Jesda wrote:Any issues with yours aside from coil packs?
Climate control falure (via the dual-zone coolant control valve) is common and happened to me. The part is not terribly expensive ($100-$150 depending on where you go) and is easy to replace.
I also have the power steering problem mentioned above, which is intermittent and not particularly bothersome. Steering gets heavy when the problem presents--usually at medium speeds. It's never irritatingly heavy or dangerous, just heavier than when it's working right. My understanding of the problem is that it won't degrade to complete failure, so I feel little need to fix it.
Jesda wrote:Any reason to choose an LS8 over a Jaguar S-type?
The S-type is fugly? That's the biggest thing for me. The LS is handsome and subtle, while the S-type is ugly and loud.
There's no Lincoln equivalent to the supercharged S-type R, so if you want LOTS of power, you only have one choice.
Jesda wrote:With my Seville some of the biggest expenses at 100k included power steering work, wheel bearings, and various wheel/tire balancing and vibration issues. I did put 40,000 miles on it though.
I haven't had any major or costly issues with my LS8 (knock on lots of wood) and it rolled over 80k miles a few weeks ago. The two most expensive issues I've had were coilpacks ($90 a pop, dirt cheap for coils) and the climate control valve mentioned above. Not bad at all for a sporty luxury car.
Edmunds have always been idiots, and this review is no exception. I don't know why they keep comparing the LS to the 3 series. It was designed to go after the 5 series (E39) specifically and Lincoln was very vocal about that. It's also about twice the size of a 3, so anyone with eyes should be able to figure out they're not going to weigh the same.
Jesda wrote:I didnt realize the two were so close in acceleration (at least, up to 60mph).
With the V6 being lighter, more fuel efficient, and more balanced, it seems worth the downgrade in power.
I'm not so sure those guys drove the same car I drive. Off-the-line acceleration might be on-par with the V6, but it's not off-the-line that people buy these cars for.
As I said in the Caravan review, I can pretty much put my LS8 in 5th gear and leave it there. FOREVER. Stop-and-go traffic (as long as I don't drop below 10mph, which triggers the only non-driver-initiated downshift the manual mode will do), passing on the freeway, in neighborhoods, cruising--5th gear is good for everything. I don't think the Duratec30 is capable of that. My commute involves two hills so steep that trucks end up in the right lane stuck in low gear with flashers on. My car does them in 5th without any effort at all.
In stop-and-go traffic, even with a light foot I'll accelerate faster than your average Accord driver from ~15mph--in 5th gear. But I usually just toss the shifter in 3rd (where the car won't downshift on its own for any reason) in stop-and-go traffic and enjoy ample torque without the need to shift.
First gear isn't all that short, and the car does 2nd-gear-starts in auto mode, so stoplight racing isn't any quicker with the V8. But once you're moving...the AJ35 makes torque all over the damn place. 220 ft-lb available from 2000rpm, and it climbs from there. The Duratec30 doesn't even manage 220 ft-lb at its peak output.
I despise automatic transmissions and would absoutely love a third pedal in my LS...BUT...
I've really fallen in love with the AJ35. It's a lot like the VH...very very smooth, sounds great, makes a lot of power for its size (just not by modern standards), never stops making torque but also isn't afraid of the redline. There's just no way a Duratec30 equipped car could compare. There's more to an engine than power output, and that's what makes the LS8 the one to buy.
I actually (can't believe I'm saying this) like the 5 speed auto in my LS8 just fine. The manual mode does EXACTLY what it is told. It never downshifts unless you stop. It never upshifts unless you tell it to--you can bounce off the rev limiter all day long if you're so inclined. It holds gears which makes twisties a lot more fun. Taps on the shifter don't elicit the quickest gear-changes in the world, but once you get used to the short delay you can still drive it like you would a manual. I wish it was setup for forward=downshift back=upshift though. Compared to the 5 speed manumatic in my dad's Maxima, my Lincoln's automatic is pure bliss.
You also need to keep in mind the DRAMATIC changes made in 2003 for the "2nd gen" models when reading reviews. It should be considered a completely different car. EVERYTHING was changed, some of it minor, some of it very significant. Suspension tuning was changed to keep up with the 5 series. Power output for the Duratec and the AJ were increased significantly. Lots of little cosmetic changes were made (like moving the washer nozzles to the cowl, sculpting the rear bumper to show off the exhaust tips, and getting rid of the stupid reflectors on the front bumper). The interior was revised (but still feels like a Taurus). Most of the car's reliability issues were resolved by 2003 or 2004 as well (transmission being the most noteworthy).
I've never driven a V6 LS before, but I have a hard time believing there's a noticeable difference in balance. My car feels brilliantly neutral, with a hint of understeer that could probably be solved with aftermarket swaybars. It is not a drift machine, and it's also not a pig. It goes exactly where you point it, it rotates RIGHT around the centerline, and while you can definitely get the rear end to dance, it won't do so without an invitation.
The AJ35 is a TINY aluminum V8 (the car's engine bay is miniscule and still more tightly packed than the G50's). It can't weigh significantly more than the Duratec V6.
Weight distribution for the V6 model is 50:50. For V8s it's 51:49. Most cars would KILL for either, so it's hard for me to get picky over 1%.
If you DO buy a V6 LS, keep in mind that they were offered in Base and Sport packages. The V8 only came in Sport guise. So if you want comparable sportiness out of a V6, you'll need to find a Sport model. You can tell easily which you're looking at: base models have chrome bumper trim while Sport models do not (and this is true for all model years).
What it comes down to for me is this:
The manual was only offered from 2000-2002 on the V6, which means NONE of the manual LSs out there are 2nd gen. So the manual is a non-issue. If you get an '03+ V6, it has the same automatic as the V8. And since the 2nd gen is ABSOLUTELY superior in every way EXCEPT the manual transmission, that's the LS you want. So just get a V8 and call it a day.
