Here in Phoenix, I see many more Jag S-types than LS' in town. As far as who's driving is concerned, it's equally mixed between men and women, with ages ranging from 40s to 60s. I've seen more 3.0 Jags than 4.0s. I've also noticed more 50-60 year old women driving the LS than men in my age group (I'm 39). My recently retired father-in-law that lives in a nearby retirement community teases me by saying I'm driving an old mans car! However, coming from him, it doesn't bother me because he's just not into cars.
When I was working for AlliedSignal Aerospace as gas turbine engine R&D engineer, I worked with many engineers that started their careers with Rolls-Royce (the aircraft engine guys, not the car makers) in the UK. Those guys really loved their Jaguars (not withstanding the Lucas electrical systems)! The Britts I worked with were every bit the auto enthusiast that those on this board are, and appreciate the value of all engine/performance attributes their Jags offered.
I think many of the folks participating in this discussion have forgotten that, within the Ford's Premier Auto Group, it is Jaguar that has the "Racing Heritage", not Lincoln (or any of the others for that matter). "Racing Heritage" or not, I think the LS is superior to the Jag S-type for performance driving. The LS has better balance, proportions, and aggressive stance than the Jag, and I too would prefer the more advanced engine features to be available in the LS. One would hope that our continued pressure on the LM folks would help our cause.
lolaj42 reminded me of my Dad's reaction to my LS. Dad drove plain-Jane company cars for most of his working life. Now retired, he has a Honda Odyssey and loves it. He really likes my LS but told me that a new Lincoln seemed to him to be what a guy should buy after he's comfortably retired. I replied that buying one at age 45 made a lot of sense, just in case, when I'm in my 60s, my idea of a cool car is a Honda minivan!
I could have sworn I heard that Saab is now using "variable compression" in some of their newer cars. Ive never heard of variable compression before. Anyone else?
Last nite coming home late down 101 from SF after seeing Giants game. Traffic moderate for Cal freeway. Some room to manuever lane-to-lane but not much. I'm doing 78 in outside lane. Suddenly, silver Jag S flies by me 2 lanes over to right and whips a turn all the way to left lane in front of the car in front of me. I could see the '4.0' on the back. Jag whips around 3 more cars, eack requiring a lane change and back. Almost no room to spare. He was cranking that wheel so hard, the Jag would lean severely each time he changed lanes. He was doing 100+ mph during these manuevers. I caught up with him later, but windows were too tinted for me to see wat demographic was driving. I figure odds are a little old lady from Pasadena.
I got my LS up to 100 last nite too, on hway 85 near 17 interchange. The car felt fine, but I was a little jittery, seeing scenery flying by so fast. I've been running the car pretty hard lately. Car is a quick and responsive beast when driven this way.
George
PS, I dunno what was up with the guy posting about the Marauder. The car has been announced as available sometime soon AFAIK.
I'm sure it has probably been discussed but this board is so big it is hard to find. I'm having a hard time getting tires balanced properly on 2000 AS I/ sport package. Bought used so don't know exact history of car. 20,000 miles on car, tires look good, no cupping, uneven wear. Have had balances twice in last month at a Freestone dealer. Still get a small vibration at speeds in the low 70's. Each balancing seems to change vibration but not cure it. Freestone store people think I'm crazy. Love the car, but it is tempered by the ride vibration. Am I expecting too much?
abierbaum: No, I don't think you are expecting too much. Unless there is a defect in one or more of your tires (or wheels), it should be balanced with no vibration at any speed.
One time, after having my wheels rotated (front to back) my car picked up a previously unnoticed vibration. I took it in for a high-speed balance. They did it and told me it was only out "a little", but that "little" made the difference. The vibration disappeared.
Perhaps you need to be sure the people who balance your tires don't stop short, because a wheel only seems "a little" out. Insist that all four wheels are spot on.
I remember reading about this experimental (not production) Saab engine in some of the car mags; found an article on Road & Track's website that explains it fairly comprehensively:
The head/upper portion of the engine is hinged, in effect, to allow it to pivot up to 4 degrees. There's an accordion-type plastic boot that protects the gap between the upper and lower portions of the engine.
Very interesting, but I'll still take a 300-horse V8.
I've finally had a few hours to upload the pictures from the NY Auto Show. They are in the Picture Gallery on www.llsoc.com. There is only one LS picture since there wasn't anything much to take pictures off, but there are pictures of two Tbirds and the Marauder and of course the Batmobi... er, Mark 9 concept car.
Here's a test that I posted also to the Marauder board. My guess is that you, my nitpicky buds, will find it first!
