xgman Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 The media really seems to basically hate the MKZ. I guess time will tell, but I'm getting the feeling everyone in the media wants Lincoln to go bye bye. Personally I have some complaints about the car that mimic what they are saying in general, but I still find the alternatives less acceptable. Anyway, don't expect any decent resale value of this car. They simply won't allow it no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Is there anyone home at Lincoln PR? Well, at this point, the only thing left to do really is let the sales speak for themselves. April's results should be pretty revealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 (edited) Anyway, don't expect any decent resale value of this car. They simply won't allow it no matter what. I don't know. By the time they hit the used market in any significant numbers, the public and media will likely have long forgotten about the launch delays. Edited April 17, 2013 by NickF1011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgman Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I don't know. By the time they hit the used market in any significant numbers, the public and media will likely have long forgotten about the launch delays. But the media will go on hating Lincoln no matter what. Seems to be the trend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschmitt3 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 But the media will go on hating Lincoln no matter what. Seems to be the trend. Remember - the only thing that matters is that we like our vehicles and feel good about purchase ... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 But the media will go on hating Lincoln no matter what. Seems to be the trend. The media was on an obsessed hatefest about Ford Motor Company a few years ago too and we see how that one has turned out so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serraph Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Here is another review and possible one of our forum members Tanner? They mention Phoenix which if I remember correctly that's where your car was headed. woohoo a celeb!!! :happy feet: http://www.freep.com/article/20130421/COL14/304210152/Mark-Phelan-Can-MKZ-carry-luxury-brand-s-relaunch- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galangg Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Here is another review and possible one of our forum members Tanner? They mention Phoenix which if I remember correctly that's where your car was headed. woohoo a celeb!!! :happy feet: http://www.freep.com/article/20130421/COL14/304210152/Mark-Phelan-Can-MKZ-carry-luxury-brand-s-relaunch- Yep, that's Tanner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 (edited) The NYTimes weighs in with its review. It, as many do, generally has praise for the MKZ, but again points out that a "volume" 4 cylinder MKZ similarly optioned to a Fusion is $8000 more and, in the reviewers opinion, that's perhaps a bit too steep (I personally think it should be 5-6K more). Don't just dismiss this as a more-of-the-same piece, however, as there are some differences: The writer is an MKT owner who loves his car... It's an excellently written piece by a far more knowledgeable than standard auto journalist for a first tier general publication... It's written for a paper that is in one of Lincoln's largest markets... The author seems to have genuine affection for the MKZ while being sympathetic to the impact of Ford's democratization of luxury features across its line... Here are some excerpts: "Curse you, Fusion!" "With active noise cancellation and a suspension system that continuously adjusts its dampers, the MKZ is quiet and composed." "Mostly, the MKZ comes across as a creative exercise in spinning two cars from one. It’s as if two automotive Iron Chefs were given the same ingredients but each concocted a slightly different dish. I made a soufflé of Fusion! Well, I made a mid-lux MKZ casserole with an active-noise-reduction sauce and push-button-transmission garnish." And he fairly summarizes: "The MKZ is great-looking and competitive with its peer set, but Lincoln would have done well to play it cool and let the car win some accolades instead of pre-emptively acting as if it’s the best thing since the 1961 Continental. What Lincoln needs is at least one car to call its own, one model that you can’t find on the Ford side of the lot — say, stretch the Mustang platform into a four-door coupe and give it a 400-horsepower EcoBoost V-6. Until a car like that arrives, the question attached to any Lincoln will be very simple: is this car different enough from its Ford twin? In the case of the MKT EcoBoost, I voted in the affirmative." I added the link to the master list on page 1. Its a very worthy read... Also of note across the review world is that ink is starting to flow about Kia's $25K Forte, which is chocked full of lux features. Automobile Magazine writers gush: It has power folding mirrors; touchscreen navigation system; heated front seats, rear outboard seats, and steering wheel; and LED accents. Granted, Kia is always ahead of the curve on equipment, but the truth is the American compact car is evolving at warp speed... I drove the 2014 Kia Forte for the first time and I’m absolutely blown away... I don’t have a single significant complaint about this car. I suspect Nissan dealers are very afraid of the Forte. Edited April 27, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanner83 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Yep, that's Tanner Boy nothing gets by you guys does it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 A new, somewhat lightweight, but overall positive MKZ review from Auto Media has been added to the master list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgman Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 From Autoblog Green: Demand for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is strong enough that Ford will change the production mix from 20 percent to 30 percent hybrids for the 2014 model year.It's part of an overall MKZs comeback, which saw sales increase in April sales now that the car is no longer quite as slow to roll of the line. MKZ sales more than doubled last month, hitting the 4,000 units sold mark for the first time and setting an all-time monthly sales record for the Lincoln brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Good to hear the Hybrid is so popular and Ford is responding accordingly. The dealers around here can't keep them in stock despite having as many as 300 conventional gas models on the lot. Hope this also increases the chances of a MKC Hybrid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Cadillac hybrid sales: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serraph Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Good