Towing Issues: Towing Capacity, mercury grand marquis, 2006 mercury grand marquis

Question
I have towed small to medium travel trailers for years and have been in the mechanical repair field for almost 40 years.  My point is that I am aware of capacities, precautions and such things concerning towing.  My question is concerning a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis towing capacity.  When purchasing the vehicle, I was looking for something that had at least a 5000 lbs towing capacity.  The vehicle I was trading was a 1993 Crown Victoria (same basic car) which had,by the owner's manual, a 5000 towing capacity when properly equiped.  I assumed the 2006 Grand Marquis would be the same or more since they have boosted the horsepower a little since 93.  

The sale of the 06 Grand Mercury was going fine untill I read in the owner's manual that this car had a towing capacity of only 2000 lbs.  I told the salesman this was a "deal breaker" if it was true.  He then sat down in front of me and called Ford/Mercury.  The person told him it had (when properly equiped) a towing capacity of (I do not remember the exact figure given to him over the phone) over 6000 lbs.  I know it was "sixty-some" hundred lbs.

I only have a need to tow a possible weight of about 3000lbs.

Can you help me by clearing this up?  I do not do dumb things and don't want to start now.

Thanks, Gerald Skipton

Answer
Gerald,

I don't want to say that car salesman are all bad, but I do know that once the car is out the door, the business office is going to stand behind them.  If you weren't on speakerphone with Ford, I wouldn't take their word for it.  

I would request a written list of what determines 'properly equipped', on either the dealership's or Ford's letterhead.  And ensure that it lists the car as being rated to tow x,xxxlbs.  

Without this, good luck getting any warranty work if the tranny should go, or anything else for that matter.  

I see this as less of making sure that the car is capable of towing the load, rather it's more getting the dealership to stand behind a sale once it's made.  

I have no doubt that a Marquis will tow 3,500lbs.  Six thousand would be a bit much, even 5,000 I have trouble with.  My own father had a 2002 Grand Marquis LS (heavy service group) with which we towed a 2,600 lb boat with no problem.  The transmission did however get replace under 50% warranty when the car had 65,000km on it.  They are great cars, just make sure the dealer is going to stand behind what they sell.

Good luck,
Shayne Peterson
MobileHitch
http://www.mobilehitch.ca/