Potential new Marauder owner? (many questions...)
Hello all,
I'm a newly registered member of this board as of about 4 minutes ago. I don't have a Marauder of any generation, but have recently focused on this new model as a potential replacement for my current commuter. I have spent the entire past weekend combing through this entire site and its pictures/articles/links as well as anything else I could find on the 'net.
First, a quick intro: As one could probably deduce from my user name, I am a Trans Am fanatic and currently own three. Along with this menage à trois I also own a loaded 1998 Civic EX (the Canadian non-VTEC 4-door) . I am a B.Eng with a specialization in Electrical Engineering, married with a 15 month old son who is the light in my life, and have been into cars since the age of 2 (I kid you all not!).
Right... the reason for me being here: I am very seriously interested in replacing my Civic with the Marauder. OK... when y'all have stopped laughing, I'll tell you why. My Civic is rather boring (although super dependable and very economical and practical) and with thoughts of having more kids, I'm interested in something sturdy and solid (ie. full frame, beefy construction) that isn't an SUV, in order to survive the urban jungle that is our rush hour commutes.
And to be honest, I love the look and attitude of the Marauder, and I'd rather pay the fuel bills for a classy machine like this than for an SUV.
My purpose for being here: even though I tried as hard as I could to get as much info through the 'search' function, I still have a few questions that I hope you all can help me with.
1) I've seen references to a 300A and 300B model. A local dealer has a Marauder 300A with TC, clock, trunk organizer, no heated seats, can't recall if it had the CD changer (I think it did, not sure). This doesn't jive with a description I found in another post. What exactly are 300A and 300B models?
2) What kind of mileage can one expect from this car when driving in a Grand Marquis sort-of-way? Stupid question, perhaps, but fuel is expensive up here and this car would be intended as a commuter... mostly highway miles, but nonetheless I am curious what real-world numbers one can get (I don't really trust the EPA numbers... I get 33mpg on the highway with my WS6!).
3) Crash-worthiness... tough one, since I hope none of you have had this misfortune. But with my family to worry about, it's an important point.With most SUVs way over 4500 lbs, my lightweight Civic just isn't going to cut it should one of the psycho soccer moms in my suburb blow a red light when mini-vanning Junior to school a few minutes late. Weight isn't everything, though, and I'm wondering how the Marauder fares in this regard.
4) I hear complaints of tranny hunting from some Marauder owners. Is this an isolated problem or a characteristic of factory tuning?
5) build-quality: I know... it's a domestic car. I have lived my entire life around domestic cars, and know what I *should* expect. I'd be leaving behind a dirt-reliable Civic that has cost me $0.00 in the years I've owned it (yes, $0.00) in exchange for a little more 'soul'. I've read a few mishaps on the forums, but is this something that is improving or is it a status-quo with the Canadian plant?
6) low-end performance: I've read complaints ranging as bad as comparing it to a V6 Sable to being satisfactory for a big car. I've yet to test drive the Marauder but have recently spent a week with a new Town Car and the engine did have the darnedest trouble spinning that one rear wheel. What's the real deal?
7) Speaking of low-end performance, is this something that can be addressed by a 'chip'? I've seen dyno charts of before/after comparisons, but these are WOT results... do these upgrades actually result in a noticeable improvement at part-throttle and low-throttle driving? Cruising? Any tradeoffs or disadvantages? How about a mileage hit with these 'chips'?
8) I read a few posts about some unintended acceleration... has this been completely dealt with? Do I still have to worry about this happening?
9) corrosion-resistance: let's face it, every time I look at my Civic, I get the urge to give it a good lick and break out the Tequila, there's that much salt in use around here during the winter. My family has had brief stints with Ford products over the years and these turned out to be rather unsatisfactory experiences due to premature corrosion (and tranny woes). What's the real deal? I drove past a mid 90's Grand Marquis this evening with perforated front fenders.... isolated mishap?
10) weight distribution: I've owned several Civics of model years from 1984-1998 and all were well balanced, which is great for winter driving. I've also driven a 1985 Parisienne through many winters and found it too was well balanced. How does the Marauder fare in this area?
If anyone can provide me with their insights on these questions, I'd really appreciate it. I'm planning on approaching the dealer for a test drive and a serious talk sometime this week, and would appreciate any info that I could use to put him on the spot. All the info I can get from you guys will serve to help me to make a decision on what to do regarding this $$$ purchase.
Thanks.
Reply With Quote
Damn those GM's and their 6 speed manuals with 2 OD's!
