26th Dec 2012, 08:13

The issue I have is the convoluted logic of justifying a higher MPG car with the latest model, and driving an hour plus each way to work. We have train stations and public transportation that covers a large radius. Or walk or ride a bike.

Granted, there are those that drive large vehicles and are not affected financially with fuel costs. But it seems people move further and further away. We live and work within 15 minutes of our home. So if you have a Lincoln and drive it 30 miles a week to work, are you putting a huge burden on the polar ice caps vs a 300-500 mile weekly commuter in the daily mini beater? Factor in the cost of the new car, depreciation for high odometer readings, maintenance, collision coverage for a new vehicle, and oil changes. And then trade it in before all the value is washed out of it. What's the point? To buy a bigger home in the suburbs that consumes more energy, oil and large gas bills etc.

The moving farther away for better schools does not hold water either. I sent my kids to local private schools vs buying new cars and paying the extra commuting expense. I spent more time with my kids after work vs driving another hour home as well every day. I see the interstates full of the econo minded that pass me, and I am getting off my exit to work already.

I know there will be someone that will say you will help the environment by selling a large paid for luxury car, and it's worth my while to drive 30 miles a week in it to work. We have 2 breadwinners with paid for cars, that don't drive ridiculous commutes and say they are being green about it.

26th Dec 2012, 11:44

Our family has owned several Lincoln Town cars over the years. All of them were absolutely flawless. In all honesty the older ones seemed smoother and more luxurious than the newer ones. Other family members have owned 5-series BMW's and C and E class Mercedes. There is no comparison for smoothness and luxury; the Lincolns take it hands down.

My wife recently took a long road trip in one of the family's E-class Mercedes. Her comment upon returning was "If I was blindfolded I couldn't tell it from my Ford Fusion". You could never say that about the Lincoln Town Car.

27th Dec 2012, 10:27

I 100% agree. Personally, I think commuting is a waste of time and money, and I feel bad for people who are forced into it.

27th Dec 2012, 15:08

Amazing that this conversation still continues to go on and on. And again, a whole LOT of the comments are based almost exclusively in pure nostalgic, happy, fuzzy feelings and remembrances. All I can say is that I'm awfully glad that nostalgic warm and fuzzy feelings aren't used as a means for manufacturers to make things. Otherwise we would still be driving around in horse and buggies.

Just because something from a particular era was what happened to be around when such and such person was at a certain age, doesn't mean it was better. Guess what? Time marches on. People's preferences change and so too do the products that are sold as a result. If 70's land yachts were really and truly superior, and people really wanted these cars in sufficiently large numbers, then they would still be made... right? I think that just about settles it. This was never a conversation about whether those cars, for that time were good. But there has been a lot of incorrect assertions made about "new" cars in general, and most counterpoints in that regard were not based on anything actually technical.

Oh - and the comments about "new" cars not being able to last 40 years? My Tacoma is already almost 20 years old, shows no rust, and even still looks new and shiny. It's also sat outside for its entire life. So will it make it to 40? Sure. It will make it to 40 just as easily, and perhaps even more easily than the cars or yore, back when far less rust prevention techniques were employed in their designs to start with.

28th Dec 2012, 08:36

Wow, what a Tacoma. Guess what, my Town Car is exactly the same age as your Taco, and it too has shiny non-faded paint with no rust and it is black. Oh - and it runs like a bear, and never cost me a day's trouble in over 6 years.

Let's stick with the cars on topic here, rear-drive full-framed domestic luxury liners, not compact entry level imported trucks. I suppose this will be followed by "I own a 55 Mercury", which baffles me and everyone else.

28th Dec 2012, 08:57

I own a new Corvette, and I get warm fuzzy feelings as soon as I wake up in the morning. I can't wait to drive it, and it's like Christmas every day.

Ever order a new car and wait 5 weeks? It's an eternity.

I also like older cars, but your comment easily translates to a brand new first owner car. You ordered it. You got it optioned out like you wanted. The color you wanted. And it's yours and no previous owners. I have literally gone out and opened my garage door just to look at it, and then closed the door. Driving an exhilarating car goes well beyond a warm fuzzy feeling. And this is my 4th one! Best one ever.

I also have a 70 Chevelle SS and it's incredible. I like many old cars; maybe I am very selective on some of my choices. But I like Lincolns, and I am sure their owners don't like being beat down over late models with new elements. Appreciate them and enjoy them. I can appreciate all the hard work and care in any restoration. And the pride. Some have a car, maybe inherited or not what they really wanted, and are stuck with it. Buy something else. I could go for a 60s Fastback in my collection. Maybe at the end of next year that may be a reality. I hope so!

28th Dec 2012, 10:43

This was a great thread about a great car, with everybody getting along and sharing their positive experiences about owning the actual vehicle. Then you had to come in and ruin it for no understandable reason. Nobody is arguing with you, they're just using the comments section the way it's supposed to be used, and you're taking that as challenge for some reason.

And about your Toyotas, great for you. They're good, reliable cars for people stuck in long commutes to work. But don't think that a 4-cylinder will last as long as a big-block V8 engine with a heavy duty transmission. They just work too hard to achieve a decent amount of power, and they do so at high RPM. If you want to brag about your Toyotas, go to the Toyota section of this site and do it, this area of the site is totally the wrong section to do such.

And a lot of us don't have warm, fuzzy feelings about the past decades, because a lot of us (me included) are fairly young and have obviously never experienced the '70s or '80s. However, we know what's going on with today's society and a lot of us don't approve. Changes have happened and will continue to happen, but don't think for a second that they will be good for you or me.

And about the older cars rusting. What dedicated collector would allow his vehicle to rust? Think about that for a second. There are several ways one can rustproof his vehicle nowadays and most of us utilize them. The only cars that are rusting away today are the ones people bought for the wrong reasons or in neglected condition, and didn't have the time or money to really fix. Restoration isn't cheap, and a lot of people tend to think it is.

The other thing is that back then, Americans bought brand new cars every 3-5 years to keep up with their neighbors and coworkers, as vehicles then were restyled and face lifted almost yearly. Mechanically, most of these big American yachts will last forever if taken care of; however, they were built in a time where having the latest and greatest reigned supreme, which is unfortunate.

Being the owner of both modern and older vehicles, I can say that I really can't see my dad's 2011 Hyundai Elantra (which has already been in the shop for multiple issues) lasting a long time. We also own a 2007 Toyota Corolla and that has been the most reliable of our modern vehicles. However, the center console where the transmission shifter is located is already falling apart and the exterior of the vehicle (especially near the grille) is getting beaten up for some reason. My 1982 Lincoln Town Car has been flawless for the past 5 years, and I've never had any issues outside of routine maintenance that comes with the ownership of any car.

I'm not surprised about your Tacoma lasting almost 20 years. They're trucks, and most trucks built at any time were built very well. I work with a lot of modern trucks from all manufacturers, and I have to say, buy a new truck over a new car any day. The trucks will last much longer with fewer issues, as they were overbuilt and designed to take punishment.

So my basic point is that you're comments are really unnecessary and are just ticking people off. If you want to flaunt about your awesome Toyota experiences, go to the section of this site that pertains to it, not here. Your comments are just gonna turn this into another domestic vs foreign argument. I can feel it brewing up already, and most of us are sick of it. While I respect your opinion, I have to say that you started this whole thing, acting like we're all idiots who don't know what we're talking about. You don't know everything, so don't act like our intellectual savior. None of us are trashing your Toyota threads, so don't trash ours.