Something is amiss in one of the pictures of the Marauder. Find it and tell us what it is! Sorry, no prizes. Just your one minute of fame
Yes I realize that back in the home land Jaguars hold a higher position than the Queen Mother herself. I also remember going to the IMSA sports car races in the 80's when Jaguar was racing prototype sports cars. No matter which track I was at there was always a gang of Jag. crazies grouped together somewhere out by the back side of the course flying Jag. flags and having a big party. Unfortunately, there aren't enough of those Jag. crazies to keep the mark alive so Jag. has to sell to a bigger and more affluent demo.
Vibrations, I've been complaining about my vibrations since day one (>14 months now). Had the tires balanced and rotated several times and the dealer even replaced them with horrible GoodYear Eagle GT+4's. All of which just changed the vibration a little but never got rid of it. Even had the local Lincoln field engineer drive the car. His conclusion was that the vibrations were not out of spec. All of this makes me wonder if these vibration problems are why the non sport 8's now come with Continentals and the Sports now have Bridgestones.
Since we seem to be talking a lot about the S-Type, I might as well fill you in on my particular situation. After two aborted attempts at buying a LS, I purchased a S-Type several weeks ago.
Having been provided both an S-Type and an LS for extended weekend test drives by the respective dealers I had a good opportunity to test both cars on the roads I am most familiar with. Both cars have plus and minuses but I felt more of a bond with the Jag (and the Jag dealer). So far I am very satisfied. The quality is top notch, with no fit and finish issues and it has a great paint job.
I have had highway vibration issues for a while, but seemed to get worse lately. Went to Costco for a balance of all 4 wheels, and the balancer claimed 2 wheels were bent. Dont know if this is true, and I can only imagine the equipment used wasnt top notch. I plan to go to Radial Tire in Silver Spring. Heard they have the latest hunter equipment to balance.
Wanted to thank everyone out there for their valuable information. I've been trying to decide for a couple months now about what car to get and finally decided on the LS.
Took delivery of a LS8 Premium package w heated seats and traction control yesterday and I love it so far.
As for demographics, I Just turned 28, Live in a small town outside pittsburgh, married with 2 kids.
Check out post #1836. Other earlier posts also reported success with the Hunter balancing system. There were also discussions about the tire needing to be correctly indexed to the wheel, but I couldn't find the posts. Maybe they were lost during the last restructuring of this board.
I'm looking for a sun screen for my 2000 LS. I'd like the kind that are silver reflective on the outside and felt on the inside. They're custom sized to fit the windshield exactly and accordian fold. My usual vendor didn't have a listing for the LS. Anyone one out there have a screen like this and where did you get it? The brand is UVS100. Many thanks.
Let my subscription to Automobile Magazine lapse last year. Today was looking at the current issue at local Barnes & Noble. Has a lengthy 4-Seasons Long-term Test Wrap Up for their Jag S-type, incl. reader comments. Interesting similarities to LS issues: delayed tranny engagement, lack of storage, etc. They listed no recalls for the S-type.
Just took a quick trip from San Diego to LA. On the way up, I was cruising about 85-100mph easily. It seemed the car just wanted to go fast. I had to snatch and pass a few cars, hit 120mph in 4th a couple of times, just over 5000 rpms and that is where the power is, above 4000, the car responds very well.
On the way back, I cruised at 75mph and reset the mileage, got 24.5 mpg the way back for the 120 mile trip. Not bad for a V8 with under 1000 miles.
While in LA, I saw one Burgundy LS with a driver who appeared to be 30-35. Back in Del Mar, I saw another black LS with the driver who appeared to be 25-30. And then near downtown, I saw another burgundy one with the driver who appeared to be 45-50. And me, I'm 31. So who says Linconls are just for older people!
My weekend test drive of the LS was arranged by Jim Rogers' staff months ago and was a LS8 Sport from a local dealer.
The extended test drive of the S-Type was thru the Jag dealer I purchased from, it was a 3.0 which is what I purchased. The Jag dealer had a 3.0 and 4.0 demo unit just for extended (2 day) test drives. They even pay for the gas.
When I drove the LS6, I felt it had less low end torque than I was used to. I only drove one LS6 though since I was mostly considering the LS8. The 3.0 in the Jag feels strong throughout the rpm range even with 4 people on board. I've been very impressed with the 3.0, it is silky smooth and has a nice growl to it when your foot is into it.
Interior storage hasn't been an issue, it has 2 slide out storage compartments near the radio, one thin one for coins and one large one (4"x4"x7"deep) that will hold a cell phone or cassettes. The doors also have large storage pockets and the glove box is a full size one, larger than I remember in the LS. There is also a decent size center armrest storage area and an ash tray that will hold some small items. The rear seat has two cupholders that slide forward out of the rear seat (a recent addition to the '01 S-Type).
Some other things I've noticed after driving it for a while now is that the radio station name and frequency are displayed in the digital readout near the speedometer when using the steering wheel radio controls. Also, the digital clock stays on for about 45 seconds after you turn the car off.
