I've been surfing the net doing my research about the Ls. I couldn't help but notice alot of negative feedback from alot of owners. I kinda wish i noticed this before i spent 9g's on this car. Alot of ppl claim to have had alot of problems with this car even before it hits 100,000 miles. Im a little confused on this im personally a big Nissan enthusiast. Ive owned a 300zx and a Maxima Se i can honestly say ive dogged em and raced the hell outta them. Both of them were reaching close to 130,000 miles on them and not one major problem arouse. Nissans make really strong engines, now as for the 96 cadillac i had it had over 210,000 miles still ran like a charm. I was almost goin to get another 93 300zxtt and i decided not too and opted for something with luxury and a little speed. The first time i drove and saw the ls i was drawn to it, which was odd because im not really to fond to ford products. so i figured what the hell why not i thought i found a good deal and i bought my first lincoln. Now so far so good but the more research i do on this car the more horror stories i read. Im just curious for the owners on this forum. In particular the first gen ls what is your initial response about this vehicle. Are you overall happy with your purchase or is this car really a rip off. I think as with any car there are lemons but for some reason i keep reading an overwhelming amount of negative responses regarding the ls. I hope mine will last me another 100,000 miles. This is the first car ive purchased with under 100,000 miles i assumed my nissans and cadi's held up well so why not the Lincoln. So please inform me on your overall opinions about your cars. Thank you for anyone that puts their two cents in, much appreciated!!!:D

My 2002 first Gen that I just bought back in November with 43,000 miles, she has 47,000 miles now and running strong. This is by far the best Ford vehicle that ive owned. And Ive always driven Ford, and I plan on keeping it that way. Lets just see what happens, lets hope that she stays running as good as she has so far. Just my 0.02.

I bought my '03 Premium Sport a little over a year ago and I am 100% satisfied. This is my 9th Ford product and each one has earned my loyalty. My LS has 62K miles on it and is running strong. I had a few minor issues (drooping headliner under the CHMSL, driver's seat back fell off, replaced e-brake module, etc.) fixed before the warranty ran out and it has been fine since. Overall, the LS performs beautifully. It is quiet, smooth, quick, nimble, and well-built. I am proud to own this American product! :L

remember - many of these forums are where people come to find answers to problems - so it will skew the preception of how many problems there really are.

The LS suffers from many of the same issues all higher dollar car suffer from - people expect alot for their money and tend to complain to the dealer more. So a Lincoln dealer get many more complaints about 'funny noises' and trim issues than a Ford dealer does. Again - skewing the preception of how many problems there really are.

Then the LS is not target to real car enthusists - so most LS owners do not work on their own cars, don't real have an understanding of the issues and tend to talk about the 5% bad 95% of the time... again - skewing the preception of how many problems there really are.

So far - my LS has had no more problems than my other cars, is driven harder, and has been apart 1000 times. I bought it new in 2001 and been very happy with it.

Im satisfied with my LS, Im not satisfied with the service most Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealers offer. Cars do have alot of problems, I personaly dont know of any this up to date that have as much as the LS :D , but getting it fixed is not the issue. Its getting it fixed right and not haveing to return. It seems when everybody has these issues you can find a solution here but can you get a dealership to listen, "NO" and half the time they have no clue even tho its writen here on LVC a million times over.

Mine has had its issues, but it is an '01 with 144K on it! Given the mileage, I've replaced a wheel bearing, fixed a PCV hose, replaced a cooling hose, and window regulator.

I don't think that is bad at all given the mileage on it. It is certainly no worse than any of my other cars and I enjoy driving it more!

Things I DON'T LIKE:

Dealer Only Parts
Replacing major components (Like wheel hub assembly) when only a minor component (wheel bearing) is bad. But, I think this is becoming more common across the industry and isn't specific to FLM.


Heck, that's really I can think of that I don't like! As QuikLS said, people who log onto the Internet and type about their car are rarely taking the time to post "My LS is the greatest. It never breaks." I don't think you'll find a majority of posts like that for ANY manufacturer's car. They are looking for a solution to a problem.

I agree with what Quik said. It's the people with problems who shout the loudest. You won't see too many threads started here by people who just want to let everyone know that everything is still working like a charm. If you search out a discussion forum for any car, you will find many many people complaining about their problems.

I bought my 2006 LS Ultimate brand new after owning a used 2002 LS for about 1 1/2 years. I never had any significant issue with either car. The only reason I sold the 02 is because I loved it so much, that I knew I wanted to drive an LS for years to come. I love this car.

I love my '03 LS. I have noticed most of the issues are with 2000-2002 models.

