YES, Pischkes Paradise, 7217 E. 1st Street, Scottsdale. It is one of our favorite breakfast places on a Saturday morning! We sometimes ride the BMW down there for breakfast before a Saturday morning ride someplace.
Yeah, get a pickup truck to pull your boat. The LS is for DRIVING!
With 6500 miles, my 2001 V8 Sport is averaging 17.4mpg in city/hwy driving. It gets about 23 on 80mph drives down the Parkway. (Tailed a Mustang GT for some ways on the last long drive...Wow what fun...lost a VW GTI that was trying to keep up).
I reset the computer at each fill-up. The reported mpg continues to track my calculated mpg from the pump pretty well. It is consistantly within a couple of tenths. Considering all of the possible sources of error in this kind of calculation, I'd say that's right on.
I am glad to see the posts regarding the gas milage improvements with time. I was getting quite concerned because my '00 V8 non-sport is averaging about 12mpg with 2500 miles on the car so far. I never get more than 210 miles per tank. At almost 2.00 a gallon here in Cali, you can see how expensive it can get.
For those of you who have seen steady improvment, I have one question. Did you start out with averages in the 12 mpg range or does that number seem so low as to cause one to think there is some kind of problem and not just a result of the normal "breaking in" period.
Last thing...V6, V8, sport, non-sport, manual, automatic..who cares? In ANY configuration the LS is a fine, fine automobile. We should all be grateful that an American car company has delivered a truly wonderful blend of style and performance for such a great price. I NEVER tire of the compliments I get about my car and as a 35 year old married man with a new baby girl, the performance of this machine will more than suffice. So I say, REJOICE FELLOW LS OWNERS!!
My '00 V8 Sport got 17-18 mpg during regular commuting (mostly highway with a light foot) when new. When checked according to the owner's manual (reset, then drive for a while at highway speed) it got 20-21.
Thanks, Brian, for your input on the Michelins. Actually, I am thinking of changing over to Michelin X-ones in a "T" speed rating. By the way, after 30,000 miles, my Firestones still have 7/32s of tread left and are wearing perfectly.
Since mine is an early model, I have the 3.58 rear end but I have always gotten around 23-24 MPG on the highway and 17 around town. In really bad weather (it has snowed 80 inches here this winter) and snail-like traffic, the mileage is less, of course. I would be a little concerned about 12 MPG regardless of break-in. That could indicate an overly rich condition. I think I would bring that to the attention of your dealer.
Mine is a V8-sport and I do recall that the mileage was fairly dismal for the first couple K. At 23K I am getting about 18.5 during what we call ethanol season here in Denver and 19.5 since they stopped putting that crap in the gas. Last summer I was getting 20.5 so I expect it to keep going up as the ethanol gets used up in the gas station's tanks. Of course premium fuel takes a little longer because not as many people use it. I usually reset the MPG about every 2 mos. on the computer.
My 00 LS-8 non-sport, 42,000 miles, gets an average of 24mpg on all-around driving in SoCal. My route is typically Ortega Highway and then the 405 so I have a combination of hills and traffic. On the open road, which I haven't done much of lately(wonder why!) I get about 27-28mpg at 80mph steady cruise. I do have a K&N and a Magnaflow cat-back system but before the modifications I was getting 22mpg and 24mpg.
For the V-6 auto folks who are feeling slightly down in the dumps after the recent exchanges fear not! Scooter has a comment in the LLSOC message forum under Engines that you might find interesting:)
Hello Gonefishin glad to hear you are enjoying the LS. Just wanted to let you know that you can tow with the LS!!!!! I have a Draw Tite Hitch on my Car Custom made for LS Applications. It bolts on with 4 bolts and recesses well under the the black valance of the bumper. Part and Installation was $156 Dollars. Now Here comes the ugly part the Wiring.. You have to buy a special kit from Ford that runs about $130 dollars. The Kit is complicated and needs to be installed by a Ford Tech. Costs about $120 dollars to install. Total Cost about $380 bucks..
I am towing an 800 lb (Dry) Jetski + trailer weight. Dont know how big your boat is but I think the hitch can pull either 1500 or 2500 lbs. You should be able to do it. If you have the V8 you definitely won't have problems.
