced the test track. Two new prototype were on the track, and they had everybody’s attention. After a few laps, the drivers parked the cars outside my building, and the crowd went outside to investigate. They were the first completely undisguised Mark VIII prototypes. We spent a good chunk of time out there poring over the cars, and I made a few sketches to show my friends. I remember being impressed by the futuristic styling, and I thought it was a great evolution of Mark VII themes. Unfortunately, the public generally did not agree.
I love the Mark VII but was never able to warm up to the VIII. To me, the fords of this era were pretty stinkin homely. The hideous 96-98? Taurus, the 94-98 mustang, and the mark 8. They were really nice cars in a lot of ways, but I’d take the styling of an Eldorado over a mark. And I’m a Ford guy.
Hey CC Fisher
Thx for your comment
My 1998 , (898 mile ) Lincoln Mark VIII, collectors edition should be in a Lincoln dealers showroom
Do you know any Lincoln Dealer ship Owners?
Thank You
Robert in Napa, CA
Aside from the ¨optimistic¨ price, what´s up with the mileage? Why would anybody buy a car, any car and subsequently park it, never to drive it again?
I have had several as they fit my requirements of being accessible inexpensive and fun. This Collector is the best of the model with dual exhaust and many cosmetic upgrades. My current LSC has almost 40k more than when I bought it and has never gone below 20 mpg even at 100 mph. Things do go wrong, but the basics keep doing their job and everyone looks at it like an old friend whose name they cannot recall. 32 valve V8 four wheel independent and discs with a great soundtrack. Win-win. But, not $100K
Hi Dave
Thx for your comment
My 1998, (898 mile) Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, Collector’s Edition should be in a Lincoln dealers’ showroom
Do you know any Lincoln Dealership Owners?
Thank You
Robert in Napa, CA
The last Lincoln Marks looked too much like their Ford (Taurus) & Mercury (Sable) stable mates. Way overpriced for what it offered.
I have one which is cherry and 12K on it
25K and maybe 27,500 to the absolute buyer but 105 is not realistic and certainly not based on any comps that I know of
Nice car and they are fun to drive
Good luck
Hi Greg,
Thx for your comment
My 1998, (898 mile) Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, Collector’s Edition should be in a Lincoln dealers’ showroom
Do you know any Lincoln Dealership Owners?
Thank You
Robert in Napa, CA
Lincoln Mark II, yes – that price is about right.
Lincoln Mark VIII – NO.
Nice car, not worth that…but nice. My friend who can afford anything and has a huge collection of cars always told me…If they would make that car again, he would buy it….I will show it to him and see. LOL
It is his favorite car….he now has Audi’s and Range Rover’s, several other high end cars…..so I got to believe him.
Hi Mike,
Thx for your comment
Yes, my Mark VIII is really a bran new car with 898 original Miles
There’s a lot of details you should know about the car
Please reach out to me
Also
My 1998, (898 mile) Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, Collector’s Edition should be in a Lincoln dealers’ showroom
Do you know any Lincoln Dealership Owners?
Thank You
Robert in Napa, CA
I’m a Lincoln owner (I’ve waited a very long time to be able to say or type that) and I have to say this is one ugly Lincoln. Looks like someone left their T-bird out in the sun too long. An insult to every Lincoln Mark leading up to it. $105,000? Dream on…
I like it but they obviously aren’t really interested in selling it
Nice over priced, rebadged thunderbird. Not even close to 105,000
$105? And he woke up!!! Beautiful car though. In reality , because it’s not really a collector item , it’s truly worth around 40 to 45 thousand.
It looks like a 2000 Mercury Sable (side view) from the B pillar to the rear bumper. Ditto for the interior too.
Correction: It looks like a 1998 Mercury Sable (side view).
There is no chrome on this car at all, except for the wheels. The earlier ones had chrome grills, chrome around the wall to wall taillights.
Looks much more elegant with chrome, IMO.
I had a 97 Mark VIII LSC. The 97 & 98 base models had chrome and the LSC replaced the chrome with body colored trim. Not sure about the earlier models. I loved my Mark VIII.
From the bar-of-soap school of styling.
WOW!! Damn near fell outta my chair when I read the price tag! Beautiful car bar nope!
WOW!! Damn near fell outta my chair when I read the price tag! Beautiful car but nope!
900 miles on a car that old IS NOT Good.
Many times you’ll start driving a extremely low miles car and you’ll find they use/burn oil.
Internal engine seals harden from sitting and not being driven.
I bought a Mint 2012 Challenger with the 5.7 last November with only 41,000 miles…..it’s burning oil.
Not real bad but about a quart every 2,000 miles, too much!
Gonna try some “Marvel Mystery Oil” next oil change to see if it helps.
A co-worker had one of these but an earlier model Mark VIII. He bought it after the lease was up and was able to swing a good buyout deal. He suggested that I do the same thing on my ’96 Maxima lease when it was done. When I mentioned it to the dealer when returning it, he said “Look out that window, I can’t keep a used Maxima on the lot more than a couple of days”.
Before I gave someone 100k for that I’d go out and buy a real 100k car like a Cadillac CTS V
Just a low mileage 2 door Mercury Sable dressed up! $105K?! What is the owner smoking??😂🤣
Arguably the best year ‘98 of the M8 Lincoln.
Why buy an overpriced Merc. Marauder when you can have the 4.6 DOHC motor with IRS/ 4WD brakes. These were great cars and the only problems were suspension airbag system and some complicated controls like ABS/ Climate Control. The ride was beyond M7/Grand Marquis/ Town Car and arrive in style…
I find the design of these attractive but to me, fomoco products of this vintage show obvious signs of cost cutting on the interiors. Too much hard plastic and interior panel gaps are too big.
Nice cruiser for someone but the asking price is insane. I usually stay out of pricing conversations but this is simply ridiculous
I have a 95 mark viii gold badge. 41k miles. Almost mint condition. Cream outside and inside. Chrome everywhere, real head turner.