I love my LS, unless something rediculous comes out before my 01 is paid off I'm probably gonna look into getting an 06 :D

I wouldn't complain about getting a car that once cost 30k+ for 9 grand and it having a few problems. I got mine for 13500 and had to replace VCG seal leak, and it hasn't had a single issue since, buy a warranty.

nothing major, just regular wear and tear and stupid little fit and finish things that were easily fixed

I wouldn't complain about getting a car that once cost 30k+ for 9 grand and it having a few problems

I dont know tho, thats a steap drop in price, I think its pretty much known what the probs are with the 2000-02.

I actually got mine for 17k and now its only worth around 9k only 1 year later next month. I do have a 2000 tho and I have experienced just a bout all the problems that have been reported so far, but I was smart like I allways say and made sure I found the right one with a warranty cause the LS was what I was looking for.

But like I said if these problems get fixed they are all great cars.

I love my '02. It has had it's problems, but with help from LLSOC and LVC I have been able to perform the repairs myself and save a lot of money. Customer service does suck at the stealership. It seems that the we know more about this car than they do somethimes! I bought mine for 19k in 2005. I now have 67k on it and she runs and drives fine. Aside from general maintenance and wear and tear items, here are the problems I have fixed:


VC Gaskets
Passenger front window regulator
A few coils
Degas bottle
Fuel injector
EGR valve

I dont know tho, thats a steap drop in price, I think its pretty much known what the probs are with the 2000-02.

I actually got mine for 17k and now its only worth around 9k only 1 year later next month. I do have a 2000 tho and I have experienced just a bout all the problems that have been reported so far, but I was smart like I allways say and made sure I found the right one with a warranty cause the LS was what I was looking for.

But like I said if these problems get fixed they are all great cars.

Your car is 7 years old, obviously the price is going to drop... maybe it dropped a little faster than some cars in its class at the time.

Other cars in the LS's class. All prices are kbb.com Suggested Retail Value, Base Packages offered for each vehicle, 50,000 miles(average = 74,000 for 2001 vehicles, I based the mileage off my own LS).

2001 Lincoln LS(v8) - $14,500
2001 BMW 540i - $25,600
2001 Acura TL - $15,500
2001 Mercedes C320 - $17,100
2001 Cadillac CTS - $9,300

Same cars Original Retail Price (MSRP)

2001 Lincoln LS(v8) - $36,320 (drop of $22,000)
2001 BMW 540i - $51,100 (drop of $25,000)
2001 Acura TL - $28,550 (drop of $13,000)
2001 Mercedes C320 - $36,950 (drop of $19,800)
2001 Cadillac Catera - $31,305 (drop of $22,000)

Overall I'd say the value loss is pretty much in the same ball park as all other models that were in the LS's class.

LOOOOOOVE IT!!!


This car has problems like EVERY OTHER CAR IN THE WORLD!!! It's just that since they're rare, the parts are more expensive.. That's about it.

Yea, what NickLS said. Mine has little things here and there, but that's to be expected. I'm a big fan of the car.

Your car is 7 years old, obviously the price is going to drop... maybe it dropped a little faster than some cars in its class at the time.

Other cars in the LS's class. All prices are kbb.com Suggested Retail Value, Base Packages offered for each vehicle, 50,000 miles(average = 74,000 for 2001 vehicles, I based the mileage off my own LS).

2001 Lincoln LS(v8) - $14,500
2001 BMW 540i - $25,600
2001 Acura TL - $15,500
2001 Mercedes C320 - $17,100
2001 Cadillac CTS - $9,300

Same cars Original Retail Price (MSRP)

2001 Lincoln LS(v8) - $36,320 (drop of $22,000)
2001 BMW 540i - $51,100 (drop of $25,000)
2001 Acura TL - $28,550 (drop of $13,000)
2001 Mercedes C320 - $36,950 (drop of $19,800)
2001 Cadillac Catera - $31,305 (drop of $22,000)

Overall I'd say the value loss is pretty much in the same ball park as all other models that were in the LS's class.

Wasnt 2003 the first year of the CTS, IIRC?

yea i haven't had the car stop running/die/not start on me ever. and no check engine/transmission lights in over 10,000 miles which is also since i've owned since sept 06. quik said it best, people are not gonna come on the forum and say hey my car ran great to day.

The complainers will be heard from the most since they have something to talk about. This time I am a complainer.

My 2004 LSV8 I bought used at about 14K miles. I now have almost 50K.

In my 36,000 miles of ownership, I have had the tranny dropped and a minor rebuild(at 15K), Replaced fuel level sensor, replaced all 8 Coils at 45,000, replaced a wheel bearing, replaced a seat back, replaced a grill, replaced a differential seal and had several minor TSBs performed. I am currently waiting for a replacement console piece to hold the Advancetrac button from falling out. When the Advancetrac falls down into the console it turns off and on, I guess it shorts against something. Luckily as long as I leave it alone it stays on. The dealer ordered the wrong trim piece so still waiting.

