Don't Read this review of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ

[jpd80]

So in the end, Ford should not be too worried either way about the impact of reviews,

good ones are nice to have but in truth, buyers are either well or poorly researched

and in any regard, the test drive will probably "sell" the the car to most buyers..

 

Most reviewers and their websites have self importance exceeding their actual influence over readers,

if motor companies do a half decent advertising campaign to get buyers into the showroom,

good dealerships can take it from there because once a potential buyer is seated

in a car he is open to buying, it becomes ever increasingly hard to say no.

All reviews will fade to gray when a buyer unites with vehicle.

Edited July 27, 2013 by jpd80

[EBFlex]

1 - Nope. If the vehicle were delivered in concours condition, he would've still griped about MLT and the sunroof because, well, an MKZ in perfect condition would have the same sunroof and MLT.

 

2 - Edmunds did the same bellyaching back before the MKZ's final specs were released. They assumed that those tires would not be available.

 

 

 

 

 

They are. And by the way, they're not just mounted on the Ferrari 599. They're also mounted on the BMW M5.

 

And that, by the way, just lets you know the extent to which this review was already written.

 

The tires are a legitimate part of a legitimate option package (the "Handling Package"), that a legitimate customer can actually purchase, and these legitimately available, legitimate tires result in a vehicle that can perform certain instrumented tests on par with the BMW M5, which also comes equipped with these tires.

 

But----again, this basically bolsters my case---our reviewer is not interested in the legitimacy of these tires. Rather, he's content to parrot the outrage of eight-months-ago-Edmunds, and talk about how 'these tires are on the Ferrari 599', as though they were not sold on any other vehicles, and as though they could not be purchased off the rack at any reasonably well stocked metropolitan Michelin retailer. As though, somehow, Ford were guilty of sending out a *ringer*, instead of equipping a vehicle with *actual production tires* that are *actually available on this vehicle.*

 

Thanks for further establishing my point.

 

If a reviewer is going to take Ford to task for sending out a fleet vehicle EQUIPPED WITH OEM TIRES, then Ford had no hope of obtaining a positive review, and should have sent the guy a bag full of angry hornets and an open can of Coke instead.

 

That's certainly one way to look at it.

 

And that review you linked to wasn't very positive at all. I think Lincoln has a lot of work to do both in quality and delivering a true luxury experience. Their biggest battle though is bringing the brand cachet from the bottom of the barrel to where it needs to be. Hopefully it happens sooner than later, but I think a lot of people are understandably skeptical.

Edited July 27, 2013 by EBFlex

[aneekr]

I think Lincoln has a lot of work to do both in quality and delivering a true luxury experience. Their biggest battle though is bringing the brand cachet from the bottom of the barrel to where it needs to be.

 

+1

The "combatants" in that battle are becoming more fortified. If Ford retreats and decides to discontinue the Lincoln brand altogether before the end of the decade, I wouldn't be surprised.

[EBFlex]

+1

The "combatants" in that battle are becoming more fortified. If Ford retreats and decides to discontinue the Lincoln brand altogether before the end of the decade, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

Lincoln cannot be "just as good" as the players in the game. If they want to have any sort of customer base that may actually buy two vehicles from them, they need to offer more for less than the competition. And by "more" I mean unique and useful features, not large moonroofs that are trouble prone and ruin rearward visibility or buttons for the transmission. They need to aim for the Hyundai Genesis area of the market. Lincoln needs to recognize where they stand. Right now, they don't. They overcharge in my opinion.

 

And I agree, I too would not be surprised if Ford pulls the plug. From what we've seen so far, it doesn't appear that Ford is really interested in turning Lincoln around or putting the effort fourth to make it true luxury player.

[RichardJensen]

That's certainly one way to look at it.

 

And that review you linked to wasn't very positive at all. I think Lincoln has a lot of work to do both in quality and delivering a true luxury experience. Their biggest battle though is bringing the brand cachet from the bottom of the barrel to where it needs to be. Hopefully it happens sooner than later, but I think a lot of people are understandably skeptical.

 

I don't care that the review wasn't positive. The point of that link is that the TIRES ARE OEM.

 

And, I can't state this enough, if writers are going to bellyache about Ford 'rigging' the test with OEM tires, then there is no point whatsoever in trying to please them as they will not let themselves be pleased, persuaded, etc.

[RichardJensen]

Lincoln cannot be "just as good" as the players in the game.

 

Are people buying the cars?

 

Good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so sick of people acting like Ford isn't moving fast enough with Lincoln. It's like this people: You don't run car companies, you don't have access to budgets, you have never ran car companies, you have no track record, you have no experience, you have no expertise, you don't know the numbers, you don't know the breakevens. You don't know what market research is showing, you don't know what's coming down the pipe.

 

In short: The stuff you don't know could fill a warehouse.

 

So maybe, just maybe, you don't know enough to judge the viability of Ford's plan.

 

Especially since you don't even know what the plan is.

[RichardJensen]

Once more for good measure:

 

The writer of this review criticized Ford for including OEM tires on the vehicle.

[RichardJensen]

Again:

 

This reviewer criticized Ford for including OEM equipment on this vehicle.

[RichardJensen]

And again, in case the point is not clear enough:

 

This reviewer is complaining about OEM EQUIPMENT.

[Edstock]

From what we've seen so far, it doesn't appear that Ford is really interested in turning Lincoln around or putting the effort fourth to make it true luxury player.

 

Isn't Lincoln's product security wonderful? Especially compared to the European badges you are so in thrall of.

