Renting a 2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited-- Review

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Originally Posted by 96Fleetwood

It is nice to have, but I still think the computer in the '99 Concours I had was superior.

True, but the point I was trying to get across was is it a essential thing for you to have or is just kinda one of those things where you're like "oh, that's kinda neat...." I know your Fleetwood and Roadmaster don't have them, is it a high priority thing for you in your next cars?

[omarg]

I'm talkin about the 300 hp version. Not the paltry 239. A 5-6 speed auto would be nice too.
I hate to disagree but the trunk is almost exactly the same. My dad has a 93 Grand Marquis and the trunks are the same.

[thebigjimsho]

Originally Posted by omarg

I hate to disagree but the trunk is almost exactly the same. My dad has a 93 Grand Marquis and the trunks are the same.

Not even close. When they redesigned the Town Car in '98, the trunk changed shape.

The overall width is narrower. The bottom section that tucks between the wheel wells became much narrower. When I would pack a clients golf bags, they used to fit in the bottom. With the narrower bottom section, the golf bag does not fit flat so you must put it on the top. Then add the section under the parcell shelf. The spare tire used to fit flush in that space and not stick into the trunk's main compartment. Now, it sticks a good 6-8 inches out.

The trunk is not even close to the early-mid 90s Town Car. Not. Even. Close.

Keep in mind I have driven EVERY year Town Car from 1994 to 2004. I'll be picking up an '07 in the next couple months. And that car is no different from the '04 I currently own.

[omarg]

My bad. I never really checked but they looked the same.

[96Fleetwood]

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

True, but the point I was trying to get across was is it a essential thing for you to have or is just kinda one of those things where you're like "oh, that's kinda neat...." I know your Fleetwood and Roadmaster don't have them, is it a high priority thing for you in your next cars?

Sorry, didn't get the first question. It is not a priority for me because the only reason I would use it is for fuel economy and I already figure that out in my head at the pump. Trip odometer mileage, some simple math, and wa-la in 8 seconds. I just formed a habit of resetting my trip odometer at every fill up, so it is not a big deal to me.

[Mark0101]

Originally Posted by 96Fleetwood

Sorry, didn't get the first question. It is not a priority for me because the only reason I would use it is for fuel economy and I already figure that out in my head at the pump. Trip odometer mileage, some simple math, and wa-la in 8 seconds. I just formed a habit of resetting my trip odometer at every fill up, so it is not a big deal to me.

Even though I have it, I like to see what the real world gas mileage is.

[caddycruiser]

Yes, give them much better and more usable power, improve the driving dynamics further so that it pleases a wider range of people, get the styling inside and out updated to modern Lincoln standards, and it'll be thoroughly better. As is, great car, but yes, also could use improvements.

[Night Wolf]

The '98+ truck lost 1cu ft IIRC? but the dimensions changed, so it looks smaller.

I really like my Town Car, it just does everything right. I doubt I will get a '98+ after this one cause I'll probably want something else.

I used to really dislike the '90-'97 Town Car... that was before I ever really noticed the '95 redesign, much less drove one.... I think it is one of the best well rounded 90's luxo cruisers.

Personally the lines and style of my '96 are just alot better, I like it alot. The tail light pattern is right from 1975 but with an updated look, and the nose is awesome with the jewel headlights.

I also like the interior alot better in mine then the '98+... the '03?+ is better then the '98 style though. But I like my digital dash.... alot... in fact it was a major factor when deciding on the Town Car. Plus, the rest of the dash has an overall better flow of lines. The '98+ dash is plain, slightly taller on the driver side, but thats it. the '96 is noticeable taller over the instrument cluster (very effective visor from the sun) and tapers down, ontop of that it also sticks out more in the center..... it is just a really nice design.

My Town Car weighs ~600lbs less then the '98+ style, and despite my 210hp vs 239hp, it seems like my style is faster overall. also have 3.27 gears (3.08 std) part of the handling package. Power is not an issue tho, shes got plenty of power, car dosn't feel underpowered at all.

Although the only thing about power is just how much the AC saps up... it is like the car is towing another Town Car behind it.... I've never driven a vehicle were the AC uses that much power.... in comparison, on my 4cyl Isuzu, I hardly notice the power difference if the AC is on or off. AC also brings the highway fuel econ down by about 3mpg.... guess its just the design of the system.

