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Comments
"--Lincoln LS had its best sales month ever and Lincoln Town Car hit its best June sales total since 1995. "
http://e-automechanic.com/domestic/
Maybe the future 2005 will be for the larger LS that can take on the Caddy -STS.
Having shared the road with many of the combine pilots in Alberta and Saskatchewan, I can assure you that many more "full size" cars are sold up there because in a skidding environment, F=MA -- these folks have figured out that bit of physics.
I'd dearly love to believe that Canada is leading the way in illustrating that the LS is superior to anything else being sold in its niche. . .but I think not.
What are the relative sales figures? How many Town Cars vs. LS's vs. Navigators vs. whatever else were sold in 2000 & 2001, in Canada, in the US, worldwide? Should the LS really matter to Lincoln on a percentage basis (dollars or units, pick your poison)? And, as I think most of the folks who post here regularly will attest, we're a miniscule percentage of the LS crowd. The bulk of the people who buy LS's could care less about most of what's discussed here.
Just curious.
What is the latest, Jim?
We can read about it in car mags eventually, but can you give the faithful here an idea of upcoming engine, trans and styling changes and dates?
Step 2: Rev to 5,000 RPM.
Step 3: Dump clutch.
You can lay rubber in just about any clutch-equipped vehicle that has enough horsepower to at least get out of it's own way, Yugos and various Le Cars excluded.
Is McEnroe still playing tennis? At least Lincoln is showing the manual doing something other than being a tie-rack.
Six-speed Manuals are growing. Almost every manufacturer is using the Getrag unit because it doesn't pay to manufacture your own at the volumes used. Audi,MB,Focus,Acura,Nissan SE-R, and more have or will install the six-speed Getrag. LM has got to wake up on this issue if only for EPA/Cafe reasons. The current LS Manual has a hard time breaking 20 mpg. 3000 rpm at 75 mph is quite extreme. An overdrive tranny would allow lower rpm, better mileage AND a lower rear ratio for better acceleration. VVT would add the hp/torque needed, and I,m sure this Manual LS would break the 7 second barrier. All Acura would have to do is bring out a RWD platform and LM would have to give up DEW-lite as non-competitive. After reading Babicka's referenced article at e-mechanic.com, I see we have a bigger problem here than just the bean-counters running the show. A bigger issue is that LM's target is the piggy STS and not the BMW 5 series. Let's make a "luxury" car for the STS buyers and a "performance-luxury" car for those of us who don't want the eel-skin seats and landau tops. It's enough they waste the Northstar on that FWD platform and the geriatric set. I'll get an STS when I need a place to plug in my pacemaker but not before.
I had an opportunity to drive a non CA-emission/3.31-rear LS-V6M in May '99. Rev. to 1500, release clutch (not drop it) and give gas just as clutch starts engaging, result - wheel chirp. Wheel chirp occurred at 4000 rpm (at speed) in both 2nd and 3rd gears, with four occupants in the car. Acceleration was nothing to write home about but it was adequate. This was moderately aggressive driving, not a 0-60, as fast as possible, run. Unfortunately, I don't believe that the CA-emissions engine can give similar performance - the 3.07 rear doesn't help.
My concern is >40% sales are CA-emission vehicles and in no way, shape or form will these meet the implied "pony-power" behavior of the commercial. Not the way to gain new customers.
A more appropriate commercial would be a bunch of LS-V8's on an empty lot playing a game of Polo, thus showing off the handling of the LS - though I think another car company has already done such a commercial.
Like Rene, I'm happy to stick with Lincoln, based on my current experience. But I don't want to have to choose between a Volvo-inspired LSLuxury and a Mustang-derived LSSport. We are so, so close to having it ALL with this car right now, it would be a crying shame to abandon the concept.
I notice that both Chrysler and Cadillac are returning to RWD platforms. Hmmmmm.......
