Thinking about an LS

topher5150

topher5150

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So the wife and I are looking to cut back on spending, and decided to get rid of the Mark VIII and the man van, and thought that an LS V-8 would be a nice upgrade. Not sure on what year
I just have a few questions to ask about these cars
1. Are they overall reliable cars
2. Are they easy to work on/ price of parts reasonable
3. Common problems, what to look for
4. Any particular bad years
 
Cutting back on spending does not = LS

Search through the LS threads.

That being said they are great cars but just like any other older car they need their up keep and parts can be tough to find and tough to pay for at times.
 
purevilpleasure said:
Cutting back on spending does not = LS

Search through the LS threads.

That being said they are great cars but just like any other older car they need their up keep and parts can be tough to find and tough to pay for at times.
Click to expand...

One nice car vs. having two older cars one of which is slowly falling apart, is what is was thinking.
 
topher5150 said:
One nice car vs. having two older cars one of which is slowly falling apart, is what is was thinking.
Click to expand...

As long as you can do the work yourself, you should be able to afford it.

Worst years were 2000 and 2003. Best year is 2006, but 2005 is about the same.
 
I'm about to drop about 500 on suspension parts, not all of them and an alignment...I want to do the work myself except the alignment.

But I've already done coils, plugs, some suspension, some tranny work, and need to do this and that and more of that.........

I don't want to discourage you, but there are some very dependable, cheaper vehicles out there.

My F150 doesn't owe me a dime...it ran great until 215000 and now needs a head...after that I hope to go another 200000.
 
I smile every time I fire up my '05 LS and it's mostly stock. The cars ride nice and handle very well. They are only expensive to work on when they break. Maintain it and don't beat on it and it'll live happy just like any other car. There are no major land mines in the design except the cooling system and solenoid pack in the tranny.

Sadly like every other rust belt car if I were you I would try to find a southern car and not run it in the salt all the time. If I had it to do over again I would buy a lower mileage '05 or '06 and enjoy it. At 112k mine seems fine but I like it so much I'm driving it more for pleasure than I did my other cars. My '93 stang had 1hr seats, wife's '02 Explorer maybe 2 hours but the LS fits me fine and I don't mind long drives in it.
 
topher5150 said:
So the wife and I are looking to cut back on spending, and decided to get rid of the Mark VIII and the man van, and thought that an LS V-8 would be a nice upgrade. Not sure on what year
I just have a few questions to ask about these cars
1. Are they overall reliable cars
2. Are they easy to work on/ price of parts reasonable
3. Common problems, what to look for
4. Any particular bad years
Click to expand...

i was in your same situation. LS is an AWESOME car. theres nothing like it, and it turns heads everywhere.

but..

they had their weaknesses. once you get through all their common problems, i believe they would save you money. but getting there is half the battle. youve gotta be committed, and not do anything "halfway". one coil= all coils+plugs. one tire = four tires. one plastic fitting = all of them, etc.
 
topher5150 said:
do I dare ask?
Click to expand...

mine is an 02. ive had and fixed the coil problems, as well as the valve cover gasket problems, cooling system problems, and the alternator.

other than that, just gas and oil. id say maybe 1,000$ all together.
 
The main problem with getting the LS as a "reliable car" is reliable cars have replacement parts readily available whereas the LS is falling off the parts train. If you decide to get one I would suggest reading the site for the common failures and stock up on those parts. I'd say at least two sets of the cooling system parts because unless the previous owner did it you will be doing it soon. This will leave you with one set of spares for 5 years down the road. Perhaps 2-3 sets of coils as well, as they are apparently getting hard to find and the LS eats them like candy.
 
Depending on how much you have to spend, I think there are some better options out there. It all comes down to what you're looking for.
 
I bought mine beat.. All I have put into it is vcgs, coils and plugs, tires, sway bar bushings, and front wheel bearings. Total way below a grand and all the work was done myself.. Besides a bad battery, it's never left me stranded the 4 years I've owned it :)
 
I had my 2000 for 4 years(60k - 92K miles) and all I put into it was vcg & coils.
My 04, haven't even had it for a year yet, still runs(&smells) like a new car.. Then again it only has 23k miles on it.
 
I have some related questions. Quick background: I'm in the market for a daily driver that is a more "professional" vehicle than my '92 Chevy Cavalier. My self-imposed budget is approximately $5000. It has to be 2000 model year or later. I've looked at BMW, Chrysler, Acura, Infiniti, etc., and while there are plenty of "acceptable" models, the Lincoln LS is the only one I've seen that I really, really like.

So I'm looking for one. I've read enough to know about the chronic coil problems and cooling issues with the first gens, and that the overabundance of electrical components can often result in "gremlins." I do most of my own vehicle work so I'm not afraid of doing things like coil packs and such, but I do want to get something that will be reasonably reliable. That is, I don't mind buying something that I have to do a lot of up-front, initial work to, but after that, I don't want to be doing constant, ongoing troubleshooting and repair.

So with that, some questions I'd like to get some expert opinions on:

1. I know the V8s are more common and generally preferred here, but for a daily driver, the V6 should be sufficient (I think), and presumably a little better on fuel efficiency. Beyond power/performance issues, are there any reasons to prefer the V8 over the V6? For example, is one more or less reliable than the other?

2. On a related note, I've read that the first gens had some chronic transmission issues that were addressed starting in 2003. What is the general opinion regarding the few V6s with standard transmissions that were available from 2000-2002? I'm thinking of trying to find one, particularly if they are more durable.

3. There are a few LSs in my area that I plan to check out and test drive. I have a shop that will inspect cars pre-sale, but I would like to have a few vehicle-specific things to look for myself. So in your opinion, what are some "dealbreakers" that may be apparent from a visual inspection of an LS, and popping the hood? Any particular red flags that may save me some unpleasant near-term surprises?

4. In addition to searching locally, I've been looking at listings on eBay Motors and other out-of-state dealerships. Can anyone personally recommend a trustworthy and honest dealer or seller that I could be comfortable buying an LS from, without seeing it in person first?

5.Finally, some of the responses in this thread have indicated that the LS may not be a good choice these days, given some of the maintenance issues and difficulty of finding parts. As someone who likes the LS, if you were going to buy some other vehicle, what would you buy (subject to my search criteria above)?

Thanks!!
 
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