I don't think the Town Car looks anything like the Grand Marquis from any angle.

The brand new Town Cars are nice, the tach is cool... I agree, floor shifter is not needed, its nice to still see a car with bench seat, large arm rest and column shift. That all was a huge factor in deciding on the Town Car for me too. But like I said, I think by the time I am dont with my '96 Town Car, for whatever reason, there are other cars I'd want to get instead of a newer Town Car... atleast for right now, I'm sure in 10 years they'll be a bargin, just like they are now.

also, IMO, and why I chose the TC over one.... but my '96 Town Car just looks alot better then a '96 Fleetwood.... I tried and tried to get myself to like the style... I just don't.... THAT car looks just like a Caprice from the side. I don'tlike the belt line, the C pillar design, the roof line or the windows... on the Caprice/Roadmaster/ImpalaSS/Fleetwood, there is just too much glass on the doors, it dosn't look proportional. I like the front on the Fleetwood, but thats about it. I don't care for the interior too much, besides not looking very attractive, it is very outdated... huge space in the instrument cluster and all thats there is a fuel gage, speedo and odometer.... not even a compass! In comparsion, the Town Car has much cleaner lines and a much better laid out interior/instrument cluster. I still like the tear drop Caddy dash (on the FWD 90's Caddys) more then any other, but the '96 TC pulls a good 2nd.

Two neat things I've noticed about my '96 and the brand new TC... the C pillar/roof line is very similar... looks nice. Also there is a slight body curve just above the bumper behind the rear wheels.... that has stayed too.

A couple quirks about my Town Car.... wipers have no mist setting... odd. Not really a quirk, but I miss the "fuel used" that Cadillac has on their fuel info stuff.... instead tho the TC has average speed.... which is really kinda useless....atleast to me. ummm... when sitting in the car, the buttons on the door panel seem too low, and they are not back lit at all... not an issue, just dosn't lok cool... instead there is a small fiber optic on the door panel that shines light onto the buttons, so when you look you can see which are the seat and windows etc... There really isn't much else....A/C uses too much power, but nothing I can do about that. I guess my other compalint is... the car isn't boaty enough... it dosn't have the riding on a cloud softness, you don't sink in the seats and armrest etc.... though I think that was changed in '95 cause I've heard the '90-'94 style rides alot softer and has more plush seats... I sat in a '94 Executive at the junkyard, and the seat was more plush and the armrest was really plush too.... I miss cars like that.

Quality overall tho on my Town Car is really good.... I've been driving Aimee's '92 Regal again and after driving the Town Car for a month and a half stright, the Regal just feels soo cheap... just everything feels cheaply made about it.... weird cause I used to think it was well built before? I do like the 3800 though, and.... GM does make a better transmission then Ford... especially in FWD cars... tho the Town Car is not FWD.... thats about all I could say.... Driving the Regal made me really miss my Town Car.

Which is kinda odd, because I've been driving my Isuzu again (I'll be driving it back up to GA.... flew down) and I do not feel any less about my truck after driving the Town Car... even though the door panels are hard plastic, it has crank windows and no luxo options. I think it's because the Isuzu dosn't try to do anything it isn't... and I actually missed driving my truck, the 5spd and the simpleness about the whole thing... actually, driving the Town Car for a month and a half stright just made me really miss the Isuzu for what IT is.... in comparison, driving the Town Car just brought out all the flaws of what the Regal is, or tries to be... I dunno..... hard to expalin. The Regal is still a good car, and I am glad Aimee is driving it.... but its just not a car I'd particulary want for myself, as it was in the past.

[Mark0101]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

... when sitting in the car, the buttons on the door panel seem too low, and they are not back lit at all... not an issue, just dosn't lok cool... instead there is a small fiber optic on the door panel that shines light onto the buttons, so when you look you can see which are the seat and windows etc...

I though that was pretty orignal, and I have never seen that in any other cars. It makes it feel more luxury. I don't know if the 96 had them, but my TC has little lights on the rrof near the handle. So even in the dark, you can see peoples faces.

