I sat in the Lincoln MKS yesterday

[orconn]

[quote=Jesda;1492970]I despise the orange in my BMW. Its Halloween every damn day...

The first car I remember with the orange lighting was the 1979 Datsun (Nissan) 280Z. I really disliked it then and to this day haven't change my mind. There must be some advantage to it as far as night vision goes, but the aesthetic aspect would cancel any benefits for me.

[Night Wolf]

Originally Posted by thebigjimsho

I appreciate the 90's TC for that clean, classic executive look. The '98 TC was WORLDS better in ride and handling over the previous model. The previous model sacrificed EVERYTHING to get a squishy ride. The '98 was able to keep a soft ride but also control body motions much better. However, it had that goofy Batman look and interior and trunk room was sacrificed greatly. Until the L. And the ONLY good thing about the digital dash was that you could black it out when you need to speed with a client...

The '03 and newer are that much better in the ride and handling dept...except for '07. My '04 rode much better. The new one is too stiff. The look of the '03+ is perfect to me. A natural, modern progression of the '97. As for the options, there are few on the Executive Series. You can't even get navigation. So I had my own in-dash installed...

Hmmm, general thought on the Lincoln site is that the ride, and espeically seat comfort on the '98+ is not as good as '90-'97.

Although '90-'97, there are two sub categories... '90-'94 and '95-'97. the seats in '90-'94, especially Signature and Cartier were much softer... the classic American "sink in" seats, while my '96 is more modern seats that you sorta sit on. Also, in '95 some of the suspension was revised to give a firmer ride... the '90-'94 had the classic marshmellow on a pillow ride... my '96 dosen't have that, it dosen't really float, it is smooth, but dosen't float. On top of that, they offered either the Ride Control Package, or Touring package, my car has the Ride Control Package, which adds stiffer shocks and springs, along with thicker sway bars, aux p/s cooler and lower gearing.... so it really dosen't have a real boaty ride, but in the turns it is surprising for a Town Car

I agree, '03+ does look really good. I used to like the '98-'02 styling alot, but when compared to the '03+, not so much.... they are still awesome cars, and will make a great used car bargin in the future.... pick up a now new or 2 year old TC in about 10yrs from now for next to nothing!

As for the digital dash... it's personal preference... I really like digital dashes, so for me, that is a major bonus... pretty much any car with a digital dash is a step up in my book.... not everyone likes them tho

[thebigjimsho]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

Hmmm, general thought on the Lincoln site is that the ride, and espeically seat comfort on the '98+ is not as good as '90-'97.

Although '90-'97, there are two sub categories... '90-'94 and '95-'97. the seats in '90-'94, especially Signature and Cartier were much softer... the classic American "sink in" seats, while my '96 is more modern seats that you sorta sit on. Also, in '95 some of the suspension was revised to give a firmer ride... the '90-'94 had the classic marshmellow on a pillow ride... my '96 dosen't have that, it dosen't really float, it is smooth, but dosen't float. On top of that, they offered either the Ride Control Package, or Touring package, my car has the Ride Control Package, which adds stiffer shocks and springs, along with thicker sway bars, aux p/s cooler and lower gearing.... so it really dosen't have a real boaty ride, but in the turns it is surprising for a Town Car

I agree, '03+ does look really good. I used to like the '98-'02 styling alot, but when compared to the '03+, not so much.... they are still awesome cars, and will make a great used car bargin in the future.... pick up a now new or 2 year old TC in about 10yrs from now for next to nothing!

As for the digital dash... it's personal preference... I really like digital dashes, so for me, that is a major bonus... pretty much any car with a digital dash is a step up in my book.... not everyone likes them tho

We had this one Town Car, a '95 I believe, that wasn't black. It was dark blue, rode a little lower and a little stiffer, had firmer shifts and was a rocket. Car #22.

As for the '98, it was definitely a firmer ride. Better for the driver. But while firmer, it was more refined. The '98 didn't bounce uncontrollably on large freeway dips. It handled much better. But it was still comfortable for the client. I also liked the seats. At least for a couple years before they offered power recline. The seats with a manual lever for the recline didn't need the extra motors underneath and sat lower to the floor. Much more comfortable.

[Night Wolf]

Did that car that rode firmer and felt faster have the 16" slotted wheels (standard Cartier wheels) There is a picture of them in my "celebrating one year" thread.

If so, those wheels along with the 225/60 tires were also part of the Ride Control package... perhaps that car had it?

Hmmm... see my car dosne't bounce much at all... alteast to me, compared to the FWD GM cars, it rides softer, but compared to the RWD DeVille/Fleetwood, it rides alot firmer.

I dunno, seems like these 90's Town Cars are a hit and miss when it comes to ride... '90-'94 is like a whole different car then '95-'97 when it comes to seat and ride comfort/handling... and then with the different handling packages etc... my TC does NOT have the pillow on a marshmellow ride that I thought it would (that I sorta wanted) but I have grown used to it now... but even with the very soft riding Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds, it'll take turns pretty fast, and be in full control. Every other '90-'97 TC I was in before I test drove then to buy one, was a '90-'94.... I remember the cars riding super soft... like 70's land yacht soft, and thats what I thought I would be getting with the '96, but I guess between the changes in '95, plus the ride control package, it made a big difference... cause the car rides nothing like I remember those '90-'94's riding.

maybe thats why the seats sit too high, because of the power recline? I did test drive a '97 Executive and the seat was lower, like GM low... the Executive had manual recline, my Signature has power recline/power lumbar.... maybe that answers my question on why the seat sits so high... that stinks though, as I like the power recline.

