We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

Lincoln Town Car vs. Mercury Marauder Reliability by Model Generation

Results are for year ending June 30, 2018. Only successfully completed repairs are currently included in the analysis. Routine maintenance, most wear items, recalls, and problems fixed with just a reflash or warning light reset are not included.
Year and Model % of Average Repair Frequency  
2003 - 2011 Lincoln Town Car Reliability by Generation2003 - 2011 Lincoln Town Car
34.571428571429% Best 98% Worst
See problems for this generation

Return to top


What Our Members Are Saying about the Reliability And Durability of the Lincoln Town Car

Lincoln Town Car Reliability And Durability: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2006 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
Own a 200 Crown Vic - same platform. Only had two very minor repairs (sensors) in eight years. Built to last forever. Bulletproof engine. Town car plant no 1 plant in North America for initial quality. Everything built solidly. Proven design. full 2006 Lincoln Town Car review
2006 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
I bought this Lincoln recently partly because of growing concerns about a Park Avenue I own. Although there are only 87K miles on the Buick, I've become increasingly concernced that the car is really not service-friendly. I.e., it cost me over $1000 to change out a water pump and serpentine belts. (The engine has to be taken off the engine mounts to install the belts!!!) Makes me apprehensive about long distance travel and ease of repair should something break. The Buick is a great car otherwisie, but this Lincoln Town Car is in another class entirely. First of all, the only word to describe operating it is "creamy" - the quietness, the ride, the lack of vibration, the way the controls operate, etc. Plus, the V8 is infinitely more refined than the Buick's V6. (Is it true that Ford and Lexus collaborated on that engine design - thus the very similar 4.6 V8 in the first Lexus LS460?) My mileage is about 10% less than the Buick, but I pay 10% less for regular gas vs. premium so it's a wash. A friend just bought a pristine, low mileage 2001 Cartier Town Car. I had never really paid much attention to Town Cars previously, but examining it closely I was impressed enough by it that I decided to get one of my own. Looking under the hood, everything is easy to get to and service-accessibile - except the trans dipstick. The same basic car had been in production since 1998, and many mechanical bits were also used in the previous generation Town Car. Any defects or deficiencies had long since been ironed out and addressed by the time my 2006 example was built. After some research, I determined the sweet spot for Town Cars are the years 2005-2007. Aside from the extra technology and features available by that time, these were the last of the Town Cars built at Wixom, a flagship Ford assembly plant originally built to produce the Continental Mark II. Production of Town Cars was moved to Canada in 2008 so the remaining model years are good, but supposedly not quite up to the assembly standards of the Wixom cars. Therefore, the 2005-2007 models are some of the best-assembled, most defect-free and reliable models of a car that already had a reputation for bulletproof dependability. As far as maintenance and repairs go, many people - myself included - are a little wary of older cars with air suspension. We've all seen too many Lincolns and Mercedes on the ground. However, a quick review of the service manual procedures and a search through Ebay auto parts shows how simple and inexpensive it is to repair anything that might afflict the air suspension. Even replacing the air springs is a do-it-yourself job for most anyone with a modicum of mechanical ability. Unlike with the Buick (take the engine off its mounts to change a fan belt, really?!!), I feel fully confident of my ability to maintain and repair 99% of everything that might need servicing with the Lincoln. full 2006 Lincoln Town Car review
2004 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
These cars are know to go well over 500,000 miles with no major repairs if serviced regularly. This is why they are so popular with the airport limo drivers. full 2004 Lincoln Town Car review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Reliability And Durability of the Lincoln Town Car

Lincoln Town Car Reliability And Durability: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2006 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
Own a 200 Crown Vic - same platform. Only had two very minor repairs (sensors) in eight years. Built to last forever. Bulletproof engine. Town car plant no 1 plant in North America for initial quality. Everything built solidly. Proven design. full 2006 Lincoln Town Car review
2006 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
I bought this Lincoln recently partly because of growing concerns about a Park Avenue I own. Although there are only 87K miles on the Buick, I've become increasingly concernced that the car is really not service-friendly. I.e., it cost me over $1000 to change out a water pump and serpentine belts. (The engine has to be taken off the engine mounts to install the belts!!!) Makes me apprehensive about long distance travel and ease of repair should something break. The Buick is a great car otherwisie, but this Lincoln Town Car is in another class entirely. First of all, the only word to describe operating it is "creamy" - the quietness, the ride, the lack of vibration, the way the controls operate, etc. Plus, the V8 is infinitely more refined than the Buick's V6. (Is it true that Ford and Lexus collaborated on that engine design - thus the very similar 4.6 V8 in the first Lexus LS460?) My mileage is about 10% less than the Buick, but I pay 10% less for regular gas vs. premium so it's a wash. A friend just bought a pristine, low mileage 2001 Cartier Town Car. I had never really paid much attention to Town Cars previously, but examining it closely I was impressed enough by it that I decided to get one of my own. Looking under the hood, everything is easy to get to and service-accessibile - except the trans dipstick. The same basic car had been in production since 1998, and many mechanical bits were also used in the previous generation Town Car. Any defects or deficiencies had long since been ironed out and addressed by the time my 2006 example was built. After some research, I determined the sweet spot for Town Cars are the years 2005-2007. Aside from the extra technology and features available by that time, these were the last of the Town Cars built at Wixom, a flagship Ford assembly plant originally built to produce the Continental Mark II. Production of Town Cars was moved to Canada in 2008 so the remaining model years are good, but supposedly not quite up to the assembly standards of the Wixom cars. Therefore, the 2005-2007 models are some of the best-assembled, most defect-free and reliable models of a car that already had a reputation for bulletproof dependability. As far as maintenance and repairs go, many people - myself included - are a little wary of older cars with air suspension. We've all seen too many Lincolns and Mercedes on the ground. However, a quick review of the service manual procedures and a search through Ebay auto parts shows how simple and inexpensive it is to repair anything that might afflict the air suspension. Even replacing the air springs is a do-it-yourself job for most anyone with a modicum of mechanical ability. Unlike with the Buick (take the engine off its mounts to change a fan belt, really?!!), I feel fully confident of my ability to maintain and repair 99% of everything that might need servicing with the Lincoln. full 2006 Lincoln Town Car review
2004 4dr Sedan 239-horsepower 4.6L V8
4-speed automatic RWD
These cars are know to go well over 500,000 miles with no major repairs if serviced regularly. This is why they are so popular with the airport limo drivers. full 2004 Lincoln Town Car review