Is a Lincoln the same as a Ford?

[MVP1]

Is a Lincoln the same as a Ford? I'm talking about external parts here. Is the engine and drive line basically the same thing? I never trust dealers but a dealer keeps telling us that they use better parts and what not on a Lincoln vehicle then a Ford vehicle. It's more reliable and whatnot. Is this true or is he trying to make a quick sale?

[MkmBandit]

The dealer is talking bs to you. You could take the front clip of a Navigator and swap it onto an f150. Same goes for the Aviator/Explorer. The only differences are cosmetic.

[Spud72]

Yes. It is Ford.

[ES_Revenge]

Sure Lincoln is Ford but there is some truth to what the dealer is telling you. Lincoln is a higher brand and they do use better materials on most of them, and in various places. I'd think mainly the interior though. Major mechanicals like engine and trans, etc. all depend. Some Lincolns may have engines or transmissions specific to those vehicles; some may not. It's farily easy to tell with the engine as if the engine is offered on another Ford, it's likely the exact same engine. If the engine is only offered on Lincolns then it may indeed have quality benefits over other Fords.

That said I have no idea what's wrong with Ford anyway, I don't particularly like many Fords but they certainly aren't poor-quality cars, IMO.

As for what MkmBandit said, that may be true but he's kind of disproving his own point. Sure you can take a Navigator front end and put it on the equivalent Ford it's based on, but that right there is telling you there's different parts (why would you need/desire to swap these parts at all if they were the same? lol).

Though parts like bumpers may appear only cosmetically different, you don't really know what else is going on with them. Lincoln parts may be painted better, for example--with more coats, better paints, and better processes. At the same time it could indeed be exactly the same as any other Ford.

Point is there are diffferences. What exact differences I realy can't tell you but it isn't like they just took a Ford car on the same platform, stuck a Lincoln badge on it and called it something different and said here you go. Brand engineering is certainly going on here but the degree of what is different or better in the Lincolns is up to you to investigate if you really want to know. Try a Lincoln forum for whatever model you're looking at--your questions about similarity to Fords on the same platform are probably better answered there.

[Atomic Chip]

Sure Lincoln is Ford but there is some truth to what the dealer is telling you. Lincoln is a higher brand and they do use better materials on most of them, and in various places.

Better quality chrome trim. :rolleyes:

If the engine is only offered on Lincolns then it may indeed have quality benefits over other Fords.

Elaborate.

As for what MkmBandit said, that may be true but he's kind of disproving his own point. Sure you can take a Navigator front end and put it on the equivalent Ford it's based on, but that right there is telling you there's different parts (why would you need/desire to swap these parts at all if they were the same? lol).

One word: "marketing".

Though parts like bumpers may appear only cosmetically different, you don't really know what else is going on with them. Lincoln parts may be painted better, for example--with more coats, better paints, and better processes. At the same time it could indeed be exactly the same as any other Ford.

Unless Ford is prepared to provide specific, verifiable information regarding those alleged better processes (which Ford should be more than willing to do, since such improvements would be genuine selling features), the wise purchaser will assume that they don't in fact exist.

Point is there are diffferences. What exact differences I realy can't tell you but it isn't like they just took a Ford car on the same platform, stuck a Lincoln badge on it and called it something different and said here you go.

Actually that's a good description of exactly what they do.

Your post would be much more persuasive if you provided actual evidence rather than vague assertions along the lines of "I don't really know but we should all assume that there are real differences".

[CanadianMoFo]

My friend is looking at a Lincoln Mark LT. He's rationalized the purchase with the fact that the bumper to bumper warranty is 20,000km more, and free service (oil changes), and loaner vehicles while his is in for service. Plus the better quality interior and whatnot. For the $4000-5000 difference it might be worth it.

CM

[woodstock827]

My friend is looking at a Lincoln Mark LT. He's rationalized the purchase with the fact that the bumper to bumper warranty is 20,000km more, and free service (oil changes), and loaner vehicles while his is in for service. Plus the better quality interior and whatnot. For the $4000-5000 difference it might be worth it.

CM

Probably gonna need it. :twisted:

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

All Lincolns share platforms with other FoMoCo cars. All SUVs are essentially based on trucks, for all car companies. The MKZ is similar to a Mazda6, the MKS is similar to a Volvo S80, the old LS was essentially the same as a Jag S-type, with the same AJ-V8 engine. None of this really means anything to the driver - different features, suspension, and tuning make for a completely different ride. You should stop worrying about it and buy the car if you like it.

[AzN_RiverdaleCI]

yes, Lincoln is the same as ford, as for external parts, I don't know.

[gherikill]

Lincoln is to Ford as Lexus is to Toyota as Acura is to Honda.

Do Lexus' use better parts than Toyotas? Maybe but I believe the quality control process is better for the more upscale brands.

What vehicle are you considering buying?

If it is a MKZ, it shares the body with the Ford Fusion but the engine is totally different in the Lincoln MKZ.

[MadKickz]

I hate fords and i dont ever wanna own one but How the hell are those lincoln town cars running to 1 million kms using those proppane tanks???

