As we draw to the close of 2020, I'm curious to know how many of us on the forums still daily drive our MN12s (or FN10s).
The newest MN12 is now 23-1/2 years old, and parts (especially OEM parts) are becoming harder to find. The aftermarket so far is continuing to support our most vital needs with "functional" parts, but even then a number of manufacturers are selling off their stock and new production runs are becoming a thing of the past. Things like high-longevity or a wide selection of suspension parts to suit the preferences of the driver are history, and "one application fits all" parts are starting to become the only choice for those of us still racking up the miles.
My answer: Yes, my daily driver is my Mark VIII. This year it only saw 14k miles, but in years past 20-22k would be typical. The air suspension was progressively completely replaced in the 2-1/2 years since I've had it, but it's otherwise been reliable and trouble-free. Since I got the car the average fuel economy has been 23 MPG, with a mix of about 70/30 city-highway miles - fortunately for work (the majority of my driving), I get 42 cents/mile in travel reimbursement which more than covers that. I drive the wife's 2017 Fusion Energi when it's available or if we go somewhere together because of the vastly reduced fuel costs. Not using any gas to do all the in-town errands is nice!
I can't put my finger on an exact date, but I stopped daily'ing the 97 T-bird in stages, starting in 2011, with the purchase of a dedicated winter-only car (the 94 Cougar). At that point the T-bird was my "no salt or snow" daily driver - from April/Mayish until the middle/end of November. After I sold off the Cougar in spring of 2014 I got a 96 Mark VIII which took over year-round daily driver duties of the T-bird, relegating it to "nice weather" only - which is how it's driven now. Despite that, it still sees a few thousand miles each year.
What about the rest of you? Do you still DD your MN12 or FN10, or have you moved on to something newer?
The newest MN12 is now 23-1/2 years old, and parts (especially OEM parts) are becoming harder to find. The aftermarket so far is continuing to support our most vital needs with "functional" parts, but even then a number of manufacturers are selling off their stock and new production runs are becoming a thing of the past. Things like high-longevity or a wide selection of suspension parts to suit the preferences of the driver are history, and "one application fits all" parts are starting to become the only choice for those of us still racking up the miles.
My answer: Yes, my daily driver is my Mark VIII. This year it only saw 14k miles, but in years past 20-22k would be typical. The air suspension was progressively completely replaced in the 2-1/2 years since I've had it, but it's otherwise been reliable and trouble-free. Since I got the car the average fuel economy has been 23 MPG, with a mix of about 70/30 city-highway miles - fortunately for work (the majority of my driving), I get 42 cents/mile in travel reimbursement which more than covers that. I drive the wife's 2017 Fusion Energi when it's available or if we go somewhere together because of the vastly reduced fuel costs. Not using any gas to do all the in-town errands is nice!
I can't put my finger on an exact date, but I stopped daily'ing the 97 T-bird in stages, starting in 2011, with the purchase of a dedicated winter-only car (the 94 Cougar). At that point the T-bird was my "no salt or snow" daily driver - from April/Mayish until the middle/end of November. After I sold off the Cougar in spring of 2014 I got a 96 Mark VIII which took over year-round daily driver duties of the T-bird, relegating it to "nice weather" only - which is how it's driven now. Despite that, it still sees a few thousand miles each year.
What about the rest of you? Do you still DD your MN12 or FN10, or have you moved on to something newer?
