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2007 and newer Lincoln Navigators
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I thought they looked pretty good.--for a 10 year old body that was born as a 1997 Expedition.
I think Ford may be done now with their half-baked "redesigns." Tarting up the old Focus into the 2008 actually ended up costing them more than it would have to simply base it on the newer European platform. Plus, after spending their update money, they ended up with a real yawner. Like the 2006 Explorer turned out to be. Thank God for the controversial Gator grill, or almost no one would be looking at it.
Does anyone have pics of this newer, toned downed look? I heard it was supposed to be offered as an option this February.
So, now Lincoln has made a lame attempt to be as radical as the Cadillac, just when the Cadillac made an attempt to "square up" and look more like the Lincoln/Expedition. ON features, I'd still buy the Lincoln, but based on appearance and the ridiculous dashboard, I'd have to buy a Lexus LX470. I won't buy the Cadillac until they understand how to make the rear seat fold flat into the floor, which shouldn't be such a problem since Ford showed the industry how to do it in 02, but GM is a slow learner.
It just amazes me how the vehicle that started the segment, once again, has been neglected into ignominity. Like the Taurus.
Now that I see more of these trucks on the road I still find myself trying to convince myself I like the new design. That's not a good thing for me.
I've sold myself on the new interior -- I actually like it -- but only the light beige with the light wood trim.
I'm in the market for a new vehicle in December of this year and with two little ones growing up fast and with trips to Disney World, etc. looming ever more often I'm leaning towards a big suv once again.
Navi -- all the features I want (except rearview camera -- coming in 2008 model???) but so-so on the looks.
Caddy -- Nice looks inside and out but old school third row and from I'm reading, perhaps a louder ride (I like it quiet).
LX 470 -- Solid truck all around -- BUT HORRENDOUS third row design and a little smallish for a "BIG" truck. A redesign is scheduled for later this year or early next. Still, I can imagine prices on those trucks will be sky high for at least a year.
My dark horse in all this is the Lexus LS460 (car) -- what a sweet ride!!! Perhaps I'll ditch my SUV itch and go for a car again. My current LS430 has been THE most pleasing, most solid car I've ever driven.
I really might jump for a monochrome package Navi though... I'm sure the prices are VERY competitive for these trucks.
I haven't seen a pic yet on the net of the monochrome package.... can anybody hook me up with a link?
The Infiniti is to Armada as Nav is to Expedition. Tarted up, not really redesigned, like the Pilot say, and its Acura cousin.
But at least the Infiniti has a more competitive engine. Of course, the 300 hp of the Nav ought to be enough, but with small sedans offering that now, maybe all the big pigs should offer more.
There is a difference. Outside, you are correct.
Plood v. different shapes. I'll take unique interior PLUS plood.
To be honest, I never could tell the difference between real and fake wood trims.
The "quality" test I use is to tap on the dash and the control console -- if it sounds thick and substantial I am happy, if it sound hollow and plasticky I'm not so happy. Very unscientific, I know -- but it works for me.
Case in point -- I just took in my wife's 06 ML350 for service and got an 07 Buick Lucerene as a loaner -- nice wood trim all around (nice car, too)-- BUT one tap on the dash and you could tell the dash was cheaply built by the plasticky echo that resonated.
I tried this same "tap test" on the 07 Navigator's interior at a car show and I was VERY impressed. The way the switches clicked, trays opened, etc. also felt substantial and had a "quality" feel to them.
I had an 03 Navi that had the brushed aluminum console and a plastic flip down door that looked and felt cheap and flimsy to me. The overall interior was nice though.
On the Infiniti QX -- Banker you are 100% right on that one -- The front end of that car looks very strange to me. Also, the strange sloping roof line of that truck makes it seem like the back 3/4's of the truck was welded on as an afterthought. The interior also seems a little flimsy to me too. I'm not a big fan of the QX in it's current form.