I am assuming you didn't know a Custom Hitch existed and that is the reason you thought an LS could not pull it. Let me know if you have any more questions.
smiling........ wife wouldn't let me put hitch on it., towing 1500# rig with blazer. just that the road to bartlett is a nice twisty fun to drive stretch of road...Rene ...we hit pischkies on those nites when wife says "you really want to eat tonite?......used to have a 280z with t-tops and drove to Strawberry for breakfast" ......bottom line is ...i really love my "AMERICAN DRIVING MACHINE"........jim
Chrome is heavy. The "Super Silver" wheel is already overweight compared with the 16". Chrome just adds to the unsprung weight problem. If you ever take your wheel off, don't blame me for the hernia. I'm waiting for a light aftermarket alloy rim in 17 X 8 or 8.5 that has the correct offset. Looks are secondary to weight in regards to performance. Also - Thomas1. I agree. Without a limited slip differential, it is very hard to campaign a competitive LS in slolom racing. One needs to predictably break loose both tires in unison to slide rather than steer through the corners. Turning costs speed. The LS does great 4 wheel drifts until you apply power and one wheel breaks traction and upsets rear traction. It's one great limitation to an otherwise performance oriented car. Let's hope that LM "finishes" the LS with at least an LSD option for the Autos and as a standard feature for the Manuals. The best set-up is Traction Control (defeatable at each start-up) and LSD together. Stanny1 - who wishes he could have driven his own car on the gymkhana at LS Mania (without Traction Control)
I'm a long time lurker on the board and took delivery of a 01 Manual in Nov-00. The car has been flawless to date with one exception--the driver's side marker light fell out while I was driving down the interstate. (Dangling by the wires, it sounds a lot like a shredded tire when its banging around on the bumper!)
Earlier this week I called the dealer to arrange for the 5k service. I was told that it would take 45mins to an hour and could just wait on it. I arrived 15 minutes before they opened and was about the 10th car in line. The service advisor informed me it might be a little longer because everyone else was waiting on their cars also. (So much for appointments!)
2 and a half hours later, my car is pulled around, oil changed, but the tires hadn't been rotated. I had specifically asked to have that done--but the service advisor told me afterward it only needed to be done every other oil change. I was too tired (and late to work) to argue, so went to the counter to get my keys where they only wanted to charge me 20.00 for the oil change.
When I explained the service was complimentary on 01 Lincolns, they looked at me like I was some kind of alien. I had to go out to the car and pull out the paperwork which explained it. They finally let me go and I was on my way. The best part-the service reminder sticker on my windshield says I'm due for my next service at 5130 miles. (It had 4800 when I brought it in.) I guess I'm on the 300 mile maintenance interval:)
BTW, this dealer is owned by some part of FOMOCO, which bought out most of the local dealers here in the OK City area. This particular store is a Ford/L-M/Mazda store, one of 4 or 5 in the area. I didn't intend to bring up the whole Company-Dealer service topic again, but you'd think a good place for the factory to effect changes in dealership experiences would be in dealerships they have some interest in owning.
Anyway, the car is great. Sorry for the long post!
I have a 2001 LS8 Sport and the Chrome Rims are a really high quality product. The Chrome finish and polish is flawless and are very easy to keep clean.
I had stock silver finish wheels on my mustang cobra and found that brake dust was hard to remove unless you really kept on top of it.
Glad you came out and glad you like the car. The good news is it really appears that Lincoln Management is serious about service. The Lincoln participants on this board make me believe that. Some of the dealers are still on another planet, though!
That Duratec should last forever on 300 mile oil-change intervals. Probably wear out the oil drain plug!
Interesting that MotorWeek's LS6 manual "recorded a consistent 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds. The quarter mile took 16.6 seconds, ending at 87 mph."
Motor Trend's LS6 manual had corresponding numbers of 7.4 seconds & 15.7 seconds at 88.5 mph. Car & Driver's LS6 manual had corresponding numbers of 8.0 secs & 16.3 seconds at 86 mph.
I think that the Manual 0-60 times vary because of: 1. clutch technique (rpm at engagement,engagement time) 2.shift point 3. shift time and 4. engine break-in miles. IMHO, many of the test cars are really too "green" when tested. Some of the long term tests compare test times when "new" and at, say, 30,000 miles. Many of the cars are faster when "broken-in". My 00 Manual could have qualified as "Pig of the Year" until it had at least 4000 miles. At 10k the car is really fun, and pulls like a freight train in second gear. Now it's time for Amsoil and some intake and exhaust mods!
Will be interesting to see how the initial and final test results compare across the C&D, MT, & R&T long-term test reports. C&D finished their 40,000 mile LS8 Sport test. 0-60 time improved slightly from 7.4 to 7.3 secs. 0-100 time improved more, from 20.0 to 19.4 secs. 1/4 mile time went from 15.7 secs at 90 mph to 15.6 secs at 91 mph. Drag limited top speed fell from 142 mph to 141 mph. MT and R&T are nearing mid-point in their long-term tests with LS8 Sport.
