Every single vehicle available in Lincoln's build & price configurator right now is an SUV. The brand hasn't produced a sedan since the 2020 Lincoln Continental, and it's been even longer since the 1998 Lincoln Mk VIII, the last coupe with a Lincoln badge. Believe it or not, Lincoln was actually a bit late to the SUV game, sticking to car type cars until the late 1990s, with the release of the first Lincoln Navigator.Late to the game or not, the Navigator actually beat the Cadillac Escalade to the market by a year, and the Ford sub-brand would be rewarded for that pre-emptive strike with a landmark achievement, finally beating its GM rival in total year-end sales for the first time since 1950. Today, this history-making SUV can be yours for a fraction of its original $40,000 MSRP. The First-Gen Lincoln Navigator Is Still A Rock-Solid Full-Size SUV Lincoln When you look at older SUVs, you often wind up saying "I'm sure that was impressive 30 years ago". But the 1998 Lincoln Navigator's 230-horsepower Triton V8 engine is still a beast today, and one of the most reliable V8s ever built, towing up to 7,700 lbs and easily managing rough terrain via its ControlTrac four-wheel drive system.The Navigator, like its mid-market sibling, the Ford Expedition, was developed from the 1997 Ford F-Series, and it shares a tireless work ethic with those vehicles while keeping it classy in the cabin. Some of the luxury upgrades you would get trading an Expedition in for a Navigator include the following: Wood accents Leather upholstery Illuminated running boards Heated mirrors Remote keyless entry Premium audio with second-row controls and optional six-disc CD changer One of the coolest available features was the load-leveling air suspension. On the road, the SUV provided up to 8.4 inches of ground clearance. Park it, and the SUV automatically lowers itself to the floor so you don't need to pull out the mountain climbing gear to climb in and out of the passenger seat. An SUV with a built-in elevator, now we're on some Richie Rich type stuff. The Lincoln Navigator Carved A New Path For American Automakers Lincoln The sales brochures Lincoln printed for the Navigator emphasized the versatile nature of the vehicle, getting you down to the lake one week, and to the ballet the next. Lincoln is sometimes regarded as the brand your grandparents swear by, but the Navigator was aiming squarely for the active, young, go-getter demographic. Urban professionals who know that there's more to life than work.Land Rover has been building luxury SUVs since the post-war era, and the Jeep Wagoneer dates back to the 1960s. The Lincoln Navigator wasn't the first luxury SUV, or even the first American luxury SUV. But, in beating both Cadillac and Buick to the market, it did carve a new niche for upscale SUVs produced by American automakers primarily associated with luxury cars.At the end of 1998, Cadillac had made 182,570 total sales, while Lincoln had sold 187,121 units, scoring a 4,551 lead over its longtime rival. The Lincoln Navigator no doubt played a major part in that win, selling 43,859 units while the Cadillac Escalade was still a year away from launch. First-Gen Navigators Are Selling For A Song In 2026 Lincoln Checking the market for first-gen Navigators (model years 1998 to 2002), here's what we were able to turn up. A 92,836-mile 2000 Navigator is selling for $7,995 in Nevada. A 70,048-mile 2000 Navigator is selling for $5,995 in Nevada. A 153,559-mile 2000 Navigator is selling for $3,595 in Oregon. A 69,125-mile Navigator is selling for $14,500 in Missouri. Not the most practical listing, but really cool: a 156,593-mile 1998 Navigator converted to a pink stretch limo selling for $9,891. Maybe worth a look if you have a taste for the eccentric, and somewhere to park it. Note that these listings are only provided as examples of what's out there. You'll want to conduct a search of your own to see what's available in your area.At these prices, we would advise budgeting around $8,000 for the purchase and looking for something with under 100,000 miles on the odometer. $14,500 for a 69,125-mile Navigator isn't a bad deal, but you could do better if you shop around. Unfortunately, these first-gen models don't hit the market all that often, so, if you can find one in good condition, you'll want to get it while the getting's good. First-Gen Navigators Are Fairly Cheap To Maintain Lincoln RepairPal lists the following as the most expensive common fixes for a 2002 Lincoln Navigator. Radiator replacement $1,672–$1,908 Suspension shock or strut replacement $1,116–$1,340 Fuel evaporative canister replacement $476–$553 Window switch replacement $270–$375 Horn replacement $224–$299 Drive belt idler pulley replacement $162–$228 According to Navigator owners on the r/LincolnNavigator subreddit, early Navigators are "nearly indestructible". A few drivers report replacing the transmission at around a quarter-million miles, while the Triton V8 keeps going for decades with nothing but routine maintenance.One driver reports that the air suspension is more trouble than it's worth in snowy climates, but by and large the biggest concern in an older Navigator is simple wear and tear. Look for something with low miles, and you'll likely have few problems. Look For A Lincoln Blackwood If You Really Want To Flex Lincoln Launching for the 2002 model year, the Lincoln Blackwood was essentially a Lincoln Navigator with a cargo box in the back, and one of several examples of the American market saying "thanks, but no thanks" to luxury pickups. If we want a cushy truck, we're more likely to buy a top-spec Silverado with all the fixings than we are to seek out a pickup truck specifically branded as a luxury vehicle.The first-gen Navigator is one of Lincoln's greatest success stories, but the Blackwood might just be their most embarrassing failure, selling a measly 3,066 units in the US in its first model year. A luxury pickup is exactly the kind of thing you come up with when you've just beaten Cadillac, and you think you can do no wrong.We would argue that the only real misstep was that Lincoln was trying to pioneer a segment that Americans have never really taken to. The Cadillac Escadale EXT did alright in its first generation, but the market bottomed out before long, and the EXT was struggling to sell just a few thousand units a year by the start of the 2010s.Luxury pickups have always been a very narrow sales niche, but, for what it is, the 2002 Blackwood is a very attractive pickup, and it makes more sense at used prices compared to its initial MSRP of $52,500. Blackwoods Are Hard To Find (And Sellers Know It) Lincoln To go over a few of the listings we were able to turn up. A 123,109-mile 2002 Blackwood is selling for $8,995 in Georgia. A 93,712-mile 2002 Blackwood is selling for $15,510 in Kansas. A 40,806-mile 2002 Blackwood is selling for $22,900 in Florida. A 112,395-mile 2002 Blackwood is selling for $13,900 in Virginia. A 27,137-mile 2002 Blackwood is selling for $28,900 in New Jersey. The 2002 Blackwood is essentially the same vehicle as the 2002 Navigator, but the truck's relative scarcity sees its pricing skewing a bit higher. You can have your pick of Navigators with $10,000 in your pocket, but you'll probably want to budget around $15,000 if you're shopping for a Blackwood with under 120,000 miles on the odometer.Our advice would be to go with the SUV. A first-gen Navigator is a bargain. A Lincoln Blackwood is the same car for twice the price.
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