[RichardJensen]

BTW: phrase 'true luxury player' is the very picture of the 'no true Scotsman' fallacy. It allows the person bandying the fallacy about to declare any effort insufficient, and is in its form the equivalent of badgering Ford for sending out a test vehicle equipped with OEM tires.

[Extreme4x4]

That OEM tire thing really annoyed you, didn't it??

 

Come on, don't hold back...................... just tell us how you really feel. LOL

 

I understand completely. I have been enjoying all of the "Ford makes 90% of its profits from F-series sales" fallacy also. You now, like nothing has changed from years ago. You know, like all Ford lines are not profitable.

 

20 years from now, that same statement will still be thrown around as fact.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Why stop there, Gloria? Why not mention exploding gas tanks from years before I was born? Someone probably pulls that up from time to time too...

[aneekr]

Once more for good measure:

 

The writer of this review criticized Ford for including OEM tires on the vehicle.

 

Michelin North America's spec sheet for Pilot Super Sport (attached) does not show any Ford Motor Company OE fitments. I highlighted the size that would presumably fit the MKZ.

 

Additionally, on the Build Your Lincoln MKZ webpage, I was unable to find mention of either "Pilot Sport" or "summer performance" tires as an option. When I selected 19" wheels, all season tires were the only available selection under Tire Type. Are the Pilot Sport tires a region specific option? I used zip code 46075 (Zionsville, Indiana).

Michelin_PSS_TechSpecs.pdf

Edited July 28, 2013 by aneekr

[rmc523]

Lincoln cannot be "just as good" as the players in the game. If they want to have any sort of customer base that may actually buy two vehicles from them, they need to offer more for less than the competition. And by "more" I mean unique and useful features, not large moonroofs that are trouble prone and ruin rearward visibility or buttons for the transmission. They need to aim for the Hyundai Genesis area of the market. Lincoln needs to recognize where they stand. Right now, they don't. They overcharge in my opinion.

 

And I agree, I too would not be surprised if Ford pulls the plug. From what we've seen so far, it doesn't appear that Ford is really interested in turning Lincoln around or putting the effort fourth to make it true luxury player.

 

I'll understand complaints about the roof - I feel there was a better way to do it (why couldn't they make the latter part of the panel that blocks the view clear glass?).

 

---

 

And from what we've seen so far? We've seen ONE car from the brand's revamp so far. Furthermore, a car that was already in development when their new design director was brought in and before all these efforts for the brand were initiated. I'm not sure why everyone is so quick to determine Lincoln's effort based on one car. One step at a time, sheesh.

[akirby]

And from what we've seen so far? We've seen ONE car from the brand's revamp so far. Furthermore, a car that was already in development when their new design director was brought in and before all these efforts for the brand were initiated. I'm not sure why everyone is so quick to determine Lincoln's effort based on one car. One step at a time, sheesh.

 

Because they expect Lincoln to dump billions and try to turn Lincoln around with halo products immediately. You know - like Cadillac.

[02MustangGT]

I used zip code 46075 (Zionsville, Indiana).

Do you live in Zionsville or was that some random zip code you decided to reference?

[RichardJensen]

Are the Pilot Sport tires a region specific option? I used zip code 46075 (Zionsville, Indiana).

 

It's the primary component in the Handling Package

 

Quoting the NYT review:

 

 

Perhaps the oddest option is a $1,565 handling package that includes supercar-worthy Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. So equipped, an all-wheel-drive MKZ tested by Edmunds.com ran the slalom faster than the BMW M5. Edmunds questioned who would buy a Lincoln so equipped, but I love the idea of a rarely ordered performance package that transforms your Lincoln into an M5-beater in the corners. You know, not many people ordered ZL-1 Corvettes in 1969, either.

 

And, I reiterate, grousing about the inclusion of OEM equipment in a test vehicle is proof of journalistic incompetence of one form (ignorance) or another (willful bias)

Edited July 28, 2013 by RichardJensen

[RichardJensen]

Notably, equipped with the *same tires*, the AWD MKZ ran the slalom faster than an M5. And this is a vehicle that does not trade on its performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, please, let us continue to pretend that the MKZ is a dismissable vehicle of questionable value, based on our previous conclusions which we will not--under any circumstances--revise.

Edited July 28, 2013 by RichardJensen

[aneekr]

Do you live in Zionsville or was that some random zip code you decided to reference?

 

To be precise, zip code 46075 is allocated to neighboring Whitestown. I own a residence and a rental property in that town, within the Anson development just north of Indiana Highway 334. It's common to associate this area with Zionsville due to consolidation of governments for Eagle Township, Boone County and the town of Zionsville a few years back.

[aneekr]

It's the primary component in the Handling Package

 

Aha, thanks! That package does appear when I select an AWD MKZ variant on the Build Your Vehicle site (I chose FWD in my previous attempt).

Edited July 28, 2013 by aneekr

[02MustangGT]

aneekr, gotcha, I was mainly curious as I just relocated to Carmel from Ohio recently.

[Extreme4x4]

Why stop there, Gloria? Why not mention exploding gas tanks from years before I was born? Someone probably pulls that up from time to time too...

 

You still see mention of the Focus recalls from 2000 or so. Why not. LOL

[Hugh]

I can't find the handling package on the D37 AWD here in Canada. It's probably lost in the literature somewhere.

[Hugh]

Because they expect Lincoln to dump billions and try to turn Lincoln around with halo products immediately. You know - like Cadillac.

Just like Ford was foolish to sell JLR and AM. Just use those products to make 'real' Lincoln products