2001 Lincoln Continental Review - An Overlooked Luxury Sedan!

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DISCLAIMER!
The thoughts, feelings, and opinions expressed in this video are the sole thoughts of Zack and no one else. The thoughts expressed in this video do not reflect the owner, dealership, or organization that owns the vehicle featured. The purpose of this video is to provide entertainment with the hope that you will take what you see and formulate your own opinions. DO NOT make a financial decision based off of this video.
#Continental #Lincoln #lincolncontinental

Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - Drivetrain
3:01 - Interior
5:20 - BFB Test
5:38 - Interior
6:23 - Back Seats
7:23 - Trunk / Cargo Space
7:39 - Exterior
8:01 - Final Thoughts
10:34 - Outro

[@1524mike]

Hey! I know that car. Love the video, thanks for the shout out. ❤😂

[@user-cx7bo8sh1v]

I don't want to believe it has a bad head gasket but I had a terrible auto accident I'm in rehab now

[@trevorzehren139]

My mom had a 2002 for years, this is the car I grew up in the back of and the first car I drove with my license

[@doug6191]

7:30 - there was a very rare tray that was kind of a drawer for the trunk that made the reach into the trunk easier.

[@jeffshadow2407]

The facelifted Continental had a purer appearance than the Town Car, which, from 1998 to 2002, looked like the 1940s Batmobile.

[@Thomas63r2]

I own a 1998 Continental a 2002 Continental and a 2006 Town Car. The Continental is the best Taurus ever made. Town Car lovers get upset when I brag on the Continental for being a smoother ride than the Town Car because it has 4 wheel independent suspension vs. the Town Car’s live rear axle. The Town Car is the quieter of the two models, plus the Town Car has much more gravitas and presence. The Town Car is the keeper; the T.C has much greater parts availability and is exponentially easier to work on. If you don’t do your own work, you may find that some shops don’t want to work on these front wheel drive Continentals - some repairs are a pain, and some parts are difficult to locate or you may have to find salvage parts. I enjoy driving the Continental more than the Town car - I especially like the power and great acceleration.

[@Lincoln7992]

So glad you got to drive and review this underappreciated gem! I bought a 2001 at three years old with 27,000 miles (almost every option, including the rare Limited package) and drove it to 192,000, all on the original transmission. It was a dream to drive, very sporty for a car of its size; it always handled whatever I threw at it, always felt planted, worlds different from a Town Car. If it weren't for the trouble finding suspension parts, i would have gotten another. 😢

[@MrJayrock620]

The Lincoln LS was actually a Jaguar S type under the skin. So if you buy one be prepared for Jaguar reliability and repair costs

[@CathyHolton-jh1xv]

My friend’s family had a ‘96 brand new. We were always used to Jeeps and Isuzu Rodeos of that era and one night, our friend had to bring the Continental out because someone else in the family was using the Jeep. We were spoiled, so we felt let down. After taking the Continental out that night, we never took that car for granted again. It was so comfortable and elegant with the smoothest ride we’d experienced. The car was a lease, so it was returned and other cars just didn’t measure up at price point. They had a Cadillac before that, but I remember that car being fast, but it was riddled with reliability issues. These are a hidden gem that I often put right there with a well-maintained Buick of the same era. I still see these on the roads where I am.

[@garlantyrell8030]

My parents had a similar one to this one and I, personally loved the way it drove and rode.

[@adrianahmadi2005]

I have an 01 that looks just like this but with the column shifter and front bench. I love my conti to death.

[@dave11686]

These are so cool and underrated

[@oldschoollee]

Nice video. I owned a 1998-2002 Lincoln Continental since 2007. My daily driver. Have made easy self-repairs and maintenance, from transmission to air springs. Prior to that, I owned 1998-2003 Cadillac Seville for 3 years. They all had dual climate control and a ton of other gadgets. Got a Continental because I wanted the performance of a Mark VIII, with the comfort and reliability of a Town Car. Also, when (V8) Continental was disconnected for 2002, 2000 Collector’s Edition Continentals were made. They had suede seat inserts, 10 spoke chrome wheels, rosewood steering wheels, burl wood interior, wood shift knob, argent grille, and CE badges on each driver door panel (exterior body panel and interior burl wood). They also came with a set of pure silver ingots for every body-style Lincoln Continental.

