2004 Lincoln LS V6 test drive, 2nd gear start off in auto mode?

[nigelshiftright]

I took a 2004 LS V6 for a test drive yesterday and loved the car but had a question about the power and powertrain. The car was the V6 3.0l with a 5 speed auto and 122k miles. While test driving the car, I kicked it on a semi damp road and it was really, really slow, like it was starting off in second gear. It did not skip or anything like that but I had already turned back thinking that something was wrong when I stopped and put it in the 1 gear selector. The car seemed to pull very well for a V6 in a heavy car.
I do like the car and I fully expect to have a few problems like some of the rest of you but I would like to avoid a upfront transmission / powertrain issue.

More info about possible problem:

Car never had power in auto, bottom end right -up to redline. Engine never misfired or skipped. Transmission never jumped or kicked or did anything wrong that I could tell.

Road was just slightly damp, had some dry spots. Traction control button didn't change the loss of power in auto mode.

When put in manual mode to 1st gear, it pulled strong right up to reline. It also hit second and third kind of hard for an auto shift. Car seemed somewhat powerful and pulled very well above 3k rpms. But it never had power, bottom end or top end in the auto mode.

Really like the car and wanting to know if I should maybe look elsewhere.

Thanks for your time.

 

[1LoudLS]

if you floor it, it should down shift like every other automatic, it shouldnt really feel any different between auto and SST mode in terms of acceleration.

 

[chocolat1701]

the v6 are very slow and with no power for little mpg gains. go with the v8.

 

[1LoudLS]

the v6 are very slow and with no power for little mpg gains. go with the v8.

there is not that much difference between the two.

however having a bit more power for only about 1 mpg less is well worth the tradeoff.

 

[LS4me]

the v6 are very slow and with no power for little mpg gains. go with the v8.

I wouldn't say very slow by any means.