that the difference in OD of the new (slightly smaller) tires being on the rear(drive) wheels is showing an RPM difference to the computer (front to rear). This might be interpreted by the aforementioned computer as "wheelspin", and therefore kicking in the "TC".
Traction control systems monitor the difference in rotational speeds of the driven wheels and the non-driven wheels. The TCS will activate when the speed of the driven wheels exceeds that of the non-driven wheels by a pre-determined percentage. Since your car now has smaller diameter tires on the rear(driven) axle, the TCS reads the speed difference as a loss of traction and intervenes.
Every day there's something new. I thought it compared the drive wheels only. Never occurred to me that the front wheels would be measured as "non-driven" wheels.
I own a 2000 Lincoln LS (Sport Package) and have been experiencing problems with my power windows. If anyone else has experienced similar problems, I would appreciate your comments.
The problem is that the regulator on three of my four windows have failed. The first failure was within the warranty period, so it was covered. The last two have costing me $300+ per.
There was a problem with the regulators that was corrected with a new part in early 2002. This is all in several TSBs on the subject. I would think that Ford would cover the replacement after the warranty expires given the history of problems with these parts. But, you will probably have to ask and maybe even push to get it. I have not heard of any failures of the final part. This was all discussed in detail when a group of us toured the manufacturing facility in October 2001. Email me at LobsenzA@rose-Grp.com if you need more details....
Actually, you are correct as well. The TCS also compares the relative speed of the two driven wheels and applies the brakes to the wheel that is slipping-acting as an electronic limited slip, if you will.
I have had good results from my Michelin replacements, but alas they are my last set. They are on the list of "forbidden" products put together by my wife, in respect for our son in Kuwait.
I would assume that Ford Credit has also made you the offer to turn in your '00 LS early and if you lease another LS they will let you out of paying the final 3 months of your lease. This may be why you're asking if you should turn it in and then have your mom buy it from the dealer. I can't answer the question unless I know what the determined buy out price is on your lease vs. what the dealer mark up should be vs. not having to pay the final 3 months of your lease.
Normally, if you mom wants you LS, it will be best for you to buy it and then sell it to her. If you turn it in the dealer will want to mark it up.
You may also be able to negotiate a better buy out price, a couple people have reported that Ford Credit has recently broken its take it or leave it policy and has accepted buy out offers below the established buy out price on the lease.
You can get incredible purchase deals right now on '02 LS's, there are both rebates and dealer cash, but the lease deals are not great as the residual values on the '02's are low, keep in mind were're half way through the normal '03 model year so a 3 year lease is priced with a 4 year old car residual value.
I have heard rumors that there will be cash rebates on the '03's starting April 1, if not sooner, so if you really want an '03 it may be best to wait.
I would look at buying it out yourself vs. running the paperwork through the dealership. I would make the whole thing part of a single deal for your new vehicle. Negotiate each part of the deal as a separate entity and then merge them together. You need to know what the dealershio will sell the vehicle to your Mom for in order to figure out the best option.
I too am getting numerous letters about turning my 2000 LS MTX in early for another LM product, and having the last 3 months lease payments made. Since there is no LM product with a manual I would (can?) buy, I plan to buy my LS at the end of the lease. I am simply amazed they want my orphaned MTX that badly. Maybe they just lump me in with the automatics? I really wonder what they would do with the car if I turned it in. Since none of the dealers ever wanted to stock even a new MTX, I doubt they would put it out on the used lot at my dealer. Most likely, it would be wholesaled off and some 30-something with the budget for a new Civic might think it cool to have a larger used car. So maybe my LM dealer will give me a deal for taking it off his hands. Unless these old MTXs are getting cult status at Barrett-Jackson's Auctions and I'm out of the loop? If I buy the car, do I get the remaining warranty? Can I keep my ESP Plan? Should I buy some kind of dealer warranty? Help!
From reading the CTS board (I know, I know.....), looks like the CTS manual is folling in the steps of the LS manual. It appears that the American public just doesn't want to shift for themselves (in the LS & CTS class) anymore.