Interesting that Motorweek speaks of the LS8 as having Jaguars 3.9 V8 - Jaguar doesn't have a 3.9 V8. The LS 3.9V8-252HP is derived from Jaguars 4.0V8-281HP S-type, it wouldn't do for a Lincoln to pack the same or bigger punch than its Jaguar counterpart, Jaguar owners might take exception. To achieve the engine differentiation engineers had to come up with a new crankshaft that would reduce the stroke by one millimeter which in turn would reduce the displacement from 3,996 cubic centimeters (4 liters) to 3,950 cubic centimeters (3.9 liters) and in doing so the 4 liter remains exclusive to Jaguar along with other goodies like variable valve timing, Nikasil plated bores and fancy intake systems. Actually both of the above engines are derived from the acclaimed 4.0 liter 290HP AJ26-V8 found in the Jag XK8.
Picked up the LS from King LM in Maryland today. Car was ready, washed, and waiting. TSB 01-01-05 applied successfully. Immediately noticed an improvement in the R to D engagement. Too early to tell if there is any difference in any other areas. In all honesty, the shifting was pretty much OK with me prior to this update, so I may not notice any "improvements". As far as the coolant leak, they claimed to pressure test the system, but could not locate any issues, which I find rather odd, since I personally witnessed a cup or so of coolant under the car, and personally witnessed 1 drip that actually occurred. Service Advisor claimed the coolant level was not low. Hmmm...
I just wanted to say thanks for the great post about fluid changing and the many others before. It really is neat that you participate on this board... I know others have said it, but it bears repeating!
About a year ago, I decided to change the tranny fluid on my dad's 84 Grand Marquis. I don't believe it had ever been changed and at 212,000 miles, I was expecting to see some metal shavings or worse in the pan... (the tranny had been slipping a little - nothing bad) instead there was nothing at all in the pan and the fluid didn't look bad either! Its a shame the body died, because the engine/tranny were ready for another 200,000 miles!!
I tried to get the reflash at the local Ford/Mercury garage (knowing full well that they wouldn't have the 01-01-05 TSB program - but they said Ford was sending a disk.) Let's hope it works! They gave me the "Ford is having computer troubles" line.
So, I haven't posted in a while. Stuffs been happening. My red LS turned one month old on Monday. It celebrated at the dealer's service dept. Was there for a week! For ... the radio for criminy sake! My radio from factory was intermittent - sometimes it would turn on, sometimes not. I brought it in once and they decided yeah, I needed a new radio. So they ordered one and they'd call when it arrived. So it came in last Tues. I took the car in, got a loaner Town Car (there were a couple of other issues - a damaged inside rear door panel, noisy HVAC and grease on the dashboard) so it was to be there overnight. Next day they call and say the new radio has different connectors than the old, so they need to get another one. Would I like the car back with a hole in the dash they say? NO. I say. I'll keep the TC til radio is fixed. It took til Monday but it's back now and the radio works every time. Not only that, but I found that the old radio had other problems I hadn't realized - the DSP wasn't working. I realized that as soon as I played with the control on this radio. Anybody find a use for the 'stadium' or 'hall' or 'church' settings? I found that I really like listening with DSP set to 'jazz club'. Sounds really great. I tink I'm going to be quite satisfied with the sound system.
They also tried to quiet down the HVAC defroster and vent paths. With fan on 2 or 3 bar speed, the air whooshing thru these vents is pretty loud and sounds like wind thru trees. They were reluctant to try to fix it (of course, they didn't even think it was a problem.) In the end, it sounds the same. I'm probably gonna go at this again with them. Anyone else have this?
Anyway, it's great to have my LS back. I really enjoyed driving it today. I've put 772 miles on it in a month. Well, 3 weeks really.
Have no things other than a seat of the pants feel, but my LS-8 seemed to go through a second break-in around 30,000 miles. And the sucker sure likes to rev very freely. And now,with the exhaust system, keeping it in third sure is a major kick-in-the-pants. Gotta put it on the dyno. Friday and see what the HP and torque numbers are now.
If it's any consolation the fan at 2 or 3 bars is definitely audible. I usually run it at 2 in the manual setting and I can hear it if I'm at idle even with the radio on. So I don't think you'll have much luck having the dealer work on that.
