Modern American fun v8 4 door around $6k

I am potentially looking at getting a sedan so that I dont have to drive my truck around all the time and have a reasonably fun cruiser to take the family out in and still be able to enjoy all the creature comforts. I'm looking at american v8 cars just because of the ease of parts availability and aftermarket support. I plan on doing some modding but nothing crazy, just mild suspension stuff and basic bolt ons, maybe cam(s) down the road. I have found a few cars that I think I'd like but dont know a lot about them.

Mercury Maurauders can be found around my price range if you look long enough. 300 hp cobra motor in a super tough chassis, seems like a hard combo to beat. is there anything outside of CV suspension with a mustang engine that needs to be known about these cars? anything unique to them that can make it difficult to get parts for? any major issues? Not really looking at Crown Vic's as it'd be more fun with the 60+ hp the Maurauder provides and is more unique then the cookie cutter-ness of the CV.

I also am really leaning toward the Chrysler v8 sedan triplets, the Charger/Magnum/300. I specifically like the magnum simply because wagon. The LX platform seems to be pretty stout and 340 hp seems like it'd be decent. I know very little about modern hemi engines and the trans is a 5 speed auto from Mercedes Benz that was used behind their TT v12, but I dont know much besides that. Are there any common issues with the 5.7 hemi's or the Benz trans that I should know about?

If i had to choose I prefer Chevy of Chrysler/Ford but I dont think Chevy has anything to offer comparable to the other 2 I am look at in my price range. The G8 GT's are getting close in price for some more worn out examples but even they aren't quite cheap enough yet. I also know there are BMW's, Audi's, Lexus', etc. that all have similar examples but just aren't want I'm looking for right now.

Is there anything else out there that I am missing that should be considered? Any input on the cars I'm considering?

Caprice PPV are starting to get phased out of law enforcement fleets and can be had cheaper than you would think. Nothing responds as well to bolt ons and a cam as an LSx.

I do miss my 3.5L Magnum though, always wanted to upgrade to the 5.7 AWD one, that car could haul so much stuff.

This New Caprice + This engine donor+ part out/scrap what's left = LS powered, stretched G8 for well under your budget and a 6.0LS to rebuild on the stand for future activities

Or, maybe you'd get lucky, and squeak a clean, running example under budget?

I think the P71 Crown Vic was actually faster than the Marauder. 

I was looking for something similar: Cheap to own, reliable, RWD, automatic, easy to work on, etc., with a very similar price range. The Panthers (Marauder, Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Town Car) felt old--even the newest ones were still on a platform from 1979. It felt that way. The Magnum/300C's  all felt worn out at 100k miles. Great engine, but the praise stopped there.--and I was shopping them hard. I ended up with a Lexus GS430. Frankly, it just did everything so much better than the Chryslers, and at triple the mileage felt like they had twice the life left. 

The only thing that really was kind of intriguing to me was the new Chevy Caprices, but they are few and far between and still out of the price range. Maybe check out the Caddy STS, but the reliability would scare me.

Not 4 door but genuinely can seat 4... 

Lincoln Mark 8. All have the Cobraesque Ford Motor. Each year gained a little hp.

Since no one goes looking for these, 6k will buy you a pristine example. 

This one converted to manual trans!

Auto w/ 59k miles

mtn said:

I think the P71 Crown Vic was actually faster than the Marauder. 

What makes you say that? A quick search shows an 04 Vic does mid 16's and a Maurauder does mid 15's.

I looked at the Caprices a little but they still seem a little out of my price range, might have to keep an eye out and see of cheap examples come up. I also have seen a few early CTS-V's for reasonably cheap, i think i remember hearing those had diff issues though?

as for the Mark 8 I have seen a handful that have been manual swapped and i do like them but as a family cruiser with having a 1 year old who will be in a car seat that I have to buckle him into for a while, even being a big 2 door it might still be difficult

There was a FWD LS4 that was put in a Chevy Impala SS, Pontiac Grand Prix GXP and Buick Lacrosse (?) and they are crazy cheap on the used market. Not sure if RWD is a must, but might be worth considering.

STM317 said:

This New Caprice + This engine donor+ part out/scrap what's left = LS powered, stretched G8 for well under your budget and a 6.0LS to rebuild on the stand for future activities

 

Or, maybe you'd get lucky, and squeak a clean, running example under budget?

After seeing that link to how they built a 8k rpm screamer with a 6.0 block and 4.8 crank... putting that in an old cop car feels like a perfectly stupid solution to my lack of a 8k rpm V8 problem. Can the HotRod engine be done with just the change of internals with the acceptance of lower power but just as high of a redline?

I had asked about the Chrysler cars earlier on this forum - most of the replies noted that their main problems were a couple parts in the front suspension wearing out, rather than drivetrain weaknesses.

A bit of a dark horse choice would be GM's front wheel drive 5.3 sedans such as the mid 2000s Impala SS.

You should be able to get Lincoln LS's all day for that price. Much better chassis than the Panther, and a cool DOHC Jag V8.

Tom_Spangler said:

You should be able to get Lincoln LS's all day for that price. Much better chassis than the Panther, and a horrible DOHC Jag V8 that Ford molested and made even more unreliable.

Fixed that for you.  

CobraSpdRH said:

There was a FWD LS4 that was put in a Chevy Impala SS, Pontiac Grand Prix GXP and Buick Lacrosse (?) and they are crazy cheap on the used market. Not sure if RWD is a must, but might be worth considering.

RWD is pretty much a must for me, and even if it wasnt the last thing i would trust for durability is the 4t60e trans in those cars.

Ram50Ron said:

Tom_Spangler said:

You should be able to get Lincoln LS's all day for that price. Much better chassis than the Panther, and a horrible DOHC Jag V8 that Ford molested and made even more unreliable.

Fixed that for you.  

If they would have put a mod motor into the LS then I would definetly consider it but it's the jag v8 that drives me away from them

In reply to edizzle89 :

If that doesn't scare you the hydraulic radiator fan should.  Those cars love to eat rear suspension bushings too.

Ram50Ron said:

Tom_Spangler said:

You should be able to get Lincoln LS's all day for that price. Much better chassis than the Panther, and a horrible DOHC Jag V8 that Ford molested and made even more unreliable.

Fixed that for you.  

Yeah, maybe, but since when has that stopped a GRM'er? 

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Very true... or go full GRM and LS swap the LS.

Tom_Spangler said:

You should be able to get Lincoln LS's all day for that price. Much better chassis than the Panther, and a cool DOHC Jag V8.

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/d/2004-lincoln-ls-manager/6629414233.html

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/d/2005-lincoln-ls-sport/6644928755.html

I have nothing against the Panther platform but if you are buying a v8 for reasons relating to torque or power, the Chrysler Hemi 5.7/5spd cars are WAAAAY faster  and torquier than the 4.6/4spd Marauder.

There is no Panther that is actually quick without a rear gear change or a major power infusion. 

Caddies out of budget? CTSV 6 speed wagon.......