They're not a cheap place. My screen was $59.95 plus $10 shipping, but it's high quality and came with a very nice vinyl case. It's an exact fit, as you would expect, but the cutout for the rearview mirror is rather larger than I would have expected. After nearly 8 months of daily use, mine has shown absolutely no signs of deterioration.
The downside is that BHMA wasn't the most competent or accommodating vendor. I placed my order online; a week later I received an Email that said, "You didn't tell us what kind of car you have." I did, of course. The Email also said, "We've had trouble with our website, so your information may have been lost." I replied immediately to the EMail & told them again what kind of car. Three days later, I got a phone call from a guy who said, "You didn't tell us what kind of car you have."
I was a bit steamed, but politely told him that I had already told them TWICE. He didn't seem concerned. The end result was that it took five weeks from the time of the order to receive my screen, and ten days of that was due to their less-than-competent handling of the order.
Still bugs me, in case you couldn't tell. If I had it to do over, I'd probably either place the order over the phone or find another vendor. The upside is that it's a very sturdy piece and looks to be long-lasting.
I just completed my 15 minutes of fame. My wife gave me the Richard Petty driving experience as a Christmas gift last year and today was it. I did a warmup cruise to the track in the LS at 140 MPH and averaged 138 on the track! I'd love to get the LS into the 21 degree banks to see how she handles. Now I'm hooked and want to do the next level of driving.
Many of us want more performance from our V8s. Lincoln needs to do some upgrades on future models to stay competitive. However, have you noticed that the LS is really faster than it feels?
We bought a new Duratec Taurus for my wife a few weeks ago. I have been impressed with how quick it feels. We were driving it Saturday and my wife floored it from a dead stop and did a smokey burnout that would make John Force proud. The front end raised up and nearly pointed the headlights to the sky. She remarked, "I think the Taurus is faster than your Lincoln."
You can imagine what HAD to be done. We went to a very lightly traveled county blacktop road with both vehicles. We did not do a side-by-side drag race but rather I was directly behind her in the LS and we both stopped. We agreed that when her brake lights went out, I would see if I could keep up.
Again, she laid rubber like mad. Flooring the LS gives you a nice tire chirp, but not nearly as dramatic as the Taurus. By the end of low gear, the LS had pulled even. By the end of second, it was ahead about a length. By the end of third, the Taurus was shrinking in the LS's rearview mirror.
The point: Good balance with no rear end squat and a quiet interior make the LS seem like it is really lacking in power sometimes. However, its faster than it feels.
Just wanted to send thanks to all who gave us the chance to talk to potential customers as well as let me in the show to be a part of the experience.
I have taken some pictures, will get developed and sent to Brian in the next couple of days.
Most peoples reaction was they liked the simple lines, actractive car, and got buy in from both Husband and wives. Hopefully I encouraged the one's I talked to (2 opening days) to buy the car!
Notes on Auto Show:
- Cars had major paint flaws around strut towers on black LS's
- No performance numbers to show, most people where shocked that it had 252 hp/267 ft.lb torque.
- Almost all young drivers asked if they had a 5-6 speed version, when answered yes in V6 only, the comment was why in the V6 not V8, didn't make sense to them.
- Overall booth was poorly designed, the V8 engine was tucked behind MK9 making nearly impossible to see at anytime because of the people crowding the MK9.
I think I am ready to purchase my S. I have picked out the colors (sort-of)... Silver frost outside and deep charcoal inside.. Has anyone has any experience on the silver??? Never owned a silver car before. Also, shopping around seems although many dealerships only order their LS's with the moon roof. I'm not exactly crazy about a moon roof. I feel although I would rather put the $1000 or so into an extended warranty since I will probably keep the car 6-7 years. Most dealerships state they will find the AS I want somewhere in So. gal., however, I'm the type of buyer who likes to touch and feel a car before I start negotiating, so I may be forced into buying one with a moonroof. Has anyone out there had any problems with moonroofs..leaking, squeaking, etc. Thanks for the input.
Albert, yes I would reccommend a moon-roof. I was skeptical at first but my LS8 is so whisper quiet when the roof is sealed and that gorgeous california sunshine is filtering through the tinted top window...the second you open it up and hear freeway drone and other noise, I quickly reach up and return to peace and quiet. The seal seems to be very tight so far...
I'm assuming the spell checker got to you and that you live in So. Cal? If so you may want to check out Witt Lincoln Mercury out of Escondido and San Diego or Rancho Ford Lincoln Mercury in Temecula. Between Witt and Rancho they have a pretty big selection. Witt is highly rated by several LLSOC members.
Haven't heard any problems on the moonroofs on the LS. Silver is a nice color on the LS. Which would explain why the car is usually in the catalog in silver.
