You are here: Forums Sedans Mainstream Large Sedans Comparison

Mainstream Large Sedans Comparison

6844 messages,  Last post on Mar 23, 2009 at 12:32 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Buick Lucerne, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, Pontiac G8, Car Comparisons, Sedan

#6550 of 6844 Avalon Limited vs Lincolm MKZ by fool1717 Jun 26, 2008 (8:28 am)
I currently own a 1999 Cadillac Deville, which I love. I’m looking for a new car priced in the $30s with an emphasis on comfort and feature richness, that runs on regular gas. I’d like to have a built-in nav system on the car, and I’m not a fan of sunroofs. That leaves me with the Avalon Limited and Lincoln MKZ as my 2 top choices. This is what I see as the big differences between them:   Av Limited pros: quality interior components, proven resale value Av Limited cons: sunroof standard, poor nav system   MKZ pros: most features standard, good nav system, sunroof optional MKZ cons: cheap interior components   Note that I have yet to drive either car. I suspect their rides will be fairly similar, and both will provide all the power I need for normal city and interstate driving.   A big criticism of the 2008 MKZ was its lack of stability control; that will come standard in the 2009 MKZ. Anyone know what changes are in store for the 2009 Limited?   Another choice may be the 2009 Lincoln MKS, but it is priced at the upper end of my desired range, and I am leery of buying a first-year vehicle.   Any comments regarding the Avalon Limited vs Lincoln MKZ (or MKS) are welcome. Replies to this message: louiswei (Jun 26, 2008 8:58 am) allmet33 (Jun 26, 2008 1:12 pm) louiswei (Jun 26, 2008 1:27 pm) tonycd (Jun 26, 2008 11:07 am)
#6551 of 6844 Re: Avalon Limited vs Lincolm MKZ [fool1717] by louiswei Jun 26, 2008 (8:58 am)
Replying to: fool1717 (Jun 26, 2008 8:28 am) I would put the ES350 in that list as well. Currently an ES350 with premium plus package, HID and nav has a $40k MSRP but can be had for $36k ($500 over invoice) according to Edmunds.   The reason I throw in the ES is because it is a better competitor to the MKZ in my opinion. Replies to this message: allmet33 (Jun 26, 2008 1:12 pm) louiswei (Jun 26, 2008 1:27 pm)
#6552 of 6844 Re: On a side-note... [jontyrees] by brucelinc Jun 26, 2008 (10:51 am)
Replying to: jontyrees (Jun 25, 2008 10:36 am) Regarding your transmission question, here is what the owner's manual says:   Your transaxle is equipped with an adaptive learning strategy found in the vehicle computer. This feature is designed to increase durability and provide consistent shift feel over the life of the vehicle. A new vehicle or transaxle may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and will not affect function or durability of the transaxle. Over time, the adaptive learning process will fully update transaxle operation.   I am not sure about learning from the driver's habits but I have noticed a pretty substantial change in behavior between brand new and 7000 miles. With the miles, it has become more responsive and fuel economy improved, as well. Replies to this message: thegraduate (Jun 26, 2008 10:53 am)
#6553 of 6844 Re: On a side-note... [brucelinc] by thegraduate Jun 26, 2008 (10:53 am)
Replying to: brucelinc (Jun 26, 2008 10:51 am) Cool - I did NOT know that. I'll pass that on to my folks. Thanks for dictating that for us, bruce.
#6554 of 6844 Re: Avalon Limited vs Lincoln MKZ [fool1717] by tonycd Jun 26, 2008 (11:07 am)
Replying to: fool1717 (Jun 26, 2008 8:28 am) Boy, I'm not a fan of the Lincolns. I wanted to like the MKZ, but as you suggest in your pro/con list, it just exudes cheapness inside. The Avalon is not only nicer and more spacious by a mile, its V6 also offers the best compromise of power and economy in the industry. Add in its high owner satisfaction despite some niggling problems, and it's a combination that's tough to beat.   By the way, I dislike sunroofs too. I don't want to pay for them, they eat up headroom I need, and they introduce another chance for problems. That said, the Azera Limited (sunroof standard) has so much headroom that I find I can still sit in it comfortably. In all other regards, the car seems to fit your requirements precisely -- except for your insistence on paying over $30,000.
#6555 of 6844 Re: Avalon Limited vs Lincolm MKZ [louiswei] by allmet33 Jun 26, 2008 (1:12 pm)
Replying to: louiswei (Jun 26, 2008 8:58 am) Hey Louiswei...you can also throw the Genesis V-6 in there as well. Not sure if you can get it without the sunroof though, however...it would seem to foot the bill nicely as well.   Genesis Review Replies to this message: louiswei (Jun 26, 2008 1:27 pm)
#6556 of 6844 Re: Avalon Limited vs Lincolm MKZ [allmet33] by louiswei Jun 26, 2008 (1:27 pm)
Replying to: allmet33 (Jun 26, 2008 1:12 pm) Agreed.   I would probably take the Genesis over all those three.
#6557 of 6844 2008 Taurus SEL New Purchase by thegraduate Jun 28, 2008 (7:23 pm)
