2003 Lincoln LS Ratings
Getting firsthand information from an actual car owner is one sure way to get an idea of car performance once it leaves the lot. Autobytel features real consumer reviews that give the unbiased experience of a car.
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2003 Lincoln LS
Love my Lincoln!
Pros: acceleration
Cons: Interior lacking in quality
Love the car. Great acceleration and handling. Nice, smooth ride. Interior could have been nicer, and much more durable than it is; after all its a Lincoln!- Recommend this vehicle to a friend? Yes
- How long have you owned this vehicle? 4 years
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2003 Lincoln LS - V8 Premium Sport (222A)
Pros: Performance (when not in shop)
Cons: See test drive review
Advice: Think twice - check Mercedes and Lexus first
I generally wouldn't take the time to write an Internet review, but have had so many problems with my 2003 Lincoln LS that I felt it worthwhile to alert other potential buyers. I bought my 2003 off the lot in February, 2004 after multiple test drives. The performance is fantastic, interior is well thought out and comfortable, etc. I really do enjoy the car, but it has been back to the dealership so often that at one time I figured that I was in a loaner 10% of the time over a full year. The dealership has been absolutely great and accomodating, but the problems have been numerous and repetitive. It started with a roof/ceiling cover that kept coming loose, buttons that would come detached, a squeaky steering wheel that took three times to fix because Lincoln insisted on putting a 'band aid' on the problem the first two times, the engine seriously misfiring due to water getting into the plugs (dealership actually custom made an aluminum piece on their own to fix this one!), a faulty seat motor (third one is being reolaced next week), and an alignment problem due to factory settings being wrong. -
2003 Lincoln LS - V6 Base (100A)
Pros: tilt-telescoping steering wheel and adjustable pedals
Cons: Lack of engine braking. Common to all newer automatic transmission vehicles
Advice: Don't think twice. This is the best kept secret in the auto business
Base V6 model. Great handling with the V6. Surprising good acceleration. Excellent brakes. Gets around 21MPG in rush hour traffic, 27MPG on long road trips. Highest 30MPG. I love the adjustable driver seat, adjustable pedals, and the tilt-telescopic steering wheel plus the audio controls on the wheel. -
2003 Lincoln LS - V8 Premium Sport (222A)
Pros: Electric parking brake
Cons: throttle/trans lag
Advice: If you can wait till later in the year and take all rebates and incentives you get great deal.
Bought the V-8 for the price of Maxima. Car is solid, with excellent handling. This is basically an S-Type Jaguar, but at a more reasonable price. My only complaint is the slight lag in the throttle/transmission when you first hit the gas pedal. With the rebates and incentives this was an excellent buy. -
2003 Lincoln LS - V8 Sport (220A)
Pros: HEATED AND COOLED SEATS
Cons: MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPERS
Advice: NOT A HEAD TURNER IN STYLE BUT FILLED WITH TECHNLOGY AND GOOD PERFORMENCE
PLENTY OF POWER OFF THE LINE IF YOU HAVE TO BUT TRANS LAGS WHEN YOU GO TO PASS OR MAKE A ROLLING TURN. I DON'T KNOW IF ITS A DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM OR THAT VARIABLE CAM TIMING. CORNERS VERY NICELY FOR A HEAVY CAR AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSIST WORKS WELL. STOP AND GO MILEAGE I GOT BY MYSELF IS AROUND 16 MPG EXTENDED HIGHWAY WITH 3 PASSENGERS WAS AROUND 24 TO 26 AT 60MPH. THE RIDE IS SOLID NOT LIKE A TOWNCAR BUT YOU GET A GOOD FEEL OF THE ROAD WITH THE VERY TIGHT AND ACCURITE STEERING. -
2003 Lincoln LS - V8 Premium Sport (222A)
Pros: The power from the V8 engine
Cons: I liked every thing on the car
Advice: Buy a New 2003 they have 3/36 oil changes and fluid replacement
This is one of the best lincolns I have ever owned, I've owned a 93 Mark 8 and a 98 Mark 8 and Lincoln has learned from those vehicles. They truly have put together an automobile that can compete with the Japanese and European sedans. -
2003 Lincoln LS - V8 Sport (220A)
Pros: Great handling, fun to drive, V8 power, value
Cons: Some interior detail: too much metallic finish, dash vinyl not high quality
Advice: Don't shy away from this car because its American. There are lots of rebates and discounts.
Exterior styling is elegant, clean & well proportioned. Doors close solidly. Aluminum hood has a light feel opening. Interior is in good taste & well organized. Leather front seats are thick & supportive. Front seat controls allow plenty of adjustment. Steering wheel & foot pedals are power adjustable. Rear seats are raised, to help seating position. Dash is very well laid out & logical, better than BMW. Controls are easily accessible. There are many standard goodies. Interior storage is good: deep arm rest storage with coin holders, glove box , dash utility tray, door map pockets, pockets behind front seats. Radio has great sound, 6 speakers & in-dash CD. All controls are lit at night. The Lincoln LS drives great. The ride is smooth and comfortable and the interior noise level is well muted. The handling is wonderful and precise. My car came with 17-inch 235/50 VR Michelins. With both engines the acceleration is brisk, but of course the V8 has more pick up at all speeds. Making quick lane changes and sharp turns feels secure (the car has traction control). Driving on rough roads is controlled well, in that the vibrations are minimal and the noise is muffled. The turning radius is excellent. Braking is controlled electronically so that even if you slam on the brakes the progression is smooth. I haven’t measured the acceleration to five decimal places, but the LS’s acceleration is similar to that of BMW 540 or Infiniti G35, more than good enough for the drive to work. Haven’t tried to test the top speed, but I’ll leave such useless tests to car magazines. Areas of improvement: The vinyl covering the dash, door panels and center arm rest is of low quality. In this class these should be covered in leather. The trunk door hinges are the gooseneck luggage crushers. Lined trunk is good size, but maybe a bit shallow. The interior has too much metallic finish - that may be the latest rage, but it is dull and gets old fast (available real wood trim helps dress up interior). Needs more leg room for rear seats. Front seat head rests should be smaller (they are huge). The seat sitting surfaces can be softer, especially the rear seats. Ford should spend some money in advertising. The LS doesn’t get enough recognition & advertising. Overall package is very competitive & ride, power, & handling come very close to BMW 540. Beyond the handling characteristics, this is a better car than the BMW. If it weren’t for the depreciation, this car would be a bargain, given its qualities & features. Battery in the trunk has several benefits. I don’t yet know about its long term reliability, but based on all the information available on the Internet, I can conclude that reliability is no worse than European cars, better than GM cars, & maintenance costs will be less than the others. This car comes with 4 years of roadside assistance & 3 years of free routine maintenance.