[@doug6191]

Town Car and LS were very different products. The LS was like Cadillac's CTS, which debuted while the SLS was still on sale.

[@carlasghost656]

The LS was also a Ford/Jaguar hybrid. Initially you got a more sporty European feeling. Later, unfortunately, you got a Jaguar like repair and maintenance bill.

[@w140chris]

I daily drove a 2002 Continental all of last year, and drove it from NJ to FL. What a phenomenal vehicle! Had no issues with it whatsoever. My only complaint was the fuel economy, I never got better than 17 mpg in daily use.

[@Mikey_The_Gearhead]

I've owned a 1998 Continental for 18 years. I'll never sell it. About two years ago i also bought a 2002 Continental. I love them both. I have many videos on my channel of them. They ride smooth, have more than enough power, and look Great in my opinion. I've modified my 98" with a 01" engine and transmission, custom exhaust and intake and custom tuning that i did myself. Man what a fun car. the 2002 i have exhaust & intake mods on but plan to leave otherwise stock, while my 98' is my current "hot rod Lincoln" . parts are getting harder to find though sadly.

[@bidensucks6792]

We were a Cadillac family, I remember the family next door had one and I thought how gorgeous I thought this was.

[@bobcat18us]

I loved this car. I helped my friend's mom find this car used when her Chrysler 300 took a dump. She just needed something she could pay cash for. This car was so comfortable to be honest

[@DJNMTX]

I owned one of these years ago along with Town Car. I’d choose this one over the town car simply bc of the engine! Nice power and sound from the Intec V8!

[@kebabaluba]

I`m amazed how modern that car looks despite being a 90`s car.

[@mraiwa1000]

That's because it's a 2001 ! 😁

[@kebabaluba]

@@mraiwa1000 That model was released in 1998, so it's a 90s car.

[@Ramcharger85]

My Aunt bought one. A 2001 model in this color. Loved riding in it. Cushy ride. ❤

[@abeweiss2311]

I am surprised you missed it's greatest party trick, the mirrored dashboard, the gauges was on the inner top of the dash and you looked at a mirror, that gave it a very cool 3D look

[@bwofficial1776]

I like seeing these. It looks like a slightly smaller Town Car but different in its own way. Were it not for the weak transmission this would make a great comfortable commuter. This is a lot more advanced than the Taurus & Sable it shared a platform with. It looks even more advanced than the Town Car.

[@broman260]

The transmissions in these are fine, it's the rwd mark viii transmissions are the problematic ones.

[@jeffstonecipher1594]

I had no issues with the trans in mine either- and I pounded on my '02 plus regularly towed with it. The real issue with these cars are the damn coils -even expensive "performance" ones will go out at random. Shallow spark plug threads that unscrew the spark plugs are also an issue with those Intech's (happened on mine) as well as some other Ford motors to watch for -including the modular 4.6 (had one of those too years back). Great motors otherwise -but not without kinks to watch for@@broman260

[@KelEMMXII]

Something you should have pointed out (and this might be more of a Doug Demuro thing) only the needles were on the back of the gauge cluster. The numbers were reflected from the top of the gauge cluster. A weird but cool thing. A quirk if you will

[@celsovera91]

The original Lexus ls400 did that as well

[@jamesruiz4005]

It’s got the cobra v8 intek engine

[@weegeemike]

While im not a big Ford guy and would only ever consider owning a small handful of vehicles they made, this Continental is one of the. I always liked the look and like the V8 power while comparable GMs were V6 powered (although i love the 3800, dont get me wrong)...one of the last real Lincolns, along with the Town Car, before they started attempting to compete with the Lexus' and Mercedes of the world.

[@Darylrb1983]

I just wish they built the transmission in these stronger.

[@bwofficial1776]

I had a Sable with the Duratec V6 with much less horsepower and even I could feel the transmission starting to go. This wasn't a particularly sporty platform but it was a comfortable ride.

[@broman260]

Do they need to be stronger or do the drivers need to treat them better? Service them every 20,000 miles and I don't see how there's a problem.

