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Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ

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    scott6113scott6113 Member Posts: 18
    I agree that ESC will save you if you do something stupid, but I picture myself as a good driver who only needs good rubber, brakes, and common sense to get out of most situations. That's why I'll never drive an SUV. It makes me nervous to drive something that does not handle. In 36 years of driving I've only had one accident moving forward, into a telephone pole mounted on the street side of the sidewalk on sheer ice under a snow pack at a slow speed. They later changed the location of the pole, and no abs/esc could have compensated for that hidden frictionless surface.

    I'm holding off for the 2008 which I bet will get it. Will be a good thing for my wife who is a new driver. If it doesn't, I don't consider it a serious drawback. It may actually give people a false sense of security, like those fools who speed around in their Explorers right after a snowstorm and land in someone's front yard.
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    jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    I'd love to have a Beemer, (328xi) but at 8k more with the same options, less horsepower and much worse reliability, my heart is having a hard time convincing my head.

    "Beemer" is slang for a BMW motorcycle. If you're talking about a BMW with 4 wheels, the correct slang expression is "Bimmer".
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Even with everything it lacks, I will still probably purchase an MKZ because I like (a lot) the essentials that is does have, but I might wait a little longer than I would otherwise if it had those features already.
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    New type marketing from Lincoln. The first one a design engineer really breaks down Lincoln. The other ads are for urban customers. Enjoy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0W69OjWGjI&mode=related&search=

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1a_eV2fUzg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puRLniBVNBE&mode=related&search=

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSEY-rAcf4Y&mode=related&search=
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Yes, now, if only there was something special about the actual products. In time, I hope.
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    cg205cg205 Member Posts: 34
    Since we really love our MKZ, I'm sure glad I didn't see those last 3 ads before we started car shopping. I probably would have not even looked at the Z. Those were a total turnoff for us.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    My gawd, how pathetic are these videos? And these people. Even Horbury cant remember it's emm kay zee. He said "Mark Zed" and "Mark X" before correcting himself. Then he says how Lincoln buyers don't scream about their success. Try integrating that thought into the next 2 videos, which target rappers, or at least rap fans apparently. Oh and Lincoln represents "American design" is spoken with a full English accent and can anyone relate "Modern" luxury to those guages in the '07 Navigator?
    These videos show what's wrong with Lincoln rather than what's right and if u listen carefully they will peg your BS-ometer.
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    scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    Yes, I thought that too.

    "Lincoln buyers don't scream about their success"
    Apparantly, they let their 26" wheels do it for them.

    What a completely lost company and a totally screwed up way to pillage what was left of a legacy.
    An absolute trainwreck.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    "An absolute trainwreck"

    Exactly.

    And I just went back and tried to watch the rest of the ARtv 'review', but I stopped in dismay when they described verbally and in writing the emm kay zee as having:

    "AWD Suspension"

    Morale: Who said Lincoln didn't have new technology?
    Or: Is there such a job as a 'proof-watcher'?
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    What a completely lost company and a totally screwed up way to pillage what was left of a legacy.

    I like the notion of not screaming success; the truly successful shouldn't have to. So, explain to me the Navigator?!?!

    Scootertrash pretty well summed up what I'm thinking right now. My LS may very well be my first and last Lincoln, considering where the company is going.
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    exalteddragon1exalteddragon1 Member Posts: 729
    In my oppinnion, there is nothing better that lincoln ever had (that i saw) than the 60 sec LS train commercial. I still remember it today.

    Take a look, if only they had this kind of marketing today...

    Click Here to See the Train Commercial
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    I tip my hat to that one. What a great ad!
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    scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    That seemed to show the car a lot.

    Wouldn't a commercial with a surfing 45 year old mom or someone giving a Navigator away for free motivate you more?
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    I pulled up beside a Merlot Zephyr yesterday, which was to my left in the left-turning lane. There's no question that this car turns heads. I'm not sure what it is about this car--its stance, its proportions, its distinctive front--but it catches my attention the way few cars have for decades. Undeniably, Toyota and Honda have great reliability, but to me they look swolen, bent, and disproportionate. The Zephyr MKZ delights!
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    I agree, added a couple of chrome accents to my MKZ and folks really look at it. I just wish the marketing ads would explain the cars features and price. Most folks have no ideal what the car is about. Also most of them think it is very expensive because it is a Lincoln.
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    Yes, I knew this already!

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007704250417
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    exalteddragon1exalteddragon1 Member Posts: 729
    can't get passed the interrrior.

