Lincoln LS

nvbanker

I wouldn't worry about the TSBs, you're covered if something comes up. The cars are very reliable and very well engineered. You should love it.

jerrym3

Last weekend, my 04 LS8 did the same thing that my 03 TBird did a few months ago.

In the SST mode, the trans would not go into 3rd.

1-2, fine; 2-3 stayed in 2nd.

5-4, fine; 4-3, car dropped into 2nd.

Regular drive mode, everything was perfect.

Shut the car off, started it, and everything was back to normal.

Drove 450 miles on a business trip, car ran perfect.

I don't trust these transmissions.

lateralg

My '03 LS with 36,000 miles went nuts like you describe about three weeks ago. A "re-boot" corrected it, and it hasn't recurred. This was the first and only time it happened.

My climate control also went nuts a year and a half ago, blowing hot air out passenger side, and cold our drivers side. Re-boot corrected it, and it hasn't recurred.

I'm not worried about either event, and fully trust the car for my planned 5,000 mile trip this summer. Enjoy the car; don't worry about it.

wesley1der

How do you Re-boot?

erickpl

and select Shutdown.

Oh wait, you're talking about a car... Just brings back images of the little story about if Microsoft built cars...

-Paul

kigero

My check engine light came on recently on my 2001 Lincoln LS (V6). Now my windshield wipers aren't working properly. They will sometimes go up about half way then stop, or they might work fine for a few minutes then stop. Also since then, when I lock my car using the remote key I do not hear the honking noise I usually do. I would appreciate some feedback on where the problem lies and how to fix it. Thanks!

lateralg

Sorry for the slang.

Re-boot in this case is merely turning car off and re-starting.

It also clears "Check Advance Trak" message that occurs at times.

black_sox09

What car would be a better overall buy between a Jaguar 02 X-type or a 02 Lincoln LS V8. Meaning with montly payments, insurance, everyday problems, which one would u guys buy if the choice was up to you. I am 23 years old, make good money for a 23 yr old, Living in Scottsdale, AZ. Cannot pick which one is the better buy. Any responses would be great. thanks ya'll

ANT14

I would do the LS V8, the '02 X-type had too many little glitches overall, and dealer network isn't as large as that of L/M, in case you get stuck in some little town in the middle of no where.

desertguy

See my answer on the Jag board.

nvbanker

I would also do the LS - V-8. You get more power, more engine, more room, more over all car.

nvbanker

My nephew just bought a Cadillac CTS. He let me try it out last night. For the life of me, I just don't understand the big deal about this car! It steers hard, and the steering wheel is typical Cadillac huge. The ride is harsh, the handling is alright, but not the least bit remarkable. The cabin is like a bathtub inside with a high beltline and cowl making visibility difficult. As dated and neglected as the LS is becoming, it's got it all over the CTS in my opinion, and I am baffled by the popularity of the car, and my nephew's enthusasim in the car. Only the enthusasim of the turbocharged engine was impressive. Nothing else was superior to any years LS in my opinion. This proves that what the car looks like has a lot more to do with how they sell than anything else to lots of buyers.

div2

Perception is essentially reality in the car biz. Like it or not, Cadillac and-to a lesser extent-Chrysler are currently the "hot" American automakers. Through their advertising, motorsport participation, and(most importantly) product, Cadillac has let it be known that they intend to compete with the best Europe has to offer on both road and track. Lincoln on the other hand, has chosen to "Travel Well" and thereby embrace their inner geezer. The suits at Lincoln freely admit that all they want to do is carve out a small niche in the near-luxury market. Talk about low expectations...
The LS was conceived at a time when Lincoln brass planned to take on the world; now Lincoln is perfectly happy moving rebodied Volvos. The only upside to this suicidal sales strategy is the fact that a new or used LS is a screaming deal in the sport sedan market.

cdnpinhead

"chosen to "Travel Well" and thereby embrace their inner geezer."

Excellent! When I have occasion to express a similar sentiment (and I will), I'll be sure to give you credit for what I think will become a catch phrase, at least for me.

Smilin' for the rest of the day!

xwray

I'm looking for opinions on the best way; ie, get the most out of it, a 2000 LS with the manual transmission. The car is as new with only 11860 miles on it. As y'all know this is somewhat of an enthusiests car where most folks in the market aren't all that impressed with the manual transmission in a Lincoln nor are they understanding of the overall LS package.

If you were buying such a vehicle where would you most likely go to find one. If you were selling such a vehicle where would you think the widest audience for this specific vehicle would be found. If the answer turns out to be ebay how smooth would you think a sale would be when the buyer would no doubt be in a different geographical location - anyone have any experience with an ebay automotive sale.