Just had a scary experience in my 00-LS8-sport (with 7300miles)driving to work in the morning at ~40 mph the engine died so smoothly and with no warning that it took me almost 10 seconds to figure out what happened. Luckly I had time to react and avoid getting killed. I expected all the dash idiot lights to turn on but the only sign was that small hard to see battery icon on instrument panel. In all my years of driving cars of different makes I never had anything like this happen to me. Usually my other cars would stall while stopped at a traffic light or backing out of a parking lot, but never at speed! I thought that EEC-V processor has limp mode to prevent this type of experience. I am taking the car to a dealer for a full check up. Had anyone had similar experience and if so did they find the problem? I just lost faith in my LS.
If anyone reading through this topic is looking for a used LS, I just saw one on Yahoo auto auctions. It's an early 2000 LS-8 sport. The mileage is low, and it's located in Florida. The info says that there are 16 hours left to bid on it. It's now 7:50 AM, EST, March 22nd.
I tried a speedbump at around 5-10mph. The clunking noise I heard was the bottom of the car saying "hey there" to the top of the speedbump. I just hope they didn't spend enough time together to produce evidence of their "one second stand"! I WON'T do that again! :~0
While I don't want to minimize the problem that you had, which I would consider a scary incident, I don't think an isolated incident is enough to warrant losing faith in the LS. I haven't heard of this problem before from any LS owner so I would think it is an isolated incident. Perhaps bad gas or a clog in your fuel line may have caused this.
I had a Chrysler Shelby Charger back in early 80s, for all of two months, that consistently shut down at speed, usually under acceleration.
If you check out the customer complaints for the 2000 Seville, you will notice that this same thing was known to happen. It is apparently due to a bad oxygen sensor. Easily fixed. I agree with ls1bmw0 that it is not a sufficient reson to lose faith in the car. Happy motoring.
I had 2 engine shut downs on my LS a few weeks ago. A very scary experience when you are in the left lane with heavy traffic. Both times the shut down was for around 5 seconds and the engine refired by itself. It was in heavy rain so with the rain noise I couldn't tell if the engine was completely off or just not responding to the throttle. I'm 99% sure that the tach read 0, but can't be 100% sure in the pannic of how to avoid getting rear ended in a spot with no left sholder.
Many years ago I had a Taurus that frequently shut down. I figured out that putting the trannie in neutral, shutting the ignition off it would reset it and I could crank the engine an it would restart. This is a very fun experience to have more than 20 time at 65 mph in heavy interstate traffic. Never had it happen on back roads. I also eventually figured out that the engine was not really shut down but in a very low speed "safe idle condition" That is I could just put the trannie in neutral coast to a stop and hear the engine running at something under 500 RPM. Putting it in drive would stall the engine. I must have taken the Taurus to the dealer more then 10 times to no avail. They first changed the oxygen sensor, then the throttle poisition sensor, then I think a timing sensor none of which did anything. The dealer of course tried to say that I was nuts and there was no problem for the car. I then insisted that they change the engine computer which they refused to do. Got the reginal Ford service rep involved and after a big argument we finally agreed to change the engine computer, but if the computer change didn't fix the problem I would pay for it. Bottom line, after the computer change never had the shutdown problem again in 50,000 additional miles before I sold it.
Chrome wheels: stanny 1 may be right, perhaps they weigh more than the super silvers. But how much more? I got em on my red LS and, IMHO, they look great.
ezair: I haven't been hitting any bumps. The inch or two higher sport suspension makes a big difference, eh? For those curious, I've noticed that if I go over a speed bump "a little too fast" (say 10 - 20mph, depending on the shape of the bump) the suspension in my LS makes quite a bang, both front and rear when it 'unloads' on the far side of the bump. If I do the same speed over the same bumps in either my Mark 8 or the loaner Sable I had, all I hear is the 'whoosh' of the shocks. I don't notice any other suspension anomalies, and speed bumps at slow enuf speed are fine, but the noise is worriesome. Has anyone else noticed this? Dealer uses reason #4, I think, from the 'Automotive Dealer Service Excuse Guide' and I quote: "That's a design characteristic of these cars."
Brian: I don't really hear the fan so much as I hear the air whistling past blend doors or obstructions or something changing the flow of it. I've listened to one other LS and it was whisper quiet, as it shoud be. Also, can u help me find the V6 article on LLSOC which you mentioned yesterday or day before?
stanny1 again: You're right. My V6 DuraGet is very tight. I can feel it. And I confess, I have stalled it more thatn once. I gotta start racking up some miles.
all Getrag drivers: Anyone else done this: I was sitting at a red light, stereo up, car in neutral. Big Dodge Ram pulls up behind and just then light turns green. So I quickly throw the car into gear and begin to release the clutch and - **whoa** - I start going backwards! Slam on the brakes in time and realize, Yep, I had pushed the gearshift too hard to the left and up and ended up in reverse instead of first. Pretty silly mistake on my part, but seems like a pull-up collar or something on the gearshift would prevent this mistake. Gotta make the thing idiot-proof.