Everything done under warranty but 5+ weeks in the shop over 2 years is a bit much.

I have been driving since 1973 and owned dozens of cars. This one is rapidly reaching the bottom of my list of reliable cars I have owned. Only ones worse off the top of my head are 67 Dodge, 74 Datsun truck, 89SHO.

Most cars I have owned didn't even have any funny stuff until maybe 60,000 or more miles. This one has already had several major services before 45K miles.

I am normally a defender of American autos and have owned mostly Fords. But this one worries me. My last chebby was way better.

Just my opinion,

Jim Henderson

Not an LS owner but most complainers are people expecting perfection.. with a used vehicle.... That really doesn't happen...

As for price... he if you love the LS that's in your favor. The next on you buy will be cheaper and you'll have a lot of fun...

Worse thing about an LS.. No aftermarket parts.. No mods... bummer...

Wasnt 2003 the first year of the CTS, IIRC?

In reality its a Catera, CTS = Catera Touring Sedan, which was listed in the same class as the LS. Catera = 00-02 LS class, CTS = 03-06 LS class.

I just forgot to edit it from CTS to Catera.

Being this is my first car and all (therefore have nothing to compare it to) I love it! Any car, used, new, American, Import, whatever is going to have its problems

Other than a $180 replacement on a window regulator I've had no other real problems in 4k, 1 1/2 yrs of ownership.

Biggest disappointment is that the car is currently discontinued (a sin) and that the aftermarket parts for this vehicle is limited at best (ditto).

HEY!!!!




My car ran great the last time I drove it on Monday morning!!!




;):D

I drive alot of miles and spend alot of time behind the wheel of a car. My LS has overall been a good car to drive. I have owned two LS's and have enjoyed both and among other things the best quality for me is its top notch safety rating. I'm pretty confidant that as long as i have my seatbelt on i could survive something serious. The '02 V6 handled better than the '05 V8 does. The V8 drives more like a tank, the V6 felt alittle underpowered but nimble. Neither have had any significant problems or repairs with the exception of the V8 has had horrible coil problems. At 53k miles now all the original coils have been replaced and i have been able to experience its full power once again. Drives really smooth. I think coil issues cause a loss in power in the engine which somehow affects the tranny and how it shifts. Now that the coils are at 100% the tranny shifts fine. I have the usual few complaints but overall the LS has been the nicest car i have owned fullfills my expectations. I tend to compare my LS to other friends cars which are newer, but in reality its comparing 2003 technology to 2006-7 technology. Even though the LS ran thru 2006 its technology and "newness" was dated to early 2000's stuff. The features available on new cars and the features that are standard far exceed those even just 3-4 yrs old. Bottomline is if you find a used LS that has been taken care of then you have a good car.

*applause*

I just wanted to thank everyone for putting in their two cents, i really appreciate it. You guys have given me a good idea in what im gettin my hands into. Like i said i did get an awesome deal the only problem the previous owner said he had was to replace the tranny and i still have that under warranty. So far my Ls runs very strong and has no problems. I plan on keeping this car for plenty of years to come. I do realize as with any used car you will have normal wear and tear. I was scared there for a minute because i ran into this site that had bulletin after bulletin bad mouthing the ls tellin everyone to not buy this car. Well now that i have a good idea that for the most part everyone on this site is happy with their lincoln. Well so am i and to hell with those that say nothing but negative things about the ls. I think its a good car and thats all that matters i guess im goin to take real good care of her and i hope she runs over 200,000 if i keep it that long. Again thanks guys for your help....

Totally satisfied. 2002 LSE V8 with 80k miles.

:thread:

We go over this once a week and its allways the same exact thing.

remember - many of these forums are where people come to find answers to problems - so it will skew the preception of how many problems there really are.

The LS suffers from many of the same issues all higher dollar car suffer from - people expect alot for their money and tend to complain to the dealer more. So a Lincoln dealer get many more complaints about 'funny noises' and trim issues than a Ford dealer does. Again - skewing the preception of how many problems there really are.

Then the LS is not target to real car enthusists - so most LS owners do not work on their own cars, don't real have an understanding of the issues and tend to talk about the 5% bad 95% of the time... again - skewing the preception of how many problems there really are.

So far - my LS has had no more problems than my other cars, is driven harder, and has been apart 1000 times. I bought it new in 2001 and been very happy with it.

very well said quik! and ill have people here know i had my 03 ls for only a couple months now but am very satisfied with it. and being parts of this site it lets me know what might to expect. also im sure there are LSes out there that probably never have most of these problems. and you wont hear from them cause they wont be looking for help like we are.

To answer your question "Am I satisfied?" I reply to you with a big, fat...

