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Comments
Also. I use valet services, when going out on the town, to show off the car but I was not aware of a valet mode for the alarm. I will have to look into how to use that feature.
does anyone know of a way to get the windows to roll up by remote? Sort of like the roll down feature.
-Noah
If it gets worse, I'll try to have it replaced under warranty, and if I get much resistance, I'll spend the ~$300 to replace it myself without too much complaining. $300 isn't small change, and yes, I could take the position that a $40K car should be perfect through the warranty period, but I'm not sure that's a reasonable position, and will bear some costs of ownership. There's something to be said for selecting warranty battles carefully.
I would still be driving around with squeaky window regulators, broken Tag Lamp light assy's and crappy shifting with my automatic sst if it weren't for the LLSOC.com folks willingness to exchange their knowledge of ownership issues. as well as the folks that comment here at edmunds.com.
The service centers surely aren't going to come forward and be proactive about customer satisfaction. I have had to learn everything late in the game; which lends to my significant level of dissatisfaction with the Lincoln product.
Had it not been for these 2 forums I truly would not consider buying another Lincoln and I am surely not buying another Ford Badged product after what I have been through with my various Fords.
It all boils down to this: Service. I am in the IT business and I consider myself to be like those folks in the restaurant business. If I am not giving great service then I will not have as many repeat customers. I mean the type of service that goes above and beyond the normal call of duty. And I don't mean a free car wash everytime you drop your car off for a recall or tsb.
The likeability of the product will only get you so far but great customer service will get you a long way.
-np
I do have a second type of "fog" (which I expect to be made right by Ford under warrantee) which is more what I would describe as a static electric pattern on the back of the clear plastic which has attracted dust (from the factory) and forms the typical dendritic pattern seen in dust on plastic. Noticed it the first time I saw the car in bright sunlight when new. A similar dendritic pattern forms on the front surface of speedometer covers, but that's easier to clean.
This is the "fog" that I thought other posters have been referring to, and I suspect it is the fog that Ford is referring to when they replace the headlights. I'm living with it until closer to the end of the warrantee, partly because I've installed a stone-guard membrane on the surface of one of the lenses, which cannot be taken off and moved to the new lens.
Noah - you know about the "global close" using the key in the driver's door, right? (But it's not remote)
Regards - Brian.
It was better for a while, but when I got it up to 80 mph it came back (previously only came on at about 50) I also noticed that what I had previously thought was one rattle was actually two - the vacuum hose one they fixed, and one from the passenger b-pillar. Anyway, it's a moot point now - the old rattle is back at anything over 50.
Yes, I expect better from a car that costs this much, but I recognize how difficult it is to identify the source of these problems once they appear, and to my dealer's (Pamby motors in Ridgefield CT) credit they were able to make some progress on it. (They also give me free oil changes every 3000 miles and don't even charge the difference for synthetic)
http://www.autoweek.com/
Looks really sharp to me; not a lot of extraneous B.S. on the body, and no whale-tail or foot-tall wing--thank goodness! No interior shots, unfortunately (except for a headrest), but I guess Artie and the boys will have to give us an eyewitness evaluation.
How about it, Artie? We're waiting!
JLinc, LLSOC charter member
After I bought my car i swear I read every page of the owners manual but didn't see anything about the window action by remote or the global roll up by key. About a year later as I am clean my car my son sat in the car playing with the keys and as if a genie had done it all my windows rolled down. I first checked to see if my son had put the keys in the ignition and rolled them down from the drivers side but he was clear in the back. Now he is just about to turn three this weekemd, March 30th, so I had to ask my 2 year old how he had done that and all he could really do is look back at me with a crocked head and point to the remote. So I took the remote got in the car turned the iginition and rolled the windows back up and had him do it again.
Again several months later again I let him play with the keys, as kids his age really enjoy playing with the LS as much as kids our age, while cleaning the car and he rolled the key back in the lock a raised the windows. Again I was schooled by a two year old. I was stunned just as I thought I had learned it all he suprises me with that.
So needles to say he gets the keys anytime he wants while washing the car but no new tricks since then. I hate to admit it but it is all true.
have a great day.
-np
Artie
After I bought my car i swear I read every page of the owners manual but didn't see anything about the window action by remote or the global roll up by key. About a year later as I am clean my car my son sat in the car playing with the keys and as if a genie had done it all my windows rolled down. I first checked to see if my son had put the keys in the ignition and rolled them down from the drivers side but he was clear in the back. Now he is just about to turn three this weekemd, March 30th, so I had to ask my 2 year old how he had done that and all he could really do is look back at me with a crocked head and point to the remote. So I took the remote got in the car turned the iginition and rolled the windows back up and had him do it again.
Again several months later again I let him play with the keys, as kids his age really enjoy playing with the LS as much as kids our age, while cleaning the car and he rolled the key back in the lock a raised the windows. Again I was schooled by a two year old. I was stunned just as I thought I had learned it all he suprises me with that.
