'05 Lincoln LS or '06 Lexus ES

brnpa

I've found a nice '05 LS that the wife likes. 26,000 miles, 3 year warranty, and in great condition. I know the complete history of the car (tranny solenoid replaced and tires were replaced under warranty). I can probably get into it for around $14,000, plus the snow tires I'll probably buy for next winter. However, my wife also likes an '06 Lexus ES 330 she drove, which is around $22,000. So, my question is which is the better deal? I usually keep a car for 10 years so will I be plagued with those $500.00, or more, yearly annoyances that older American cars tend to have when the LS's warranty runs out? Am I better off paying a bit more for the Lexus which probably has a better long-term track record than the LS? Pay now or pay later... Thanks.

toomanyfumes

I bought a '05 LS last year and haven't had any problems with it. I think the newer ones are much better than the 2000-2002 models. Still, they definitele aren't as reliable as a Lexus. The $8000 price difference will pay for a lot of repairs, so I guess which do you really want?

After driving mine through a Wisconsin winter, winter tires are a real good idea.

displacedtexan

I've put 58,000 trouble-free miles on my '04 LS (V6). Maybe you won't have a lot of repairs on which to spend that $8.000. The LS will definitely be a more engaging car to drive than the Lexus, I think.

brnpa

Good points. I prefer the LS because it is much more sporty and I know the background of the vehicle. Plus, it can be fixed at any Ford garage, whereas I may be stuck with taking the ES to a Lexus dealer when the warranty expires. Oh, and saving $8,000 right now is probably a good thing

craziekeiichi

I would recommend the Lexus ES. My sister in law has had one for years that has been nothing short of perfect.
I've had two lincoln's, my most recent a 2004 V6. I've been plagued with issues since the beginning, and upon doing some research in hopes to find answers I've found that I'm most certainly not alone. As of today, my LS has been sitting in the driveway barely idling and the dealership won't give me a straight answer as to what the problem is.