Lincoln LS V8

[Majestic]

I know this has zero to do with a SHO. As this is about the only automotive related forum I visit frequently. I thought I'd see if any of you have experience with the LS? A kid down the street from me is going to basic training in a month or so and has a 2002 LS V8. It's blacked out and the body looks solid. He's done the rear brakes and struts, plugs and a new coolant reservoir. It starts up and sounds decent. Interior is about a 6/10 and the ac doesn't work and the head unit is broken. I didn't drive it because it's about 100 outside and with no ac, no thanks.

It has no title (not good) and I've read these are notorious for overheating and transmission issues. I don't need another project but I bet I could get the car for about $1000-$1200.

What do you fellows think?

 

[Zpak]

I think they look better now than when they came out. My mom had one when it was a couple years old. Peppy, but yeah, riddled with problems. For a grand though if it runs and drives well enough it will be a fun car to beat around.

 

[Texas Marauder]

Sounds like the definition of masochism.

 

[Bronco2fan]

Is that the one with the 3.9 jaguar design V8? They look good. I'd have to run the shit out of it and see. Put a scanner on it first though lol.

 

[Zpak]

Is that the one with the 3.9 jaguar design V8? They look good. I'd have to run the shit out of it and see. Put a scanner on it first though lol.

Yeah tiny 3.9 V8 I believe. They also had v6 models too though.

 

[Majestic]

Is that the one with the 3.9 jaguar design V8? They look good. I'd have to run the shit out of it and see. Put a scanner on it first though lol.

Yes. If he can't get a title I don't care if it's free. But for $1kish? I might park it next to my other project cars, LOL!

 

[rubydist]

The engine was decent and there were guys who supercharged them back in the day and got decent performance out of them.

However, the car was a endless string of issues, from window regulators that broke repeatedly to wiring/electrical issue that were non-stop on some of the cars.

I wouldn't take one for free at this point.

 

[SHOrod]

I think you could find one with far fewer known issues for not much more money at this point. I had both a 2002 V6 and a 2004 V8 several years ago when they were not all that old, and even then parts were getting difficult to find. While I really liked the Lincoln LS, I would not buy one in that condition for $1000 these days. I think you would ultimately regret buying it and I think you would have difficulty getting it to something that would be comfortable to drive.

-Rod

 

[Tbird6]

Another LS owner here! Had a 2003 LS V-8 sport. With no maintenance that car is junk. Yes there were some problems but the main one was Ford completely killed the car when the PAG group was broken up in the 2008 financial crisis.

You will have a huge problem finding cooling parts. As with all modern cars it was all plastic and it's shot at this late date. All NLA!

No parts from Ford anymore and it was a co-developed model with Jaguar who was sold off in 2008. I drove mine to 130K with very little problems.

Yes the window regulators were a problem but a very minor one. About $50 and 45 minutes to change. The transmission was nothing special and again a common Ford 5 speed as used in the Explorer. So any and all problems have long been figured out and fixed.

The other big problem is nobody is familiar with them as again they are related to the S-Type Jaguar. So when the dealers could not fix them properly they just blamed it on the car.

I moved from a 2003 LS to a 2005 Jaguar S-Type R. 400HP supercharged V-8 with a 6 speed ZF automatic. That was the car Ford should have built out of the LS! But it was not to be!

It was a very good car and I thought for a while Lincoln might be headed in the right direction. Heck the 2000 LS was car of the year!
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[PaulTAutoX]

Another LS owner here! Had a 2003 LS V-8 sport. With no maintenance that car is junk. Yes there were some problems but the main one was Ford completely killed the car when the PAG group was broken up in the 2008 financial crisis.

You will have a huge problem finding cooling parts. As with all modern cars it was all plastic and it's shot at this late date. All NLA!

No parts from Ford anymore and it was a co-developed model with Jaguar who was sold off in 2008. I drove mine to 130K with very little problems.

Yes the window regulators were a problem but a very minor one. About $50 and 45 minutes to change. The transmission was nothing special and again a common Ford 5 speed as used in the Explorer. So any and all problems have long been figured out and fixed.

The other big problem is nobody is familiar with them as again they are related to the S-Type Jaguar. So when the dealers could not fix them properly they just blamed it on the car.

I moved from a 2003 LS to a 2005 Jaguar S-Type R. 400HP supercharged V-8 with a 6 speed ZF automatic. That was the car Ford should have built out of the LS! But it was not to be!

It was a very good car and I thought for a while Lincoln might be headed in the right direction. Heck the 2000 LS was car of the year!
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I attended SHOklahoma in, uh, 2004? think it was there, someone had brought one of those Lincolns to the track day, I guess the SHO was out of order. Seemed like a decent combo.
Sorta like the 2000's GM "GTO" that was basically an Aussie Holden. Or the Chebby "SS" from about ten years ago. Or my original dream car, the SS350 Nova that I couldn't keep because I didn't have anywhere to work on it and the previous owner had raced it to death.

 

[Junkyard_Mad-Scientist]

The LS was lincoln trying to compete with BMW to attract younger buyers, and as ford does, they used the parts bin to slap something together. What they came up with wasnt terrible, just susceptible to usual parts bin issues. The LS handles on rails, its a well balanced car with a lot of potential and a splash of Lincoln class. The biggest issue with them outside the nit picky window regulators is the motor. the 4.2 SC from a jag stabs right in place, is far superior, and comes supercharged. If you could get it for 1k with a title id say its worth hanging up in the stable, there are options. im unfamiliar with the transmission but if it is the 5r55e as previously mentioned then the architecture will support either the 4.2 jag motor or a 4.6 from a v8 explorer, the 4.6 might be a tighter fit but still bad a$$. I hate cross contamination but given the small nature of the car and its badge...and the fact that they fit in everything...and LS swap would be kinda cool. My take- you're buying the look and the handling, you have to provide the power. you can run out the 3.9 but as others have said, there is not much support left for these cars.