General Comments:
2000 LS V8. I bought the car used from a Lincoln dealer with 97k on it.
How in the world this was Car & Driver's car of the year for 2000 is beyond me. As many other here have done, I lusted after its BMW'ish good looks since the press first wrote about it. Being a previous multi-Lincoln owner (should have never gotten rid of that MK8!), when I found a decent high mileage lease, I jumped on it.
I too have had problems, but for all you who have wrote about buying yours used, shame on you for not researching the known quality problems, and purchasing an extended warranty.
The same day I bought mine, I picked up a set of genuine FoMoCo repair manuals off eBay for $40 (it's a good thing I did too). I pulled out of the dealer's lot and the coil went (fixed under warranty). I've since picked up 3 more brand new coils off eBay ($10/ea) and have them sitting on the shelf just in case.
Got it home, went to put a set of sheepskins on it, and realized that both plastic seat backs were barely hanging on (clips broke, bought new set off eBay, $30/ea).
The driver's inside handle (cheap chrome-plated plastic) broke ($25 from dealer, drill out the rivets, bolt the new one in, 30 minutes of my time). Never had a window regulator go on me under regular use, but while replacing the handle, I broke the plastic saddle clip that holds the window glass. Of course you can't just buy the 5-cent clip, you have to buy the entire regulator assembly ($125 from dealer). I took the clip off and sold the rest of the assembly on eBay for $65.
The driver's side headlight has fogged up post-wash ever since I've had it. Just bought a brand new one a week ago (again off eBay, $65 with bulbs) that was genuine FoMoCo with the upgraded black sealant (watch out for the used ones with the gray sealant). It literally took me 4 minutes to change the headlight out.
My A/C's been blowing hot (passenger side only) on and off for about a year now. Did it when it was still under warranty, but of course never did it when I took it in to the dealer. I was told it's the diverter valve that is located just under the corner of the radiator that diverts the coolant between the dual climate control (this could be B.S). I've purchased one of these valves from the dealer ($60) and have just never gotten around to replacing it. Some mechanics have told me this problem is caused by the blender door under the dash. I don't know what to think, but it happens so infrequently that it really hasn't become a pain yet.
Other than that, it's got it's quirks, but it's a tolerable problem child. My front end has the normal thumping/bumping that everyone else talks about, but it doesn't seem to effect the drivability/handling.
I've never had problems with the brakes.
I've freed up its breathing with a cat-back exhaust from MagnaFlo ($400 on eBay) and cold-air intake from K&N ($40 on eBay).
I've bolted on a stock LSE trunk spoiler with 3rd brake light ($60 on eBay) as well as a stock LSE leather steering wheel and shift knob (yep, you guessed it, eBay again... $60 for both) and sold the old steering wheel on eBay for $45.
Picked up a sweet set of Enkei rims ($400 on eBay) already shod with Bridgestones and shipped off the nasty stock 16" rims to a guy in Canada (eBay made me $200 on that one).
It's a good 20-foot'er that all in all hasn't cost me that much. I know, I know, some of you don't want or don't expect to have to be wrenching on your car, but if you can turn a screw driver, the parts are cheap/plentiful, and repairs are fairly easy. What do you expect, it's an American "luxury" car... we don't make no stink'in luxury cars!
