Just want to say thanks!

[Smokestone10]

I just wanted to say thanks to the MKZ Forum and it's members. I think I've used the search feature here to find things out about my car more often than the owner's manual, not to mention I've found out quite a bit of "real world" things to know and look out for from others. Maybe the joint isn't exactly jumping, but this seems like a pretty relaxed group of helpful people who love the little Lincoln. I'm hoping we're still all here in about eight years when a decent, relatively-low-mile 2018 Black Label has (hopefully) depreciated enough to be within my financial reach. ?

[Chris109]

Why wait?  Go into (deeper) debt.  It's the American way.  If it's good enough for the government, it's good enough for the serfs. 

[Under200]

28 minutes ago, Chris109 said:

Why wait?  Go into (deeper) debt.  It's the American way.  If it's good enough for the government, it's good enough for the serfs. 

Haha......No kidding.  While not economy priced a year old Lincoln is one of the best bargains out there.  I paid $15K less than what it went for just one year ago new.  Lincoln CPO's are very good deals.  Was happy to let the previous owner take the big depression hit.    

[Smokestone10]

2 hours ago, Chris109 said:

Why wait?  Go into (deeper) debt.  It's the American way.  If it's good enough for the government, it's good enough for the serfs. 

Please don't tempt me. ?

[Chris109]

18 hours ago, Smokestone10 said:

Please don't tempt me. ?

Some people say a man is made outta mud
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong

 

You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

[Smokestone10]

The local dealer does have a pretty nice, blue AWD MKZ on the lot right now...

... or for a mere five grand more do I go with the Connie...

[bbf2530]

1 hour ago, Smokestone10 said:

The local dealer does have a pretty nice, blue AWD MKZ on the lot right now...

... or for a mere five grand more do I go with the Connie...

Hi Smokestone.  Both are very nice cars. I cross shopped both before ordering my MKZ.  I could not get all the options I wanted in the Continental without having to also order a moonroof.  And I don't care for moonroofs. Also didn't need a larger car. So for me, it was a matter of the option packages available and not needing a larger car like the Continental.

Have you driven both? Take a long test drive in both and see what you think.

[MKZMark]

Are they used? If I was buying used I'd definitely get the Connie. The Z is nice though.

[Izzy3906]

Just do a vote session.  I say Connie.  That puts it 2-0 in favor of Connie.

[1984Poke]

If money is no object, go for the Continental but for me, personally, I would go for the ‘Z as it’s blue (and the ‘Z costs less and is a very good design) and as I don’t “do” red colors.

[bbf2530]

Hi Smokestone. Adding a little to my previous reply. If you are serious about purchasing either of these cars, it is important to remember that we can not just compare prices. Yes, we can see what look like window stickers in the photos, but that means nothing. We have no information about whether they are new or used, what model year they are, how either car is equipped, are the asking prices reasonable. etc. 

Is it a relatively loaded MKZ and a base model Continental, vice-a-versa or somewhere in between? We can see the wheel styles and that neither car has LED headlights (which pretty much eliminates either being fully loaded or top trim levels). But other than that and colors, what other equipment do these cars have?

Just some more food for thought if you are serious about purchasing either of those cars.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by bbf2530

[Under200]

Do it!!.....Get the mkz.  Same color as mine and I love it.  Am sure the Continental is amazing but I cannot get over those spaceship looking seats and the rear end is not my cup of tea.

[1984Poke]

bbf, I would posit that not having the LED lights doesn’t necessarily mean the MKZ is not well-equipped (at least not with the 2019 ‘Z models). 

You are doubtless correct that lack of LED lights on an MKZ would mean it’s not “fully” equipped because, in my view, that term means it has pretty much all of the options, bells, and whistles.

I can’t speak to the Continental as I haven’t been in the market for one of those, but I placed an order for a 2019 MKZ Reserve II one week ago today, and I can speak to that model.

As I recall, there are only 7 real options available on the 2019 MKZ Reserve II (other than accessories like cargo organizers, ash/coin cups, etc.), and 3 of those options are packaged together such that a customer cannot get one without the other two.

The only true options available on the 2019 Reserve II MKZ are cargo net, engine block heater, inflatable rear seat belts, all weather floor liners, and the 3 items packaged together: panoramic sliding glass roof, 20 speaker Revel system, and LED headlights.

(And I would happily have ordered and paid extra for the 20-speaker Revel system and LED lights for my ‘19 ‘Z—but NOT if that meant being forced to get the sliding glass roof, too.  That was a deal-breaker for me.)

Everything else—and I do mean everything else—is included in the price of the ‘19 ‘Z Res II, and that includes massaging front seats, moonroof, 14-speaker Revel system, heated steering wheel, windshield wiper deicer, rear power sunshade, auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, 7-spoke wheels, soft-close trunk lid, navigation system, etc.  

Oh, and paint color I guess also counts as an option for which one would have to pay extra, depending on the color chosen.

My point is that an MKZ can be quite well-equipped even without the LED headlights.

[Smokestone10]

Both are new, the MKZ is a little more "loaded" than the Connie- thus why the MSRP'S are so close. I have no real interest in buying either, the 2010 is just fine for me for the time being. That and I have to be blunt... I'm really not fond of the dashboards in either car. I can't even pick a favorite between the two. It looks like it was designed by the same people who did the Romulan ship sets for Star Trek. ? Since the dashboard is the thing I'll spend the most time looking at in the car, an ugly dash design is a deal-breaker for me. Not that I'd even call it ugly... maybe more like weird? Maybe by the time these cars are as old as my MKZ is now I'll have learned to like the interior style a bit more. Or maybe the next-gen Connie and/or the MKZ replacement's dashes will be so hideous that the current one will look downright sedate. And there's the fact that even the worst Lincoln is still better looking on the outside than anything in Cadillac's lineup. 