Brian, Here are few of my observations after driving for few weeks with LS8
They are minor but I thought I would address them and see if they bothered anybody else...
The driver seatbelt lies flat against the seat sometimes and when I fall in with all 250 lbs of kaplump! I grimmace when I feel the belt and buckle rubbing against the stitches in the seat (at least that is what it feels like). I have had to resort to applying opposite pressure on the door with both hands to guide my large frame in without the lapbelt rubbing noise...
A backit trunk button on the under dash would be helpful.. impossible to see at night!
Here is simple cheap fix...spray paint the naked steel glovebox door hinge...it looks so out of Lincoln character to have a cheap Lumberyard metal hinge starring at you when open the glovebox
Well, those are little nitpicks in what is unquestionably a fine motor car!
Wow, I wasn't expecting the response I got. I'm surprised at the amount of people having the same problem. Especially going back to Msg 1836 and the few msg after it. Several having vibes at 72-73 mph. Apparently Lincoln has been made aware through different local dealers of a problem. I didn't read of anyone who got any satisfaction from a dealership. It seems finding someone with this Hunter Balancing System is the ticket, although it apparently will have to come out of my pocket, but if it smooths the ride it will be worth it I guess. Would it pay to contact Lincoln directly and confront them with it?
I was wondering how you set those up? Did you just go into the dealer and asked for one and they put you down on their schedules? Leave a deposit? What did you have to do?
What exactly are you going to confront them with? The fact that your tires are out of round or out of balance? That seems to be the general consensus. They have pretty explicitly stated that tires are under their own guarantee, not the manufacturers. Sure they might do something about it, just as McDonalds or Burger King (whichever it was) settled Al Sharpton's plea on behalf of the minority franchisees to avoid a nationwide boycott, but is that right? A manufacturer might well decide to do something to quiet a squeaky customer, but I have always felt that if my tires were out of balance, or out of round, or just crummy, that was something between me and the tire manufacturer. Sorry, that is just my opinion.
Now, if there was part of the car that was causing uneven tire wear and that was the reason for the vibration problems, then I expect that the Firestone dealer would be happy to point that out and help you prove it.
Well then at the same time if it is a tire problem then Lincoln should be happy to help confront Firestone. Why should the consumer be forced to eat this out of his pocket. They didn't ask me what kind of tires to put on their new Lincolns. If they are going to design new models and new suspensions and have tire companies design new tires specificly for a vehicle(according to my Firestone store for whatever that is worth) then they should stand behind problems or at least own up to them and offer reasonable solutions to them. I would at least like some support out of lincoln saying they have heard of the problem so I have some support when I go back to the Firestone dealer.
Confronting the Firestone dealer has already proven fruitless. They are not going to admit anything. I'm but one "squeaky customer". Results will only be achieved by them hearing from or someone with some documentation (ie. Lincoln}.
Do you think it is fair to future LS owners if we say nothing to Lincoln about tire problems and let them keep putting them on future LS's? I for one would appreciate someone speaking up and I'm sure you would too.
Sorry, I feel like I've unloaded on you but this is how I feel as well. Perhaps I have a warped view, I don't know......
For the weekend test drive of the Jaguar all I had to do was ask the salesman if they offered such a service and he said yes. The only thing I had to sign was a form called a Borrowed Car Agreement. They schedued a time/date that was convenient for me and had the car all ready, washed and fueled, when I arrived. That particular dealer keeps several cars just for this purpose. They sell them later for a discount as demo units.
The Lincoln extended drive was arranged thru Jim Rogers' staff. Jim kindly offered it to me in a private e-mail after reading some of my posts on this board. For that weekend I did not even have to sign anything. I just showed up and the Sales Manager handed me the keys to his car. It was all prearranged. A member of Jim's staff called me before and after to make sure eveything was okay and even gave me their home phone number in case any problems arose when picking up the car. The Lincoln dealer was very professional to deal with.
I believe the Silver Frost with the dark charcoal interior is a good choice for the LS. I purchased a 2000 model in this color combination and like it a lot. Silver will look cleaner longer and dosn't show paint flaws as easy as other colors. The dark charcoal interior is also really nice and goes well with the silver.
I, too have that combination. Got mine through what is now Witt L/M. If you're interested I know the salesman for you. He has a 2000 LS V8. I haven't found the dark interior to be overly hot in the summer (bought mine last August). The wife and kids complained a little of the heat, but it dissepates rather quickly. Just a touch of ouch, then the leather is at body temp (this is in shorts, of course). This will be a good excuse to tint the windows . The silver is a very sharp color for this car, IMHO. As redmike1 pointed out, the silver appears cleaner, longer. I hate to dry after washing and I use either the Zaino Z6 or Meguires Quick Detailer about every other day. I also use the California Duster at least daily. My wife thinks I'm obsessed, but that's O.K. If you want that sales info you can send as e-mail to airconhall@cs.com
Drive the car you plan to buy at expressway speeds before you give them a penny. If there is something you dislike, have them correct it before you take delivery.