NO

Absolutely not. This thing has given me more frustration than you can ever imagine. I don't mind things going wrong with a car, I expect it as they get old and wear down, but what REALLY pisses me off is two things:
1) Things that should NEVER go wrong on a car going wrong. For example, the valve cover gaskets. Freaking 16 hours of my life wasted replacing those things.
2) Shotty design decisions that make an otherwise simple job complex. For example, Ford's brilliant "Hex holding feature". Everybody else has freaking ball joints and anti-sway bar links that come off just fine with an impact gun. No, not Ford... they have the smart "Hex holding feature" which means you take a 19mm wrench on the nut, and "prevent the bolt from turning" with a 7mm wrench. Freaking brilliant. Works fine on the assembly line, but not in the real world when it's rusted to crap after six measly years.

it took you 16 hours to do valve cover gaskets? lol

i'm ok with it, would love for it to have more power, but for the price is the best car in its class i can get

being my first car, i don't have anything to compare it to rather than my other car which is a 2000 bmw 323ci. the bmw has been owned since new by my mom and is now at 140k miles. The only major thing to be replaced is the clutch which is expected in a manual after all those miles. I have an 03 which i just recently passed the 40k mile mark. I have the v6, which for a first car was a good buy but now that ive had it for a year i'm disappointed with the performance and i wish that i was a little bit faster and i also wished that it got better gas mileage. With my v6 and about a 70/30 highway to city driving im getting about 18 mpg on premium gas which starts to add up. I just test drove the new bmw 335i convertbile and i know that the cars are not really comparable one is luxury one is sporty, but the driving experience of the bmw blows the ls out of the water. so to answer your question of am i satisfied? I was for a while, but im not sick of the gas mileage, the crappy performance, and all the problems ive had with my car. I had the engine decarbonized, the tranny replaced at 36k, the front right and left tire rods replaced, the sunroof had to be resealed, the heated seat malfunctioned, the power seat didnt work, the driver seat has been replaced twice. Now i am the second owner of this car, so i dont know wht happened to it for the first 22k of its life, but it was an old woman that owned it so i'm pretty sure it wasnt abused. If i were to recommend a car i would say go bmw all the ay, in my opinion it lives up to the saying "the ultimate driivng machine." Now ill probably get rebuttles with the fact that you cant compare apples to oranges like comparing a 3 series to an ls, but IMO bmw all the way. I would compare it to a 5 series, but ive never driven 1.
oh and the performance may havbe been solved by getting a v8, but i didnt have the opportunity to get one.

I like it, for one reason because I buy used and thanks to good ole American car depreciation it's :q ing cheap compared to others in its class :D

it took you 16 hours to do valve cover gaskets? lol

Oh, "lol"... grow up kid. Unlike you, I take all things into account when I'm dealing with my time, including diagnosing the problem, researching the repair process, buying any necessary tools (like 7mm wrenches), buying the replacement parts, travel to purchase the parts, and finally replacement and testing the repair to make sure nothing went wrong.

None of which changes the fact that they NEVER SHOULD GO WRONG ON A CAR... EVER. Unless it's like eighty-five years old, then maybe.

Just to clarify earlier, i do understand as with any car you'll have your little problems that come as your car ages and how well you maintain it. When i was doin my research of this car i stumbled upon a website. In it ws a message board of some ppl complaining that they had bought lemons. They were tryin to get a lawsuit of some sort to lincoln. Stating that they had paid alot of money for their cars and have had nothing but problem after problem. Alot of the problems they had weren't covered under warranty. They sounded pretty pissed and i don't blame them. I just never heard of so many problems of this nature with my other vehicles. And all of these cars had between 20,000 to 80,000 miles. I wouldn't expect so many problems with a car with that many miles on it. I don't really know the history of my Ls, i know the previous owner had allready replaced the tranny. I have no knowledge of coils, valve cover gasket, etc... I just really liked the way this car looked and i had my mind set. I'm glad i found this forum it's nice to know there are other ppl with the same car as mine and share the same passion for their cars. This is my first time owning a ford product and to be completly honest i'd never expect me to own one. So far my car hasn't given me any problems i know my speedometer is off and i think something is loose in my suspension in the front drivers side. I think it may be a control arm or something i haven't really gotten under there and taken a look. Just after reading about the problems those ppl had with their ls i started thinking that i am gettin myself into a big mess. An expensive one, guess i'll just have to wait and see. Thanks again for everyones input. Overall ppl have mixed oppinions about their ride. Im just hoping this car will go to 150,000 plus miles without breaking the bank. It just appeared to me that some ppl were having alot of trouble with their ls, sounded like this car was not reliable.

the folks with issues - it's not only what they post - but often it's how they post it.... ;)

If you posted this about the E Class Mercedes on a Mercedes message board you would get the same kind of answers.

Just ask my father in law how much trouble he has had with his ML430.

I love my LSE best car I've ever owned. Just got the navigation installed one of the best upgrades I have done yet.