If I had to pick between just those two cars at the local dealer, I think I'd go with the MKZ. I kind of like the Connie's rear styling better, but I'm really not feeling that color the Connie at Navarre is painted. That and the whole "five grand cheaper" part. ? But that's between what's "in stock" at the local dealer. In 2026 or so, maybe I'll seek out a well-maintained 2018 Continental Black Label. Those are, what, about 70 grand brand new now? 

[bbf2530]

19 hours ago, 1984Poke said:

bbf, I would posit that not having the LED lights doesn’t necessarily mean the MKZ is not well-equipped (at least not with the 2019 ‘Z models). 

You are doubtless correct that lack of LED lights on an MKZ would mean it’s not “fully” equipped because, in my view, that term means it has pretty much all of the options, bells, and whistles.

I can’t speak to the Continental as I haven’t been in the market for one of those, but I placed an order for a 2019 MKZ Reserve II one week ago today, and I can speak to that model.

As I recall, there are only 7 real options available on the 2019 MKZ Reserve II (other than accessories like cargo organizers, ash/coin cups, etc.), and 3 of those options are packaged together such that a customer cannot get one without the other two.

The only true options available on the 2019 Reserve II MKZ are cargo net, engine block heater, inflatable rear seat belts, all weather floor liners, and the 3 items packaged together: panoramic sliding glass roof, 20 speaker Revel system, and LED headlights.

(And I would happily have ordered and paid extra for the 20-speaker Revel system and LED lights for my ‘19 ‘Z—but NOT if that meant being forced to get the sliding glass roof, too.  That was a deal-breaker for me.)

Everything else—and I do mean everything else—is included in the price of the ‘19 ‘Z Res II, and that includes massaging front seats, moonroof, 14-speaker Revel system, heated steering wheel, windshield wiper deicer, rear power sunshade, auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, 7-spoke wheels, soft-close trunk lid, navigation system, etc.  

Oh, and paint color I guess also counts as an option for which one would have to pay extra, depending on the color chosen.

My point is that an MKZ can be quite well-equipped even without the LED headlights.

Hi 1984.  I basically agree with some of what you just stated. However, as you even mentioned, everything you are stating concerning standard equipment, options and packaging only applies to the 2019 models. But these are not 2019's.  Trim levels, standard equipment, options and option packages changed greatly between the 2018 and 2019 models, as you have found out.

As you mentioned and I would agree, "fully loaded" and "well equipped" are two very different things. Fully loaded means every option (you and I agree on that), while "well equipped' is really in the eye of the beholder and up for interpretation. Or to paraphrase an old saying..."All fully loaded MKZ's and Continentals are well equipped, but not all well equipped MKZ's and Continentals are fully loaded". ?

That is why I specifically recommended to Smokestone that he post more information if he wanted any real world recommendations (i.e new/used, model years, actual asking prices, trim levels etc). What if one is a left over 2017 sitting on the lot for over a year and a half, but the other is a new 2018? Making a decision while only knowing there was a $5,000 price difference would be silly. And I'm not saying Smokestone would have done that, just trying to provide as much information as possible for those who may be newer to car buying, so they are less likely to be taken advantage of by the seller.

So to elaborate, nowhere did I state to Smokestone that the MKZ (or Continental) he posted about was not "well equipped", LED lights or not.  I was simply telling Smokestone that it is obvious neither vehicle is "fully loaded", and not to compare by price alone, verify how both cars are optioned, and to compare features carefully before purchasing, if he was even serious about it.  And as it turns out, he is not interested in purchasing either car anyway. At least not in this decade. ?

What I did ask was, "Is it a relatively loaded MKZ and a base model Continental, vice-a-versa or somewhere in between?" In other words, are the two vehicles comparatively equipped or are there noticeable differences, and what are the differences. And I stated that the lack of LED lighting (and moonroofs if he wanted one) on both of those (non 2019) vehicles made it clear that neither is "fully loaded". I made no other judgements about trim and option levels. With no equipment lists to compare, we can only guess as to how they may be equipped by what we can see in the photos: The the headlights (LED or not), wheels and lack of moonroofs. That information would be even more true if they were 2019 models.

Hope that makes what I wrote more understandable.

Oh, and I also answered a question of yours over on the Blue Oval forums concerning the packaging of the panoramic moonroof for the 2019 MKZ.

Good luck.

Edited October 25, 2018 by bbf2530
Add information.

[1984Poke]

Excellent input and additional information, bbf.  Thank you for your reply.  And, yes, I did see your response to my panoramic moonroof question on the Blue Oval forum.  I always like learning more about things that interest me so I appreciate your response.  Thanks again.

[bbf2530]

8 hours ago, 1984Poke said:

Excellent input and additional information, bbf.  Thank you for your reply.  And, yes, I did see your response to my panoramic moonroof question on the Blue Oval forum.  I always like learning more about things that interest me so I appreciate your response.  Thanks again.

Hi 1984.  You are very welcome.  Happy I was able to help!

Hope your 2019 comes in soon. I know you will love it...and good luck!