I would not accept their claim that they will correct any problems that arise after the sale.
And ordered the Premium Mats for the LS. Shipped in about 2-3 days. Really fast. Only problem? They shipped me the STANDARD lightweight mats that came with the LS, not the premium ones advertised on their site. Called and the parts guy said "looks like we are out of stock on the premium ones, thats why we sent the standard ones". Not the answer I was looking for. However, they have agreed to "look into" paying for the return shipping on the wrong mats, and sending out the correct ones as soon as they come in. Lesson learned? Might be a good idea to verbally confirm your order when using the internet for parts..
I, too, have the silver frost/charcoal interior combination. I agree with the others on that - stays clean and looks sharp. I did get a little rock chip on the bumper and I found it difficult to touch up. It seemed like the touch up paint was darker. That could be more reflective of my lack of skill than the paint.
Regarding the moonroof: You will not be sorry if you get it. I use the tilt feature mostly. It is great when the outside temps do not require A/C but you want a little air movement. When closed, it never makes a sound. My guess is that it would be a good for resale, too. Many buyers of this type of car would expect a moonroof.
Seems to me that there is a significant # of LS owners who have the 72-73 MPH vibration. It also sounds like Lincoln is aware of the problem. Why else would my dealer have replaced my Firestones with Goodyears? I'm sure they had to get an OK from Lincoln to do this. In addition, why have non-Sport V8's changes to Continentals and the Sport Pkg switched to Bridgestones? Sounds to me like a wide spread tire vibration problem with the Firestones.
Thanks for the info on the moonroof and silverfrost paint. However you guys are starting to give me cold feet on my purchase with all of this vibration talk at 70+ mph. My Mark VIII has had numerous front-end steering wheel vibration problems(which the dealer can't figure out) and I certainly do not want to go from the frying pan into the fire. I have been looking around at several local dealerships in the LA area and the subject of changing tires has never come up. I think if I pull the string this weekend as I had planned (to purchase the LS) the tire change over to a different brand will definitely come up in the negotiation. Any thoughts????
As gschwartz said, drive the car. Is anything ever perfect? That is why warranties exist. In this instance, discuss the service department, meet the service manager. If the service people seem honest and forthright, then you shouldn't worry about every little detail on this board that may or may not affect you. I have not had any issues with my 3 week old V8, and love every minute of it. Although, I am not as obsessed as ezaircon4j :-). Enjoy your purchase.
I don't think it is that easy. For sport models there are very few choices. This tire was made for the car and if you look up that size on most web sites related to tires it will tell you they didn't find any tires that size.
I can also think of several billion reasons why Ford might be looking to change from Firestones to almost anything else, but Bridgestone IS Firestone so that doesn't accomplish anything. I hope that some other manufacturers will make a sporty touring tire in the size that comes with the Sport model 17 inch wheels.
Despite the united front that seems to be in the media, there is a lot of controversy and acrimony between Ford and Firestone relating to the Explorer rollovers. Firestone puts out press releases pointing out that the same run and size tires on Blazers don't result in rollovers and Ford puts out press releases that point out that in the Explorers with Goodyear tires inflated to the reccomended 26 psi even when the tires delaminate (and don't think that the recalled tires are the only tires in the world that lose treads, just look at the side of the highway) the Explorers don't turn over. This will take a long time to sort out and Ford is smart to be looking for another source. I must say that I have been satisfied with my Firestones, but may change when they wear out just because I might like the look of another companies tire. No substantive reason.
Me, obsessive? I need to go dust/polish/wax the car now. Only 46 coats of Zaino left:} albert19: I have the non-sport Continental's. I get a very inconsistant vibration that I attribute to the concrete road surfacrs. On asphalt the ride is silky smooth, even at triple digit speeds. Uneven wear will also cause a slight vibration (I'm not downplaying any tire quality issues). The best set of tires my Sable has had are a set of Firestone Firehawk SH30's They are fantastic in the rain and very quiet. And as was said earlier, drive the car as you would drive it (watch out for the local constablary!). IMHO the issues that you read about here are relatively minor, and cover a low percentage of the total sales. We are also a very vocal group. To be TOTALLY non-PC, pull the trigger and IMHO you won't be let down!
I intend to keep my 2000 LS V-8 sport as long as possible. I have considered purchasing an extended warranty, but my past experiences have been that they have cost me more than any reimbursements that I have received on covered repairs. Did any of you purchase extended warranties? Any feelings one way or the other?