I was coming home from the airport and this dudes towncar had 1 555 555 CLICKS ON THE CARRRRRR....

ORIGINAL ENGINE AND EVERYTHING??

HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE??

[TenzoR]

I hate fords and i dont ever wanna own one but How the hell are those lincoln town cars running to 1 million kms using those proppane tanks???

I was coming home from the airport and this dudes towncar had 1 555 555 CLICKS ON THE CARRRRRR....

ORIGINAL ENGINE AND EVERYTHING??

HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE??

regular maintanence ...

[gherikill]

I hate fords and i dont ever wanna own one but How the hell are those lincoln town cars running to 1 million kms using those proppane tanks???

I was coming home from the airport and this dudes towncar had 1 555 555 CLICKS ON THE CARRRRRR....

ORIGINAL ENGINE AND EVERYTHING??

HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE??

Built Ford tough IMHO.

[qster]

You can run any car over 1,000,000 kms with routine and proper maintenance of all components.

[Atomic Chip]

Built Ford tough IMHO.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Engi-Nir]

Having worked at automotive suppliers(various), all I can say is, we don't treat any one car company different than another...hence the quality is the same across the board, and yes, the mighty toyota/honda now have lots of recalls.....

As far as quality is concerned, Ford/Gm are picking up and picking up fast, cause they have been agressive with quality control over the years, and the recent cars they are out and coming out, you will notice the quality of the cars(mechanical,interior,etc) have drastically improved.

Hence, my family has 2 GM cars and 2 toyoto car, and either have any problems, and driven over 70k. and prior had a gm with 110K when i sold it off for the next gm car. Rotors is a recurring problem regardless off the model, had it with all 4 cars!!!! and GM did it free, and toyota charged me on the corolla.

[corrupt123]

I hate fords and i dont ever wanna own one but How the hell are those lincoln town cars running to 1 million kms using those proppane tanks???

I was coming home from the airport and this dudes towncar had 1 555 555 CLICKS ON THE CARRRRRR....

ORIGINAL ENGINE AND EVERYTHING??

HOW THE HELL IS THAT POSSIBLE??

The platform and engine they use have been around for more than a decade and are known for reliability. Thats why cops, cabbies, and airport limo's all use them.

As for Ford equalling Lincoln, I'm going to agree with ES_Revenge. They're the same company and share many components, but individually they're engineer and/or tuned differently. That means while one might be a pickup tuned for high torque and heavy loads, the other might be the same platform tuned for comfort driving and more standard loads, like a luxury SUV.

[hamant]

get a CTS...

[Engi-Nir]

get a CTS...

+1

[ES_Revenge]

Unless Ford is prepared to provide specific, verifiable information regarding those alleged better processes (which Ford should be more than willing to do, since such improvements would be genuine selling features), the wise purchaser will assume that they don't in fact exist.
Oh give over! What manufacturer does this? Does Infiniti go over all the specific differences from parts that go into Nissans? Does Acura do the same v. Hondas? What about Audi and VW? Cadillac over other GM divisions? None of them do. The proof is only going to come upon inspection of parts and noticing details. For example you sit in a GTI and you sit in an A3 and it should be quite clear which one is the Audi and why. Even looking at the paint, you can see the Audi looks better (they don't even offer the same colours on the two models for example).

The fact is tons of cars are brand engineering going on in the automotive industry in general. Lots of platform sharing. Brand engineering can be simple marketing, yes; but often there's more to it that that. You just have to pay attention to details and investigate things a little further.

No manufacturer is going to outright tell you "hey this part is 3x the quality on our high end brand, and we put this crap made in china part on the regular car" :rolleyes:

Your post would be much more persuasive if you provided actual evidence rather than vague assertions along the lines of "I don't really know but we should all assume that there are real differences".
I said I don't know the specific differences because I don't. We don't even know what Lincoln the OP is talking about, so don't put all the blame on me here for vagueness. There's more than one Lincoln, you know :rolleyes:

Also what I'm saying is based on general experience with many different makes/models of cars, and based on noticing small differnces in platform-shared models in particular. What I'm saying is there are definite differences in many of these cars. Say from Infinitis to Nissans or Ford to Lincoln or whatever.

I didn't say anything about anyone assuming anything either. I said you have to investigate it further, and there will be differences. Be them small and relatively insignificant or large and significant, it doesn't matter. If the OP wants to learn about the specifics they have to look into it. Which is why I recommend tyring a Ford/Lincoln forum for their specific inquiry.

Just coming on here and saying "Uh is there a difference between Ford and Lincoln" is not going to get specifics because it isn't a specific question. OF COURSE there are differences, otherwise they would be the exact same car! They aren't, so there are differences. Again what they are and if/how they relate to quality is to be determined.

