akirby

Why not jump to the AWD MKZ?

But it certainly has the capability to do that in the near future. It's basically an on-board PC so adding other features should be easy.

Does the word Sync ring a bell? http://www.syncmyride.com

Pay attention.....I didn't say it was a good decision, only that it was the reason why the LS was neglected and left to die. Cause and effect.

For the 27,000th time - the LS was the first vehicle of several including a 3 and 7 series competitor. It was planned to be sold in Europe. When the Firestone fiasco hit Ford they slashed Lincoln's budget and they had to cancel all the other vehicles including European sales. At that point it was a lame duck. The lack of advertising and other neglect came after all that.

The SUVs have them on the black part of the door window trim or the B pillar. I heard the new MkS either has it hidden like that or it's using a new Smart Key system.

EPA certification, crash testing, new repair parts. PCM development and testing. It's definitely not free. Only way to cost justify it would be from a marketing standpoint. No way you can make a stand alone business case.

Lincoln stopped advertising it AFTER they cancelled plans to sell it in Europe and to make other variants off the same platform essentially leaving it stranded on a too expensive platform with no other vehicles below or above it. Lack of advertising was the result, not the cause.

Some tires are more prone than others. Try putting an extra 2-4 lbs of air in each tire - that should help.

Almost, if not all states - but the actual laws do differ from state to state. The online article I found was specifically for Arizona, if that helps.

Apparently you weren't listening earlier. Automobile dealers have very specific state laws that specifically prohibit auto manufacturers from dictating or controlling prices in addition to other restrictions like not selling cars directly to the public and not allowing other dealerships to be opened within X miles, etc. etc. Other franchises do not have the same legal protection. I once asked the Lincoln VP of Marketing (who owned and fully supported the LS) why they didn't just force each Lincoln dealer to stock one manual transmission Lincoln LS for test drives. He said "because they would throw me in jail". Not really, but the point was that it is illegal under most state laws.

I have no sympathy for stupid customers nor do I think they have to be catered to as if they had done nothing wrong. The difference here is if you buy an Izod shirt from Macy's and have a poor sales or service experience - you blame Macy's, not Izod.

For the record, I don't have a problem with retail pricing. If people are willing to pay that much then go for it. It's not gouging if it's voluntary. My issue is with the dealers that give subpar warranty service or who use shady sales tactics or do anything else the reflects poorly on Ford Motor Company. Ford should be allowed to protect it's name since it's on the dealership sign. Just think of all the complaints about how "I'll never buy another Ford" because the dealer screwed up some warranty repair. One bad apple......

It's not just that - it's also having something new for folks to trade in for or do a lease roll over. If I lease a 2006 Fusion for 3 years and the 2009 model is virtually identical - then I may go get an Accord or Camry or Altima or something that's different and new. If there is a redesigned Fusion available then I might stick with Ford. That is why Honda's 2/4 yr cycle was so successful. Minor facelift after 2 years, new car after 4 years. Contrast that with the Taurus that went virtually unchanged for a decade. The Edge is going to keep a lot of Ford customers that would have otherwise defected to an import or other domestic just because Ford didn't have a vehicle they wanted. Same will be true of the new B car if it's done right. This is no longer a segment that sells on price - people want features and performance - just in a smaller, more efficient package. Leave the cheap stuff to the Koreans and Chinese.

Actually the 3.5L only adds 63 lbs over the 3.0L (comparing the 06 Zephyr 3.0 with the 07 MKZ 3.5L). Remember that the MKZ will get the Lincoln 3.7L - probably for 09.

Ford wishes they had more control over the dealers also, but the fact is the state auto franchise laws specifically prevent Ford and other manufacturers from exercising any control over the dealers. Any attempt by Ford to control retail prices or dealer supply would be met with an immediate lawsuit - which the dealer would win. Ford is between a rock and a hard place with the dealer network. Too bad they can't just start over with new dealers and new rules.

I also heard that when a new LS came off the line at Wixom the first thing they did was park it on a dyno and floor it. That should tell you something.

Actually most of the Ford trannies only learn shift pressures, not shift points. They compare the time required to complete a certain shift at a certain RPM with the factory spec and adjust the pressure if necessary to keep it within spec. This allows adjustment for manufacturing tolerances and for wear over the life of the transmission. I know this is true for the 5R55 trannies in the LS, Tbird and Explorers. Many people misinterpret this to mean that it adapts to the style of driving but it doesn't. I know the engineer who was in charge of the software for those trannies and that's how they work. Some of the newer Ford trannies might have adaptive shift points but I doubt it.

I think your biggest problem was #2. I'm in Atlanta and mine is FWD so I don't have any experience but others have stated that their AWD fusions handle ice and snow very well. In your case I would recommend a good set of winter wheels and tires (you can get 16" winter wheel and tire packages for $800 or less).

Not trying to flame you, but why did it not occur to you to check the owner's manual? The answer is right there in the glovebox. It probably says to vary the engine RPM for the first few hundred miles - meaning don't put it on cruise on the interstate and leave it there for 2 hours.

Probably because it doesn't exist.

Did any of those people actually buy something else? Most of the complaints are just people parroting what they read in Motor Trend or folks that you stirred up with your constant criticism. The vast majority of the buying public doesn't know and doesn't care about the 60-0 numbers just like they don't care about 0-60 or skidpad performance. They drive it, they like it, they buy it. Yes, the Edge takes 10-12 feet longer to stop than other similar vehicles. But it's not unsafe as you keep trying to say, and it's not affecting sales.

No, it's turned off ONE customer (you). Everyone else seems fine with it, as evidenced by the sales.

Yes. Once the brake system generates enough force to lock up the wheels then the only variable is the friction between the tire and the road. More friction = shorter stops. New pads or other brake system changes can get you to lockup sooner but after that it's still the tires doing the work. A suspension change that keeps the weight more evenly distributed would also help.

Next year. It's only "needed" for paper comparisons and magazine tests. They're selling all they can make right now with almost no incentives. How many more could they possibly sell with the 3.5L? They need the extra time to ramp up production on the 3.5L.