Lincoln, Mercury, Ford or Dodge?

Repli

If you were importing a sedan from america, which car would you go for out of these:

Dodge intrepid
http://www.autotudos.hu/kep_het_kep_50_2003_dodge_intrepid_nagy.jpg

Lincoln towncar
http://www.autotudos.hu/kep_het_kep_50_2003_lincoln_town_car_nagy.jpg

Ford Taurus
http://www.autotudos.hu/kep_het_kep_50_2002_ford_taurus_nagy.jpg

Mercury Grand Marquis
http://www.autotudos.hu/kep_het_kep_50_2003_mercury_grand_marquis_nagy.jpg

Chrysler Concorde
http://www.autotudos.hu/kep_het_kep_50_2002_chrysler_concorde_nagy.jpg


All are very cheap (Around €20,000 new) but I suppose the VRT would bring it up a bit. I'd probably go for the Dodge Intrepid, because I heard the Ford Taurus are very bad at turning corners.

Ernie Ball

Those are all pieces of sh!te and not worth importing. Between the petrol guzzling and the difficulty parking, they're not worth the headache.

The worst of the lot are the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car. Those two are horrendous. The other 3 are merely awful.

May I ask why you're planning to do this (if indeed you are)?

Gerry

Dodge Intrepid is ok, I drove a rental 2.4 auto one in the states. It isn't crazily brilliant. Also wonder how it would handle on Irish roads.
Ford taurus: avoid like the plague. So boring.
Lincoln towncar, supposed to be a very nice car for cruising, doesn't look like it would like twisty roads too much though.

Alun

Wouldn't you have to pay VAT on it as well as VRT if you were importing from outside the EU. Anyway, they're all hideous anyway and probably have jell-o for suspension, so why bother?

prospect

Whadda bout that new chrysler, 300C i think, isn't that being sold here next year?
I like the look of it, bling bling...

SouperComputer

have to agree with Gerry. Drove a taurus in states a few times as well. Boring horrible, horrible car.

Drove an intrepid, which is a bit sportier, definatly moie involving than a taurus!

The towncar is nice, but a cruiser. She wouldnt be too keen on the strawberry beds!

my choice would be the Dodge.

alias no.9

Why no Ford Crown Victoria it's just the same underneath as the Lincoln Towncar and the Mercury Grand Marquis and it's also just as bad. Think of them all as giant waterbeds on wheels. If you really must have an american car try but avoid american sedans. There's a reason why the Hyundai Sonata and the Toyota Camry are the best selling cars over there.

Repli

Besides the petrol guzzling and the fact that the cars are "boring" as people have said, (because personally I think most cars on Irish roads LOOK boring) unless by "boring" you guys mean something else? What is wrong with them? From a technical point of view. I know they aren't as good as european cars for taking corners, but I'm sure I would get used to it, it's not like there are no corners in america

Furp

You could get one of these for nearly the same price: I wish they would bring these to europe although i doubt it and im sure the suspension and engine would need some serious thinkering, but i don't think you can beat this car for looks and style at the price.

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mustang/?v=html

I drove a Mercury Grand Marquis while on holidays in orlando in 2002, i though it was a good car for the american roads and it was comfortable but the steering was way too light and suspension way too bouncy, but thats the way the americans like them.

Ernie Ball

Mushy suspensions. Poor build quality. Poor design and ergonomics.

The Lincoln and the Mercury are really 'old man cars'. The Taurus is a pedestrian family car with nothing in particular to recommend it. The Intrepid and the Concorde are, I believe, the same car with different styling. They're trying to appeal to a younger set, but are really just very big cars suitable for straight-line motorway cruising.

Frankly, I can't see why anyone not from red state America would want one of these cars.

Repli

I suppose if that's the type of driving you do in Ireland they would be suitable here too no?

Gatster

If you want something daftly American get the previous shape Mustang with a massive engine. I had one in the US a couple of months ago and it was fantastic. Not saying I could cope with it here when I couldn't fill it up for $25, but I can see the attraction...

http://www.unclesamsautos.co.uk/_unclesamsautos.htm

I'd go for the 425hp Supercharged Mustang, you wouldn't have to pay VAT, just VRT.

gs39t

Ernie Ball wrote:

Those are all pieces of sh!te and not worth importing. Between the petrol guzzling and the difficulty parking, they're not worth the headache.

