Is an LS a good purchase??

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cckid00

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I purchased a 2001 LS yesterday. It is a v6. I was told it is the sports package but I'm not sure. There is no spoiler, no heated seats, no message center. It does have the 17" rims and the Alpine 6 disc CD. Car has 65000 miles and interior and exterior are in near perfect condition. It started out at $11,775 and I paid $9,800. I was actually wanting a low milieage 99 Avalon but couldn't find one I liked. The LS caught my eye. We drove it for 3 or 4 hours. Took it to a friend who was a Ford Master Mechanic. He put his computer to it and said everything that the computer tested, is good. He looked at the brakes, etc. Has new front brakes, good back brakes. Tires are about new. He thought it a good car. I got a 90 day warranty with it. I got on a review board about it after I bought it. The reviews were TERRIBLE. Do most of the 2001 LS models break often? Did I make a good purchase or not??? Oh, I have to replace the windshield (cost $230 for heated and rain sensors). Car rides smooth though I'm not used to brakes. Sunroof has been sluggish on us twice but works. Emissions light came on tonight. Our friend said something about T2 too lean???? (not sure). We read on here to disconnect battery and reconnect. Light went off. We filled it up with gas shortly before the light came on. I'm assuming some connection. Should I take it to get the 128 point inspection from the Lincoln dealership, being that I have the warranty? I have no idea what it cost for that. I do know from reading reviews to check coils, tie rod, coolant reservoir, RF knuckles on tire and hydraulic fan. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I just hope I got a good car. Carfax is clean, one owner, owned it for 5 years and some months. Hopefully no problems and just traded up. It came from a Lexus dealership. Make me feel better about this purchase! I LOVE the look of the car and it is smooth, but is it going to last until I pay for it in 4 years?? Thanks!
 
Spoilers and heated seats were optional in 2001, so its not too surprising yours doesn't have those. None of the V6 models have the message center.

FYI, the Sport Package for 2001 included 17-inch wheels, body-color bumpers (e.g., no chrome inserts), engine oil cooler, leather steering wheel and shifter, and an Alpine Sport audio system.

Sounds like you have a classic case of buyer's remorse. Look, you bought a 6-year old car with 65K miles. Granted, it was well-maintained, but things are going to wear out and break after that time and mileage. It sounds like you got a good car, but you're likely to have some expensive repairs in the near future. One big issue are the coil units (the gaskets leak oil into the coils and damage them). If the car starts hesitating and stumbling, you'll know its time. And that's expensive to fix. The emission light could be a multitude of things ranging from a loose gas cap to the coils (I'd first make sure the gas cap is on tight and hopefully that will fix it -- the emissions system knows when the gas cap is not on properly). On the sunroof, I have heard of the motors going bad. However, as a first step, I would clean the rubber seal surrounding the glass, and apply some rubber protectant. You should also lube the tracks with some lithium greast or WD-40.

Good luck!
 
If you run into the coil issues or gaskets, have your friend (the ford master mechanic hook you up) I did my gaskets and coils for about 300.00 bucks. did the work myself. If you take it to a dealer you are easily looking at 1000. Did you buy the extended warranty. Bumper to bumper is not a bad idea with a 2001 lincoln.
 
Get a warranty unless you have fat cash to dump on future repairs. You will love your LS, most of us do. Where did you find bad reviews about the LS?
 
Thanks for the input! I DO love the car.....she is a beauty. I guess the bad reviews really threw me......they didn't seem to love their LS! :-) The bad reviews were on Carsurvey.Org. I'm taking her to get the 128 point inspection and see where we are. It comes in handy having a friend who was a Ford mechanic. It comes in handy just having a mechanic you can trust!!
 
When you take it to get the inspection, have them check the plug wells, if they are clear, GOOD PURCHASE! If there is oil in there, have them do the valve cover gaskets while its still under warranty. I know theres a few other areas the V6 has that should be checked, but I would search around the forum before taking it in so you know what to have them look for.
 
Keep in mind also that as a general matter, you tend to see more negative reviews about cars in general, as opposed to positive ones. The reason is that people with problems are more likely to post them than those that are satisfied. Take those results with a grain of salt, because they are usually not indicative of a true trend.
 
cckid, when’s the last time you saw a bunch of threads on internet forums where the owners posted just to say their LS is running great? People don’t typically post in forums such as this one when their cars are running well.