I'd appreciate any feedback...I'm just trying to calibrate my own thoughts.

martin3

Just tried to convince my friend to purchase an LS instead of the 3-series BMW. After he looked at a re-sale value on the LS he laughed. I told him to look at a used one and he tested a used one that came from New York city and had lot of rattle and vibration on it. So he gave up on American made cars visited his BMW dealer and ordered a new 2005 - 330i and received free everything maintenance for 4 years.My guess is that if Lincoln did not purchase the Volvo mark and made the move to take the lincoln brand to Europe with the LS and compete with the best, plus added some very good marketing instead of "TRAVEL WELL" maybe some 3-series sales would have gone over to Lincoln??? I still love my 2K-LS and will hold for the 2007 Shelby Gt500 to replace it.

akirby

It's not Volvo - it's Jaguar that held Lincoln back. The LS was slated to go to Europe - that's why we had a manual tranny until 2002. But the strategy changed - probably thanks in part to Volvo/Jag/Aston Martin in Europe. Now they have their sites on Buick. Another wasted opportunity. Anybody remember the Merkur Scorpio?

div2

"Anybody remember the Merkur Scorpio?"
Yes, we bought a 1987 demo for my wife back in 1988. It was a great car to drive and I must say that we received excellent service from a local L-M dealer (Metropolitan L-M in Louisville). The fly in the ointment was that it cost more to maintain than my 1987 535is. If L-M had properly advertised the car, offered a more powerful engine-sound familiar?-and kept parts prices in line they could very well have had a hit on their hands.

cwz

Just put on a set of Avon MTech500's after running two sets of OE Firestone Firehawks, what a difference. At $140/tire a much less expensive alternative to the $200+ Michellins and Bridgestones.

cdnpinhead

I'm in a similar place, having just put on a set of Khumos a couple of weeks ago -- $109 ea. through Tire Rack. Quiet, handle well -- remains to be seen of course how long they'll last.

The Pilot A/S's lasted pretty close to 40K miles, but at $210 a pop, I decided that the once or twice a year I might care about the difference in quality wasn't worth the delta.

akirby

Avon is owned by Cooper Tires and so far the feedback on them has been good. The Kumhos perform well when new but they seem to get noisy and less grippy as the tread wears. I'll probably try the Avons next. As much as I love the Pilot A/S's I'm with Steve on the cost/benefit analysis.

egrls

I'm new to this forum, so forgive me if this has been asked. I've searched the archives and not found a solution to my problem. Someone stole the Lincoln emblem from my grille and the dealership tells me I have to order a whole new grille for $230. All I want is the emblem. Any suggestions? Thanks.

akirby

Get a used grille off ebay.

hybridking

:sick: Very frustrated - no answers from local dealership - still searching for the solution.

Car runs perfectly on dry or mildly rainy days. However - when it rains hard and the car sits out all day - it will barely run when started - feels like "lumpy" petrol in the engine - lucky if you can keep 1,000 revs going. Some as it dries out - next day its fine.

I'm sure there is some kind of leak occurring and water is getting, or condensing into something vital.
:sick:

Any clues? The car has 100,000 miles and all its maintenance up to date.

akirby

I'd check the PCM first (passenger footwell), then the battery and wiring in the trunk. Then look under the hood for obvious moisture.

tdi guy

Just to be clear..are you trying to sell a manual LS?

akirby

Based on the first sentence:

"I'm looking for opinions on the best way; ie, get the most out of it, a 2000 LS with the manual transmission."

I'd say yes.

tdi guy

Thought I was imagining it. I was one who bought into the LS concept in the beginning, leasing a 2000 (Feb 2001 build) with the manual transmission. I let the lease expire expecting to pick up a new one only to go away mad when they dropped the manual trmnsmission option. I would love to find a low mileage manual LS if one is to be had. I miss my old LS, bad window regulatorss, foggy headlamps, and all. By the way, is the LS Owner's club still alive?

pat

We can't help you with other automotive message boards, sorry. See the link on the left side of the page to the Membership Agreement, or email me.

laxman

Was wondering what was new for the coming 06's? Also What model year was the rumored new LS or replacement for the LS supposed to arrive? Wondering how the Continental concept, that i have heard nothing more about, will play into this future scenario as well.

LS owner/fanatic since 10/99

hybridking

OK - good thoughts. Now all I have to do is find another raining day here!

akirby

The V6 is gone and the V8 will have the LSE body package standard on all models. No new features AFAIK. The new volvo platform models aren't due for another 2-3 years at least. Expect the LS to remain unchanged other than cosmetic changes until then (unless sales drop even more and it might be gone before then). What a shame.

xwray

right...a manual transmission

cdnpinhead

. . .and your point is?

I also have one of the early LS's with a manual. Not trying to sell it, thank goodness, because the world is full of people who . . .

Oh, never mind.

