Piston Slap: (Sane) Purchase Advice For (Insane) Panther Love

Sajeev Mehta
by Sajeev Mehta

Philip writes:

Sajeev,

I have been driving a 2002 Chrysler T&C mini-van that is on its 3rd transmission. Based on the mileage, number 4 is right around the corner. I am feeling the Panther Love and I looking into a Lincoln Town Car.

A little background info. We live in The Woodlands Tx and I am the main taxi driver for a tall family of six. Neither my wife nor my teenage children do not what their dad driving an old man’s car. I, on the other hand, could care less.

The Panther I found on Ebaymotors/Autotrader is a 2003 Town Car with 42000 miles for 13800. The car is in Richmond Tx. Could you point me in the right direction on who I could have look at this car and what would be a fair asking price?

P.S.: Wife wants me to get a smaller sedan. She will be getting herself a mini-van for the family.

Sajeev answers:

Interesting predicament, and yes, Panther Love is the answer. I live halfway between you and that car, but I probably don’t have the time to check it out. Plus, I got enough Panther Love around my corner of Houston.

Therefore spending $100-200 for a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) from third party is a good idea for peace of mind. Don’t get fancy with engine compression tests, only the basics: frame damage, major leaks, bad suspension bushings, etc. Panthers have a reputation for durability for a reason. More to the point, you can spend all of 20 minutes reading up on the tricks of the inspection trade on the Internet, and become a Panther expert yourself. Start here.

When it comes to pricing, check what “private party” value is with Edmunds.com. Long story short, I would almost never pay more than private party value, for any car. And while dealerships provide a service that entitles them to a reasonable profit, there’s usually enough margin at private party value (from what I’ve experienced) to keep everyone happy at the negotiating table. Good luck.

Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Sajeev Mehta
Sajeev Mehta

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  • Ponchoman49 Ponchoman49 on Apr 21, 2011

    I can tell you that servicing the Ford/GM and Chrysler FWD transaxles doubles there life generally. You really can't go wrong with a Panter car unless fuel economy and Winter traction are big concerns. But then you could always install snows and hyper mile.

  • Armadamaster Armadamaster on Apr 26, 2011

    The Houston Craigslist has some great deals on Crown Vics, Grand Marquis, and Town Cars, FTW.

  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
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