Looking at an LS - Family Car yay or nay?

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AngryCanuck

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Hey all,

I'm taking a look at a new car this spring and coming from a Continental (that I'm very happy in) the LS is the next logical choice. However since me and my wife have a 3yr old son and a soon to be new born - will the LS have enough room?

From the spec sheets the LS has ~2 inches on the rear seats where the kids will be but does lose some hip room in the front seats so its not a clear answer.

Any opinions would be helpful.

Thanks
 
If you are like me and need a lot of leg room, then people in the back seat will be extremely uncomfortable.
 
If I had kids and were considering an LS I would like to think there would be ample room in the back seat for car seats, booster seats, etc. This is coming from a college senior with no children however. It's a very safe car with an indestructible moonroof and you won't look like a soccer mom driving a minivan around.
 
They are very safe and comfortable, but as mentioned, rear legroom is very scarce.
 
It's a very reliable car with plenty of room (as long as you're not driving from the back seat) just as long as it is maintained (COILS!). Check how the car shifts in all gears before considering a specific LS. The shift solenoid is known to be a big bugger on these cars. Other than that, the car is pretty much bullet proof.
 
fudge12 said:
It's a very reliable car with plenty of room (as long as you're not driving from the back seat) just as long as it is maintained (COILS!). Check how the car shifts in all gears before considering a specific LS. The shift solenoid is known to be a big bugger on these cars. Other than that, the car is pretty much bullet proof.
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I wouldn't say its very reliable or bullet proof, but 03+ has fewer problems. As a family car its not bad.
 
AngryCanuck said:
Hey all,

I'm taking a look at a new car this spring and coming from a Continental (that I'm very happy in) the LS is the next logical choice. However since me and my wife have a 3yr old son and a soon to be new born - will the LS have enough room?

From the spec sheets the LS has ~2 inches on the rear seats where the kids will be but does lose some hip room in the front seats so its not a clear answer.

Any opinions would be helpful.

Thanks
Click to expand...

as a person who bought a 2000 LS V8 Sport new and still drive it I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. The newest ones are 7 model years old the oldest are 13 model years old.

Now if you enjoy doing your own work on a complex car with expensive parts, particularly OEM, you may enjoy one. They drive wonderfully if well maintained.

If you can't do your own work I'd probably stay away. I don't do my own work and there is very little you can get fixed on this car for less than a $1,000. Also, more so on the earlier models, parts availability is becoming an issue. I also belong to another LS forum and there is a member there with an early model V6 manual who can't get an rear electronic module without which the car won't run. Now that's a low production number car but the only parts available are in Ford's distribution pipeline or salvage yards. Factory replacement parts will be an issue for the LS in the future and the future is beginning now. As they say on the internet, YMMV

Good luck with your decision
 
My kids have ridden in our LS since they were born (6 & 8 years). It has worked fine with the infant seats, front and rear facing child seats, and now booster seats.

The infant seat had to sit in the center of the back seat to fit, as with most sedans.

I had to keep the driver seat a little forward (about an inch) and the seat straighter up than I used to with the rear-facing child seat, and when the kids became big enough for booster seats.

When they move out of the booster seats, they'll actually have more room.

But we recently drove 4 hours roundtrip with them in the LS, no issues.

Room isn't an issue. Get the newest LS you can. A lot of these cars are getting old and may not have been maintained properly.
 
Wow posted this at work and already 7 replies, so far I like the active community.

Im 5'11" so I dont need alot of room for my legs. Though that was my major concern for the rear seat room for my son. Thank you for that.

As for repairs - TBH I've been wanting to get an LS for awhile so Ive kept upto date with the problems for both Gen1 and Gen2. Id be only going for the V8 as I would always wonder what it would be like if I settled for the V6. So the normal stuff I'd be paying close attention to would be the coils & oil from valve gasket, noise for tensioner issues, shifts, climate control issues (gen1), resevoir cracks (gen1) and then the normal stuff.

I've done all the work on the continental and although I know that the cars can be complex (wiring issues FML), my wife and I could probably never go back to a base model car. We've had two lincoln continentals, both were in accidents (0% at fault) and I dont think I would have been alive if I was in a civic.

Thank you all for your responses.
 
I have a 5yr and 18 month old. There is plenty of room for car seats and booster seats. I'm 6' 225lbs...small people can fit behind me hehe.
 
this is my third LS I have a 8 year old and a 3 year old and I never had a problem we have driven from new York to Orlando several times and we was very comfortable. try to shoot for a 06 they have the least issues.
 
I am on my third LS and have been an LS owner for 8 years. I have been loyal to the model becuase I think it is a great car, a special car. I argue that it is a small car, but many people disagree. Front passangers will be happy, and children should be fine in the back. I wouldnt recommend lugging adults around in the back seat for any length of time. You will also find that there is a lot less trunk space in the LS compared to Continental.
 
I am 6 ft tall but don't have kids but have not had issues when I've had passengers in the rear seats. Yes, the thick backrest/upright on the front seats do limit rear leg room but it's not bad. You should have ample room for everything you need to carry with kids.

We bought ours with 74K KM and it just turned over 200K KM and has been pretty reliable since we got it. Had a few issues along the way but not abnormal for a luxury car with the mileage we have and driven in Canadian winters (higher stress on the car with sub-zero cold starts, etc.).

It's been more reliable that my 2006 S60R that currently has 160K KM (and way more backseat leg room than my S60R!). I have a 2004 LS8 Sport.
 
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