An unusual and rarely seen-today car, this Fox-body-based 1986 Mercury Marquis Brougham was downsized yet again from the previous generation cars, and it’s the last of the Marquis series to be produced – “Grand Marquis” notwithstanding. Looking almost like new, the seller has this Dark Clove Brown Metallic car listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Sebring, Florida and they’re asking $6,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Chris for the tip!
The fourth-generation Marquis was made from 1983 to 1986 and they were based on the smaller Fox platform, which meant that the Marquis trimmed down from a full-sized car to a mid-sized car. It lost about 900 pounds in weight and around 16 inches in length over the previous models. It still represented a lot of luxury for the money and this seems like a great buy to me for such a nice example.
The full-sized Grand Marquis hung onto the Panther platform and they were made until 2011 so you’ll have a much easier chance to see one of those still on the roads today than you will a smaller Fox-body Marquis. This era is a more “right-sized” car to me, I don’t need another foot and a half of sheet metal on my vehicles. I notice some slight wear to the edges of the bumper filler material front and rear, otherwise, I don’t see many flaws on the exterior of this brown beauty.
The interior looks even nicer, with no visible wear on the seats, steering wheel, dash, or other surfaces. It’s a bit unusual to see manual windows in this era on a luxury car, as they were becoming more common by the 1980s and even standard on a lot of luxury cars. The seats look perfect both front and rear and the trunk looks tidy, too. The seller lists the mileage as being 37,650 miles and it sure looks like it could be that and not 137,650.
The engine is a Ford Essex 3.8-liter V6, which had 120 horsepower and 205 lb-ft of torque when new. It sends power to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic and column selector. The seller says that this one works great, the AC is ice-cold, and it even has four new tires. Have any of you owned a Fox-body Mercury Marquis?
No, but drove one in driver’s ed in high school. I’ll pass on this one.
It looks, nice. Being a Fox body it could be the recipient of a 5.0. What a sleeper. Or not.
It’s a Ford Fairmont by any other name.Zephyre,Futura.I believe some had the gutless 4 banger in em.These cars got more cheaply made in the 80’s.Sure the Merc. Is a bit better, but still an ugly car.imo.Disposable throw away cars were numerous in the mid to late 80’s.Why there’s very few left.This one escaped being driven to death.Amazing
I did have one an 83, same color with the gutless 4 banger and the tried kill me sticking cruise control. Never again with any motor at any price.
I had the LTD version of this, a gold/ tan 1984. My aunt passed it to me with 24k miles. Same V6. Thirstiest vehicle I have ever owned. If you punched it off the starting line and held it until 2nd gear, the gas gauge dropped by a quarter. Punch it again, same story. You could literally burn through a tank of gas in 5 minutes.
A relative of mine bought one new in 1984. Kept it less than a year due to the poor fuel economy.
Hank that thirsty V6 was built in Canada 🇨🇦. Should’ve just stuck the 302 in there as std equipment. 🤷♂️ Likely no penalty at the pump either ⛽️ 💰
Yet another rite of passage outlandish folklore story!
Can’t help remembering every time Car and Driver would review a Marquis (Grand or not), they’d lament the continued absence of a “de Sade” option package.
The fact that i know about the DeSade option meant we read the same car and drivers and that we are old. ;)
There were certainly a lot of malaise-era cars that required a touch of masochism on the part of the driver, that’s for sure.
Nice write-up Scotty. I agree, it’s a great example for not much money. Yes it is just a Fairmont/Zephyr in a slightly nicer package, but that was its purpose in the lineup. Ford got lots of mileage out of the Fox platform.
Had one of these when desert storm started and we drove from Pennsylvania to Vegas and it was terrible terrible terrible on gas. Every 200 miles had to fill up that’s 14 times. Then because of Desert Storm gas prices went soaring we paid $1.68 a gallon I remember thinking that was outrageous lol the good old days.
That translates to 4.92 a gallon today…it hasn’t reached that high where I live since.
I just never understood why it had a 3 speed auto instead of the 4 speed auto with od. This shows how little Ford really cared for this car
Always had a soft spot for these. Ford kept the square look but made it a bit more aero that the fairmont/zephyr twins and the fox based Granada/Cougar twins. At the service bay i worked for in the 90’s a gentleman brought his regularly for his maintenance, it was charcoal out and silver inside, was really well equiped with the 3.8 and a.o.d. (rare in Canada) all power options and digital dash. Would have love to have it.
I’ve had 0 experience with these. But I’ve always liked em. Kinda prefer the LTD and certainly not in brown. Sounds like the 302 the way to go if you can find one
Yes, it’s brown and not beige. And, it’s a Marquis and not a Fairmont. But…. When I see one of these, I can’t help but think of the banana-in-the-tailpipe scene in “Beverly Hills Cop.” 😂
My parents had the Ford LTD wagon version of this car, purchased with the idea that they were going to have to shlep me and my belongings back and forth to college for four years. It was OK for an American car of its era, I guess. It mostly worked, although like most Fords of its era, it rusted from the top down. Ergonomics left something to be desired.
The one of these to get is the LTD LX. It’s pretty much a four-door Fox Mustang. High output 5.0 V8 and the brakes and suspension off the Mustang. May have had the 5-speed gearbox in place of the automatic, too, I dunno. There was also a police version of the Fox body LTD, no idea what that’s like.
No 5-speeds were factory-installed in the LTD LX, though a swap was easy enough. The really rare bird is the similar Marquis LTS, available only in Canada.
My folks had an ’83 Brougham edition in Light Academy Blue Metallic. I was driving then and did drive it a few times. It was a decent car, but nothing spectacular. Theirs had the V6, which helped, but… They kept it a year or so and let it go for a true dog of a vehicle, a 1st year Ford Tempo… one of the first ones sold in Nashville. They wanted front wheel drive for better winter driving.
Ford didn’t fool anyone with these dogs. But they made the T Birds and Mustangs much more interesting, and desirable.
I knew a guy with a wagon version with a stick shift. He never complained about it. It was his daily ride well into the late 90s. I have no idea what engine was in it. He was a Ford guy. He had Mustangs, a retractable but only Fords.
As stated in the story “RARELY SEEN” wish that was still true. Ugliest car I’ve seen in awhile
I don’t know why but the first image that popped into my head was “rental car.” They just seemed that basic to me that fleet use as rental cars might have been the best use for these.
Oh well if it’s actual mileage it can last someone a few years of something to drive that’s not $40k if it was closer I would make a offer I know someone who is in need of basic transportation.
I bought a new 1984 Marquis Brougham from Tasca Lincoln Mercury in Seekonk, MA in June of 1984 for $9,999. I was fully loaded, power windows, locks seat, A/C, AM?FM Stereo, etc.
It did not have the automatic overdrive transmission, which was optional, it had the 3 speed automatic transmission, and yes, gas mileage was not great with the 3.8 V6.
However, it was one of the most reliable and comfortable cars, a pleasure to drive, that I have owned,
I bought a new 1984 Marquis Brougham from Tasca Lincoln Mercury in Seekonk, MA in June of 1984 for $9,999. It was fully loaded, power windows, locks seat, A/C, AM?FM Stereo, etc.
It did not have the automatic overdrive transmission, which was optional, it had the 3 speed automatic transmission, and yes, gas mileage was not great with the 3.8 V6.
However, it was one of the most reliable and comfortable cars, a pleasure to drive, that I have owned,
You can say that again lol.