I'm gonna take my red LS for a nice twisty ride today. I really love the car. Later.
Regarding engine shutdown. My car's engine continued to limp home but the headlights, air conditioning, radio, traction control, instrument panel all started to shutdown one by one while driving on the road at night a mile from home. I was able to make it home where after shutting off the car, the batery was bone dead. The first hint was a check charging system warning and the battery lamp and then all hell breaks loose. The dealer located a shorted battery cable and the car has been fine since, although my girlfriend freaks out whenever the low gas beep sounds off.
My dad just had his 93 Taurus shut down Tuesday morning about 5 minutes after leaving for work. I wonder if gas stations are changing over the gas from winter to summer?
I know that when my Uncle worked as a mechanic for the local Ford garage, he said that in the spring they always had about 10 or so cars that the fuel pumps would burn up because they still had the winter gas in the tank too far into the warm weather.
While not having any statistical data on T/O brg. life vs. how you sit at a light, I can say that I've never had a T/O brg. problem with any of my cars (all but two were manuals). I've never looked at any T/O brg. warranty data, but I'd imagine (my opinion) it is insignificant.
I have had cars that specified in the owners manual that to save the clutch you should sit at a light in neutral and shift into first when the light changes. I have followed this practice when driving manuals ever since.
The V-6 info is on the LLSOC message board under Maintenance Topics, Automatic Transmissions, Hydraulic Losses. The poster is Scooter talking about gear ratios.
What your uncle is talking about is called phase separation. Water actually dissolves in the alcohol (ethanol) that they put in the winter fuel. If the gas station is not using the correct filters, they will allow this water/alcohol mix through and then into your tank. As the temp of the gas drops back down, the water will separate from the alcohol, enter into your fuel system and we all know how well cars run on water. Of course your fuel pump is drawing from the bottom of your tank which is where all the water goes. The pumps in the tanks are also pumping from the bottom so that just amplifies the problem. Usually if this happens, the station will have about 10 or 15 cars that will barely make it out of the parking lot. Not a pretty situation for the station owners.
Sorry about the physics lesson, but being in the petroleum business, you learn all sorts of fun things about gas.
Does anyone have a phone number or email address for Mark Hutchins, President of Lincoln? I have been dealing w/ the CRC for about the past 4 months and getting nowhere. I guess my greatest frustration is that there is no escalation path other than writing him at a PO box in Michigan. Just the other day I received a call from the CRC about a poor response I gave on a survey (gee I haven't received my welcome package for a car I bought in June '00 and they have no idea where it is or if it will ever be coming as well as a few other problems I'm having with the car). I was promised a callback within 48 hours and am still waiting. So when I called today I was told by a very polite woman that she entered my info in the "system" and "HOPED" I would et a call tomorrow. When I asked what I should do when I don't get a call she said call back. Oh well.
Maybe someday I'll be able to post here that a problem was actually resolved. Thanks.
The March 26th issue of Autoweek Magazine has an interesting, if brief, article about the Jaguar XJ (sedan) replacement. Due in 2003, it's based on a "stretched and modified version" of the LS platform. In addition to a 3.3-liter V6, it'll have a 300-horse, normally aspirated 4.3-liter V8 and a 400-horse supercharged version (for the XJ-R, I presume) and, get this, a V10 diesel for some markets! The diesel will be a later addition to the lineup.
Hmmm; 4.3 sounds like a nice number...
In another article about luxury car sales, Lincoln chief designer Gerry McGovern is quoted as saying, "I don't necessarily want to be compared to Cadillac. We're shooting for the bigger hitters." Incidentally, Lincoln was #3 in sales in 2000, behind #1 Lexus and #2 Mercedes, and ahead of #4 BMW and #5 Cadillac.
Hi, George-The chrome wheels look particularly good with your color. Scott Clark had his car at LS Mania-same combo. I thought it was a knockout.
I wouldn't worry about the weight difference either. While chrome might be slightly heavier than the super silver, you can deduct the weight of the silver finish. Presumably, they don't plate over that finish.
10-20 mph over speed bumps with the sport suspension is way too fast. I get a pretty good "bang" at just a roll. Worrisome- nah. If there's room, I try to go around them. Although, once in doing so, I cut a curb too close and ran over it. You should have heard that bang. I got under to look, while cringing, and no damage. Not even a noticeable scrape mark. This is one strong platform.