I recently went to a Caddy dealer to test drive a CTS.
The dealer did not have any CTS manuals in stock.
The dealer did not have any CTS manual on order.
The dealer had no plans to order any CTS manuals.
When pressed about getting a CTS manual the salesman never even said that I could special order one, he just kept telling me that I didn't want one.
He then went on to tell me that I did not want a CTS manual because I could not get any of the good options with a MTX. Not only is he a very poor mind reader but from checking the Edmunds info on the CTS along with the Caddy web site, the best I can tell is this is not true, that is it appears that you can order most any option with a CTS manual
However, the Caddy salesman kept telling me what a great performer the CTS was and he quoted the 0-60 numbers for the MTX. When I questioned the #'s he admitted that the under 7 sec 0-60 time he gave me was for the manual, but then went on to claim that the auto CTS was just as fast.
Early on Caddy was bragging how 10% of CTS sales were manuals. I bet that these sales were early dealer stocking orders where the dealers were pressured by Caddy to put some on their lots.
If my trip to this Caddy dealer is any indication, it seems like the Caddy dealers will soon kill the CTS manual, just like the Lincoln dealers killed the Lincoln LS manual.
HA - I needed a good chickle. Thanks Jim. How's your new company doing? Cheers, - Ray Who misses your invilvement - in several places and in several ways . . .
Jim we miss ya'! Now back to the CTS. GM, with the exception of the CTS, has not made anything but appliances and mostly pushrod-engined trucks for many years. With the exception of Bob Lutz, Chrysler also fell in with the same FWD zombie mentality as GM. Amazingly, he did not fire most of the marketing guys at GM who still wonder why GM's market share in cars has shrunk over the last decade. I guess no one at GM remembers the Buick GranSports, the 90's hot rod Caprices, the last big RWD Caddies that could burn rubber off the line. And now they have to import Australian sedans to make a new GTO. A real pity. It's interesting that LM led the charge with the LS, as Ford seemed to do a GM with their line-up as well. Now the American car companies need to copy the European and Japanese. Even VW will use RWD at the top end. You might just wander up to the CTS board like I did after Mike's comment. In one of the last posts, a seemingly knowledgeable guy lamented about how the CTS MTX will not be available with the new, larger engine. Sounds familiar. Here, too, the problem seems to be the Getrag's inability to handle large torque loads. That also may be the reason that BMW dumped the Getrag in the new, more powerful 330i and installed the ZF six-speed from the M3. One of my clients is half-owner of the largest Cadillac dealership in San Diego. I will E-mail him and get the scoop for those of you tracking the crazy, evolving manual market as I do (Yes, all .05% of you). I also want the scoop on manual sales % of the CTS. Later...
Thanks,div2. Really, with mass production, how much more does it cost to put the DEW98 suspension in the new Cobra/Mustang? Ok, you've got to narrow the "fat [non-permissible content removed]" LS set-up for a smaller coupe, but I say leave the rest alone. If you make enough of these, the costs drops to materials and small labor. It's got to cost a lot to design a new inferior strut and solid axle set-up.
Picked this up from another board. Seems quality problems are rampant. Some of their points that pressure to increase sales has led some luxury mfgrs. to lessen quality such as Movado for the common man, Tommy Hilfiger for any Tom, Dick, or Harry, and the Merc. C230.
I keep having a burning smell from the engine of my 2000 Lincoln LS. They have replaced the power steering unit and put on new SOP value cover gaskets which stopped the problem temporarily but the burning smell is back. I seem to notice it more on trips less than 10 miles. Any help is appreciated.
Also, the weather stripping on my trunk keeps getting torn. The dealerships keeps replacing it but the problem is due to how the trunk lid fits, not the weather stripping. Anyone else with this problem and hopefully a solution?
One other problem I have with my 2000 Lincoln LS occurs about once a week. When I first start my car in the morning, it will run incredibly rough so I end up turning off the engine, waiting a couple of seconds and then restart the car. It takes a couple of trys to restart but when it does, it runs fine. I live in Southern California (so it is not cold in the morning) and park my car in a garage. Anyone else with this problem or advice?
