The Grand Marquis was launched as the top trim level of Mercury’s Marquis nameplate in 1975. And “grand” it was, with a choice of big V8s paired to a three-speed automatic, “Twin Comfort Lounge Seats”, deep pile carpet extending up the interior panels, a cornucopia of electrical finery available as options – all riding on a 124″ wheelbase. Downsizing commenced in the late 1970s, so by 1983, when the Grand Marquis became a standalone model, it qualified as mid-sized on a 114″ wheelbase. Ford shuffled the nameplate around a few more times before finally pulling the plug on the Marquis in early 2011, after more than seventy years of roaming the roads. Here on craigslist is a 1991 Mercury Grand Marquis LS – the top trim level for this year – owned by grandma and last driven seven years ago. The asking price is $8000, and the seller recommends a trailer to take it home from near Spokane, Washington. Thanks, Curvette, for another great tip!
Nestled here is Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 operating via multi-port injection and good for 150 hp. The engine is mated to a four-speed automatic with overdrive. The car has travelled only 59,200 miles since new, and while it will run and drive as-is, the seller recommends careful scrutiny of the belts and hoses before taking it on the road. Three wheel styles were available; this car wears the top-notch aluminum “turbine spoke” set.
Austin Powers would be envious: this Grand Marquis offers acres of nearly perfect velour in a vibrant blue, with matching blue carpets and wood accents. Other than cloth, full-grain leather was available for an extra $489 (over $1000 today). The trunk is as spiffy as they come. The original operating and owner’s guides are still with the car, enfolded in their pouch. The seller does note that grandma’s last drive resulted in clipping a curb, to the detriment of the sheet metal behind the driver’s front wheel.
The Grand Marquis received a major re-style in 1992, marking the beginning of the model’s second generation. Newly curvaceous, the car was on a path to the “jellybean” appearance that dominated in the ’90s. So we’re looking at the last of the squared-off, crisply-cornered American sedans – an endangered species. The vinyl top is a point of some obscurity: two were available, either a regular “coach” roof with the larger rear window like this one, or a “formal coach” roof with a frenched-in rear window. Both were accented by side lights on the B-pillar. No matter the option, the Grand Marquis made a statement then, and it still packs a punch now. This example seems reasonably priced to me; what do you think?
Big beautiful cruiser!
This may be the most-normal car Michelle has written about here. My brother the others day was lamenting the demise of blue interiors. A friend of ours in high school was driving her mom’s Grand Marquis – probably an 87 or 88, white with red top, dark red interior – to the school one Saturday morning to take the SAT. She punched it to turn left across traffic, the road was wet with fallen leaves, she pirouetted the car off the road into a lovely large grassy lawn. My brother was right her, he was laughing mightily. I believe our friend went on to pass the SAT, studied physics, and invented traction control. (I may have invented parts of this epilogue.)
Great story! I am glad all ended well…
After writing for Barn Finds for a few years now, I’ve become a fan of big, square, American luxo-sedans with low miles. They’re not hard to find, and there’s an attention to driver comfort that just never existed in my motley collection of mostly 60s Europeans.
Too much money, but I’d give her 5K. I detailed these cars 35 years ago. Those turbine wheels took 20 minutes each to clean properly. Such a PITA. Love the blue velour. I work a new car dealer and all I see is black and gray with cheap leather. BORING.
I own and drive one of these — a 1988 — looks just like this one, except for the colour of the velour and the newer-styled dash and steering wheel (I like mine [prior to the air-bags] much better, thank you!). Mine, too, looks nice and has all of its original manuals in that pouch. But mine has 405,000+ miles and is getting weary. If this were a 1986-1990, and without the body-damage, I’d want it (IF it had never been smoked in!). To whomever buys this: you are likely to have trouble with the power windows and front door-locks — but she’ll run just about for EVER, with only the standard maintenance: repairs are rare. And you’ll average about 22 m.p.g., believe it or not! It won’t win your next drag-race, but you’ll cruise in comfort and arrive 800 miles later as fresh as when you started (how many can say THAT in one of these little stiff, rock-hard-riding, bean-shaped bounce-boxes?). One more thing: the radio in a Mercury Grand Marquis is (shall we say) adequate, but no more: the sound is a bit “thin”, and those distant stations (when you can hear them at all) are weak and scratchy. As Packard used to say: ask the man who owns one — and I would own another in a heartbeat!
It’s nice, but overpriced. There are a lot of turn key late-1970’s and later 4drs in similar shape for significantly less money. This has been sitting and the seller says it should be towed, that puts all of the downside risk onto the potential buyer. Cars like this are generally value purchases, they compete on price, this seller is looking for a buyer that wants thus particular car and is willing and able to pay a premium to get it, it’s likely to be a long wait.
Steve R