I don't have any contact information for Mark Hutchins, but Jim Rogers, the VP of marketing for Lincoln-Mercury, is a frequent reader of and participant in this forum. On many occasions Jim has helped LS owners who were having difficulties with their cars, as have several other L-M folks.
I scrolled back a few hundred messages & found one where Jim encouraged people who were having such difficulties to contact him at jroger19@ford.com for assistance. He has posted this address often, so I don't think I'm out of line to repost it here.
Jim travels frequently, and I don't know how often he checks his mail, but I'd bet my extra set of keys that you WILL get a response if you Email him. He has been extremely accommodating to us, and very generous with his time.
Lincoln sends a FREE GIFT to those who buy Lincoln LS's. Someone didn't get this FREE GIFT. How does that diminish Lincoln Mercury? I know this is the age of entitlement and everyone feels they are entitled to some things, but really! I did get my crystal flutes. I don't drink. They are still in the box, but they looked nice and I appreciated it, but I didn't think I was entitled to get them, I thought it was a nice gesture. Not getting the benefit of a nice gesture is not necessarily being mistreated. I did not get some of the other gifts that some have gotten. I sure don't feel that I have been wronged, although I would gladly accept them if someone wants to send them to me. I sure hope your other complaints are more substantial. If you had read this board at all you would have seen that L-M tries very hard to deal with the problems that are inevitable in mass producing an automobile, but they are not perfect. No one is as we prove on a daily basis.
Last week the big topic was Sudden Unintended Acceleration, and this week it seems to be Engine Shutdown. Now, if we could just let these two problems cancel each other out....
I just replaced my front speakers with a set of Polk Audio DX7's and I am very happy with very pronounced difference in sound quality. The highs are crisper and the bass has a nice punch. I was so pleased with them, I just ordered another pair for the rear. I ordered them from www.onlinecarstereo.com , were they are currently on sale for $109.00. They retail for $170.00 and Crutchfields is selling them for $149.00. Onlinecarstereo.com has free shipping. If anybody is looking for new speakers, this seems to be a good deal. I have the 6 CD indash non-audiophile unit and after listening to it with the Polk's, I feel only the stock speakers are lacking in Quality.
What tire pressure are you running in your Firestones? I set mine at 30 but I wonder if 28 or even 26 would improve the ride and handling without affecting wear. What pressure have you tried with what results? Thanks.
Comments
Yeah, get a pickup truck to pull your boat. The LS is for DRIVING!
I reset the computer at each fill-up. The reported mpg continues to track my calculated mpg from the pump pretty well. It is consistantly within a couple of tenths. Considering all of the possible sources of error in this kind of calculation, I'd say that's right on.
Joe
For those of you who have seen steady improvment, I have one question. Did you start out with averages in the 12 mpg range or does that number seem so low as to cause one to think there is some kind of problem and not just a result of the normal "breaking in" period.
Last thing...V6, V8, sport, non-sport, manual, automatic..who cares? In ANY configuration the LS is a fine, fine automobile. We should all be grateful that an American car company has delivered a truly wonderful blend of style and performance for such a great price. I NEVER tire of the compliments I get about my car and as a 35 year old married man with a new baby girl, the performance of this machine will more than suffice. So I say, REJOICE FELLOW LS OWNERS!!
Peace-
Scott
Since mine is an early model, I have the 3.58 rear end but I have always gotten around 23-24 MPG on the highway and 17 around town. In really bad weather (it has snowed 80 inches here this winter) and snail-like traffic, the mileage is less, of course. I would be a little concerned about 12 MPG regardless of break-in. That could indicate an overly rich condition. I think I would bring that to the attention of your dealer.
For the V-6 auto folks who are feeling slightly down in the dumps after the recent exchanges fear not! Scooter has a comment in the LLSOC message forum under Engines that you might find interesting:)
Brian
I am towing an 800 lb (Dry) Jetski + trailer weight. Dont know how big your boat is but I think the hitch can pull either 1500 or 2500 lbs. You should be able to do it. If you have the V8 you definitely won't have problems.
I am assuming you didn't know a Custom Hitch existed and that is the reason you thought an LS could not pull it. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Regards,
Victor
Looks are secondary to weight in regards to performance.