I had real wood trim in my Olds 98 Touring Sedan. You could have fooled me, except they mistakenly installed the plastic stuff from the regular 98 on one door, and it looked truly awful in contrast. But then the console cracked, and they replaced the whole thing. The new "real wood" was a completely different shade from the rest....
There are many reasons Olds is gone. That was one of the most comfortable and well-appointed cars I ever had, but totally unreliable. The secon worst car I ever owned, in fact, next to an evil Opel.
Anyway, there is much plood, wood, and both real and fake metal trim, available after market. Again, some of it is gruesome, both in design and fit, but with the well executed stuff, it is difficult to tell the difference between tree and oil-based veneers.
Seems like an interesting idea......
http://media.ford.com/press_files/2008_Lincoln_Navigator.pdf
I still can't get past how much they have improved the interior quality feel. The seats are amazing and the console seems thick and substantial.
Now with the rear-end camera this truck is even better.
Seems like this board has been dead for a while -- where are the old timers -- akirby? Nvbanker? others???? steve00gator??? Anyone still around???? I've been away too enjoying my LS430.... I'm getting that truck itch again though......
Lincoln at the moment makes nothing that appeals to me in total, enough to buy it. And that's sad - there was no more ardent Lincoln fan than I for 15 or so years. I applaud the improvements I have seen, upholstery in all Lincolns is 10X better than before, for example. The Town Car actually resembles a luxury car again inside. But I can't tell who the hell they are anymore. No consistency across the product lines - no real theme, no soul anymore. Frankly, the Lincoln I like most now, is the dreaded Mark LT! I could own one of those someday to pull the boat.
Like you, teach - I miss my old Navigator. I mourn its death.
I love my LS430 though....
For the money though, to me the gator is still the most feature-filled full size lux ute out there. I would jump at the new caddy in a second but that third row just isn't acceptable to me anymore --Ford's roomy fold flat third row has spoiled me.
I'm trying to work out a deal on the 2008 navi with the rear camera... now they have an "elite" pckg. that has all the goodies... I'll let you know if I can pull it off. If not I'll wait 'till end-of-year incentives kick in.
My REAL goal here is to buy some time until I can get into the new Lexus LX570 coming out early next year (can't figure why they can't fold that darn third row flat, but anyways...). Unfortunately, I think that truck won't be available for a reasonable price for quite a while.
Geez, must be nice. Buy some time and a $60,000 SUV until the $75,000 SUV you really want comes up. Gawd, what is YOUR job? Can I get one like that? :>)
My '04 Navigator at 41000 miles is like a top. Almost no issues with it. Just wish it was easier on gas. Can't abide the instruments in the new one. The exterior has grown on me, but looking at those guages after the hi-tech looking ones in the '03-06 would be impossible for me. Some Lincoln muck-muck droned on about how Lincoln is all about modern. I guess he hadn't approved these stoopid guages.
Enjoy.
So funny you should mention that - my pet peeve for all SUVs other than Fords has been their inability to figure out how to powerfold their third seat down, when Ford showed them how in 2002! Nissan put it in their Armada/Q56,
and now it's catching on with others like the Pilot and R -class, but when I too was looking forward to getting a 570, I was appalled to see they had still not incorporated this feature into their "totally new" SUV!! Hanging them up on the sides is ridiculous, but I guess better than dragging it out. It could be a deal breaker with me.
BTW, my Escalade is the EXT model (like the Avalanche), so the third seat isn't an issue since there isn't one. I preferred my 03 Navigator by a long shot in many many ways, but not the 07.
Wife and I own and run a finance co. for heavy equipment and commercial vehicles... I wish it was a "job"... instead it's a 24/7 "lifestyle"....very good $$ returns, but there's a heck of a lot sweat-n-stress in the process
Still, there's a $25 Timex on my wrist and a $10 Target polo on my back.... expensive cars and trucks though -- those are what get the "kid in the toy store" out of me!