The worst of the lot are the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car. Those two are horrendous. The other 3 are merely awful.

May I ask why you're planning to do this (if indeed you are)?

I can imagine you sitting there, shaking a big stick at the photo's of those cars :rolleyes:

Repli

May I ask why you're planning to do this (if indeed you are)?

I am not planning on doing it any time soon, if I am it will be this time next year though.

Reasons:

1) I like big sedan cars (bmw 530d, jaguar, etc)
2) I can't afford any of the above in Ireland
3) I want something different, I don't want to be driving a ford focus/etc along with 20,000 other people who have the same car

Those are the main reasons I suppose, obviously I am gonna research it more if I decide to go ahead with the import

Alun

Gatster wrote:

I'd go for the 425hp Supercharged Mustang, you wouldn't have to pay VAT, just VRT.

Sorry, you're wrong. From revenue.ie ...

13. When is VAT chargeable and payable?

In the case of a new means of transport i.e. land vehicles (excluding agricultural tractors) that were supplied six months or less after the date of first entry into service or have travelled 6,000 Kilometres or less, VAT is chargeable and normally payable at the time of registration in the State, even where there is evidence, e.g. an invoice, that VAT was paid in the country of purchase.

VAT is also chargeable and normally payable at the time of registration in the State of vehicles (both new and used) that are imported from outside the fiscal territory of the EU.

Interceptor

I've driven most of your list and agree with everyone else. The steering wheel is on the wrong side, they handle like a poo in a hurricane and you can't get parts for them here. Are you nuts? If you must drive an American car, check the Autotrader in the UK for American specialists and buy nearer to home. You will lose the farm when you go to sell any of these as there is ZERO market here for yank tanks (apart from some nutters in the midlands who collect Chevy Blazers).

Plymouth Prowler, Dodge Copperhead and Chysler Sebring would be my list of suggestions for you.

http://www.chrysler.com/sebring_convertible/

'c

Gatster

VAT is also chargeable and normally payable at the time of registration in the State of vehicles (both new and used) that are imported from outside the fiscal territory of the EU.

Surely if the VAT has been paid on this in the UK, and the vehicle is already registered in the UK, you are not importing it from outside the fiscal territory of the EU. Also it's done 30000 miles and is a 2001.

Alun

Gatster wrote:

Surely if the VAT has been paid on this in the UK, and the vehicle is already registered in the UK, you are not importing it from outside the fiscal territory of the EU. Also it's done 30000 miles and is a 2001.

Sorry, never bothered to look at the link you posted, I assumed we were still talking about importing from the US

mike65

Yuck! If you want something seperate with a big engine and grunt try a Holden They even have the wheel on the correct side. Should be able to import one via the UK.

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=195132

Mike.

Interceptor

Yeah Mike65 has a point - see the Vauxhall Monaro for an example of a tarmac shredder that no-one else over here has.

'c

alias no.9

If you want big you don't need to look only to america, there are right hand drive countries with alternatives

From australia

Japan has loads of barges that we never see on this side of the world, secondhand prices (2 - 3 years old) are low, here's a sample of what they have:

Mitsubishi DIAMANTE

Toyota Chaser

Nissan Cedric

Honda Legend

Repli

I'm liking that nissan cedric!!!!

Opel Omega is another good one
http://autosuper.ru/pub/photos/Opel_Omega_V8-2.jpg

alias no.9

Repli wrote:

I'm liking that nissan cedric!!!!

Opel Omega is another good one
http://autosuper.ru/pub/photos/Opel_Omega_V8-2.jpg

You'd probably pick up a 3 or 4 year old omega 2.5l V6 or 3.2l V6 for next to nothing in the uk.

Ernie Ball

Interceptor wrote:

Plymouth Prowler, Dodge Copperhead and Chysler Sebring would be my list of suggestions for you.

http://www.chrysler.com/sebring_convertible/

I drove a Sebring convertible in California for a few weeks. It was awful. Very poor visibility front and rear. Horrible wind buffeting. Inadequate heater (didn't allow driving with the top down on cold but sunny days). It did have a massive engine, but that comes with the territory (literally).

Suppose we should let the OP buy one of these behemoths. It'll give him a new appreciation of the banal old Focus.

What about the PT Cruiser? Those are even sold here.