I will add my voice to the chorus. Test drive the car you want and make sure it is acceptable. When I had the Firestones on my non-sport, there were absolutely no vibrations at any speed. My experience has been the factory indexing and balance is usually as good as it gets. Others may disagree. I don't think vibrations are inherent to the Firehawks. The Firehawks will make some road noise on concrete roads but that is not a balance issue. If a car is smooth on asphalt but vibrates on concrete, I don't think balance or indexing will help. The aspect ratio of 50 on the sport will obviously transer more "feel" than the 60 series tire on the non-sport. If a road has imperfections, you will feel it more with the 50 series but you will also have crisper handling.
Comments
When I was working for AlliedSignal Aerospace as gas turbine engine R&D engineer, I worked with many engineers that started their careers with Rolls-Royce (the aircraft engine guys, not the car makers) in the UK. Those guys really loved their Jaguars (not withstanding the Lucas electrical systems)! The Britts I worked with were every bit the auto enthusiast that those on this board are, and appreciate the value of all engine/performance attributes their Jags offered.
I think many of the folks participating in this discussion have forgotten that, within the Ford's Premier Auto Group, it is Jaguar that has the "Racing Heritage", not Lincoln (or any of the others for that matter). "Racing Heritage" or not, I think the LS is superior to the Jag S-type for performance driving. The LS has better balance, proportions, and aggressive stance than the Jag, and I too would prefer the more advanced engine features to be available in the LS. One would hope that our continued pressure on the LM folks would help our cause.
Scott
I got my LS up to 100 last nite too, on hway 85 near 17 interchange. The car felt fine, but I was a little jittery, seeing scenery flying by so fast. I've been running the car pretty hard lately. Car is a quick and responsive beast when driven this way.
George
PS, I dunno what was up with the guy posting about the Marauder. The car has been announced as available sometime soon AFAIK.
One time, after having my wheels rotated (front to back) my car picked up a previously unnoticed vibration. I took it in for a high-speed balance. They did it and told me it was only out "a little", but that "little" made the difference. The vibration disappeared.
Perhaps you need to be sure the people who balance your tires don't stop short, because a wheel only seems "a little" out. Insist that all four wheels are spot on.
PS: My car has 17" Firestones.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/RoadAndTrack/article_new/technical/0301_saab_engine_p1.html
The head/upper portion of the engine is hinged, in effect, to allow it to pivot up to 4 degrees. There's an accordion-type plastic boot that protects the gap between the upper and lower portions of the engine.
Very interesting, but I'll still take a 300-horse V8.
Here's a test that I posted also to the Marauder board. My guess is that you, my nitpicky buds, will find it first!
Something is amiss in one of the pictures of the Marauder. Find it and tell us what it is! Sorry, no prizes. Just your one minute of fame
Brian
Vibrations, I've been complaining about my vibrations since day one (>14 months now). Had the tires balanced and rotated several times and the dealer even replaced them with horrible GoodYear Eagle GT+4's. All of which just changed the vibration a little but never got rid of it. Even had the local Lincoln field engineer drive the car. His conclusion was that the vibrations were not out of spec. All of this makes me wonder if these vibration problems are why the non sport 8's now come with Continentals and the Sports now have Bridgestones.
Having been provided both an S-Type and an LS for extended weekend test drives by the respective dealers I had a good opportunity to test both cars on the roads I am most familiar with. Both cars have plus and minuses but I felt more of a bond with the Jag (and the Jag dealer). So far I am very satisfied. The quality is top notch, with no fit and finish issues and it has a great paint job.
Took delivery of a LS8 Premium package w heated seats and traction control yesterday and I love it so far.
As for demographics, I Just turned 28, Live in a small town outside pittsburgh, married with 2 kids.
Gary
In the interior picture of the Marauder the tachometer needle is broken off.
Tom
Brian
Scott
On the way back, I cruised at 75mph and reset the mileage, got 24.5 mpg the way back for the 120 mile trip. Not bad for a V8 with under 1000 miles.
While in LA, I saw one Burgundy LS with a driver who appeared to be 30-35. Back in Del Mar, I saw another black LS with the driver who appeared to be 25-30. And then near downtown, I saw another burgundy one with the driver who appeared to be 45-50. And me, I'm 31. So who says Linconls are just for older people!
Jeff
The extended test drive of the S-Type was thru the Jag dealer I purchased from, it was a 3.0 which is what I purchased. The Jag dealer had a 3.0 and 4.0 demo unit just for extended (2 day) test drives. They even pay for the gas.
When I drove the LS6, I felt it had less low end torque than I was used to. I only drove one LS6 though since I was mostly considering the LS8. The 3.0 in the Jag feels strong throughout the rpm range even with 4 people on board. I've been very impressed with the 3.0, it is silky smooth and has a nice growl to it when your foot is into it.