BTW, I think I'm holding off a few months to get the '08 navi... dealers are still trying to unload the '07's. If it weren't for that backup camera I'd jump now for an '07.
BUT.....
I'm thinking this truck will be hard to get for the first few months (lots of people with cash to burn wanting to be early adopters) AND the price probably won't budge much off of MSRP for the first half of next year.
The Navigator, more-so now perhaps thanks to the new "remington look" (LOL!!!!), has always provided great bang for the buck and invoice deals are not hard to come by. A used or demo LX470 should be a decent deal now, too.
Right now, those are the two options I'm closely looking at as my next options for two years 'till the 570 becomes reasonable.
Also, has anyone upgraded from athe 2003-2006 model up to the '07's? If so, do you notice any differences in the ride?
I'm probably test driving an '08 this weekend and I wanted to know what to expect....
Thanks!!!
I almost got the Cady but got tied of always hearing the motor\exhaust noise and felt GM didn't deserve my business due to the lack of thought year after year regarding the 3rd row seating.
Yes, new sheetmetal would be good too. The Nav hasn't had a major sheetmetal change since its introduction. Better mileage would also be great. Unfortunately, that is not an advantage of the current engine either. As time marches on, so should the technology. More power or more mpg from the same engine, or the same power from a smaller more fuel efficient engine would be nice.
Frankly, I don't understand why most people even need 300 hp, unless they are towing, but that is just the way of the world. Go back 10 years and 200 hp was considered quite adequate.
Ford still has not figured out how to get a product out in three years or less, like the competition can do. Must be dizzying for them to see all the new stuff coming almost continuously from Japan and Korea.
Hopefully this twin force stuff will leapfrog some of the competition.
I believe it's either been fixed or will be fixed soon (we've seen some evidence already) but I don't think they'll catch up for a couple more years.
And if Bill Ford was still running things you could forget about it. He's a really nice guy but he doesn't know how to run a car company.
Regardless of styling and engine.. from what I've seen, the Navigator/Expedition can't be beaten as far as passenger comfort and interior room. As far as I know , this is the only vehicle (besides a passenger van) that'll hold four large adults and 4 kids in car seats/booster seats comfortably -- great for road trips with the in-laws,grandparents, nieces and nephews, etc.... that third row is a work of art... especially for adults.
Now.. have they smoothed out the Navi's ride to Lexus levels? My '03 was a "no" for me in that category.... let's see about the updated version......
In '03 they gave the Nav (and Expe) independent rear suspension thus improving ride and handling and allowing for the great fold flat 3rd row. I love my '04 Nav. THe ride and handling are what sold me on it. I expected it to float like a boat like the '02s and back do.
Now this aint good enough? Now it needs to be "smoothed out to Lexus levels"? Lets not forget that the Lexus starts at $20,000 MORE than the Nav. And then lets remember that the Japanese have appx a $5000 cost advantage vs Ford. So you just want Ford to do for $50,000 what Toyota does for $75,000 ???
Dream on. If you got the money, get the Lexus. Just gotta learn to love thos fold up to the windo 3rd seats. :P
Yep. Unfair expectations? Perhaps.
I had an '03 with a jittery steering wheel on the highway and it felt a bit rough going 60mph+ with no "fix". Maybe I had a bad one? Who knows.
I'm looking forward to trying the newer one.. I'll pass on what the test drive reveals...
I liked it. A LOT.
So much so, I bought it!
A few initial comments on the truck from my first few drives.....
Overall, a very "solid" ride. It drives smooth as can be. The interior is whisper quiet -- much quieter than my '03. At highway speeds you can still feel the wind a bit, but I guess that's just the physics of driving a box.
I've driven it over railroad tracks and you barley notice the bumps.
The steering wheel feels smooth and solid, and the truck drives as if it were on glass. The truck doesn't race off the line but I'm hard pressed to notice when it shifts gears...it's one solid smooth ride from 0 to 75mph.