For those of you wondering, temp at it peak was 124 degrees in Palm Springs, but it didn't feel one degree over 100. It rained and that is when it got humid, it felt worse when it was 95 and humid than 120 w/o humidity. In any event, the reason for the temp post is because I was suprised when we returned to the LS after it sat in the sun. On the few occasions it did, the interior was always managable, not too hot, and the med parchment seats never once were too hot or uncomfortable to sit on (with shorts and a tank top). We set the a/c on Auto and temp down to 60 and the car would cool down to a reasonable temp in a minute and then in about 3-5 minutes, it would start to chill. Great a/c response and the interior staying cool was beyond my expectations. I always dreaded the leather and the hot climate, but now, I have nothing to fear.
On the way back, we took Hwy 74 south out of Palm Desert down to Hwy 371, to Hwy 79, to Temecula. An interesting drive up into the mountains and back out with some great vistas and a few fun curves to boot. I recommend it for all Southern Cali folk that visit Palm Springs. I even saw another black LS headed in the opposite direction.
Speaking of seeing LS's, I lost count, but in the week we were in Palm Springs, we saw at least 12 LS's. Maybe Hertz is having a field day renting them there, or maybe the desert owners just love the LS.
As for the Edmunds reviewers, their purchase criteria are not similar to mine, so while the LS rates low in their book, it is top notch in mine, especially since it offers the performance and interior size mix. Those other cars just don't compare if you weight these two criteria heavier. And as for build quality, I have not had any creeks they speak of and road noise is minimal and non-noticable when the radio is on at a reasonable level. I am sticking by my purchase and hoping that in 2003, I will have a reason to upgrade.
since I got my LS 8.
As for the link that had future product information speculation, the info. on that site seemed pretty dated, pre-2001 model intro., so I'm not sure how accurate it is these days. There was some speculation that there would be a stretched LS to replace the Continental, not the LS, that seems more like what that site was referring to. At the risk of being ostracized from this site I would like my LS to be a little bigger, about 1" more front leg room and 2" more rear leg room + about 2 cu ft. more trunk room. It would make the LS a lot more practical for long trips, giowa could even take it on a trip and have room for a couple of Genny 30 packs on his way home.
Note that the future product web site said that the baby LS was going to be based upon the Mondeo / X type platform whereas I think Brian has said it would be made on a shortened LS I'm not sure what a short LS would create as to me rear seat leg room is already in short supply on the present LS.
This issue of MT, p. 25, also mentions the Acura CL Type-S will have the 6-speed manual this fall and that a 6-speed "should follow" for TL Type-S by "fall of 2002". Article wonders if there is a chance for a 6-speed Accord V-6 in '03 MY.
I've been searching for the thread but haven't been able to find it. Does anyone have the P/N for the 2001 console cover with the new cup holders? Also, if I remember right all I need to change is the cover although there is going to be a slight mismatch to a cutout in the console base.
If you are interested, follow that link and - as the creator says - come discuss "the trade offs between the best of what the USA has to offer."
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
Please do that and let us know what you hear!
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
As you know I cannot say much about our future product but I can say that we will not "mess up" the LS; we will just make it better.
Also, I would like to thank all of you who have contacted me with comments or issues about the LS. Your thoughts are always more than welcome. Feel free to contact me at jroger19@ford.com.
I'll rest easier knowing that my next LS will be better and not a "de-contented" version of what I have now.
Thanks also for your gracious offer.
Artie
Mike, lovin the car more and more. I can't wait to drive again!
Besides, if there were a difference, it would not change the power output of the car; they would be equal. Honest!
You guys hassle me enough about the power of the V6 already!
Scooter
glenns2, thanks, but that link doesn't work. I know I saw what you described on the console, it must have been on that site. Hopefully the info can be retrieved and put on the LLSOC site.
ezaricon4jc: I agree with you completely. After 17 Tarurus's every year it was a guessing game as to what the bean counters would remove from new models. I hope the LS doesn't fall to the same fate. The loss or rear disks and dual exhaust still sticks in my craw.
sdouglas2: I agree with you I thought I read somewhere that the LS being a low emissions vehicle only had one version. In any case I think there are now about a dozen states, including most in the northeast that require California emissions equipment, so on cars that have different emissions versions it's more like 38 / 12 state versions.