[@Darylrb1983]

@@broman260 They are just weaker in general. So many people have serviced their transmissions in these, the taurus/sable etc at the "recommended" intervals and still failed. Sure YOU personally have no issues, much like I had zero issues with my "infamous" 4t65 HD in my 98 riviera until it started slipping at 300k miles. But there aren't alot of people thinking to service their transmissions a half or even a quarter of what the interval should be. they are documented high failure transmissions (both) but there are some people such as you and myself who seem to have zero issues (I do 40k intervals). But you do have a point some people just DONT even change theirs

[@hduncan2587]

A few things you maybe should have touched on: -The previous generation was ALSO shared with the Taurus and Sable (but didn't have the V8) -This had independent rear suspension unlike the Town Car, which was still using a solid axle. The way you shot this, I never noticed just how much Sable and Taurus was in the design. The rear door looks so very Sable sedan, and the tail lights-- obviously penned from the same person as the Taurus of the era. It really did blend a little too much that way. But the interior is thankfully much better in my eyes, and even a step above the Towncar and LS in many respects (aesthetically). These Continentals seem to have aged relatively well against its platform mates and the pre-facelifted model or the Towncar of the same years. Oddly enough the generation before this (the first of the front-drive Continentals, using a 3.8L V6) seems even more rare, and has also aged pretty well style wise. We have one in our dealer inventory at the moment, and it really doesn't look like a 1988 to me. I never remember seeing any of that generation, only ever seeing the one we have. The European cues it took on are fairly evident, inside and out (and thankfully we have the leather, not the cloth Motor Week bemoaned).

[@joeseeking3572]

I prefer the pre-faceift styling - it had a 'look', though perhaps not universally loved, though sales average was higher for those years. Yes, there was model overlap but maybe not as bad as it fist seems. The LS was designed to challenge the import sport sedans - a poor man's 5 series (5 in size, 3 in price) The LS would never be cross shopped with the Town Car. That was for the golfing set 60+, and after the RWD Fleetwood left post-96, it was the only choice for limo conversions. The Continental was (supposed to be) for the slightly floatier import - Lexus LS (bit of a reach). More tech, more up to date, sharper dnamics than the Town Car but not as 'distrubing' to the traditional buy (those seats!). It was an interesting thought and sold about on par (units) with the Seville of that period - though the emphasis there was more Q45 - and actually deserved save for the fatal Northstar issues :(

[@WNYfellow]

It's in very nice condition. 22 years of use and 103,500 miles = roughly 4700 miles per year (which is 'light' usage).

[@nolahahnshouse3389]

2001 was a bit early for dual climate zones yet my old 1991 Buick Park Ave had dual climate zones 😂😂😂

[@MichaelGolpe]

Nice one, Zack! 😃👍

[@dommm111]

That's a really beautiful car

[@randalcalvert270]

My mom had one of these when I was a teenager. It was bought pretty cheap pre-owned but we looked almost rich haha 🤣

[@davidp2888]

Great review!

[@doug6191]

More advanced than the Town Car.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for the review.

[@joey86bu1]

I used to love these cars.

[@TassieLorenzo]

The styling kind of looks like a giant Rover 75. 🙂 I've never heard of this engine or platform here in Australia! "Intech" was also the name of the SOHC inline-six Ford Australia made before the Barra. How does the "Intech" V8 fit in the Ford line-up compared to the 4.6 Modular, Taurus SHO V8 and Lincoln LS V8?

[@pgtmr2713]

The Intech is a 4.6l mod motor. It's a detuned Cobra motor turned sideways for the front wheel drive. Absolutely ridiculous this engine wasn't available in every Panther at least as an option. Car companies spending so much time telling their customers what they want and not listening Ford spent all their time trying to end the Panther. Gm spent theirs keeping everything under the Corvette.

[@Chitwn81]

I used to want one of these and I ended up buying a 2002 Buick Regal GS in 2005. The Continental was the runner up but my friend told me to stay away from them because of suspension issues and electrical gremlins.

[@Lincolntowncoupe]

If you don't have a lot of money and have a budget of $2500 to buy a car, you could be "smart" and get a used Toyota Camry or a Honda Civic. Or you could recognize that life is too short to drive a boring car, and get a last generation (before hiatus) Lincoln Continental. That's what I would do. Rock solid transverse V8, all the creature comforts and then some, and you can get clean examples used for cheap.

[@omostim2385]

I never understood how the Continental was more expensive than the Town Car. Get less but pay more

[@jorgepeters7474]

This is a classic American car.

[@James-mw6se]

Nice car look great

[@robertdiehl9003]

Classy cars especially the shape of the front seats.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Zack, The Panther Platform, Rear Wheel Drive Town Car of the same era was a much better bet. 😉

[@Nathan_Jay]

yup, no 4v issues, no major trans issues, & RWD go brrrr

[@broman260]

Town cars were ugly in that era. These were slightly different with real style.