So needles to say he gets the keys anytime he wants while washing the car but no new tricks since then. I hate to admit it but it is all true.
have a great day.
-np
Maybe as the LS ages and gets more enthusiasts, we too will develop lots of neat hacks and tricks for the LS. Theres already a wealth of knowledge and talent hanging out on the message boards of llsoc.com
But enough of that. At the time, I was nervous at using any wire other than one for the radio, so I pulled my radio out, turned the key to the acc position, and probed a few wires with my meter. For some reason, green/yellow sticks out in my mind as the one I tapped into, but I could be wrong. If you still need help, let me know, and I will check the schematics on my Service CD I have at home. But there (obviously) is a switched hot for the radio. It was just as easy for me to tap into it right at the radio as it would have been to trace its origins and go all the way back to the fuse box. I used a scotchlok (love those things) but the "pro" way to tap into a wire is to shave off about 1/2 inch of covering of the wire you plan to tap into. Then take the exposed end of the wire you are using to actually connect to the newly shaved wire. Separate the strands in the shaved wire to expose a hole, almost like the end of a needle. Then thread the end of the other wire through the hole, and wrap around. Place a drop of solder, then use heat shrink tubing to seal it all up. This is just one way. I'm sure you guys probably use your own method that is just as effective.
There is a writeup at llsoc.com thats more detailed regarding my V1 remote installation. Check it out, it may help you.
http://autoweek.com/specials/2002_newyork/
Click on the McLaren picture to see the photos; the article link is on the right-hand side of the page.
Note: There's also a link to Aviator photos, but it didn't work when I tried it.
Note to akirby: Yep, the Roadside Assistance number and Customer Assistance number are one and the same.
JLinc, LLSOC charter member
Thanks for the link johnnylinc.
Thanks,
Craig
I would much rather have a Lincoln-backed high-performance model than a lukewarm supported tuner car. I am afraid the modifications Mclaren is doing may not be the way Lincoln would do it - if that makes any sense.
But, if that's the only way to get a 350-400 hp LS with a six-speed, well then I may have to bite my tongue and go for it.
I'm not close enough to the 6 cylinder, but if 2002 is the year they boosted HP with the new intake and exhaust systems (were there any other substantive changes?) you might ask for the value of those changes as additional discount. Others on this board can certainly advise you as to this value.
Flip side of this is that there are other folks who have waited a long time for a special order 5 speed. Some of those folks may have been willing to fly to your dealer for this deal, and then be able to drive the car home. If you decide not to pursue this car, you might consider posting the dealer's name on here.
http://www.auto.com/targetnews/articles/Automotive/03_27_2002.reutr-story-N27136686.html
With that said it's economics. If McLaren is looking to sell 300 - 500 of its LS's a year, that's <1% of LS sales, pretty hard for Lincoln to justify and get any return on. Again the intangibles (image) come in to play and unfortunately the Harvard grad bean counters at Ford probably never consider such intangible positive effects. Thus it would be up the marketing department to take away some advertising $$ in order to support such specialty models. Add to all of this Lincoln's heritage of selling land yachts to the over 70 crowd and new found SUV emphasis I'd guess that it is presently next to impossible to convince Lincoln's product planners and marketing dept. why Lincoln should spend any $$ on such high performance models. I'm not saying Lincoln shouldn't support hi-po models because they should if they are serious about lowering the average age of a Lincoln buyer. What I'm saying is that it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, most people oppose change, good or bad so it will take a while to re-make Lincoln. Then add to all this the possibility of stepping on other people's turf (ie. Jag, Mercury, Ford etc) and you can see why it's do hard to get anything new done in a big company.
As far as Lincoln's lack of comittment to McLaren, I think that it is designed not to shut out other aftermarket tuners such as Saleen, Roush etc. I'd imaging that Lincoln would like several vendors to have their special LS's out there as long as they were quality and enhanced the LS image.
In anycase I don't want any more whining from you Stanny as you now know where to get both a 6 speed and a LSD for your LS.(:-
C'mon, John!! There's more to a sport sedan than peak HP, as you well know. Everyone would like a bit more power but, as a certain engineer we know would say, What are you prepared to give up for it? Weight distribution, longevity, and $$$ come to mind.:)
Scott
LLSOC Member
I'd much rather see LM or even SVT do a "tuner" model. I think that the McClaren concept is a little overboard. The 2003 3.9 mated to a T-56 and Cobra IRS rear would give competitive performance. The Manual is like adding 35 hp by itself. So this set-up would be like a 2003 V-8 Auto LS with over 300hp. And the price would be under 40k where it has to be.
Why should I pay 540i prices for this McClaren when I could buy the forthcoming six-speed G35 for a little over 30k, cut maybe sub six-second 0-60 with a Borla, move the battery to the trunk, and maybe add some of the other aftermarket stuff that will flood out for this car? My target is not so much the M5 but the 540i. I've only seen a couple of M5's in my lifetime, and the owners look like their last car was an STS and their next one is going to be a hearse. These guys take corners like grandma. These are just 4 door phallic symbols. 99% of 540i's are automatics. Just call your local Bimmer dealer or look in the Auto Trader and see how many 540i-6's there are.