[brendonp]

Generally most manufacturers share the same basic platform between various models nowadays - the term is "badge engineering". Making one part using a stricter QC process is simply not economical - it's cheaper to build everything to the same "high" (relative term, I suppose!) standards then to have different ones across the models. In many cases exterior body panels and some interior bits are different, but the basic "important" components (engine/tranny/chassis/etc) are the same on the badge engineered models. VW/Audi actually has a new platform that is supposed to underpin all (yes all!) Audi models - A3, A4, A6, A8 (and the "S"s) could all share the same basic structure, even though they are different shapes/sizes. Even though the prices between the vehicles are significantly different it is simply cheaper to use a smaller number of designs.... On the other hand, domestic vehicles are notorious for using a slew of different interior parts - I believe GM had 30 different types of seat rails (at least up until recently). Honda has 1 across all models.

The one benefit to the end consumer in the case of domestics is that you can often find cheaper parts for your Lincoln from the equivalent Ford vehicle!

[IoannI]

Ford = Lincoln, Mazda, Aston Matin, Land Rover, Jaguar and I believe they also own Volvo

[Engi-Nir]

Ford = Lincoln, Mazda, Aston Matin, Land Rover, Jaguar and I believe they also own Volvo

Correction, aston martin owned by private company used to be Ford Owned....

and land rover/jaguar on sale...

[brendonp]

Ford = Lincoln, Mazda, Aston Matin, Land Rover, Jaguar and I believe they also own Volvo

Here's a great example....

The new LandRover LR2 shares a platform with the Ford Mondeo (Euro only vehicle) and with the outgoing Volvo S80. The S80 & LR2 also share the same 3.2L I6 engine in North America. These are three very different cars on the surface, yet share similar parts under the skin.

Perhaps even stranger - the Dodge Neon and Mini Cooper both shared the same base 2.0L I4 engine! (So Mini on behalf of BMW is using a Chrysler engine - that was owned by Mercedes - looking at it from the parent company's perspective you now have a BMW with a Mercedes engine!)

[blizzah]

Yeah, everyone always bashes on Audi for just being a VW, or Lincoln being a Ford. But these people hold Lexus and Acura and Infiniti like a god, thinking, since they are Japanese, then they must be better and definitely do not share platforms and parts.

Have you looked at a ES and a Camry lately?

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2006/Lexus/100610387/2006.lexus.es330.20027972-396x249.jpg

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/ToyotaCamry20063.jpg

The fact is that all companies will share parts throughout their line, but it is up to you whether you want a Tahoe or Escalade, or whatever choice you are making. If you sit in both and compare them, you will feel they are different vehicles, even though their engines and body arer all similar.

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

Nah, Base MINI engine was/is 1.6L, not 2.0L. The 1.6L was not used in the Neon (although some components are similar). The factory is now owned by the Chinese and the engines go into Cherys. MINI diesels' engines are made by Toyota.

[MVP1]

Thanks for all the info guys.

My family has been looking at a Lincoln Aviator which I believe is based on the Ford Explorer. I know the Lincoln has the nicer interior and nicer body but the dealer told us the internal parts are better and whatnot. I'm pretty sure it's the same thing as the 4.6L Explorer which it is based on. There might be 1 or 2 better parts I guess if any.

[seftonm]

I believe the engines are different between the Aviator and Explorer.

[Engi-Nir]

shares the same platform with ford fusion(hence, can't go wrong, it will be durable)

From motortrend:
the new Aviator boasts a smaller, sleeker profile outside, with two rows of adjustable seating and a host of aviation styled design cues inside. Built on the CD3 platform shared with the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr, the new Aviator has been redesigned as a sport wagon, rather than traditional SUV, targeting the Lexus RX 330. Power will be provided by a 3.5-liter/245-horsepower V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Its rear taillight treatment is intriguing, but beyond that, it looks quite similar to
its future platformmate, the Ford Edge.

[brendonp]

Nah, Base MINI engine was/is 1.6L, not 2.0L. The 1.6L was not used in the Neon (although some components are similar). The factory is now owned by the Chinese and the engines go into Cherys. MINI diesels' engines are made by Toyota.

From Wikipedia (if you trust it!):

In Europe, Australia, Mexico, and Asia, the car had always been sold as a Chrysler, as Dodge and Plymouth passenger cars were not marketed outside the US and Canada. Besides the 2.0 L engine, it also used the same Tritec 1.6 L unit found in the BMW MINI prior to 2007.

For a review of the 1.6 SE Neon (Aussie version): http://www.wheels24.co.za/Wheels24/RoadTests/0,,1369-1373_1234271,00.html

But yes, the factory was sold off, and Mini stopped using the engine during the '07 redesign.

[MVP1]

shares the same platform with ford fusion(hence, can't go wrong, it will be durable)

From motortrend:
the new Aviator boasts a smaller, sleeker profile outside, with two rows of adjustable seating and a host of aviation styled design cues inside. Built on the CD3 platform shared with the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr, the new Aviator has been redesigned as a sport wagon, rather than traditional SUV, targeting the Lexus RX 330. Power will be provided by a 3.5-liter/245-horsepower V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Its rear taillight treatment is intriguing, but beyond that, it looks quite similar to
its future platformmate, the Ford Edge.
I think you're talking about the MKX, they were planning on calling it Aviator but didn't.

The Aviator's from 03-05 are based on the limited Explorers, I believe.