Also - Thomas1. I agree. Without a limited slip differential, it is very hard to campaign a competitive LS in slolom racing. One needs to predictably break loose both tires in unison to slide rather than steer through the corners. Turning costs speed. The LS does great 4 wheel drifts until you apply power and one wheel breaks traction and upsets rear traction. It's one great limitation to an otherwise performance oriented car. Let's hope that LM "finishes" the LS with at least an LSD option for the Autos and as a standard feature for the Manuals. The best set-up is Traction Control (defeatable at each start-up) and LSD together. Stanny1 - who wishes he could have driven his own car on the gymkhana at LS Mania (without Traction Control)
Earlier this week I called the dealer to arrange for the 5k service. I was told that it would take 45mins to an hour and could just wait on it. I arrived 15 minutes before they opened and was about the 10th car in line. The service advisor informed me it might be a little longer because everyone else was waiting on their cars also. (So much for appointments!)
2 and a half hours later, my car is pulled around, oil changed, but the tires hadn't been rotated. I had specifically asked to have that done--but the service advisor told me afterward it only needed to be done every other oil change. I was too tired (and late to work) to argue, so went to the counter to get my keys where they only wanted to charge me 20.00 for the oil change.
When I explained the service was complimentary on 01 Lincolns, they looked at me like I was some kind of alien. I had to go out to the car and pull out the paperwork which explained it. They finally let me go and I was on my way. The best part-the service reminder sticker on my windshield says I'm due for my next service at 5130 miles. (It had 4800 when I brought it in.) I guess I'm on the 300 mile maintenance interval:)
BTW, this dealer is owned by some part of FOMOCO, which bought out most of the local dealers here in the OK City area. This particular store is a Ford/L-M/Mazda store, one of 4 or 5 in the area. I didn't intend to bring up the whole Company-Dealer service topic again, but you'd think a good place for the factory to effect changes in dealership experiences would be in dealerships they have some interest in owning.
Anyway, the car is great. Sorry for the long post!
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/driverschoice.shtml
I had stock silver finish wheels on my mustang cobra and found that brake dust was hard to remove unless you really kept on top of it.
In the end, it is personal preference.
That Duratec should last forever on 300 mile oil-change intervals. Probably wear out the oil drain plug!
Motor Trend's LS6 manual had corresponding numbers of 7.4 seconds & 15.7 seconds at 88.5 mph. Car & Driver's LS6 manual had corresponding numbers of 8.0 secs & 16.3 seconds at 86 mph.
IMHO, many of the test cars are really too "green" when tested. Some of the long term tests compare test times when "new" and at, say, 30,000 miles. Many of the cars are faster when "broken-in". My 00 Manual could have qualified as "Pig of the Year" until it had at least 4000 miles. At 10k the car is really fun, and pulls like a freight train in second gear. Now it's time for Amsoil and some intake and exhaust mods!
I'll just keep an eye on it for now.
I just wanted to say thanks for the great post about fluid changing and the many others before. It really is neat that you participate on this board... I know others have said it, but it bears repeating!
About a year ago, I decided to change the tranny fluid on my dad's 84 Grand Marquis. I don't believe it had ever been changed and at 212,000 miles, I was expecting to see some metal shavings or worse in the pan... (the tranny had been slipping a little - nothing bad) instead there was nothing at all in the pan and the fluid didn't look bad either! Its a shame the body died, because the engine/tranny were ready for another 200,000 miles!!
I tried to get the reflash at the local Ford/Mercury garage (knowing full well that they wouldn't have the 01-01-05 TSB program - but they said Ford was sending a disk.) Let's hope it works! They gave me the "Ford is having computer troubles" line.
They also tried to quiet down the HVAC defroster and vent paths. With fan on 2 or 3 bar speed, the air whooshing thru these vents is pretty loud and sounds like wind thru trees. They were reluctant to try to fix it (of course, they didn't even think it was a problem.) In the end, it sounds the same. I'm probably gonna go at this again with them. Anyone else have this?
Anyway, it's great to have my LS back. I really enjoyed driving it today. I've put 772 miles on it in a month. Well, 3 weeks really.
If it's any consolation the fan at 2 or 3 bars is definitely audible. I usually run it at 2 in the manual setting and I can hear it if I'm at idle even with the radio on. So I don't think you'll have much luck having the dealer work on that.
Brian
The info says that there are 16 hours left to bid on it. It's now 7:50 AM, EST, March 22nd.
I had a Chrysler Shelby Charger back in early 80s, for all of two months, that consistently shut down at speed, usually under acceleration.
Happy motoring.