Interior storage hasn't been an issue, it has 2 slide out storage compartments near the radio, one thin one for coins and one large one (4"x4"x7"deep) that will hold a cell phone or cassettes. The doors also have large storage pockets and the glove box is a full size one, larger than I remember in the LS. There is also a decent size center armrest storage area and an ash tray that will hold some small items. The rear seat has two cupholders that slide forward out of the rear seat (a recent addition to the '01 S-Type).
Some other things I've noticed after driving it for a while now is that the radio station name and frequency are displayed in the digital readout near the speedometer when using the steering wheel radio controls. Also, the digital clock stays on for about 45 seconds after you turn the car off.
http://www.bhma.com
They're not a cheap place. My screen was $59.95 plus $10 shipping, but it's high quality and came with a very nice vinyl case. It's an exact fit, as you would expect, but the cutout for the rearview mirror is rather larger than I would have expected. After nearly 8 months of daily use, mine has shown absolutely no signs of deterioration.
The downside is that BHMA wasn't the most competent or accommodating vendor. I placed my order online; a week later I received an Email that said, "You didn't tell us what kind of car you have." I did, of course. The Email also said, "We've had trouble with our website, so your information may have been lost." I replied immediately to the EMail & told them again what kind of car. Three days later, I got a phone call from a guy who said, "You didn't tell us what kind of car you have."
I was a bit steamed, but politely told him that I had already told them TWICE. He didn't seem concerned. The end result was that it took five weeks from the time of the order to receive my screen, and ten days of that was due to their less-than-competent handling of the order.
Still bugs me, in case you couldn't tell.
I'd love to get the LS into the 21 degree banks to see how she handles.
Now I'm hooked and want to do the next level of driving.
We bought a new Duratec Taurus for my wife a few weeks ago. I have been impressed with how quick it feels. We were driving it Saturday and my wife floored it from a dead stop and did a smokey burnout that would make John Force proud. The front end raised up and nearly pointed the headlights to the sky. She remarked, "I think the Taurus is faster than your Lincoln."
You can imagine what HAD to be done. We went to a very lightly traveled county blacktop road with both vehicles. We did not do a side-by-side drag race but rather I was directly behind her in the LS and we both stopped. We agreed that when her brake lights went out, I would see if I could keep up.
Again, she laid rubber like mad. Flooring the LS gives you a nice tire chirp, but not nearly as dramatic as the Taurus. By the end of low gear, the LS had pulled even. By the end of second, it was ahead about a length. By the end of third, the Taurus was shrinking in the LS's rearview mirror.
The point: Good balance with no rear end squat and a quiet interior make the LS seem like it is really lacking in power sometimes. However, its faster than it feels.
Bruce (who still wants another 50 HP)
I have taken some pictures, will get developed and sent to Brian in the next couple of days.
Most peoples reaction was they liked the simple lines, actractive car, and got buy in from both Husband and wives. Hopefully I encouraged the one's I talked to (2 opening days) to buy the car!
Notes on Auto Show:
- Cars had major paint flaws around strut towers on black LS's
- No performance numbers to show, most people where shocked that it had 252 hp/267 ft.lb torque.
- Almost all young drivers asked if they had a 5-6 speed version, when answered yes in V6 only, the comment was why in the V6 not V8, didn't make sense to them.
- Overall booth was poorly designed, the V8 engine was tucked behind MK9 making nearly impossible to see at anytime because of the people crowding the MK9.
- Why have all V8's why not a V6 or Stick version
and deep charcoal inside.. Has anyone has any experience on the silver??? Never owned a silver
car before. Also, shopping around seems although many dealerships only order their LS's with
the moon roof. I'm not exactly crazy about a moon roof. I feel although I would rather put the
$1000 or so into an extended warranty since I will probably keep the car 6-7 years. Most
dealerships state they will find the AS I want somewhere in So. gal., however, I'm the type of buyer who likes to touch and feel a car before I start negotiating, so I may be forced into buying
one with a moonroof. Has anyone out there had any problems with moonroofs..leaking, squeaking, etc. Thanks for the input.
Bill
I'm assuming the spell checker got to you and that you live in So. Cal? If so you may want to check out Witt Lincoln Mercury out of Escondido and San Diego or Rancho Ford Lincoln Mercury in Temecula. Between Witt and Rancho they have a pretty big selection. Witt is highly rated by several LLSOC members.
Haven't heard any problems on the moonroofs on the LS. Silver is a nice color on the LS. Which would explain why the car is usually in the catalog in silver.
Brian
http://www.detnews.com/2001/autos/0104/23/a01-216123.htm
Let's push for more LS publicity!
They are minor but I thought I would address them and see if they bothered anybody else...
The driver seatbelt lies flat against the seat sometimes and when I fall in with all 250 lbs of kaplump! I grimmace when I feel the belt and buckle rubbing against the stitches in the seat (at least that is what it feels like). I have had to resort to applying opposite pressure on the door with both hands to guide my large frame in without the lapbelt rubbing noise...