I expect to get anywhere from a few to several more years of use out of the car before I need to move on.

marsha7

what was the year (or multiple years) that the LS came with optional HID headlights, what option package it was called, and was it available w/o the navigation package???...I hate nav, I want HID...

also, does anybody have the HID option, and do they work well, are they the same design as BMW and MB HIDs, or did we try and reinvent the wheel???

reaves

The 04's have the optional HID's. I found a 04 Prem V6; with HID & no Nav. I didn't buy the car, but from what I saw while test driving... it seems to be the same design as the BMW & MB. The BMW that I test drove had the Xenon lights. Hope that helps. Its a nice car... just pricey new.

akirby

Same basic design as everyone else, except I don't think the LS has bi-xenons. Bi-xenons use the HIDS for both high and low beams using a mechanical device to redirect the light beam. Regular xenons are low beam only and use a regular lamp for high beam.

They were available starting in 03 where I think they were standard on the top of the line model (forgot exactly what it was called - Ultimate?) and optional on the rest.

marsha7

allow my mind to wander...I own a 2004 Ford Crown Vic LX Sport...239 HP V8, shifter on floor, bucket seats, dual exhaust, handling package, rear air suspension, dual front 8 way power seats with motorized lumbar support on both seats...aside from having a larger trunk, and less HP in the V8, just how much different and how much smaller is the LS-V8 compared to my Crown Vic???...I believe both cars are true body-on-frame/chassis (I could also be wrong), so I wonder sometimes if I should have bought a used LS instead of my Crown Vic...how well does the LS ride on the open road like my Crown Vic???thanks for letting me wander...any thoughts from you???

akirby

The LS is unibody, not body on frame. The CV, Town Car and Grand Marquis are the only body on frame cars left IIRC.

The LS is smaller, lighter with 280 hp (2003+). The trunk and back seat in the LS are tiny by comparison. The LS has more luxury amenities (HIDs, heated and cooled seats, etc.) and will handle better (formula 1 inspired all aluminum suspension).

The only thing I think you would miss is the slightly softer ride and back seat/trunk space.

lateralg

And, what you will gain is 700-mile days, driving in comfort with a smile on your face. The LS on the X-way is laser-straight, and just seems to know the heading you want. Seats are excellent.

The above based on owning a 2000 and a 2003 LS.

nvbanker

From the Driver's vantage point - the Crown Vic is very nice to drive, it's nimble, handles smoothly, but firmly, with authority, gets great mileage, has tons of room, and great reliability at a great price.

The LS would give you a little more luxury, some features you don't have, and a wagon load of driving fun you don't have, tempting you to break the law every chance you get .

That's the difference.

mrgdr

HID not available on the '03+ base V6 "Luxury" arrary. HID standard on '03 Premium Sport only, a stand-alone option on all other '03s and all arrays since '04. THX/Nav has never been linked as a package with HID. It is a stand-alone option.

The HID lighting on the LS is excellent. The light is very bright and white compared to halogen (dull and yellow) and the pattern is very even and focused across the road surface.
Throw is also much improved from standard lighting. Just my $.02 comparing my former 2000 LS Sport with Sylvania Silverstar lamps to my current '03 Premium Sport's HID lamps. YMMV.

marsha7

I really did want the feedback you gave, since after buying the 04 Crown Vic, I often wondered if I should have looked for a used 03 LS (or wait a little longer, since I bought the CV in Aug 04, maybe wait 2 months and the 04 LS would have also been a sued car, or the 03 would be 2 model years old)...just might still do it, but if they throw a 292HP in the future CV, the HP will be there, just missing the handling of the LS...also, I would bet the sound system in the LS is better than the CV, which is an old doddy unit for a geezer who just bought his first CD of Toney Bennet or Larry Welk (OK, Lawrence)

nvbanker

An option available with the LS is the THX sound, which is phenomenal if you still have ears. Mine are fading and I listen to talk radio now anyway half the time, but hey, you bought a Crown Vic, so you got a great value, one of the greatest on the road, enjoy it.

lateralg

Another important feature of the LS is the 5-speed transmission ... with Select Shift on certain packages. Fun and practical.

akirby

There's always a used Marauder - that was 300 hp IIRC. And there are lots of aftermarket mods available for the CV to get even more power (over 400 hp in some cases). The mods on the LS are modest by comparison. You can maybe get another 30-40 hp with intake and computer modifications.

rayainsw

I looked at a Marauder some time ago at me local L-M dealer, while my LS was in for service. It sounds OK. Maybe better than OK. But the ride was rather stiff, and it is really not what I'd consider quick. C+D test: 0-60 = 7.5 and 1/4 = 15.5 at 91. With 302 HP and 318 TQ.

My new ride (not directly comparable, I admit, a new GP GXP) = 303 / 323 and in the only published / instrumented test I have seem so far, MT: 0-60 = 6.0 and 1/4 = 14.3 at 98.

- Ray
Just one point on the curve . . .

whogan

My driver side window is off track. Is there anyway I can fix this myself? If so could someone Please HELP with instructions.

akirby

Sounds like the regulator. Not sure about the fronts, but the rears are easy to fix yourself. You can just buy the regulator by itself now - you don't have to buy the motor, too, so they're only around $30. It should come with instructions. Takes about an hour (two if it's your first time).

marsha7

you don't like talk radio in stereophonic surround sound???...:):):):):)