I currently drive Toyota Avalon that I’m trying to replace soon, and I wanted to some input from you guys.
I prefer comfortable and smooth driving cars over performance based cars with stiffer suspension. I also prefer subtle, understated, yet timeless designs that will still look classy for years down the road, instead of current trend of aggressive designs that look outdated after a year. I’m also a very practical person, so having a car with good reliability and mileage is an important factor, even better if it offers hybrid option. Price wise, low-mid 30k range is ideal.
Considering those factors, I have been looking at Lincoln MKZ as one of my choices
One thing that holds me back, though, is that I’m a 27 year old young professional male that works in a financial industry. It embarrasses me to admit it, but I am a little brand conscious about a car I drive. To me, Lincoln always stood out as old people car. Most other young professionals in my situation and budget range would probably go for Lincoln MKZ’s biggest competitor, Lexus ES, which has design that I find a bit too aggressive, and a few thousands more expensive. But then, I drive Toyota Avalon, which is also considered for senior citizen, yet I’m happy with it.
What do you guys think of Lincoln brand in general, and a young professional driving one?
I think you are exactly the target demographic of Lincoln. ( re; Mathew McConaughey commercials )
If that’s your first impression of what you’d like ? . . run with it. ( great choice )
I have a 2011 MKZ hybrid, and have been very happy with it. The latest Lincolns have moved away from the ‘old folks car’, in my opinion, and I’d think a new MKZ would have no worse reception than the ES350 (which is heavily based on the Camry), or the Avalon. I also am not a fan of the new Lexus look, and it seems to be getting worse (new RX350), not better.
My suggestion to you as a young professional is to be professional and drive whatever fits your needs and what car has the qualities that you want in a car. If the Lincoln floats your boat, then that is the car for you.
Years ago, I was a,young faculty member at a,University. Many of my young colleagues drove VW Beetles. The next step up for in the young faculty member ranks,was a Ford Mustang. Neither of these cars fit my needs. I bought a bottom of the line Rambler Classic 550. My parents lived in town and I often took them places. I needed.a sedan, but wanted a low initial cost and low upkeep. That Rambler filled the bill. Part of being a professional is to think for yourself. There is no need to drive a,Lexus of you prefer the Lincoln.
Finally Lincoln designers have their front grill headed in the right direction…sedate and blends nicely with the rest of the car, though I’m still not crazy about the rear look. You may want to check out the new Toyota Avalon Hybrid…sweet looking car with wonderful reviews.
It wouldn’t be my choice but whatever floats your boat. The grill always says art deco “zepher” to me. One thing though, finance folks seem to like status symbols so check to see what your boss drives and don’t get something better. Actually a BMW would provide a nice ride and be interesting to drive, but just trade before the warranty is up.
“young professional male that works in a financial industry. It embarrasses me to admit it, but I am a little brand conscious about a car I drive. To me, Lincoln always stood out as old people car.”
It sounds like the MKZ wouldn’t be right for you, especially if your colleagues share your thinking about it.
I wonder if you want to stand out from the others in your group (“young professional male that works in a financial industry”) or blend in. If the former (and assuming you want to stand out in a positive way), then what do your cohorts strive for or admire? If the latter, then get a close ES competitor that has the comfort feeling you are looking for.
Most of the German sedans will probably be too firm a ride for your tastes, but have you considered Infinity or Acura? The US brands will tend to have a softer ride, but your comments seem to rule out Cadillac, although a Buick Lacrosse or even Hyundai might work depending on your situation.
Somewhat unfortunate for you is that the ES hits a particular spot very well in the market (some people view the Avalon as the “budget ES”). The ES is upscale with a comfortable ride, but if the styling is not for you, then it’s not. I’m also guessing a slight earlier (used) model ES isn’t under consideration.
There is almost no information on it, except that it is a mid-cycle refresh. Expect it to have cosmetic changes and not much else. The informatics system will still be among the most difficult to use. Drive a 2016 and see if you like it. Expect the 2017 to be mostly more of the same. Other cars you might consider are the Audi A4 and Cadillac ATS. The ATS will provide the best driving experience, and the Audi should be the most well rounded car in the class. The Audi is also likely to be more reliable than either the Cadillac or Lincoln. If reliability is a big deal for you, test drive the Lexus ES350. Most cars are fairly reliable these days, and you might be willing to pay a little more for repairs if you like the cR enough.
Drive what you want. I believe the days of having to drive a particular vehicle to seem professional are over or nearly over. Successful people could care less what other people think of them…that’s a great part of their success in my mind. My wife’s uncle was a multi-millionaire and he drove a restored '40 Ford Coupe for most of his life. He did ride in a Lincoln Continental when he had to but he had a chauffeur. His son (who inherited the company and the money) follows the same path. He drives a restored '57 Thunderbird and is driven around in his Bentley when he needs to be.
Is the OP aware that the MKZ is built on Ford’s CD4 platform, and shares almost all of its mechanical aspects with the Ford Fusion?
Yes, the latest update of the MKZ for 2017 will make an optional twin-turbo 400HP engine available, but with that exception, a well-optioned Ford Fusion will have the same features, and will function the same way as the MKZ, albeit with a savings of several thousand dollars.
The MKZ will have nicer upholstery, and will have additional sound-deadening, but at the end of the day, the OP will just be driving a much more expensive iteration of the Ford Fusion.
Your car only matters if you have to take someone to lunch in it or drive him/her to a location. If you are a realtor, a comfortable car with lots of legroom like the Avalon would be great.
When I was in sales (diesel engines) I had a Pontiac Catalina 2 door hardtop which was sporty enough for me but also easy to get in and out of.
A very successful friend who sold securities drove a Rover 2000 and after that one of the first 6 cylinder Volvos. Both were 4 door models. No one questioned his taste or judgement.
Here in northern Calif, folks in your demographic tend toward Mercedes, Tesla, Bentley, and BMW. In the second tier, Lexus, Acura, and Lincoln. Mercedes is clearly at the top of the list though.
Appearing successful breeds success. More so in some occupations than others of course. An occupation where you deal directly with a client you only meet with occasionally, and you need that client to trust you implicitly, the more successful you have to look. It’s just the price of having that job. That’s why a person can buy a watch for $50 or a watch for $5,000, and the $50 watch keeps equal to better time than the $5,000 version. But the $5,000 watch still sells, b/c it conveys the appearance of success. Important in occupations like lawyers, physicians, accountants, bankers, etc. It would be a fool’s errand for someone in those professions to try to circumvent this basic societal value.
Oh boy. In college we were required to watch a movie depicting an auto executive on the way up. He wasn’t quite there yet though. He had the new car, the new house in the right area, belonged to the right club and so on all because it was expected of him. His life was miserable and they ate macaroni as he waited for that promotion that would make it all worth while. Geeze its been 45 years but I still remember the plight of that guy and his wife. We determined to never go down that path to success if that’s what was required.