The interior refinement of the vehicle was quite impressive. All the knobs and switches "click" nicely and the interior materials look and feel great.
The Navigation system is as good as I've seen. Same high quality as the Lexus nav -- still haven't played with it much though. The color rearview camera system on the mirror is very functional and a GREAT safety addition to this truck. It's a bit smallish on the display but I'm very glad to have it.
I test drove a gold '08 with camel interior with elite package and the 20 inch chrome wheels. I noticed that the hood did NOT have the extra chrome strip on the top lip -- a little less chrome on the front end is definitely a good thing for me!!!
The front sun visors now extend to cover the entire window -- a neat feature that my '03 didn't have. The power rear liftgate no longer makes that "dentist drill" noise and it now closes with a classy, hushed "thunk" instead of the loud bang-n-rattle of my '03 gator.
The seats are a MAJOR upgrade for me from the '03. They feel very soft when you first sit, but they seem to provide good support.
At night the interior lights up beautifully with white led lights all over the place. The navigation system dims based on exterior lighting conditions. The light wood trim looks and feels as good as any wood trim I've seen on any vehicle.
From what I can tell so far, the truck does not have rain sensing wipers -- that's a feature I'll miss, but I'll survive without it.
The rearview mirrors are HUGE -- no blind spots with these puppies!
I've yet to play with the DVD entertainment system, but the unit is very thin and looks very elegant. It is tucked out of the way so as not to obstruct the view to the rear when closed.
This is a big, comfortable truck. Much like my now traded-in LS430, it is the perfect antidote for a crazy day at work. The THX sound system sounds clear and crisp. The truck comes with Sirrius satellite free for 6 months -- We'll see if it'll be worth the $7 to $12 bucks a month after that.
I look forward to seeing how this navi hold ups to road trips and kiddie abuse over the next 2 years... so far though, I am very impressed with what the folks at Ford have done with this truck.
Anyone wanting a big suv with loads of space should definitely put this one on their list for a test drive.
The only knock I have on the new Gator is the design - design outside still repels me, looks garish rather than refined and dignified, and the old fashioned guages and instrumentation bothers me. I'm into nostalgia - like the Thunderbird and Mustang are - but not where you go back in technology. The throttle on the steering column could be next, be careful!
I do miss my Gators. I would love to get another one, but am constrained due to these factors.. But, I'll watch with interest to see how you like yours.... Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes I wish for one of those - I wind up playing with the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel way too much.
Last time I saw one stock was on a Model T I guess. May have to skim the adaptive tech sites.
The turn signal "click" sounds "luxurious" -- if that makes any sense. The only trade off is that I can't really hear it even if the radio is on at a modest volume.
The rear view camera has a landing strip graphic on it that makes it easy to back the bus up into tight parking spaces. Downside -- the popup screen is a bit small and it's hard to notice objects at night on the thing.
The new steering wheel design feels very nice. The controls on the wheel are easy to use.
The navigation system is the most intuitive,easy-to-use, most feature packed design I've seen on ANY car (Lexus, BMW, Mercedes). This is a HUGE improvement over my '03 cd based, joy stick clunker.
I LOVE how the redesigned power liftgate operates. That thing is so quiet and smooth now that you hardly know it's opening or closing.
There are a few things that I miss from my other car that I hope newer Navi's eventually incorporate such as:
Rain sensing wipers, auto up/down feature on ALL windows (the bus only has auto on the front ones), front parking sensors (it's hard to measure how much space I have left until I bump something but I'll figure it out with time),smart key system to unlock doors and start the car while the key fob is in my back pocket or briefcase, BLUETOOTH for handsfree cell phone use, and a power fold mirror option that can be set to automatically fold the mirrors when locking the bus (Can they be set to automatic???).
Overall my goal with the bus was to have an ultra-quiet, ultra roomy, ultra-smooth ride. This navi is definitely fitting the bill in those areas.
As I keep getting to know the bus better I'll let you know what I find....