I know cars are expensive now but they were 30 years ago too

[junkyardjeff]

Late last year I bought a 90 Lincoln Town car and last night for the first time looked through the owners manual and found the window sticker,it was a little more then 34,000 dollars. I like the idea of getting a 34,000 dollar car for 1000 and since its a Cartier edition I would imagine its more then a base Town car but just how much more.

[1937hd45]

Just started cleaning out a 1999 Lincoln Town car we'll scrap for $150. Great deal, yard sends a rollback out along with the check. Darn good $200. investment 6 years ago. Bob 

[John_S_in_Penna]

Jeff, you'll have to give us some pictures to admire!

[junkyardjeff]

Here it is.

[Laughing Coyote]

Keep it away from your neighbors girl friend. 

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, junkyardjeff said:

Late last year I bought a 90 Lincoln Town car and last night for the first time looked through the owners manual and found the window sticker, it was a little more then 34,000 dollars. I like the idea of getting a 34,000 dollar car for 1000 and since its a Cartier edition I would imagine its more then a base Town car but just how much more.

That's about right.  Just shy of $1100 per year depreciation.  Obviously, they are not on any upswing as of yet.  (In comparison, a 1990 Escort LX which was $8136 new would now be worth $262.45 using a similar depreciation curve.) 

 

Craig

[junkyardjeff]

34 minutes ago, Laughing Coyote said:

Keep it away from your neighbors girl friend. 

Its not going to get near where she can hit it.

[Bryan G]

For some generations those Town Cars were really something to aspire to; more so, in that era, than a Cadillac. My old insurance agent had one, as did the owner of the largest company in the county. A big deal.

 

I recently talked over the case of an elderly lady with a mid-90s low mileage, garage kept Continental. What's it worth? Aside from the inflation taking over the used car market right now, is the value going up or still going down? Nobody could give a good answer, nor could they find a comparable car for sale.

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, Bryan G said:

I recently talked over the case of an elderly lady with a mid-90s low mileage, garage kept Continental. What's it worth? ...Nobody could give a good answer, nor could they find a comparable car for sale.

 

I noticed a very nice looking 1990 Lincoln Town Car

for sale.  It has been for sale by the same dealer for

several months now.  Gateway Classic Cars' $13,000

asking price for this 72,000-mile example is probably

well over the real value, but I admire the car itself:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lincoln/unspecified/2487371.html

 

 

[md murray]

13 hours ago, Bryan G said:

For some generations those Town Cars were really something to aspire to; more so, in that era, than a Cadillac. My old insurance agent had one, as did the owner of the largest company in the county. A big deal.

 

I recently talked over the case of an elderly lady with a mid-90s low mileage, garage kept Continental. What's it worth? Aside from the inflation taking over the used car market right now, is the value going up or still going down? Nobody could give a good answer, nor could they find a comparable car for sale.

When did the continental go to air suspension? They were a nightmare as I recall. I wonder if anyone has converted away from air sprung for those - they were great cars.

[CHuDWah]

21 hours ago, junkyardjeff said:

Late last year I bought a 90 Lincoln Town car and last night for the first time looked through the owners manual and found the window sticker,it was a little more then 34,000 dollars. I like the idea of getting a 34,000 dollar car for 1000 and since its a Cartier edition I would imagine its more then a base Town car but just how much more.

NADA says Cartier was about $5K more than base.  That $34K would be about $70K now, a little under a new Navigator.

[CHuDWah]

12 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

I noticed a very nice looking 1990 Lincoln Town Car

for sale.  It has been for sale by the same dealer for

several months now.  Gateway Classic Cars' $13,000

asking price for this 72,000-mile example is probably

well over the real value, but I admire the car itself:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lincoln/unspecified/2487371.html

Usually, cutting Gateway prices in half gets something more realistic.  But yeah, very nice car.

[tomcarnut]

Jeff’s Lincoln is very nice! He brought it on a Southern Ohio Chapter AACA tour a couple months ago.