    Its a love it one day, hate it another thing with me. I can't wait untill lincoln changes its interriors!
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    jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    The steering wheel is pretty cheesy with sharp hard plastic edges on the hub.
    The dashboard looks dated.
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    I expect them to drop even more as the price of gas continues to rise.

    http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=25915
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Even Toyota was negatively impacted last month. It's not just Ford.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    That's right. However, MKZ sales off by 19%, even with a new engine does not bode well for this model. All the folks here who love it are not enough to make it even as successful as the LS was. Too bad.
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    The dashboard looks dated.

    Or, it looks simple and clean, not like Acura's Japanese boom boxes.
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    I think it is interesting that Lincoln is selling more MKX's than MKZ's. I think the public likes that it is unique. Saw a Black one yesterday and it really looked sharp.
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    scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    But the Town Car still outsells the MKZ...
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Crossovers are hot. You have SUV drivers downsizing and small and midsize car buyers upsizing.

    I admit the MKZ numbers are a bit disappointing. I think some of the MKZ sales are probably going to the MKX. It also hurts that Lincoln doesn't have a MKS class vehicle to get more showroom traffic and allow folks to move down to the MKZ instead of moving up from the Fusion/Milan only.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Commercial fleet sales.
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    exalteddragon1exalteddragon1 Member Posts: 729
    Acrua interrior are over the top, you don't have to do an interrior that looks so old out of the gate.

    There is classy and there is old.

    Why not just try for contemporary styling (not the new age like Cadillac) and differentiate yourself?

    These people need to get a grip.

    Also, if they want fuel economy to go up, the weight must come down, and the engines need Direct Injection... NOW!
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    People here in the DC area sure love their Town Cars. I wonder if Lincoln is about to screw that up with the introduction of the MKS?
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    Everyone was down except Daim-Chry! Nissan down the most, Ford second.

    Amazingly with all the TV spots I see for Milan and Mariner, their sales are down big time. Mariner down 30% !! Perhaps it's time for Jill Wagner to polish up her resume.

    Another point of interest - MKZ down, Navigator and Expedition UP.
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Can't speak for the Milan but the new Mariner just debuted so it's suffering from a new model changeover. I'd wait a few months and see if it rebounds. The new model seems much better than the old one from a styling standpoint although the drivetrain is pretty much the same.
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    cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    Test drove the MKZ yesterday and really liked the ride. I'm putting it on my short list of vehicles. I'm thinking of just getting the base model since it is already well equipped. Any thougths on any options that are worth the price for driving in Texas. Is the stereo upgrade that much better? Do the cool-down seats work well? Thanks for any input.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The numbers for April aren't as bad as they look, if you use the daily average sales rate (DSR). There were two less sales days this April than last.

    Though Toyota's raw numbers were down compared to last April, the automaker's North American operations actually improved its DSR by 3.7%. Given another two days, Toyota would have beat last year's numbers on the 14.1% and 2.3% improvements made by its Lexus and Toyota divisions. Using this yardstick, Ford only fell by 5.7%, not 13%.

    No matter how you cut it though, MKZ is a sales disappointment. How about a better name to go with a better interior (and a less anonymous exterior)?
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    akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Stereo is subjective but if you really like good music (not just loud music or blaring bass) the THX might be worth the upgrade. And the cooled seats are a must have in a hot place like Texas. Once you have them you'll never give them up.
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    jeyhoejeyhoe Member Posts: 490
    Yeah, I thought about that for the Mariner. I am actually pondering giving a hybrid Mariner a go. Though the exterior looks OK, the interior is just as bad as before.
    The new Escape got panned really badly in this review:
    http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=3570
    though and there's so much competition.
    I did see a nice green Escape hybrid with a sunroof stickered at < $28000 over the weekend. FWD, but the AWD in these things is virtually useless anyway.
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    cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    Thanks for the feedback. We do like good, not loud music, so it might be worth it. Appreciate the comments on the seats. We have heated seats in our Freestyle and they did come in handy in cold weather when we lived in the NC High Country.
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Would love to see the chrome accents on your MKZ. Can you send me a photo(s) offline? thanks!
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    cg205cg205 Member Posts: 34
    I second the advice you got regarding the cooled seats and THX sound system. I've had my car since November, but only recently had weather warm enough to need the cooled seats....and I think they work great. They take a little getting used to, though, many feel like they've wet their pants when they first start to use them.