My 2001 V8 sport (not that it should matter ) came with 3 keys - two black keys that open everything, and a gray "Valet" key that opens the doors and starts the car only. There is a button inside the glovebox to disable the remote trunk release (or at least to disable the button on the dash) and the glovebox & trunk can't be opened with the valet key - it won't even go in.
Since the seatback release is also inside the trunk this path is closed also.
If only they would restrict the car to parking lot speeds & accelerations when the valet key is used...
Check out www.McLarenPerformance.com and click on the 'news' box to see their info on the LSE.
Note - their estimate of 0-60 in 6.2S isn't impressive (but the AutoWeek interview implied shaving 2 seconds off the LS time which would be 5.2S). Then again, it is stated that all specifications are preliminary.
As it stands, I am not seeing the numbers I've been looking for coming from the LS and have actually started to consider the Aviator (despite the funky dash). I am so glad they didn't continue to try and explore the wierd '02 Mountaineer trim that looks like it was borrowed from Caddy concept cars.
The switch is designed to turn off the fuel pump in the event of a crash. Once it turns the pump off you need to manually reset it. The fuel pump won't run at all unless you physically press the button to reset it.
There is one of these on the LS, and all other Ford family cars and trucks.
Mark
Peak horsepower is not as important with truck engines - low end torque is. Most truck and sport utility engines are tuned for low end torque and long life (reduced RPMS) as opposed to high rpms and peak hp. It's a design choice. The Honda S2000 makes 240 hp but not very much torque.
Don't forget that when Lincoln designed the LS it was an unknown - they weren't sure how well it would sell. Now that they know they can compete we'll see what they can really do. Other things like parts availability/reliability and CAFE compliance can also have an impact. It's not always a simple engineering exercise.
The factors that you list are why I am concerned about the Mclaren versus a true Lincoln high-performance model. A one year warranty on the powertrain for 56k, and only at the 100 dealers in the US ? Doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Considering what we heard about the level of engineering effort that goes into just choosing the tires on the LS, I can't see a tuner firm being successful without Lincoln backing.
And I know, don't look at just the horsepower, check the torque. Wasn't that called "effortless progression".
(chris) An Aviator ? Personally, I like the Navigator and Aviator interiors. Lots of little touches that make you think someone thought about the customer. We'll see what the LS gets in 2003.
John
This is just a quick question to other LS owners...I have a 2001 LS-V8 Sport...I drive a mixture of city/highway to work. Its only about 17 miles between Maryland thru DC and out to VA to work. On fill-ups I cannot get my miles to empty to go past 267 Miles to Empty. Also I am only averaging around 14.9 MPG. But on long highway trips I usually averages around 28 MPG.
So I guess my question is: 1) how many miles to empty do you get out of your LS once you fill up and
2) what is your average MPG city/hwy?
Thanks,
KrystalG
krystalg -- Reset your average fuel economy. That is why your indicator never goes past 267 (14.9 your average mpg on indicator X 18.1 gallons (Fuel Capacity of LS) ~269 Miles to empty) . I think the default is in the 330+ Miles...
Regards,
Victor
Now that LLSOC has made Lincoln managemnet aware of a communications issue regarding this TSB they are taking steps to re-communicate to the dealers. If there is a dealer that is still not willing to replace both rear window regulators at the same time, FCSD has asked me to forward them the dealer name and address and they will have the regional CSM contact the dealership.
Brian
The DTE is calculated by dividing the mpg averaged over the last 1000 miles driven (regardless of what the avg mpg display shows) by the total gallons in the tank.
This is why the DTE works whether you reset the avg mpg to zero or not. If you really manage to get a consistant 14.9mpg over 1000 miles then the DTE will always read the same at fillup assuming you're truely getting a full tank.
Your mpg does seem on the low side. How many miles are on your car and how would you characterize your driving habits?
Joe
Thanks again for the info.
George
The V-1 that I had fit, but very snugly, on the drivers side of the center just above the rear view mirror. The sensors work just fine through the tint on the upper part of the windshield and the rear look lens also works fine. The NEW V-1, which I just got last week fits much better since it is about 1/4 inch thinner up and down. You should get the remote display if you can. It fits perfectly centered right in front of you on the little shelf in front of the instrument cluster. The wiring is almost totally hidden and you can't even tell there is a detector in the car when it is closed as it is mostly behind the tint. I was very happy with my old unit, but when I heard the case was slightly smaller and the sensitivity slightly higher, I went for the upgrade and I am glad I did. My only complaint is that they wouldn't let me buy back my old one which I would have given to my daughter as it was perfectly acceptable. If you have any questions about any of the connections, I will try to answer them, but it isn't brain surgery. Even I figured it out pretty quickly.