Many years ago I had a Taurus that frequently shut down. I figured out that putting the trannie in neutral, shutting the ignition off it would reset it and I could crank the engine an it would restart. This is a very fun experience to have more than 20 time at 65 mph in heavy interstate traffic. Never had it happen on back roads. I also eventually figured out that the engine was not really shut down but in a very low speed "safe idle condition" That is I could just put the trannie in neutral coast to a stop and hear the engine running at something under 500 RPM. Putting it in drive would stall the engine. I must have taken the Taurus to the dealer more then 10 times to no avail. They first changed the oxygen sensor, then the throttle poisition sensor, then I think a timing sensor none of which did anything. The dealer of course tried to say that I was nuts and there was no problem for the car. I then insisted that they change the engine computer which they refused to do. Got the reginal Ford service rep involved and after a big argument we finally agreed to change the engine computer, but if the computer change didn't fix the problem I would pay for it. Bottom line, after the computer change never had the shutdown problem again in 50,000 additional miles before I sold it.
ezair: I haven't been hitting any bumps. The inch or two higher sport suspension makes a big difference, eh? For those curious, I've noticed that if I go over a speed bump "a little too fast" (say 10 - 20mph, depending on the shape of the bump) the suspension in my LS makes quite a bang, both front and rear when it 'unloads' on the far side of the bump. If I do the same speed over the same bumps in either my Mark 8 or the loaner Sable I had, all I hear is the 'whoosh' of the shocks. I don't notice any other suspension anomalies, and speed bumps at slow enuf speed are fine, but the noise is worriesome. Has anyone else noticed this? Dealer uses reason #4, I think, from the 'Automotive Dealer Service Excuse Guide' and I quote: "That's a design characteristic of these cars."
Brian: I don't really hear the fan so much as I hear the air whistling past blend doors or obstructions or something changing the flow of it. I've listened to one other LS and it was whisper quiet, as it shoud be.
Also, can u help me find the V6 article on LLSOC which you mentioned yesterday or day before?
stanny1 again: You're right. My V6 DuraGet is very tight. I can feel it. And I confess, I have stalled it more thatn once. I gotta start racking up some miles.
all Getrag drivers: Anyone else done this: I was sitting at a red light, stereo up, car in neutral. Big Dodge Ram pulls up behind and just then light turns green. So I quickly throw the car into gear and begin to release the clutch and - **whoa** - I start going backwards! Slam on the brakes in time and realize, Yep, I had pushed the gearshift too hard to the left and up and ended up in reverse instead of first. Pretty silly mistake on my part, but seems like a pull-up collar or something on the gearshift would prevent this mistake. Gotta make the thing idiot-proof.
I'm gonna take my red LS for a nice twisty ride today. I really love the car. Later.
Wes
I know that when my Uncle worked as a mechanic for the local Ford garage, he said that in the spring they always had about 10 or so cars that the fuel pumps would burn up because they still had the winter gas in the tank too far into the warm weather.
Don't know if that is related to the LS shutdown?
The V-6 info is on the LLSOC message board under Maintenance Topics, Automatic Transmissions, Hydraulic Losses. The poster is Scooter talking about gear ratios.
Brian
Sorry about the physics lesson, but being in the petroleum business, you learn all sorts of fun things about gas.
Bruno
Maybe someday I'll be able to post here that a problem was actually resolved. Thanks.
Hmmm; 4.3 sounds like a nice number...
In another article about luxury car sales, Lincoln chief designer Gerry McGovern is quoted as saying, "I don't necessarily want to be compared to Cadillac. We're shooting for the bigger hitters." Incidentally, Lincoln was #3 in sales in 2000, behind #1 Lexus and #2 Mercedes, and ahead of #4 BMW and #5 Cadillac.
I wouldn't worry about the weight difference either. While chrome might be slightly heavier than the super silver, you can deduct the weight of the silver finish. Presumably, they don't plate over that finish.
10-20 mph over speed bumps with the sport suspension is way too fast. I get a pretty good "bang" at just a roll. Worrisome- nah. If there's room, I try to go around them. Although, once in doing so, I cut a curb too close and ran over it. You should have heard that bang. I got under to look, while cringing, and no damage. Not even a noticeable scrape mark. This is one strong platform.
Enjoy! regards-Artie.
I scrolled back a few hundred messages & found one where Jim encouraged people who were having such difficulties to contact him at jroger19@ford.com for assistance. He has posted this address often, so I don't think I'm out of line to repost it here.
Jim travels frequently, and I don't know how often he checks his mail, but I'd bet my extra set of keys that you WILL get a response if you Email him. He has been extremely accommodating to us, and very generous with his time.
Good luck; hope this helps.
Tom...