2003 Mercury Marauder
VIN # 2MEHM75V03X616905
Mileage: 149,785 currently but will be slightly higher as I use the car on weekends for cruises and car shows.
This is a great Marauder, lots of upgrades, fast, fun and just enjoyable to cruise with down the highway. Yes, it has a fair bit of mileage, but it’s solid and reliable with no know issues that I’m aware of. In fact, I took it on a 4000 mile round trip to Canada in July 2023, and got an average of 21.2 MPG at 80 MPH. Not too bad for a car that has significant performance upgrades.
Service performed in June 2024:
· Installed new slotted heavy-duty front performance brake rotors
· Installed new OEM front brake pads
· Installed new OEM driver side wheel hub
· Oil and filter change – OEM filter and Amsoil signature series 5W-20 fully synthetic
Service performed in July 2023:
· Installed new Monroe loaded front struts, part # 271346
· Installed new OEM front brake pads
· Installed new OEM passenger side wheel hub
· Installed new stabilizer bar end links (left and right), MOOG part # K80140
· Installed new loaded premium upper control arms (left & right), MOOG part #’s CK80040 and CK80038
· Oil and filter change – OEM filter and Amsoil signature series 5W-20 fully synthetic
· New transmission output shaft seal
· Front tires balanced
· Wheel alignment performed
As stated earlier…..LOTS of tasteful performance upgrades installed by the previous owner:
· Accufab Twin 60mm polished throttle body
· Lower intake – custom ported/polished, and the outside was powder coated
· Upper intake lid - polished inside and outside, has special ceramic coating
· Intake– carbon fiber intake tube, aluminum heat shield and box
· MSD coil packs – high quality, 7 years old
· Reinhart rear head cooling mod – billet insert with o-ring and keeper plate, fixes “dead-end” for engine coolant on driver’s side – installed 10 years ago
· Reische 170 degree thermostat – installed 2013
· All new hoses and high-performance water pump installed – 2021
· Custom street tuned, comes with SCT flash tuner and 3 tunes installed on the tuner. #3 tune is the latest and greatest.
· 160 amp alternator with HD regulator/rectifier
· New AGM battery installed in 2020
· JLT Oil Separator catch can
· March 1158 SFI fluid-filled underdrive crank pulley with ARP hardened crank bolt
· New master cylinder, braided stainless front brake lines, brake fluid flush done by Ford dealer in 2020
· New rear ride height sensor installed - 2021
· New rear shocks – Monroe severe duty – 2021
· New factory Watts Link installed – 2021
· New Heinous billet upper and lower rear control arms
· LCM unit was replaced at Ford dealer – 2021
· Aluminum dead pedal was installed
· Rare factory trunk organizer
· ALL of the exterior bulbs have been replaced with Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulbs for enhanced lighting
· Escape audiophile head unit was installed – works with factory controls
· New A/C compressor was installed – 2018
· All new Ford/Motorcraft A/C hard lines, accumulator installed by Ford dealer – 2020
· New A/C condenser installed – 2020
· Kinsler high flow/high capacity fuel filter kit with larger kink-free braided stainless steel lines
· Ford Performance 255 lph in-tank fuel pump with large screen – installed 2014
· Stainless Works mandrel bent long-tube catted headers
· Stage 8 FRPP locking header bolts – nickel plated
· Custom built mandrel bent exhaust, with a polished Magnaflow muffled X-pipe to replace the factory H-pipe or aftermarket traditional X-pipe. Borla XS long mufflers, eventually to the stock resonated Megs tips. The car is quiet on the highway, but dip down into the throttle, and the car roars and can definitely be heard. I think it sounds amazing. No annoying drone on the highway.
· Transmission is from another (wrecked) low-mileage Marauder and was installed in 2010. Transmission had 28K miles on it when installed in this car at 75K miles. In other words, the trans has 47K less miles on it than the odometer. It also has a professional J-mod kit on it –valve body plate.
· PML aluminum finned +2 quart transmission pan (part # 9685-2) – installed in 2010
· Ford Racing 3.73 gears – carbon fiber clutch packs (upgrade over the factory 3.55 gears)
· Trick Flow rear cover and girdle – 5 foot pounds are pre-loaded against the inside bolt caps, magnetic drain plug, Amsoil 75W-110 gear oil
· Circle D performance billet torque converter, custom stator, 3000 RPM stall
· Pro-gard U200FR rear bumper underbody wind deflector
· SVT production certificate
· Full-size matching spare with matching wheel (except not chromed) with cover. This is the way that they came from the factory.
· Etc, etc, etc. I am sure that I am missing tons more.
Car looks great, rides great, and gets thumbs-up and compliments everywhere including at car shows……but it’s certainly not a trailer queen. It has about six dings (no paint damage), the driver side quarter panel is a little wrinkled at the rear wheel lip, small dent on passenger side door, the trunk lid has several scratches on the top of it, the paint on the roof has a few failure locations (common on these cars), two surface rust marks and about a dozen rock chips/light scratches.
The leather interior is in great shape for its age and mileage. Probably due to the fact that the car was stored indoors and the seats were treated annually with Lexol leather conditioner. Some other Marauders that I’ve seen have interiors in far more worn condition, i.e. the leather is dry and crumbly, cracks/splits, holes, and what’s up with the million wrinkles?? Yes, I get it that leather is a natural product and does wrinkle....but that much?? As you can see, the seats in my Marauder have what I would say to be light wear.
I've also included a photo of the engine compartment. The previous owner treated the entire engine compartment, the underside of the doors and the entire undercarriage with a product called Fluid Film. It's a lanolin, preservative-type product that protects against and prevents rust. It certainly doesn't look pretty and it attracts dust, but it does its job. You would be hard-pressed to find any rusted bolts, nuts or other fasteners in this engine compartment or underneath the car. No more snapped bolts when trying to work on the car. The underside looks "juicy" because of the Fluid Film....but it does its job.
I use this car for highway trips. I’m not afraid to use it. I do keep it stored in climate-controlled storage when I’m not regularly using it. You really need to see this car in-person to fully appreciate it.
Why am I selling it: This is a question that is almost certainly asked all the time. Late in November2023, I foolishly purchased another Marauder. I could not resist. It only has 58K miles but sadly doesn’t have barely 5 performance upgrades. It is certainly nowhere near as fast and fun as this one.
I am asking a fair price. I don’t think that I have a “pile of gold”. But what I do have is an honest, fun, reliable car that you can drive from NYC to LA and not have any issues. Yes, it really is that reliable. This car has all of the upgrades on it that you would want to do but would never get around to doing. If you ever wanted a Marauder that you can actually drive and enjoy for a fair price……this is the car for you. Or…….you can buy a $30K+ car with barely any miles on it, that you can tuck away and stare at from time to time. It’s up to you. Buy this car….and just enjoy. Fly in, and have a fun, satisfying drive home. I can even pick you up at the airport, if you require it. I just recently performed another maintenance service on it…..a fresh oil change with Amsoil signature series full synthetic 5W-20 and an OEM filter, tire pressures checked, air filter checked, washed/vacuumed.
The car has a free and clear NY title in my name. Please ask all of the questions that you may have, I’m willing to answer them. Better yet…..come see the car in-person. But please, be serious about bidding to own. If you would like to see additional photos, please let me know and I can send them to you. Please ask questions, I will gladly answer them. Thank you for looking at this auction and good luck.
P.S. If you are the winner of this auction we can discuss the possibility of delivery assistance, as in me driving the car to you at your cost (fuel, tolls, etc.) if you are within a reasonable distance of NYC. Or, you could just drive it home and enjoy the cruise.