Unfortunately the 80’s panther platform cars i’ve seen only have 5 digit odometers or if they are 6 digits the last is a decimal, meaning that there’s no way of telling how many miles it ACTUALLY has on it and with a 30 year old car there’s a pretty good chance that they’ve passed the 100k mile mark a few times and there would be no way of telling how many. so I guess that’s another thing I’d have to check with considering a car and pretty much narrows down to a newer car unfortunately.
Don’t know, don’t care, does not matter in the slightest. That is a pretty stupid thing to stop you from buying a car, there are cars that held up as if they seen a warzone with 50k on the clock and there are pristine ones with about a million on the clock, all I ever care about is the condition of the car when buying one.
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It still doesn’t really give me confidence about the condition of the internals of the engine, transmission and differential though.
Does it knock? Does it grind? Are there noises that shouldn’t be there? Does the gearbox engage properly? Is the diff making noises? What does a mechanic tell you about it before you buy it?
Ofcourse you could just go buy a car with a 6 digit odo reading proud 200k, and be completely confident in the fact that it did 1,2 million.
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fair enough, but that said I probably wouldn’t be able to tell much from sound considering I wouldn’t really know what to listen for or how it should sound, but thanks for giving me enough confidence to at least not completely stop considering an older panther platform car.
And you’re planning on buying a car on your own then? Get a mechanic and friends who already got cars and know how to tell signs of damaged engine. Check the car in the shop before buying.
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No, of course I wouldn’t be planning on buying a car on my own, but that said I don’t trust my friends or family to know anything and if possible I’d want to know what to look for just so I know if it would be worth having a mechanic look at or if it should be avoided completely.
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Then go into the forums for these cars and google too. I mean i haven’t seen ford forums but for instance every bmw forum has a special thread on “what to look for when buying a certain BMW chassis” with a huge comprehensive list of bmw specific problems. Also this for any car should do
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/12/inspecting-a-used-car/index.htm
Wise words. The 4 valve mod motor is near bulletproof and if theres no noise/smoke u should be good. My best advice is the same as squidhead. Find out as much as u can and then have a mechanic check for all those things. A magnet can help to find bog or bondo and you can listen to the inside of an engine with a simple screwdriver with the blade end pressed against the engine then place your ear on the plastic handle. It will act the same as a guitar pickup. Also another way to gauge how old or thrashed a car is is too check the amount of wear on the steering wheel and gearknob as well as all the electrics such as windows, mirrors and a/c, My little bro is into imports and when they are all advertised with only 40’000 on the dial but nothing works and theres no leather left on the seats the old powerdrill trick gets used alot down under
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once again thanks for the advice, but that said I think I’d end up getting one with the 302 windsor, I prefer the body style of the older town cars and I’d like an engine with a bit less power, even the 150 horsepower that the windsor makes seems like a bit much for me and in terms of gas mileage the older lincolns aren’t that much worse.
You are a fool to buy an 80s barge as a primary mode of transportation, if you live in an area with SMOG checks, you will go through issues. The vacuum system will need work, and many of the PVS parts are no longer available even in the aftermarket.
Good luck.
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yeah smog checks are something I’m worried about… and to make everything worse you aren’t even allowed to use an aftermarket cat in my state so if it had to be replaced then the car might as well be considered totaled if I cant get a OEM replacement.
Are you in CA, or NY?
CA.
I live in CA, Aftermarket CARB approved cats Exsist.
But I repeat, DO NOT BY AN OBD I car.
okay, good to know, would the town cars be OBD I?
Let me rephrase that: Do not by a car in CA between the years of 1977-1995 Those years are off limits unless you know what you are doing.
Anything 96+ will be easy to smog. Anything 76 and older is Exempt.
Oh, in that case good to know, So in that case I’m stuck getting a modern car unfortunately because a pre-smog car would probably be too expensive for a car in good condition… guess I’ll be looking for a 1996+ cars unfortunately.
Clarification of Smog in CA
For 1977-1995 Vehicles, because they are Pre OBD, and OBD I, they are required to go though a vacuum pressure test, an Evap pressure test. Visual inspection of emissions equipment, Timing inspection, EGR Test (when equipped), AND a rolling road sniff test.
1996-1999 Vehicles only go through an OBD II scan, Visual inspection, and rolling road sniff test.
2000+ Vehicles are only subject to an OBD II Scan.
Yeah I guess I probably should get a newer car with OBD II, it’s just unfortunate that I hate the look of newer cars and they will have more power which is something i don’t want.