Rental car review and questions

Got into syracuse today, had the option of 3 full size vehicles at my disposal: a grand marquis,dodge journey, and volvo s60. I elected to go with the big ass merc!

Now this car is a 2010 grand marquis LS with about 9500 miles on it, it appears ford has not done one capital investment in these cars in about 5 years!! But i thought it was cool to get a V8 RWD fullsize car for once, although anemic as all fuck. So this big silver pickle lumbers down the road quite nice and is pretty effortless to drive and the brakes feel pretty good for something of such gurth.

First chance i had to mat it was coming out of a toll booth, while it felt ok from the initial stab till about 4k where it developed just a helacious harmonic vibration and barely wanted to rev out to its 5300 shift point into 2nd. Then i noticed it again when i started it a little while ago on warm up, the steering wheel is shaking and everything.

Anyone with these types of cars whether it be a crown vic, grand marq or a stinkin lincoln ever heard of this vibration issue?

I mean it felt like the motor wasnt balanced, the flywheel, converter, something! You can just feel it through the whole car.

It has a traction-loc, so ill be testing this later, hopefully ill have a chance to take some pics while doing donughts in it, provided the trac-loc holds both wheels lol! However it doesnt quite have the clout to just snap the tires loose on demand that id like but ill see what a brake stand will do for it yet.

Kinda suprised you didn't choose the s60.

Check your hair...I bet it's gray as hell now. Perhaps even old woman blue.

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Originally Posted by hbgben

Kinda suprised you didn't choose the s60.

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Yeah i thought as i was leaving with it the volvo may have hada turbo... but oh well, i got the urge to pound the tar out of something RWD right now, so this will suffice!

At least this car doesnt dissapoint with the odd quirkyness of fords either, everything from fit and finish to switches and buttons you name its all odd to me. Nowhere near as bad as 80's 90's stuff but im sure cars like the fusion etc are quite nice and very close to my GM stuff in feel and function. This Grand marq is in no way a horrible car though, its just "different"

my grandpa has had nothing but crown vics and marquis since 1986. his 2009 Marquis now doesn't behave at all like your rental did tom. they are definatly anemic, and are a boat going down the road, but vibrations, rough starts, etc are not in its characteristics. we take his to minnesota 3-4 times a year, it's smooth as silk, quiet, pretty damn nice. when you get on it it is pretty tame. i'd guess yours is just a beat ass rental

Well, the biggest difference from my car to that rental is the stupid Drive by wire. Alot of people claim that the DBW cars can be alot more laggy if you try to get on it. Also all of the new GMQ rentals since 2009 are an LS Fleet package. Lots of stupid little items were decontented and a fairly noticeable difference from a retail 2009-10 GMQ(well, if you drive one daily like I do anyway)

The second biggest thing that woke my car up was adding the dual exhaust. There is so much restriction with 4 cats and single exhaust that it just sucks up the power.

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Originally Posted by hbgben

Kinda suprised you didn't choose the s60.

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Meh, unless its an S60 R your not missing much.

As far as the vibration goes, it definitely sounds as if something is not quite right with that particular car although im not sure what that would be.

When you say it has the traction loc, do you mean it has the traction control switch on the dash or do you mean posi rear end. Because it should only have the weak 2.73 gears and its a one wheel wonder like my car currently is.

No it's got the silver rear end cover that identifies the limited slip axles. It has a trac control button on the dash u are refering to though

Wow, thats extremely weird... That is not supposed to exist on any Grand Marquis anymore. Although with the imminent demise of the crown vic/Grand Marquis. I wouldn't be the least bit surprise if they were using up extra parts from the police interceptor line.

you had a beat up rental. never seen any of those problems.

beating on a rental...you should be ashamed...hehe i want PICS of burnt tire!!!!!lol