So naturally, most of the feedback you’ll see on the internet is from people posting about their POS car, and how it’s broken. I’m willing to bet you when their car is running well, they won’t jump on the internet and start a thread just to say “hey, my car is running great”.
 
You guys are right on the negative reviews! My brother in law found this forum and sent it to me. I'm really glad about it as it is well rounded in descriptions of the cars and problems some may have, etc. I know you don't find alot of the LS cars for sale and that is a good thing. People tend to love these cars. I know why now! :) I will have the plug wells checked in the morning. Hopefully, I can report this as a GREAT purchase! Reguardless, the car is an awesome looking car and a sweet ride. Thanks for the responses.......they are very helpful!
A question...........on a 2001 LS that is well taken care of, what kind of overall mileage are people getting out of them......I have 65,000 on mine now. Also, I was told it gets 30mpg on highway, around 25 in town. How close is that to what these actually get?
 
cckid00 said:
A question...........on a 2001 LS that is well taken care of, what kind of overall mileage are people getting out of them......I have 65,000 on mine now. Also, I was told it gets 30mpg on highway, around 25 in town. How close is that to what these actually get?
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Enjoy your new ride! On the mileage question, its really hard to say. There are so many variables involved, its nearly impossible to give you a number. Your type of driving, weather, road conditions, gasoline formulation, etc., all play a role. Generally, V6 cars get only about 1-2 mpg more than the V8 models. My 2003 V6 car got about 19 in town, and about 24 on the hwy. Interestingly, my 06 V8 gets 20 in town and 26 or so on the highway. Go figure.
 
cckid00 said:
You guys are right on the negative reviews! My brother in law found this forum and sent it to me. I'm really glad about it as it is well rounded in descriptions of the cars and problems some may have, etc. I know you don't find alot of the LS cars for sale and that is a good thing. People tend to love these cars. I know why now! :) I will have the plug wells checked in the morning. Hopefully, I can report this as a GREAT purchase! Reguardless, the car is an awesome looking car and a sweet ride. Thanks for the responses.......they are very helpful!
A question...........on a 2001 LS that is well taken care of, what kind of overall mileage are people getting out of them......I have 65,000 on mine now. Also, I was told it gets 30mpg on highway, around 25 in town. How close is that to what these actually get?
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I have a 2000 V6 so we have essentially the same car. We also traded a 2001 V6 in on our 2006 LS so I have had good experience with the V6. We bought the '01 with ~30K miles on it and traded it in with ~60K. My '00 has 139K+ miles (we bought it new).

The only repairs I've made on my LS were A/C compressor failed (never had that happen, was under warranty at ~25K miles), window regulator (another warranty repair), by-pass hose (no warranty, ~$100 with thermostat), alternator (~120K miles and ~$400), coils at about 100K miles and the last thing I remember is the solenoid pack in the transmission. I did it myself so the cost was quite a bit less than the dealer. The part was ~$200, fluid I needed to get to the dealer for a complete flush was about $30 and the flush was ~$140. I will need to do the cam cover gaskets next oil change as I noticed some oil in the plug wells last plug change.

That brings up a point. I would change the plugs. That 100K mile plug change is kind of a farce. I change mine every 50-75K miles. On the V6 the plug change is very labor intensive. I've done it a couple of times now and my best time is around 3 hours, start to finish.

Keep the fluids changed and enjoy your LS!!
 
It makes me feel ALOT better to know you have a 2000 and traded one LS for another. I took it to the Lincoln dealership today. They recommended the 60,000 mile service. It is $750.00. Is all of that necessary? The transmission fluid and oil in it is new. It has a new rotation already on it. He mentioned flushing the intakes. Should I have that done? I am taking it to a friend today to check the plugs. I am also having a new windshield put in today, at $280.00.
 
The Lincoln dealer said I have to use Premium gas in my 2001 LS. Is that what everyone on here recommends? Thanks!
 
cckid00 said:
The Lincoln dealer said I have to use Premium gas in my 2001 LS. Is that what everyone on here recommends? Thanks!
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91+ octane recommended by manufacturer. open the fuel door and there should be a sticker stating 91+ octane
 
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