V8 or V6? My 2000 MTX is garaged in San Diego and is a little rough on start up. But within 5 seconds or so, it smooths out.Almost 40k on the clock. I regularly use Chevron Techron Fuel Injector Cleaner from Costco.
Try pushing in the cardboard liner at the front corner in the top of the trunk lid so it does not rub on the weather stripping when closing. I remember when the 2000's came out, someone posted the same problem and this should correct it. Rough starting
My 2000 V8 sometime does this also. I noticed it much more when the car was new. It was much less noticeable after I had the most recent PCM reflash. Be sure your car has it.
i noticed today that my check engine light came on. it is not blinking just stays on.i got out my handbook and it said that if the light stays on then you may have gotten bad gas. has anyone experienced this problem before if so was wondering if when you filled up again it went off or not.any help would be appreciated thanks
My Lincoln LS is a V8. The dealership just called today and said I need a couple of new coil seals and oil seal. They left me a voice mail so I couldn't ask any Q's yet. I don't know much about cars so I am clue less on this. My car only has 25K miles and has been well taken care of.
I did have a recent experience with gas and my 2000 V6. I don't run it in the winter and didn't put any fuel stablizer in the tank. After running about 100 miles worth of gas out this spring, I refueled and on the way home it was missing pretty bad - most likely due to water or something in the old gas.
I added some fuel stabilizer and the rest of the tank ran fine, but the check engine light stayed on for 3 or so trips.
I believe that if you don't properly close the gas cap, that this can also trip the check engine light.
Yesterday, upon my inquiry, my dealer advised that current LS lessees with lease termination between now and November, 2003 can terminate early with no penalty (miles pro-rated)in going into a new Lincoln (all models). Unfortunately my lease expires in December, but I've alerted my dealer if the pull-ahead is extended to include December, I will be purchasing a new LS Sport V-8. This a $5,000 savings for me if I terminate 8 months early and I build equity quicker in my 2003 LS.
Just got through wearing out my set of Bridgestone SO-3 Pole Positions in the 245/45/17 size. Took all of 8 months and 12,000 miles. That's lots of smiles but not a lot of miles per smile. Went back to the original Firehawks, and while they may not be quite as good as the SO-3's in ultimate dry traction, I think they are a great all around tire. Ride is improved, and they seem quieter than the SO-3's as well. The original Firehawks lasted 26,000 miles and survived two Manias. I had no complaints. The added bonus is that they are the least expensive tire I could find in their size. The SO-3's wore out in the center but only in the rears. I don't think it was as simple as overinflation. Car and Driver had the same experience with an M3 long-term test car. Maybe something to do with acceleration/centrifugal forces? Anyway, we were told that the Firehawks were designed for the LS. I believe it.
Worked my shift at the Lincoln booth yesterday on behalf of "the club". 3 LS's on display. One V6 and 2 premium V8's The central display was a fully loaded one with the THX and nav system. Sound is awesome and nav is easy to operate but 48K is a chunk of change as well. The V6 was in the only new color for this year called Tundra. It's a light mossy green and looked good on the car. Most folks looking over the LS haven't a clue of it's performance potential even a former 540I owner! Most still see it as a mini town car. Lincoln is really delinquent in marketing the performance side of this car.
I just bought my 1st replacement set of Firehawks. I will put them on soon, but with 44,000 miles on the original Firehawks - there is still some wear left.
I did a 5-tire rotation pretty regularly, though. It may have helped the tires last, but those lug nuts sure do look like hell and are even worse to remove!
Comments
Thanks for seting me straight.
The problem is that the regulator on three of my four windows have failed. The first failure was within the warranty period, so it was covered. The last two have costing me $300+ per.
Have any of you experiences similar problems?
Make of it what you will.
I lost my job but found another in 9 days. I may be driving more as opposed to flying.