    The radio is really great. I'm glad my car had it since if I'd ordered the vehicle I likely would not have spent the money for that option. It is well worth it, though. I feel somewhat the same about the navigation. Wouldn't have ordered it, but now that I have it I wouldn't be without it.
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Just received latest edition of Consumer Reports. It rates the near luxury sedans. The MKZ fares pretty well, especially on reliability, but one of the minuses it menitons is the visibility of the lettering on the dials. Have any of you owners had trouble reading the lettering in certain light?
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    alakersonalakerson Member Posts: 9
    Agreed -- regarding the hard-to-read button faces. Because I spend time in other cars than the MKZ (drive a Pilot and truck) seems like I am always having to re-learn MKZ controls, because the button faces are nearly worthless.

    Embarrassing story: shortly after we got the car, we had to attend to a funeral/burial. For the cortege to the cemetery, we of course were told to put on our emergency flashers. Uh ... my wife and I spent the whole drive trying to find the flasher button, finally found it as we entered the cemetery. Guess we should have read the owner's manual when we got the car -- duh. Couldn't blame that one on the button. As comedian Bill Engvall says, "Here's your sign."
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    Yes, you can blame it on the button. These things are supposed to be designed so that the location of the control is instantly apparent. While the manual is a helpful thing with regard to many features, no manual should be necessary to activate the flashers. What if someone had lent you the car and you needed them?
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    OT, I know, since we're talking about the MKZ's flasher control. But, I defy anyone to buy a new, higher-end, car today and not have to read the owner's manual to figure out some of the controls. A buddy of mine just bought a loaded Infinity G35: it came with 4 owner's manuals! Early into the ownership experience, he said the SatNav was on, directing him to his destination. The voice got annoying, but he couldn't figure out how to shut it off. He said he felt like he was married, again.
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Re: chrome accents, if any of you has added chrome accents to your MKZ, would you be willing to send me photos offline? Otherwise, can you point me to photos of MKZ's with the chrome accents?

    Thanks.
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    bigtbigt Member Posts: 412
    Here are a couple of sites that provide chrome accents:

    http://www.ronusa.com/ford_fusion.shtm

    http://www.qaausa.com/lincoln.php?id=lincoln&name=mkz

    image

    Here are rim accents:

    image

    Here are the trunk accents:

    image
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    That's awful. So J C Whitney, and not up to the class of the car. Reminds me of the dumb vinyl roof abominations you sometimes still see.
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    caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Thanks, bigt. I like the chrome trim around the roof, windows, and door sill as well as on the door handles.

    Another question: I've thought that the MKZ would look good with a Lincoln hood ornament, sort of like the Mercedes Benz C series has. Anyone know if a Lincoln hood ornament could be added to the MKZ or how one might go about it?

    thanks.
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    jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    I've seen vinyl roofs and fake convertible stops even on newer cars on the east coast. Not so much on the west coast.
    The chrome is over the top on some of those pics. It can get busy and gaudy just like too much aftermarket wood interior trim (around A/C vents, door release levers etc.).

    People are still buying this stuff, so some people like it.
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    displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    I wonder why its always Cadillac, Lincoln, and a few Chrysler 300Cs that seem to get the added bling. I can think of only one Lexus I've ever seen chromed up.
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    jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    You'll never see this garbage on the premium European brands.
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    laurenlizzyblaurenlizzyb Member Posts: 3
    I agree! I just bought a BMW328xi yesterday and I love it. My mom has a Lincoln LS and my grandparents drive the new Cadillacs. I've driven them all, and I must say... not only does the BMW (I feel like a tool calling it a bimmer) have much better handling, pick-up, maneuverability, and a ton more speed and reliability it also has a design both inside and out that speaks for itself! No need for chromelike accents to spruce the car up. What are we, children?? I guess premium american brands use that mentality as children are attracted to shiny objects. My advice to everyone is to not waste money on an American car. My new car is a much nicer ride, and while a couple grand more expensive, it's worth every dime! The service alone is worth the money! What American car company will drive 100 miles to your home to bring you a loaner (and a good loaner, my dealership gives out the 328xi as a loaner to all BMW owners) and take your car off on a flatbed (as to not increase the miles for lessees)? No Chrome included, but impeccable interior and exterior styling! A true beauty!!!!
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    06zephyr06zephyr Member Posts: 32
    LOL.....I do have to chuckle at all this.Take a look at the "Bimmer" forum and see all the junk that is added to those cars. While the 328 is a very nice car the ride is no where near that of the Cadillac or the Lincoln. BMW makes its cars for handling and performance not for comfort or luxury. I have the 335I and in ride and comfort it cannot hold a candle to the Lincoln,Caddy,or Lexus. Do you realize that you are comparing an ALL WHEEL drive car to all the others,probably not.
    What does it matter if ur car is towed or flatbedded as far as the miles are concerned....please enlighten me
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