I'm sure the '98+ would quickly grow on me if I had one.... but when I look at mine and the newer ones next to each other, I like the '96 more in almost every category... I was looking at an '04ish TC at the dealer, and it was nice, but when I got back in my '96... I dunno, I guess I just like the styling more, plus the digidash I'd like to look at an '06?+ TC in person tho with the tach, see how I like the new interior.

[thebigjimsho]

Yeah, that's a complaint I've had about the Town Car seats for awhile is that they sit too high. With the motors for the power recline, they have to raise the seat. If you can find an older TC with manual recline, you'd like the seats better...

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

My ideal Town Car would be a 1994 Signature Series in Black with a tan (parchment ) leather interior. Or perhaps with a burgundy leather interior..... Or heck, I think 1994 was the last year you could have the white leather interior.

Those seats.....are just to die for.


Just like this, but two years newer.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-...QQcmdZViewItem

Because if I was to buy a Town Car, I would want it to be the most extravant, plush, comfy, over the top, baroque Town Car imaginable. Forget "roadability" or "handling"....it's all about the bounce.

[Night Wolf]

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

My ideal Town Car would be a 1994 Signature Series in Black with a tan (parchment ) leather interior. Or perhaps with a burgundy leather interior..... Or heck, I think 1994 was the last year you could have the white leather interior.

Those seats.....are just to die for.


Just like this, but two years newer.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-...QQcmdZViewItem

Because if I was to buy a Town Car, I would want it to be the most extravant, plush, comfy, over the top, baroque Town Car imaginable. Forget "roadability" or "handling"....it's all about the bounce.

Sadly thats the exact ride/seat comfort I had in mind when I got the '96..... I don't want to say disapointed..... but it took a while to get used to the way my car rides. But, yeah, of those era cars I've been in, you sink in the seats and the car just flat out floats... just like they did in the 70's

I wanted the soft ride, hence my choice in tires, which really helped to soften the ride at the expense of some handling... but at the same time, I like my car having the ride control package, so I don't want to start swapping out parts.

Yeah, the seat height is one of my biggest complaints overall about the car, well, I'm used to it now, but still, it is all the way down, and I still feel it's too high.... all my GM cars I was able to really get it low.

Only seats with manual recline are executive, I don't want to swap those into my Signature... lesser quality and more bland pattern... ah well....

I'd like to drive a '94 Signature like pictured to compared ride and seat comfort sometime.

The good thing is, you can pick these cars up pretty cheap, especially '90-'94.... find one with the air springs bad and the back end is nearly dragging on the ground... people can hardly give them away.... $80 for a coil spring conversion, or about $300 for a complete compressor, dryer and both air springs and you are as good as new... it's not that hard to do either. I was thinking about maybe doing that... once you get the hang of these cars and know the little tricks to working on them, they really aren't all that bad.

[thebigjimsho]

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

My ideal Town Car would be a 1994 Signature Series in Black with a tan (parchment ) leather interior. Or perhaps with a burgundy leather interior..... Or heck, I think 1994 was the last year you could have the white leather interior.

Those seats.....are just to die for.


Just like this, but two years newer.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1992-...QQcmdZViewItem

Because if I was to buy a Town Car, I would want it to be the most extravant, plush, comfy, over the top, baroque Town Car imaginable. Forget "roadability" or "handling"....it's all about the bounce.

I HATED the tiny mirrors, the low-rent Ford steering wheel that I also didn't like in my SHO, the ugly dash, ugly gauges and the everlit CEL...nevermind those seats were probably only comfortable for midgets...oh wait...

[thebigjimsho]

I like the seats in newer TCs better. And what I really like is the single, large center armrest, instead of "Captain's chairs" type armrests. Much more comfortable and supportive for long seat times...

[thebigjimsho]

Now hear this:

I was at the dealer this morning to get my driver's seat fixed. While in there, I asked the asked the service advisor what the difference was in the suspension from my '04 to '07. He told me that what Ford decided to do(gasp!) was to fix a problem they were having for the TCs that were being stretched for limos. Their springs and bags were having problems supporting the weight on a longer, heavier limo.

Because they don't allocate cars directly from the factory to limo conversion companies, they decided to give heavy duty(aka STIFF) springs and bags to EVERY TC that rolled out of Wixom. EVERY SINGLE ONE. I always thought my '07 rode a little higher. Now I know why.

Ford is clueless. The limousine industry is changing rapidly. The longer TC limos have taken a dramatic hit over the last decade. Large SUVs do the gruntwork a 6 passenger limo used to do. Executives don't want to flaunt money. And the larger, more exciting Hummer and SUV limos have eaten the previously popular TC 9-12 passenger, and longer, limos. So for an ever shrinking market, they decided to change every suspension that rolled out of Wixom before they shut down production.

Don't get me wrong, the suspension isn't truck stiff. I still have people tell me how smooth the TC is. But it is still drastically different and almost every chauffeur and TC enthusiast notices. And being so anal about a car I live in every day, it drives me crazy.