My 2000 V8 Sport only has 27k miles on it (sits at the airport or the garage).
I was thinking about buying a new 2003 now and with the THX and navigation since I will be driving more. My company reimburses 36 cents a mile.
Thoughts? Lease vs. buy?
Interestingly enough, my mom wants to buy my 2000!! Should I turn it in and have her buy it from the dealer?
Thanks!
Normally, if you mom wants you LS, it will be best for you to buy it and then sell it to her. If you turn it in the dealer will want to mark it up.
You may also be able to negotiate a better buy out price, a couple people have reported that Ford Credit has recently broken its take it or leave it policy and has accepted buy out offers below the established buy out price on the lease.
You can get incredible purchase deals right now on '02 LS's, there are both rebates and dealer cash, but the lease deals are not great as the residual values on the '02's are low, keep in mind were're half way through the normal '03 model year so a 3 year lease is priced with a 4 year old car residual value.
I have heard rumors that there will be cash rebates on the '03's starting April 1, if not sooner, so if you really want an '03 it may be best to wait.
Since there is no LM product with a manual I would (can?) buy, I plan to buy my LS at the end of the lease.
I am simply amazed they want my orphaned MTX that badly. Maybe they just lump me in with the automatics?
I really wonder what they would do with the car if I turned it in.
Since none of the dealers ever wanted to stock even a new MTX, I doubt they would put it out on the used lot at my dealer.
Most likely, it would be wholesaled off and some 30-something with the budget for a new Civic might think it cool to have a larger used car.
So maybe my LM dealer will give me a deal for taking it off his hands.
Unless these old MTXs are getting cult status at Barrett-Jackson's Auctions and I'm out of the loop?
If I buy the car, do I get the remaining warranty? Can I keep my ESP Plan? Should I buy some kind of dealer warranty?
Help!
Also, I don't understand what the Town Car rebate has to do with the LS. The TC rebate has been $4,000 for several months.
The dealer did not have any CTS manuals in stock.
The dealer did not have any CTS manual on order.
The dealer had no plans to order any CTS manuals.
When pressed about getting a CTS manual the salesman never even said that I could special order one, he just kept telling me that I didn't want one.
He then went on to tell me that I did not want a CTS manual because I could not get any of the good options with a MTX. Not only is he a very poor mind reader but from checking the Edmunds info on the CTS along with the Caddy web site, the best I can tell is this is not true, that is it appears that you can order most any option with a CTS manual
However, the Caddy salesman kept telling me what a great performer the CTS was and he quoted the 0-60 numbers for the MTX. When I questioned the #'s he admitted that the under 7 sec 0-60 time he gave me was for the manual, but then went on to claim that the auto CTS was just as fast.
Early on Caddy was bragging how 10% of CTS sales were manuals. I bet that these sales were early dealer stocking orders where the dealers were pressured by Caddy to put some on their lots.
If my trip to this Caddy dealer is any indication, it seems like the Caddy dealers will soon kill the CTS manual, just like the Lincoln dealers killed the Lincoln LS manual.
Thanks Jim.
How's your new company doing?
Cheers,
- Ray
Who misses your invilvement - in several places and in several ways . . .
On second thought - how much worse could it look?
What it is about GM and ugly cars? (excluding the Vette of course)
I don't suppose you'd care to offer some of your opinions regarding the state of LS development at this time? :-)
BTW, I think GM already wore out 362 "ugly sticks" during development while beating the CTS models into shape. Any covering would be an improvement.
Now back to the CTS.
GM, with the exception of the CTS, has not made anything but appliances and mostly pushrod-engined trucks for many years.
With the exception of Bob Lutz, Chrysler also fell in with the same FWD zombie mentality as GM.
Amazingly, he did not fire most of the marketing guys at GM who still wonder why GM's market share in cars has shrunk over the last decade.
I guess no one at GM remembers the Buick GranSports, the 90's hot rod Caprices, the last big RWD Caddies that could burn rubber off the line.
And now they have to import Australian sedans to make a new GTO. A real pity.