Is it a function of the car's heavy weight and the lower low end torque of a 4 valver? Does the Duratech just lack the design of a high output per liter engine? Some big hp engines do it on regular gas. Thanks, Stan
To answer your question on open loop at WOT, I'm pretty sure every petrol engine out there goes into open loop enrichment at WOT. This is based on thinking the customer wants max power at WOT. Even though closed-loop operation keeps you operating at stoichiometry - no combustion is complete - there is a bit of excess O2 in the cylinder that you can take advantage of by running a little rich in open loop.
To answer your questions about octane and other manufacturers, you can't compare apples to oranges. For example, there's a certain high output 2.0L (not a Ford engine) that was in the market a few years back that was rated at 140 hp and ran on regular gas. That HP figure was run on an engine dynamometer using Indolene fuel (~93 or 94 r+m/2 octane) with the knock sensor disconnected. Real-world power was more like 128-132 hp. I'm not saying that our competiors lie, but we may not know the entire story. With the LS, we did our best to make maximum power and wrung what we could out of it. That's why I'm always reminding the board not to be taken in by "Chip Tuners" that promise more HP by changing the engine calibration - with the current engine *hardware*, there's not much more to be made with the V6. That's not to say the design is at the end of its potential, or that it isn't as advanced as competitor engines (I'm not privy to thier secrets
Whoops, there goes my lunch break :^)
Scooter
Lincoln better get moving. This edition of the Maxima was redesigned in '00. This is just a mid-life cycle freshening.
I cannot recommend this car with far too many defects for a $40K car, more defects than my prior 3 cars (all imports - Nissan, Honda, VW) combined.
The worst is - I don't trust this car!
Too many problems and the 'Lincoln Commitment' isn't worth the paper its written on - the dealer never calls to update me or confirm anything, I alway have to case them - so much for customer care and this is from their 'Presidents Award' dealershit.
I'm venting, thanks for listenting...
The bottom line: The good news is that no my steering wheel no longer visibly shakes at highway speeds and it feels smoother below 65 MPH. The bad news is that I still have the 71 MPH vibration, which I can still feel in the steering wheel. It feels like one vibration has been removed making the other one clearer. On to the drive shaft next.
The shop manual (ver. 10/1999) call for 100 Lb-Ft or 135 Nm in section 204-04-9. There is no differential between Sport or Non-Sport models, nor for wheel size.
The Lincoln LS Workshop manual states 100 lb-ft. I remember placing a lot of weight on the torque wrench to get to that point.
Wes
On my previous car, a 3 series BMW, every single interior door panel "bubbled" up. (The vinyl on the interior panel lost its adhesive "stick", and began to pull away from the door causing a big "bubble" in the panel. Happened to thousands of BMW's. Dealer knew exactly what the problem was. Said he understood my concern for wanting all of the interior panels replaced at the same time, since they all were designed the same, and all used the same adhesive. He said thats not BMW's policy. Replace the faulty, failed part only. If others fail, bring it in, and if the car was under warranty, they would still replace it. If not, they would "consider" a goodwill gesture of replacement. (This goodwill is usually based on how much money youve spent on maintenance at the dealer). In the end, every single one of my interior panels failed, fortunately , all before the warranty ran out. All were replaced with a more improved version that never failed during my ownership.
Thats just one of BMW's hidden defects. Interested in more good reading on known defects by BMW, that to this day arent treated as recalls? Go to:
http://www.epinions.com/auto-review-332B-25CEFA1C-3A1E2F40-prod5
You can see how the almighty "BMW" fares against Lincoln.
The shop manual (ver. 10/1999) call for 100 Lb-Ft or 135 Nm in section 204-04-9. There is no differential between Sport or Non-Sport models, nor for wheel size.
As far as the BMW reference, I was showing Mr. lincolnsucks that this type of issue is abound with most ALL auto manufacturers, not just Lincoln.