Hi all. My folks purchased their new Ford Taurus SEL today. It is equipped with leather, the convenience package (Auto Headlamps, Power Driver's Seat, Dual Climate Control, 6CD/MP3), SYNC, and Sirius Radio. MSRP - $26,615. See it here.   First, the pricing.   Was given an initial offer of $22,000 Out the Door, and after passing it on to my folks, they were happy with that. No negotiating necessary. The breakdown on pricing looks like this:   2008 Ford Taurus SEL, Silver Birch over Stone, 21 miles on the vehicle.   MSRP : $26,615 Dealer Price : $24,844 Customer Cash : - $2,000 Manufacturer to Dealer Cash : -$2,000 Doc Fee - $199 TTL - $957   APR - 4.54% (Fantastic Credit)   Final Price - $22,000 OTD   As far as how the car drives, today was my first chance to drive it. A few short thoughts (as it was a short drive, after all)...   Powertrain: More than enough power. I felt like I just "wafted" to 50 mph. Shifts are incredibly smooth; smoother than the 2008 LE-V6 Camry I drove recently; probably the smoothest transmission I've ever experienced, actually. I "got on it" from a light, and it didn't make a fuss, it just "went." Quietly. Engine noise is very muted; most of what you do hear is the exhaust note, which is quiet, and has a nice husky sound to it. Very smooth-sounding; as smooth as our 3.5L Honda we had. Throttle tip-in is gentle; appropriate for a car this size. Interestingly, when accelerating on an on-ramp onto I-59 (70mph limit) I didn't "nail" the throttle, but instead accelerated like I normally would. The car stayed below 3,000 RPM, but had my dad (who at the time was sitting behind me) saying "easy there, cowboy - we want to buy it, you don't have to force us too by driving fast and wrecking. My mother actually told him "he's not gunning it; it is just a quick car!"   Handling/Ride: Steering is much too light for my tastes, but for a large highway car it should be just fine. I'm used to sportier Honda tuning. It felt accurate, linear, and quite easy to drive. It handled bumpy I-59 with only muted "thumps" from the suspension. No real floatiness, although the nose does pitch-up more than I'm used to upon hard acceleration (probably because it accelerates harder than my 4-cyl Accord!). Something that stood out to me was its tight turning radius. Surprising, really, in a car this size. I didn't do any "cornering" but in my test drive I felt more secure than in the Camry I drove not long ago, and rode as well.   Braking: A pleasant surprise. I was expecting the mushy pedal I experienced in the Toyota; wrong. While not as grabby as my 2006 Honda Accord, the brakes were firm enough, with feel that was well-modulated. I felt instantly comfortable driving this car in traffic, unlike the Toyota, or even my Honda (my Accord has very touchy brakes, and take some getting used to).   Features/Interior: Sync is a pleasure. The dealer even set up my folks' cell-phones, and showed them how to use it, having each of them execute commands from the driver's seat until they fully understood how it worked. Interior room is obviously unmatched by many others. The rear seat of the SEL model does not have adjustable rear headrests, so neck support is lacking for me in the back (I'm 6'5"). My mom was just fine (5'5") however. The rear bench sits well-off the ground at chair height, as do the front buckets. Those front buckets have little lateral support, but make for easy ingress and egress, and should suit this car just fine. The lack of a telescoping wheel was no big deal (sure, it should have it at this price, but it's placement was great). Materials such as the wood-grain aren't going to make anyone think this is a Lexus, but there was enough soft-touch plastic and well-damped buttons to make this car feel more expensive than it's $22,000 price; especially given the features. The leather is soft and perforated; interior color: stone. Stereo sound quality from the more basic 6CD system (not the Audiophile one) is better than adequate; at least as good as that in my Honda if not better.   I'll have more chances to drive this car as time goes on, but wanted to share my experience with it today. I already thought this car had a lot going for it on paper, but as a Honda guy I thought it might feel like an 80% effort. I was wrong. It is an 80% price for 100% good car. Give it a look.   Thanks,   TheGraduate
#6558 of 6844 Taurus Maintenance by thegraduate Jun 28, 2008 (7:32 pm)
Is there an oil life monitor in the new Taurus? My folks just bought their car, but won't pick it up until Monday, and are curious about the oil change intervals. Our Hondas have a monitor that counts engine RPM and monitors engine conditions to determine when oil changes should be done. Does the Taurus have anything like this? If not, what are the recommended intervals?   Also, is there a timing belt, or timing chain?   Thanks! Replies to this message: alexstore (Jun 29, 2008 9:56 am) auld_dawg (Jun 29, 2008 7:00 pm) thegraduate (Jun 29, 2008 7:45 pm) thegraduate (Jul 01, 2008 11:07 am) and 5 more...
#6559 of 6844 Re: Taurus Maintenance [thegraduate] by alexstore Jun 29, 2008 (9:56 am)
Replying to: thegraduate (Jun 28, 2008 7:32 pm) EDMUNDS HAS MAINTENANCE INTERVAL YOU CAN LOOK THERE

You are here: Forums Sedans Mainstream Large Sedans Comparison