[thebigjimsho]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

A couple quirks about my Town Car.... wipers have no mist setting... odd.

Actually...it's hard to master but when you do, it's second nature. To get the washers to work, you push in the wiper button at the end of the stalk, the washers come on and the wipers wipe at least 3 times. If you give that button a quick push, the washers will not come on and the wipers will perform a single wipe.

[Night Wolf]

Originally Posted by Mark0101

I though that was pretty orignal, and I have never seen that in any other cars. It makes it feel more luxury. I don't know if the 96 had them, but my TC has little lights on the rrof near the handle. So even in the dark, you can see peoples faces.

So that really is what its for?

See I saw the fiber optic, and when I had the door panel apart, I traced it back to a light... it goes on at night, and I could just never figure out what the heck it was for.

Wasn't until a couple weeks ago I was driving at night and actually looked at the switches and noticed that the light was reflecting off them.

So the door switches are not backlit, but are lit by the fiber optic that is reflected off the panel/switches.... that is pretty cool, and I guess that is the real purpose of them.

Actually...it's hard to master but when you do, it's second nature. To get the washers to work, you push in the wiper button at the end of the stalk, the washers come on and the wipers wipe at least 3 times. If you give that button a quick push, the washers will not come on and the wipers will perform a single wipe.

Hmm, I'll have to try that. Was it deisgned like that or does it just happen to work that way?

I need to get some contact cleaner and clean the switch inside the wiper stalk, cause as I rotate the stalk thru the delay to lo or hi, you can hear the relays going crazy.... like the4 switch is dirty and its telling it on and off over and over. For mist i used to just move it to delay then back off.... but I'll have to try it out though, that'll be neat!

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

also, IMO, and why I chose the TC over one.... but my '96 Town Car just looks alot better then a '96 Fleetwood....

Getting sick of looking at Fleetwood tailights eh? Nowhere in your heavily biased review of sorts did you mention that the LT1 Fleetwoods are much more powerful and a lot quicker. For a lot of people that difference alone would make many not even consider a TC of your vintage as an alternative to a Fleetwood (myself being one). Now I know you like your cars and I'm betting your TC gives you something you never had before from a luxury car standpoint being that you are young but you do realize that putting down other cars doesn't make your car any nicer right. You know I've owned many cars but I never sit there and put down cars unless I actually owned them and didn't like them. Take my '98 Deville, I'm pretty vocal about my dislike for that car due to "issues" and the fact that I see many others with the same "issues". There is much to like about a N* powered car but the bad outweighs the good IMO.

[96Fleetwood]

After the horrible experience with my 1993 Cartier (with under 30K miles), I just could not go back to Lincoln (except that Continental I bought and made $1,500 on). My Dad still makes fun of me to this day about that car.. I almost never lose money on a deal but that car I lost a good $2-3K on that 1993.

Did the 1996 Town Cars take care of that stupid intake manifold problem?

Anyways, I am on day 5 and 340 miles of driving the 2007 TC Signature Limited. After a short drive to the bank yesterday, I came back and drove my brother's 1994 Roadmaster with 55K miles to compare. I swear the LT1 is more responsive and the handling is about the same. If it wasn't for the interior on the Lincoln, you would swear the two came from the same era.

I still can't break the 16 mpg mark on the TC! I got in my Dad's 2005 STS V8 and he is averaging 17.1 mpg, and at least that car has over 300hp from a 4.6 liter.

But I have to admit, this 2007 is very easy to drive, the range for the keyless remote is amazing, and it provides far more leg room than the STS/DTS. I can see why it would appeal as a livery car or a highway cruiser, it is just not a driver's car.

I still can't get these dern pics off my camera. Going to have to wait till I get back to Chicago.

Take care,
Elias

[Cadillacboy]

Lincoln discussions are far better than Lexus praise over Cadillac .I personally like Lincons save rear tail lights for the current models .I think '98 and up is same

[Mark0101]

Originally Posted by 96Fleetwood

Did the 1996 Town Cars take care of that stupid intake manifold problem?

nope, they changed it in 2001
BTW what are some preformance numbers for the Fleetwood stock? If you can could you make a 0-60 or 0-80 of your fleetwood. I wanna see how it is compare to a stock fleetwood.