Lincoln LS sedan . . . .

[Cito Pelon]

Ok, why the heck is the build quality so bad? I'm looking for another sedan, and I like the Lincoln LS - bad ass vehicle. Trouble is, it doesn't match up in build quality with the Japanese brands. The engineering is fine, the road tests seem to put it way up there with the best sport sedans. But apparently it isn't put together all that well.

Anybody know anything about the Lincoln LS? Talk me into it or out of it.

[Broncojef]

I wouldn't go near a Lincoln to save my life. Too many stories to post here but stinkin Lincoln's are terrible. My Dad swears by them to the point he is broke and inverted so badly he just doesn't drive. Seriously I buy American and drive nothing but Chevy and Fords but I won't go near a Lincoln. buy a nice Caddy if you want quality and a nice sedan IMO.

[Dudeskey]

In terms of handling & drivetrain the LS is built on a nice chassis thats shared w/ the Jaguar S type... Problem is reliability has been an issue w/ both the S-type and the LS since day 1 and have been slammed by damn near every automotive journalist in that department.

My advice- stay away from Ford products... period. Unless its a truck (super duty line)... If you plan on unloading the LS for another luxury performance ride, look into the IS250...

[epicSocialism4tw]

Go caddy...very nice all-around. I cant tell you much about maintinance issues, but the standard Caddy sedan is solid.

Personally, I would bump it up a bit and go for a nice lower end Mercedes sedan.

[Cito Pelon]

I wouldn't go near a Lincoln to save my life. Too many stories to post here but stinkin Lincoln's are terrible. My Dad swears by them to the point he is broke and inverted so badly he just doesn't drive. Seriously I buy American and drive nothing but Chevy and Fords but I won't go near a Lincoln. buy a nice Caddy if you want quality and a nice sedan IMO.

I'm looking at some STS's also. It's surprising how Caddy has upped their build quality since say 2002. Very impressive. Good management I guess.

Ok, one thumb down for the LS. I'm still leaning that way because I'm thinking I like a sedan you don't see 200,000 people driving every day like the Japanese brands. Is it really that bad?

[watermock]

I wouldn't go near a Lincoln to save my life. Too many stories to post here but stinkin Lincoln's are terrible. My Dad swears by them to the point he is broke and inverted so badly he just doesn't drive. Seriously I buy American and drive nothing but Chevy and Fords but I won't go near a Lincoln. buy a nice Caddy if you want quality and a nice sedan IMO.

Just for your information a Lincoln is a Ford.

[Broncojef]

Just for your information a Lincoln is a Ford.

I know it is but in my family the high end Ford (Lincoln) is the brunt of every family joke. I grew up in Michigan and love all American cars but won't go near a Lincoln, hell we used to flip import cars over in the high school parking lot cause so many familys worked the line at Oldsmobile and GM. By Ford I guess i should have expressed I'd only buy a Ford Truck and my cars are all GM products. Just stay away from the Lincoln or you'll regret it. As American as I am I'd look at imports before the Lincoln.

[Cito Pelon]

In terms of handling & drivetrain the LS is built on a nice chassis thats shared w/ the Jaguar S type... Problem is reliability has been an issue w/ both the S-type and the LS since day 1 and have been slammed by damn near every automotive journalist in that department.

My advice- stay away from Ford products... period. Unless its a truck (super duty line)... If you plan on unloading the LS for another luxury performance ride, look into the IS250...

Dang, two thumbs down. Yeah, the LS chassis and drivetrain seem to excite a lot of people where roadability and driveability is concerned. Reliability is the big thumbs down deal I guess. Dang it, I like the styling and the performance. Can someone say something positive?

[watermock]

I'd recommend a top of the line Camry. It's fairly easy to buy if you know what your doing and bulletproof. It won't set you apart but they have everthing you could ask for if you get their high level model. It's still much less than a Lexus. JMO.

Damlier/Chrysler has some cool cars based on Mercedes engineering now. I would look at a 300 before a Lincoln.

[cutthemdown]

I'd recommend a top of the line Camry. It's fairly easy to buy if you know what your doing and bulletproof. It won't set you apart but they have everthing you could ask for if you get their high level model. It's still much less than a Lexus. JMO.

Damlier/Chrysler has some cool cars based on Mercedes engineering now. I would look at a 300 before a Lincoln.

I have a 1999 Chrysler 300, 75 thousand miles so far no problems. Replaced belts and oil and that it. In all honesty though I don't drive cares very hard.

[Cito Pelon]

Go caddy...very nice all-around. I cant tell you much about maintinance issues, but the standard Caddy sedan is solid.

Personally, I would bump it up a bit and go for a nice lower end Mercedes sedan.

Ah, those Mercedes don't have the horsepower anymore to compete, unless you go the AMG route, and they're very expensive. And the German brands also don't have the quality to match the Japanese brands. The Mercedes is kind of ugly also, IMO. Those Audis are good looking cars and performance galore, but pricey and not much better quality than domestic. BMW's are pricey and don't have the horsepower, but they probably corner and handle better then the rest. Good looking also.

I was looking real hard at Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, Maxima, but I'm looking for something a little less common. But I don't want to get embarrassed by a crappy car.

[watermock]

I had a bunch of 70's series hot ass cars but I kept wrecking them. I wrecked a 71 cutlass, a 72 Cutlass Supreme and a 73 Cutlass Supreme. Obviously my father was insane because he bought me a 69 LeMans 400 with faded paint as a punishment. I sideswapped it but it went on to a glorious career on the dirt track. I didn't even know I had a sleeper GTO.

Then I managed to crash three demos at Burt Toyota. A GTS Corolla, A Forefunner and a Celica which I stole actually. I just drove it off the gate. I got fined two grand.

