Would you roll in this 2003 Lincoln LS V8 Highway Star for $6,850? – Jalopnik

The seller of the current Nice Price or No Dice Lincoln calls the car a creampuff and claims that many of the still fairly low miles were covered during the 15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Let’s see if the price tag makes this a safe bet for more mileage.

Mercedes-Benz and pickup trucks are not a combination that naturally goes together like carrots and peanut butter or peas and chocolate. Oh yes, there have been open-bed versions of the G-wagon, and for a hot minute the German company offered a rebadged version of Nissan’s Navara pickup, the X-Class. The obvious omission here is an El Camino/Ranchero-style truck that takes away the desire for both cargo capacity and a more car-like cabin and ride height.

Luckily, enterprising individuals stepped in to fill that glaring void and give us the 1981 Mercedes 300SD pickup we saw here yesterday. Yes, it was a bit of a rattle and something of a project, but the bones seemed sturdy and all the hard work was already done. Unfortunately for the seller, however, there was some extra weight in the $11,500 asking price. That was evident in the hefty 92% ‘No Dice’ loss you all handed to the open-bed Benz.

The most famous brands bordering the executive branch are, of course, Ford and Lincoln, which share a company but differ in their acknowledged presidential connections.

That doesn’t just apply to today 2003 Lincoln LS V8 have nothing to do with America’s 16th president, but it also had little to do with the rest of Lincoln’s lineup at the time it was offered. Intended as a competitor to German luxury products such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, the LS was created under Ford’s then leading Premier Automotive Group division. That group also included Volvo, Jaguar and Aston Martin, which were owned by Ford at the time. The four-door sedan adopted both styling cues and performance standards from its sister brands and those German rivals. It was apparently successful, as the LS received Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award for the 2000 model year.

Painted in an inoffensive and ever-popular silver over a two-tone beige and gray leather-trimmed interior, this LS offers not only the optional Jaguar-sourced 3.9-liter V8 engine, with its solid 280 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque, but also the desirable Sport package. Look at the options box which upgrades the LS with 17-inch alloy wheels (16 inches were standard), stiffer suspension than the base car and a custom gear selector with manual mode that owners of these types of cars almost never use. Still, it’s there if you want it. By the way, that shifter operates a five-speed 5R55S automatic transmission.

According to the seller, everything on the car works, with the notable exception (seriously, the ad mentions this) of the front passenger window, which is stuck in the up position. Make sure the residents there only eat seedless grapes.

The bodywork has not been ignored either. That is really in excellent condition, with remarkably no scratches on the corners. It’s been treated with a ceramic coating, which, if you believe YouTube hucksters, is akin to wrapping a superhero-style force field. JMMV.

The interior, which shared its dashboard with the contemporary two-seat Thunderbird, has also held up very well. The leather of the front seats shows a mild patina, while the sculpted rear seat looks like no butt has ever been seen. If Lincoln was built with the intention of competing with European luxury cars, it obviously comes with a lot of bells and/or whistles.

What’s your opinion on this LS and its $6,850 asking price? Does that feel like a deal for a solid daily driver or a weekend special? Or is this a car whose time has not yet come and now never will?

You decide!

Nice prize or no dice:

Las Vegas, Nev. Craigslistor go here when the ad disappears.

Help me with a nice prize or no dice. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed price tip. Don’t forget to include your comment handle.