[@ThorOdinson-zc2kq]

@@Nathan_Jaydrove mine 368k miles , 1 fix was the egr at 200k, custom intake, exhaust, blue oval tune, ported manifold, made 322 wheel hp on the dyno box. Loved it. 4v don’t have issues. Smoked mustang gts non stop. Deer hit her and flipped it down an embankment, replaced with a crown Vic from 2001 , modified to a 280hp 2v. The Lincoln was way faster. Traded in the Vic for an 07 g35s sedan 6mt. That g is now 542 hp turbocharged, fully gutted time attack car. I long for another 01 continental for a daily. Fantastic car

[@runoflife87]

When it comes to RWD, I'rather choose the LS.

[@Mikey_The_Gearhead]

@@ThorOdinson-zc2kq do you have any videos of this beastly continental?

[@matthewc3120]

The "early 90s" Continental was actually a late 90s Continental 😆 The Continental was marketed to a younger demographic than the Town Car was. The pricing wasn't anything unusual at the time either. The Cadillac Seville/STS was the same price point as Deville/DTS was. The Continental was Lincoln's answer to the Seville/STS.

[@JonathanMoosey]

Even though this car with competing with the Cadillac Seville of the time, the Seville was not competing with this Continental at the time. The Seville of this era was actually competing with the best from Germany (BMW 5 series, Mercedes E class, etc) and the Lexus LS400. So even though this was a nice car, it just wasn’t really on anyone’s radar outside of traditional Lincoln buyers.

[@lilbfrom614]

So are the seats just as comfortable as the town car? Idk which car to buy

[@SulikTrucker95]

great car, had difficulties to park in narrow streets and had to keep some spare cash for gas, i used this car for day off, sunday drive

[@BrandonG8Man]

Lincoln made the front wheel drive Continental along with the rear wheel drive Town Car for years. It’s not all that interesting/unusual.

[@EmmysCoolVids123]

Cool exterior. Hate the interior leather seats

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice 😀

[@halenberdeski6625]

I have a important question for any of you who own/ owned this car. How do I put the rear ash tray back in. Someone for the love of god help me and my dad cant figure it out

[@ryangiddens8774]

I got a 2001 exact Wheels exact color exact interior with a sunroof

[@xoxxxooxx]

One of my old friends had one 500 dollars didn’t last it leaked power steering inly lasted like a month till he sold it I drove it a few times around town before I ever had a license first Lincoln and last Lincoln till I drove newer cars like merceds and bmw and now I have a new car but he’s right it does drive smooth

[@ymrasgtakaYtafitness]

The best one is the one with column shift

[@josephlesage3610]

My grandpa just gifted me his with 145k on it there are only cosmetic issues and he has had it pretty much garage kept its entire life

[@danzeldiaz7447]

It’s front wheel drive and I think it was supposed to compete against the Deville the Seville, the LHS, the New Yorker Town and country, regal century, LeSabre, Lucerne and other front wheel drive luxury vehicles

[@keenanhatley7184]

I requested this 🎉🎉🎉

[@danzeldiaz7447]

I’m kind of shocked by Ford Motor Company and what they did back in the day building a full-size Front Wheel drive V8 powered sedan. Most of their luxury sedans were rear wheel drive.

[@mrlevhil]

My god-father was a funeral director. They bought two of these for 'lead cars'. As a teenager, it was one of the highlights of my life when he would let me take those cars to fuel up.

[@jacobyo99]

Unfortunately these front wheel drive transmissions do not hold up.

[@abrammartin-ru9ib]

Been looking at a 2002 continental with 115k miles? I’m just a teenager and want a nice car but don’t want to break the bank on repairs and maintenance. Would it be a stupid buy?

[@Mikey_The_Gearhead]

you're better off with a town car, better ride, available parts, and more reliable

[@abrammartin-ru9ib]

@@Mikey_The_Gearhead thanks. Just think the continetal would do better in the snow since it’s fwd. we get a lotta snow up here and am kinda scared of rwd

[@damilolaakanni]

Engine is transverse mounted...didn't know Lincoln also did front wheel drive V8s.