to hear the Hybrid is so popular and Ford is responding accordingly. The dealers around here can't keep them in stock despite having as many as 300 conventional gas models on the lot. Hope this also increases the chances of a MKC Hybrid. We're hoping it was AWD as well. A lot of newer SUV type are or already have AWD. On another note, Lincoln sent us another postcard on the MKC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 This article from the Consumer Reports blog about Jaguar delivery should be read by the Lincoln folks, who should consider cribbing this for their "luxury experience." Here's an excerpt: "Hello, Kitty: Welcoming the convenience of our Jaguar XF home delivery Apr 23, 2013 4:30 PM We just bought a 2013 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD for testing, and the dealership offered a welcome bit of concierge service: delivery to my home... We arranged a time, and at the appointed hour, lo and behold, here came our new Jag, followed by a second vehicle that the two delivery guys would drive back in. I did a quick inspection to see that everything was correct, and then we moved to my dining room to complete the purchase. The whole transaction took less than 10 minutes... Besides saving a 70-mile round trip, this process spared me a last-minute pitch for an extended warranty, paint sealant, or some other nonsense—an ordeal that often drags out the transaction at a dealership... the convenience was unbeatable." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 From Autoblog Green: Demand for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is strong enough that Ford will change the production mix from 20 percent to 30 percent hybrids for the 2014 model year. It's part of an overall MKZs comeback, which saw sales increase in April sales now that the car is no longer quite as slow to roll of the line. MKZ sales more than doubled last month, hitting the 4,000 units sold mark for the first time and setting an all-time monthly sales record for the Lincoln brand. still thinking ALL LincolnMercury vehicles should be variously electrified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 Brutal new Autoweek hybrid review... I read the last paragraph and couldn't stomach reading the rest. Someone else brave enough to do so and report in? Very surprising considering their early reviews of the car were very positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetang Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Autoweek is falling fast, they'd say this car shot Kennedy if it got them readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Auto-every-other-week is falling fast, they'd say this car shot Kennedy if it got them readers. FTFY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted May 13, 2013 Author Share Posted May 13, 2013 The USA Today review is in and is far more positive than has been the recent norm. However the usually solid James R. Healey seemed to have missed reading most of, oh, well, I guess all of Lincoln's promotional material by asking why the car isn't sportier, and criticizes the dash shifter for not giving that zoom-zoom type of sensation, saying the push buttons are... ...no fun. MKZ is supposed to be sporty. It needs a transmission lever to use for manual gear changes in manual mode, or simply to hold because it feels right. Shift paddles on the steering wheel aren't the same. They work, but they, too, are no fun. No, it's not supposed to be sporty. It goes to show you how much the reviewers bring of themselves to these reviews. Again, though, more positive than usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 The USA Today review is in and is far more positive than has been the recent norm. However the usually solid James R. Healey seemed to have missed reading most of, oh, well, I guess all of Lincoln's promotional material by asking why the car isn't sportier, and criticizes the dash shifter for not giving that zoom-zoom type of sensation, saying the push buttons are... No, it's not supposed to be sporty. It goes to show you how much the reviewers bring of themselves to these reviews. Again, though, more positive than usual. He probably still misses the much maligned J-gate shifter in Jags of old too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgman Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 (edited) Brutal new Autoweek hybrid review... I read the last paragraph and couldn't stomach reading the rest. Someone else brave enough to do so and report in? Very surprising considering their early reviews of the car were very positive. I'll have to agree with them on the somewhat muddy sounding THX stereo though. Aside from that, the reader comments were mostly very positive compared to the article. Then again maybe all reader comments run contrary to the opinion of the writer of any article no matter which viewpoint the author takes. Just always seems to be the case to me. Edited May 14, 2013 by xgman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Well, well, well, what do we have here? Two positive reviews hit the web in the last 24 hours! The first is from the Luxury Blog The Pursuitist, which has a hybrid review (and some nice photos I haven't seen elsewhere). The second is from the Miami Herald and happily was widely syndicated around the media world. This link is from the Sacramento Bee. Both have been added to the now large master list at the top of the thread. The absolute rock solid trends of all the reviews to date are simple. Those who judge the car on its own merits tend to really like it, if not finding it class leading. Those expecting a product for the ages to single handedly change Lincoln's fortunes tend to be disappointed. Those expecting an autobahn burning neo-German that will out-slalom a BMW M car tend to, oh, wait, it did do that... (and didn't stop them from disliking it). The happy trend in my opinion has been in the comments section of negative reviews. There, both '13 MKZ owners and admirers alike, from all demographics, have spoken up to criticize the prose and defend the car. Very nice to see some backlash against the hater reviews... I am also awaiting the dropping of the Consumer Reports MKZ review, as their preliminary comments have been very positive. It's still listed as "In testing." I have yet to see a review in the Canadian press as well. I'm especially awaiting for Autos.ca to weigh in, as I find their reviewing in general to be far more balanced, nuanced, and product focused than the more brand focused US media outlets. Edited May 18, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankjost Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Consumer Reports full review is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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