15th Jun 2008, 10:43
Well it's a luxury car. They all handle like that. It's kind of what gives them the name boat. But make no mistake, once you learn how to drive a boat, you'd be amazed what you can do with the precision of a 4,410lb handmade piece of American Engineering.
And a 302 5.0L isn't slow. It might use a soda can worth of gasoline per cylinder per fire. I've done a 123 in a Town Car, and the ride was still smooth.
23rd Jan 2009, 02:33
The engine was sufficient for it's time. This particular automobile was not designed for high performance, that's why they call them "cruisers". I remember going on road trips when I was a kid. My grandparents always drove Cartier Lincolns and my parents always drove Cadillac Sevilles. They were the most comfortable vehicles and still are today. We had a Cadillac SRX rental on our vacation last summer in Miami. Let me just say, they ain't what they used to be.
9th May 2009, 09:11
Original poster here: Yes that horrible old Lincoln is still in my yard. Sometimes I want to cry just looking at it I hate it so much (no, not really).
I just bought a 2006 Milan, and if you drive the Town Car and then the Milan, you'll see why I just can't stand the Lincoln, it's just not my kind of thing.
I'm glad that people think it's great, but I just can't wrap my head around the idea that driving a living room down the road is a luxurious experience. As far as I'm concerned, a luxury car should be a blast to drive, stylish, comfortable, and have high quality leathers, quality wood or aluminum trim, and satisfy the driver on any road. I think luxury cars should involve the driver and connect them to the driving experience in a fun way, while at the same time providing a luxurious interior to do it in. 1980s American land yachts do none of these things.
You can read my Milan review on this site if you want to know how I review cars I actually like. (It's the 1200+ word one on the 2006 Milan Premier). I have just never thought driving my living room would be a good idea.
10th May 2009, 18:08
'Leathers'? I guess you mean leather seats, not leather pants or chaps. Leather seats are repulsive - slippery, cold in winter and hot and sticky in the summer. I never could understand why people prefer leather to cloth. It's getting so bad you can't get a large car anymore with velour seating. I guess people all just get sucked into the stupid idea that if it costs more it must be better.
11th May 2009, 22:28
Original poster again: Yes, I meant leather seats. However, new Lincoln vehicles (MKS, 2010 MKZ, upcoming MKT) have amazingly soft and comfortable Bridge of Weir leather seats. I sat in a 2009 MKS at my local Lincoln dealer and I didn't want to get out of it. However, the coolest part is that it had heated AND cooled seats up front for year-round comfort.
And as for being slippery, far from it. Unlike the Town Car, which has a front seat like granny's old sofa, the MKS has modern buckets that were designed for "cars" rather than houses, so you actually stay in the seat while cornering.
The seats in the MKS were supple, supportive, thick, plush, and REALLY comfortable. I liked the seats even better than the 2007 Infiniti G35 I had for a couple of days in terms of comfort and quality of the leather.
19th Oct 2010, 18:53
I bought the 1988 Signature in 2000 with 50K miles. It turned 100K in early 2010. Yes it stays in the garage lots, but when I drive it, I'm in heaven. Safe, comfortable, inexpensive, wonderful automobile.
Replace the one ply tires with real tires, 2 ply sidewalls. Then you'll be going straight down the road where you point. Ya, and put some air in the tires too. Corners better than most cars half as big, half as heavy.
Yes, by now a few things have broken. Some repaired so done without. For instance, the high beams. The sensor behind the center mirror does it for you. The radio works with the antenna down or up, so leave it broken and don't worry about it. The rear shocks inflation system compressor quit, so rerouted the supply to a convenient valve on the rear license frame, and use a portable compressor, great. Other items repaired: window mechanicals and trunk lid latch.
TIP - CRITICAL: the transmission linkage has at least one plastic part. GET IT REPLACED BY METAL ASAP. Otherwise you'll be buying a new or rebuilt tranny. Big Mercs too.
That's it! Rides like a dream, carries most of the family when visiting. Low insurance and registration costs. Good visibility AND rear wheel drive... AAhhhhh. Couldn't be better.
Kenn in Southern California.
21st Aug 2012, 20:41
These Town Cars are great cars. However, in my opinion, they still don't really stand up too well against the late 1970s Town Cars.
28th Oct 2014, 00:46
That's because the car manufacturers use lousy cloth instead of the nice cloth from the mid-1960s. Velour is garbage!
8th May 2015, 23:52
Lincoln had some of the best seats in the business back then. Real soft and comfortable - like sitting on a La-Z-Boy. I'd take them over modern car seats any day. My DTS has heated and cooled seats, but they ain't as comfortable as those old school seats.
10th May 2015, 21:48
Cloth or velour, either is better than leather/vinyl. Those latter materials don't breath, I never could understand why people would consider leather luxurious - it's just downright uncomfortable.
17th May 2015, 03:49
I agree. I guess people got sucked into the whole "if it costs more, it must be better" type of thinking.
17th May 2015, 14:01
I have always preferred leather, especially ones heated today. Use high quality leather conditioner and it's great. My father redid the leather in one of his Town Cars and had another dyed from white leather to blue at a high quality car boutique. There are aftermarket high quality leather hides even on sports cars. Super comfortable if you can handle 6 or 7 grand expense. Many aftermarket seats have a wide range of adjustable bolsters so there's absolutely no sliding. A lot of people have bought old Lincolns etc, but new these were far from cheap. I never had issues sliding in a new Lincoln. I like retaining the correct period look, even down to the stitching, but upgrading the material when it's due.
18th May 2015, 12:20
Yeah, cloth/velour "breathes". Fine if you're buying new. On a used car, the cloth absorbs any liquids the previous owner/rider(s) may have spilled, spat, or otherwise (ewww) "excreted" on the seats. :-(
18th May 2015, 23:41
Nobody eats, drinks or ever smokes in any of my new luxury cars. If they can't wait then they can meet me there. I even turn my mats upside down in bad weather or winter. When I trade, the ash trays have never been used. I have been in cars that have been treated like a waste basket on wheels, with coffee, food, syrup, jelly and drinks spilled all over the interior. If a cloth interior is a benefit to them, great. I know quite a few others that are like us. Our car's only drive thru experience is banking, pharmacy and drive through liquor. Fast food we always go inside instead of all over the interior. Do the above and you can have nice leather til the day you sell! A nice vehicle is a considerable investment. If it's trashed, it's only the fault of the owner.
4th Jan 2008, 19:54
This car/boat is in desperate need of electronic anti-lock brakes!