A backit trunk button on the under dash would be helpful.. impossible to see at night!
Here is simple cheap fix...spray paint the naked steel glovebox door hinge...it looks so out of Lincoln character to have a cheap Lumberyard metal hinge starring at you when open the glovebox
Well, those are little nitpicks in what is unquestionably a fine motor car!
Thanx again for all the advice.....
Now, if there was part of the car that was causing uneven tire wear and that was the reason for the vibration problems, then I expect that the Firestone dealer would be happy to point that out and help you prove it.
Confronting the Firestone dealer has already proven fruitless. They are not going to admit anything. I'm but one "squeaky customer". Results will only be achieved by them hearing from or someone with some documentation (ie. Lincoln}.
Do you think it is fair to future LS owners if we say nothing to Lincoln about tire problems and let them keep putting them on future LS's? I for one would appreciate someone speaking up and I'm sure you would too.
Sorry, I feel like I've unloaded on you but this is how I feel as well. Perhaps I have a warped view, I don't know......
The Lincoln extended drive was arranged thru Jim Rogers' staff. Jim kindly offered it to me in a private e-mail after reading some of my posts on this board. For that weekend I did not even have to sign anything. I just showed up and the Sales Manager handed me the keys to his car. It was all prearranged. A member of Jim's staff called me before and after to make sure eveything was okay and even gave me their home phone number in case any problems arose when picking up the car. The Lincoln dealer was very professional to deal with.
The silver is a very sharp color for this car, IMHO. As redmike1 pointed out, the silver appears cleaner, longer. I hate to dry after washing and I use either the Zaino Z6 or Meguires Quick Detailer about every other day. I also use the California Duster at least daily. My wife thinks I'm obsessed, but that's O.K.
If you want that sales info you can send as e-mail to airconhall@cs.com
I would not accept their claim that they will correct any problems that arise after the sale.
http://store.yahoo.com/actonlmboutique/carfloormat2.html
And ordered the Premium Mats for the LS. Shipped in about 2-3 days. Really fast. Only problem? They shipped me the STANDARD lightweight mats that came with the LS, not the premium ones advertised on their site. Called and the parts guy said "looks like we are out of stock on the premium ones, thats why we sent the standard ones". Not the answer I was looking for. However, they have agreed to "look into" paying for the return shipping on the wrong mats, and sending out the correct ones as soon as they come in. Lesson learned? Might be a good idea to verbally confirm your order when using the internet for parts..
Regarding the moonroof: You will not be sorry if you get it. I use the tilt feature mostly. It is great when the outside temps do not require A/C but you want a little air movement. When closed, it never makes a sound. My guess is that it would be a good for resale, too. Many buyers of this type of car would expect a moonroof.
Bruce
numerous front-end steering wheel vibration problems(which the dealer can't figure out) and I certainly do not want to go from the frying pan into the fire. I have been looking around at several
local dealerships in the LA area and the subject of changing tires has never come up. I think if I pull the string this weekend as I had planned (to purchase the LS) the tire change over to a different brand will definitely come up in the negotiation. Any thoughts????
Jeff
I can also think of several billion reasons why Ford might be looking to change from Firestones to almost anything else, but Bridgestone IS Firestone so that doesn't accomplish anything. I hope that some other manufacturers will make a sporty touring tire in the size that comes with the Sport model 17 inch wheels.
Despite the united front that seems to be in the media, there is a lot of controversy and acrimony between Ford and Firestone relating to the Explorer rollovers. Firestone puts out press releases pointing out that the same run and size tires on Blazers don't result in rollovers and Ford puts out press releases that point out that in the Explorers with Goodyear tires inflated to the reccomended 26 psi even when the tires delaminate (and don't think that the recalled tires are the only tires in the world that lose treads, just look at the side of the highway) the Explorers don't turn over. This will take a long time to sort out and Ford is smart to be looking for another source. I must say that I have been satisfied with my Firestones, but may change when they wear out just because I might like the look of another companies tire. No substantive reason.
albert19: I have the non-sport Continental's. I get a very inconsistant vibration that I attribute to the concrete road surfacrs. On asphalt the ride is silky smooth, even at triple digit speeds. Uneven wear will also cause a slight vibration (I'm not downplaying any tire quality issues). The best set of tires my Sable has had are a set of Firestone Firehawk SH30's They are fantastic in the rain and very quiet. And as was said earlier, drive the car as you would drive it (watch out for the local constablary!). IMHO the issues that you read about here are relatively minor, and cover a low percentage of the total sales. We are also a very vocal group. To be TOTALLY non-PC, pull the trigger and IMHO you won't be let down!
Bruce