[@mauriceldisgreecanadahaspr9560]

Continental nice Car l sick off SUV bring back Continental😮😮😮😮😮😮🎉🎉🎉

[@mopargm9329]

I'm a GM and Mopar guy but i still love these

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

the town car of the era was 7 -13 in longer than the Continental was my uncle dan had a Mark VII designer Series Continental for a few years when I was a kid then he had a designer series town car

[@steiner3626]

The Northstar came first. Love how ford was trying to get on the bandwagon and be cool like GM. The Northstar will be the original 4.6 L DOHC V8 in sedans.

[@danzeldiaz7447]

I’m still shocked by this car I believe it’s got the same motor as the town car and that’s why it’s shocking. It’s front wheel drive which shocks me because what I think of Lincoln’s I think of the big rear wheel drive town car.

[@RodCalidge]

Lincoln, Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Chrylser 5th ave.....etc...... Uhm, hell yea, give me one of each of them, please.

[@kc0lif]

it's front drive panther.

[@nathanstroud2223]

The front end is quite plain, like a toned-down version of the Town Car front fascia, but it's got a beautiful ass on it. Apparently this car was in the original Car Town, but ironically the only Lincolns I see listed for that game on both IGCD and the Car Town Wiki are this, the JFK-era Continental, and the Futura concept that became the Batmobile. That's right, no Town Cars in Car Town.🧠💥

[@pgtmr2713]

That's like... having no place to park the car in the car park!

[@paulm6481]

I really like wrinkly leather, exudes luxury 😍😻

[@sziii8417]

I believe that what you are referring to, is called "tucked"! I'm almost positive about that, and if I'm incorrect who gives a 💩 lmao 🤣

[@kingtut4509]

The back end looks Ike a Taurus.

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

My cousin has one of these, but not as nice!

[@1524mike]

This is my car. There are nice examples floating around for about $5000. Mine is nowhere perfect, but for the money I’m very happy with it.

[@joeychitwood6004]

Bruh you need to step up to the Stanley cup test.

[@user-cx7bo8sh1v]

I. Have a 91

[@MandusahRamirez]

Lincoln Town car = Lexus LS. Lincoln Continental = Lexus ES. Lincoln LS = Lexus GS

[@TwoDollarGararge]

See these getting used up as cheap speed the transmissions aren't great and there fwd cheap enough for a 16 year old

[@bwofficial1776]

These are front wheel drive. Zack mentions it about 2:10. The Town Car was RWD but is famously stout.

[@TwoDollarGararge]

@bwofficial1776 yeah these are $2000 in working shape by me so there v8 noise machines here see them in yards all the time people beat on them till the transmission dies and they yank the 4.6 4v rest is scrap

[@broman260]

The transmissions go out because people abuse them. Town cars aren't better, people just drive them conservatively.

[@TwoDollarGararge]

@broman260 rule of thumb is if there is a problem part on a car unless there is very clear evidence that was taken care of assume it was treated in the worst possible way, same view as a timing belt

[@xFactoryUSA]

Fancy SHO? 😂

[@Jmdp.94]

FWD V8 is a horrible combination 😭

[@runoflife87]

At least the Continental is relatively lightweigt.

[@trandizzle5]

Basically a ford Taurus

[@phonecorner1]

Jesus loves us all, he gave his life to save us from sin and rose to defeat death so that we may have life, please give your lives to him, he loves you!❤️

[@nb7466]

It's a Taurus dressed as a Lincoln

[@minipandora22]

If Trump was still President, I’d buy one of these! Unfortunately with Biden’s gas ⛽️ prices and poor economy I couldn’t afford it now 😢😢😢😢

[@csyzox]

hell yeah brother 🤟🤟. if only trump was here to force gas companies to lower prices, i wouldnt have had my wife leave me😢😢

[@minipandora22]

@@csyzox gas prices are set by policies and by utilizing pipelines. I know you’re just being sarcastic, but deep down I’m sure you’re ashamed and embarrassed for what you did on November 5th 2020 🗳️

[@antoniorene2548]

How in the world did we turn a car enthusiast comment section political?

[@anddyyoung]

A MAGA monkey😂😮

[@minipandora22]

@@antoniorene2548 ohhh wow… you and @csyzox are together…. 🦆

[@user-od7eg8jp7c]

Очень мало обзоров конкретно про эту модель. Однозначно лайк.

[@xrmerkur]

Lincoln mastered front drive luxury. Thanks for the informative video.