Is this a good deal?

My dad just got a 97 Contenental 4 door with 76K on it.  Full power, V8 Mint condition except for wrinkles on the drivers seat leather.  Light blue exterior, grey leather inside.  CD player.  It was driven by one of his clients who is in her late 60's and has had it since new.  She wants a lexus.  She also has kept it garaged the whole time, gets it detailed and washed often.  Also she's an old lady so it can't be ridden that hard, and whenever anything developed she took it into the dealer right away.

I haven't driven it yet, but does that V8 have any power?
How's the gas mileage?

He paid $3,700 for it.

UPDATE:

After being pretty much the sole drive of this car for the past few weeks and putting almost 1K on it I'll let you know what I think.  I love this car!

PROS: For the money nothing even comes close.  Full power, leather seats, heated seats, so many options (steering and ride control).  The dash is also very bright, clean and easy to read.   A ton of power for me,  with the traction control off I can smoke the front tires off the line.  Even with it on, the TC works overtime keeping them under control.  It also doesn't torque steer hardly at all.  I had a 98 Monte Carlo Z34 and it was like wrastling a pig with the wheel and it only had a 210hp V6.  The ride in the Lincoln is super smooth and the car eats up the highway with ease.  You can whisper to the passenger at 80mph and they'd have no trouble hearing you.  Quiet as hell.  Also the highway acceleration is amazing.  My new thing is pulling up to a riced up civic or jap car and giving them the 80-100 acceleration test.  This car will smoke them and I've run it up to 120 and it's smooth and stable (early morning, no one else on the highway, straigh line of sight for miles, valentine one plugged in the lighter socket)  Also the brakes are outstanding.  They come on smooth at first but when you stomp on the pedal this car stops.  It will literally toss you forward in your seat and anything loose will be crashing into the dash then on to the floor.  I hate Fords, but they did this car right. I could go coast to coast in this car without wanting to get out.  Again, for the money, if you're looking for a cheap comfortable car this is it.  Let the original owner take the 80-90% depreciation hit while then put their 75K on it, and I'll pick it up for 10% of a new one and drive it another 100K, fine by me.

CONS: There are only a few things that I've noticed that bug me about the car, but I really can't complain because of it's age and size.  It doesn't work through the parking lots like my 01 civic does.  I think the front rotors need turned as they seem slightly warped.  I haven't popped the wheels off to check, but I would imagine the old lady who had it before probably never has even changed the pads yet.  I'll drop some $$ to get them turned with another set of pads, no big deal.  Also on very bumpy roads the shocks sound like they're useful life is over.  Just noisy, but on regular roads they're fine.  I think it's just the big trunk that makes them echo like that.   Gas mileage.  But what can you expect out of what is probably a 4,000lb car or more and has a V8.  I probably manage 17-20mpg,  haven't kept track though.  Not the 35mpg of my civic, but the pros all make up for this con.

To sum it up, this car is amazing.  I've driven the following, 04 sierra denali, 01 civic, 01 crv, 99 tahoe, 98 prelude, 98 monte carlo, 88 full size jimmy, 85 lebaron,  and this car is in the top 2 that I enjoy to drive.  

Quoted: Is this a good deal? My dad just got a 97 Contenental 4 door with 76K on it.  Full power, V8 Mint condition except for wrinkles on the drivers seat leather.  Light blue exterior, grey leather inside.  CD player.  It was driven by one of his clients who is in her late 60's and has had it since new.  She wants a lexus.  She also has kept it garaged the whole time, gets it detailed and washed often.  Also she's an old lady so it can't be ridden that hard, and whenever anything developed she took it into the dealer right away. I haven't driven it yet, but does that V8 have any power? How's the gas mileage? He paid $3,700 for it.

I don't own a lincoln but it's a ford modular V8 IIRC.

The gas mileage should be around the same for a Ford Crown Vic, maybe about 18-20 mpg.

www.kbb.com

Kelley Blue Book car values

Overall they are good reliable cars, and have enough power to move if you have a heavy foot. We service a lot of them at the shop, both privately owned, and some limo service fleet cars, and if they are maintained well they go 200K+ miles without major engine/trans work.

Though there is one major problem with the plastic intake manifolds cracking on some Lincolns/Fords with the 4.6L v8, however I don't believe the Continental is included in that, only the Town Car.  

updated

im glad this was posted, as i am actually thinking of purchasing a used 2003 crown vic

Being a V8 and a front transaxle, I would be a little worried about the transmission.  Transaxles dont usually like lots of torque/HP for long periods of time/abuse, to say nothing of the CV axles.  


If you start having CV trouble, tell them to check the motor mounts.  I just discovered this (a friend now owns the car) with my old Beretta, after it exploded about 5 CV half-shafts.

My 98 TC is the first Lincoln for my family but certainly wont be the last.  I've never driven a FWD continental but if the ride is anything like the TC I know why you like it.   For anyone considering a CV, Grand Marquis, or Town Car I cannot overstate how well put together they really are.  

It's relatively low resale value is the only reason I could afford this car.  I probably wouldnt buy a new one just because of the great bargain a used one is.

Quoted: Transaxles dont usually like lots of torque/HP for long periods of time/abuse, to say nothing of the CV axles.   .

Tell that to my C5.