 

[mrspeedyt]

I have ridden in a few of this generation of town cars and stretches in tijuana. The town cars especially are nice to ride in. a very pleasant design.

Edited September 22, 2021 by mrspeedyt (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Right around the turn of the century I noticed a few air ride Lincolns lying on their bellies next to service stations. It was usually a case of raising the car on a lift. With the wheels hanging at the lower limit of their travel the air would bleed off completely and the pump system wouldn't get them back up. They had a disable switch. Some indie shops didn't know. "If you think the cost of the dealership is too high try the cost of ignorance".

 

The Town Cars are nice rear wheel drive, separate body and frame, longitudinal engine, Good stuff still.

[TAKerry]

7 hours ago, md murray said:

When did the continental go to air suspension? They were a nightmare as I recall. I wonder if anyone has converted away from air sprung for those - they were great cars.

Dad bought a new Continental around 89? It was a really good looking car. After about 2 years had air suspension issues, he traded it on a Seville.

[TAKerry]

In response to the op headline, I know that Lincolns and Caddies were expensive when new, as they are today, but generally speaking new cars today are WAY more expensive than 30 years ago. I graduated HS in 1982. A few months later, I bought a brand new Pontiac Firebird. Price was $9,000. I think my car payment was $120 or so a month. I seriously doubt that a kid right out of HS today, working as a carpenters apprentice could afford a brand new Mustang or Camaro (comparible cars). Likewise take a gander at what a new f150 will set you back compared to a 1980 F100.

[8E45E]

I don't think Lincoln CARS are all that expensive compared to their SUV's.   

 

Proof of that was the price gap between a 2019 Lincoln Continental and a 2019 Ford Focus RS parked side by side in the showroom was less than $5K difference according to the window sticker.  

 

Craig

[Bryan G]

Maybe I'm dreaming it, but I thought I remembered someone selling kits to change those air suspensions to conventional. I remember some older, raggedy Lincolns that always seemed to have the pump running, and loudly. That's the real issue with Lincolns and Cadillacs: by the time they get to the third owner they're going downhill fast with everything falling apart/failing.

[JACK M]

On 9/23/2021 at 8:35 PM, Bryan G said:

Maybe I'm dreaming it, but I thought I remembered someone selling kits to change those air suspensions to conventional. I remember some older, raggedy Lincolns that always seemed to have the pump running, and loudly. That's the real issue with Lincolns and Cadillacs: by the time they get to the third owner they're going downhill fast with everything falling apart/failing.

Pretty sure you are correct.

I had one go thru my hands a few years ago that had been changed over. It had been being used as a loaner at a lot I was doing some work for.

It was given to me as a bonus of sorts.

[61polara]

They are great road cars.  I bought a 1995 Town Car around 2008 with 50,000 miles on it.  I put 100,000 miles on it an sold it in 2015.  Power window regulators started going out at about 100,000 miles.  Got to the point I could change one out in about 45 minutes.  The biggest problem was the Climate Control computer.  Ford discontinued them around 2005 and there were none in the system.  I went through about 5 used ones and was always pulling any that I found in salvage yards.

[JACK M]

2 hours ago, 61polara said:

  The biggest problem was the Climate Control computer.

 

Now that I think about it.........

[8E45E]

15 hours ago, 61polara said:

The biggest problem was the Climate Control computer.  Ford discontinued them around 2005 and there were none in the system.  I went through about 5 used ones and was always pulling any that I found in salvage yards.

I don't believe it was the computer as much as it was/is the motorized dampers(blend doors), control valves, etc., whether vacuum operated, or electric.  Those small electric motors either fail, or the damper/blend door pivots start to gum up or bind, and the motor won't rotate them fully, or sometimes, the plastic drive gears strip.  After 30+ years, a thorough cleaning of the entire HVAC system will be necessary, especially if the AC leaked some.

 

Craig

Edited September 28, 2021 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[junkyardjeff]

Mine has that climate control system and the air suspension,I would have prefered the regular heat /air and if a air bah goes its going to get springs.l