It's interesting that LM led the charge with the LS, as Ford seemed to do a GM with their line-up as well.
Now the American car companies need to copy the European and Japanese. Even VW will use RWD at the top end.
You might just wander up to the CTS board like I did after Mike's comment.
In one of the last posts, a seemingly knowledgeable guy lamented about how the CTS MTX will not be available with the new, larger engine. Sounds familiar.
Here, too, the problem seems to be the Getrag's inability to handle large torque loads.
That also may be the reason that BMW dumped the Getrag in the new, more powerful 330i and installed the ZF six-speed from the M3.
One of my clients is half-owner of the largest Cadillac dealership in San Diego. I will E-mail him and get the scoop for those of you tracking the crazy, evolving manual market as I do (Yes, all .05% of you). I also want the scoop on manual sales % of the CTS. Later...
Really, with mass production, how much more does it cost to put the DEW98 suspension in the new Cobra/Mustang?
Ok, you've got to narrow the "fat [non-permissible content removed]" LS set-up for a smaller coupe, but I say leave the rest alone.
If you make enough of these, the costs drops to materials and small labor.
It's got to cost a lot to design a new inferior strut and solid axle set-up.
MTX CTS sales are 2% of total CTS sales.
Have 2 in stock.
Only have sold 3 so far.
Sounds extinct already.
http://www.mbspy.com/mbquality.htm
Also, the weather stripping on my trunk keeps getting torn. The dealerships keeps replacing it but the problem is due to how the trunk lid fits, not the weather stripping. Anyone else with this problem and hopefully a solution?
I regularly use Chevron Techron Fuel Injector Cleaner from Costco.
Try pushing in the cardboard liner at the front corner in the top of the trunk lid so it does not rub on the weather stripping when closing. I remember when the 2000's came out, someone posted the same problem and this should correct it.
Rough starting
My 2000 V8 sometime does this also. I noticed it much more when the car was new. It was much less noticeable after I had the most recent PCM reflash. Be sure your car has it.
I added some fuel stabilizer and the rest of the tank ran fine, but the check engine light stayed on for 3 or so trips.
I believe that if you don't properly close the gas cap, that this can also trip the check engine light.
Sorry to ruin your dinner :P
That's lots of smiles but not a lot of miles per smile.
Went back to the original Firehawks, and while they may not be quite as good as the SO-3's in ultimate dry traction, I think they are a great all around tire.
Ride is improved, and they seem quieter than the SO-3's as well.
The original Firehawks lasted 26,000 miles and survived two Manias.
I had no complaints.
The added bonus is that they are the least expensive tire I could find in their size.
The SO-3's wore out in the center but only in the rears. I don't think it was as simple as overinflation. Car and Driver had the same experience with an M3 long-term test car.
Maybe something to do with acceleration/centrifugal forces?
Anyway, we were told that the Firehawks were designed for the LS. I believe it.
3 LS's on display. One V6 and 2 premium V8's
The central display was a fully loaded one with the THX and nav system. Sound is awesome and nav is easy to operate but 48K is a chunk of change as well. The V6 was in the only new color for this year called Tundra. It's a light mossy green and looked good on the car.
Most folks looking over the LS haven't a clue of it's performance potential even a former 540I owner!
Most still see it as a mini town car. Lincoln is really delinquent in marketing the performance side of this car.
I just bought my 1st replacement set of Firehawks. I will put them on soon, but with 44,000 miles on the original Firehawks - there is still some wear left.
I did a 5-tire rotation pretty regularly, though. It may have helped the tires last, but those lug nuts sure do look like hell and are even worse to remove!
What's the right mileage.
Thanks
1. Does Lincoln offer a CPO program on used cars, with a warranty to 100K miles?
2. Was there much of a design change between 2002 and 2003, if any?
Thanks - I will be looking for a V8 with the Sport Package.
2)OH YEA!!! There are over 500 changes. All of them good.
Send me an email and I'll be happy to document them for you. BTW, I own a 2000 & a 2001.