So many families automatically trundle down to a dealer and pick-up a minivan without thinking. Problem is that minivans are overpriced, underpowered and notoriously unreliable (Caravan transmissions, Windstar headgaskets, Sienna sludge). Well, my dear friend, those folks are not used car gurus in training.
As a budding guru, you should be looking for that diamond that no one else is looking for. And for a family, that diamond is a 1998+ Grand Marquis (or Crown Victoria, which is the same car without some of the fancy doodads).
"But that's a grandpa car," you say.
"Have you ever driven one?" I ask.
"Uhh, no," you say.
When you see cops chasing down criminals on high-speed chases on TV, what car do you suppose they are driving? Yes, the mighty Crown Victoria. Would cops use a grandpa car to chase crooks?
"But cop cars are different," you say.
No, they are not. They have some heavier duty brakes, shocks and starters, but they are the same car as the civilian model. The one that seats 6, has one of the lowest fatality rates of any vehicle, and can withstand as many miles are you can put on it (400,000 miles on these cars are not unheard of). Ever ride in a cab? Yup, Crown Victoria, check out the odometer -- big, big mileage, and the cab companies buy their cars from the cops when the cops are done with them!
"But it has a V8 which is hard on gas," you say.
Well, you've never driven one, and I can vouch for the fact that they get near 30mpg on the highway, and a good 17-18mpg in the city, better than most SUV's and equal to most minivans (with a lot more power and comfort).
Oh yes, the comfort. Drive a this full-size American beauty and enjoy the smoothest, most comfortable ride you've ever had.
Remember from the last post: gas is one of the cheapest thing to go into your car!
And for us, dear used car gurus, the best part: the Kelley Blue Book value on a top condition 1998 Grand Marquis with all the bells and whistles is a mere $5,000. And you could negotiate that down to $3500 by reading this blog. And your family (and especially your kids) will love you -- more space and comfort than they've ever experienced.
So let me see, a $30,000 minivan (with taxes, fees, etc), or a $3500 Grand Marquis that won't die for 400k miles, no payments, and an extra $26,500 to invest...hmm...I wonder which one I want....
As a budding guru, you should be looking for that diamond that no one else is looking for. And for a family, that diamond is a 1998+ Grand Marquis (or Crown Victoria, which is the same car without some of the fancy doodads).
"But that's a grandpa car," you say.
"Have you ever driven one?" I ask.
"Uhh, no," you say.
When you see cops chasing down criminals on high-speed chases on TV, what car do you suppose they are driving? Yes, the mighty Crown Victoria. Would cops use a grandpa car to chase crooks?
"But cop cars are different," you say.
No, they are not. They have some heavier duty brakes, shocks and starters, but they are the same car as the civilian model. The one that seats 6, has one of the lowest fatality rates of any vehicle, and can withstand as many miles are you can put on it (400,000 miles on these cars are not unheard of). Ever ride in a cab? Yup, Crown Victoria, check out the odometer -- big, big mileage, and the cab companies buy their cars from the cops when the cops are done with them!
"But it has a V8 which is hard on gas," you say.
Well, you've never driven one, and I can vouch for the fact that they get near 30mpg on the highway, and a good 17-18mpg in the city, better than most SUV's and equal to most minivans (with a lot more power and comfort).
Oh yes, the comfort. Drive a this full-size American beauty and enjoy the smoothest, most comfortable ride you've ever had.
Remember from the last post: gas is one of the cheapest thing to go into your car!
And for us, dear used car gurus, the best part: the Kelley Blue Book value on a top condition 1998 Grand Marquis with all the bells and whistles is a mere $5,000. And you could negotiate that down to $3500 by reading this blog. And your family (and especially your kids) will love you -- more space and comfort than they've ever experienced.
So let me see, a $30,000 minivan (with taxes, fees, etc), or a $3500 Grand Marquis that won't die for 400k miles, no payments, and an extra $26,500 to invest...hmm...I wonder which one I want....
If you said that in 5 years, that Grand Marquis would be worth $2700, and the van will be worth $13,000, you get extra guru points. You'll eat about $700 in depreciation on the Grand, and $17,000 on the shiny new van (your figures may vary, but not by that much).
1 comment:
I just bought a '95 Grand Marquis for around $3K and my last car was a '94 Crown Vic. I average about 26 mpg on the highway, and they are very comfortable for my family of four on trips. I've also found they handle great on slick roads here in the north, providing you get winter tires. One problem is your kids may not like driving around in a "grandpa" car. My kids are cool with it though.
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