What's my body count? Oh, I rolled a 46 dodge sedan on a track I made on a very small patch of land at the farm. That was amusing.

That LeMans 400 short block was just plain sick.

[STBumpkin]

BMW's tranny's are crap, even worse than Dodge

[watermock]

Anyone who hasn't seen Seifield's advernture with his Sabb mechanic missed a rare gut buster.

[Cito Pelon]

I'd recommend a top of the line Camry. It's fairly easy to buy if you know what your doing and bulletproof. It won't set you apart but they have everthing you could ask for if you get their high level model. It's still much less than a Lexus. JMO.

Damlier/Chrysler has some cool cars based on Mercedes engineering now. I would look at a 300 before a Lincoln.

Toyota is so far above other brands in build quality and resale value, it's amazing. That's excellent advice. Every publication I look at the Toyota is the only brand that has a "best value" mark next to every model.

I've gone the Toyota route with trucks and Camry's, I'm looking for a statement sport sedan. I was hoping the LS would make the grade. It has the engineering, nice chassis and drivetrain, good braking, handling, RWD - I like RWD better than FWD - so talk me into it. You guys are bumming me. Anything positive would be fine.

[Dudeskey]

BMW's tranny's are crap, even worse than Dodge

I keep hearing that about Chrysler products in general, and I'm dreading the day it happens to my Durango... there's about 94,000 on the clock right now & no signs of tranny problems- yet. I'd like to get me a Maxima though- a little better on gas + that 265hp engine ;D

[Sodak]

I love my Navigator. Solid.

My friend's BMW transmission went out, so he junked the car.

[Cito Pelon]

I have a 1999 Chrysler 300, 75 thousand miles so far no problems. Replaced belts and oil and that it. In all honesty though I don't drive cares very hard.

I drive them pretty hard. Which is another consideration. I don't keep my cars too long anyway. Four years is about the tops. I tend to wear them out and sell them one year too early rather than one year too late. Eating the sales tax too often pisses me off, but what can you do. So maybe I'll enjoy an LS for a few years, run it hard, then sell it.

[baja]

Ok, why the heck is the build quality so bad? I'm looking for another sedan, and I like the Lincoln LS - bad ass vehicle. Trouble is, it doesn't match up in build quality with the Japanese brands. The engineering is fine, the road tests seem to put it way up there with the best sport sedans. But apparently it isn't put together all that well.

Anybody know anything about the Lincoln LS? Talk me into it or out of it.

I have rented one twice in recent months. It handled very well and was quiet and comfortable with great seats.

The first time I drove from SD to Phoenix and around Phoenix. The second time I drove from Phoenix to Las Vegas and up and down the strip several times.

I liked the car, it was way better than the Caddy I rented in SF and drove to Big Sur. For sure the Caddy had power to spare but I hated the way it handled and was hard to see out of. I drive a Toyota Land Cruiser most of the time and I love that vehicle, could use more power though.



Beyond that I don't know.

I wouldn't buy either one though.

[Cito Pelon]

I keep hearing that about Chrysler products in general, and I'm dreading the day it happens to my Durango... there's about 94,000 on the clock right now & no signs of tranny problems- yet. I'd like to get me a Maxima though- a little better on gas + that 265hp engine ;D

Chrysler 300 is on my radar as is the Maxima. Nissan has long had the best drivetrains. Amazing how they get the highest horsepower and at the same time the best gas mileage. Nissan engineers superb engines. They also offer a manual transmission, that's a consideration also. I'm not a big fan of automatics. Nissan and BMW are about the only manufacturers that offer a manual in the US market. The LS prior to 2003 had a German 5 speed available with the V6.

[Cito Pelon]

I have rented one twice in recent months. It handled very well and was quiet and comfortable with great seats.

The first time I drove from SD to Phoenix and around Phoenix. The second time I drove from Phoenix to Las Vegas and up and down the strip several times.

I liked the car, it was way better than the Caddy I rented in SF and drove to Big Sur. For sure the Caddy had power to spare but I hated the way it handled and was hard to see out of. I drive a Toyota Land Cruiser most of the time and I love that vehicle, could use more power though.



Beyond that I don't know.

I wouldn't buy either one though.

You guys are kicking me in the nuts. Good to hear opinions, though. I don't want to be embarrassed by a "statement" sedan that's in the shop all the time. Jeez, does anybody have something good to say about the LS? I like the LS. Anybody think say a 2004 would do me proud for 3 years?

[Dudeskey]

Chrysler 300 is on my radar as is the Maxima. Nissan has long had the best drivetrains. Amazing how they get the highest horsepower and at the same time the best gas mileage. Nissan engineers superb engines. They also offer a manual transmission, that's a consideration also. I'm not a big fan of automatics. Nissan and BMW are about the only manufacturers that offer a manual in the US market. The LS prior to 2003 had a German 5 speed available with the V6.

I can't get off work and drive a manual trans in a regular car- I'm afraid I'll break something, lol. Big rigs just don't shift like regular cars do. So I'll be getting an automatic. Last time I drove a regular car that was a stick, I stalled it at every light out of habit from driving my work truck... it has enough torque to get me going w/o giving any throttle.

[ak1971]

Ok, why the heck is the build quality so bad? I'm looking for another sedan, and I like the Lincoln LS - bad ass vehicle. Trouble is, it doesn't match up in build quality with the Japanese brands. The engineering is fine, the road tests seem to put it way up there with the best sport sedans. But apparently it isn't put together all that well.

Anybody know anything about the Lincoln LS? Talk me into it or out of it.

If you want a good sedan, buy an Infiniti. I personally think they are the best car money can buy. I have a 2004 G35 with almost 100K on it, and Ive done nothing to it besides change the oil and rotate the tires