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MKS Ecoboost. Am I crazy?

5K views 50 replies 26 participants last post by  Mike! 
#1 ·
I'm shopping for a new/used car. My short list is a long list.

But, although I love my Mini, and I would love to have another stick shift, sporty car, my commute for work is growing to about an hour in the next few months, and I wonder if I'm not ready to try a luxury car for once. An American luxury car. I had long considered the Chevy SS but now that it's discontinued won't the supply lines for parts dry up? I remember the G8 guys always complaining that their parts took forever to come in from Australia. I also really like the current CTS but they're a bit too expensive still.

550 horse Taurus

Doug is so much better when you don't have to watch him stick out his tongue when he thinks.

I came across a video touting the performance gains from chipping/lightly tuning an SHO ecoboost, and I can't get it out of my brain. I always kinda liked the SHO and the MKS flew under the radar for me (because it's hideous) but I didn't know the Ecoboost is essentially the same, and much nicer on the inside. The whale/baleen quotient is much higher, sadly--and these are enormous cars that are a little tight on the inside, from what I can read. But wow--<5sec 0-60 from essentially boltons. That 3.5L Ecoboost is a legend.

They're a scaldingly good value used and there's a lot of them out there.

And what a sleeper! I know there was the guy that loves his MKT on here. Any other ecoboost experiences or sleepers I'm forgetting?



 
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#3 ·
fwiw- the front seats are quite roomy.
Feel is subjective, and that's where most complain because Ford went for a cockpit feel in a large car (odd choice).
Maybe the idea that it feels chunky around you makes it feel safer? idk.

And I don't think a 550 hp Taurus/MKS will be long term reliable- the tranny is my main concern before engine issues.
And fun to drive is way more than 1/4 mile times.
Can an MKS be made to dance with simple mods?

Ford made some sig improvement with the SHO for model year 13... I'd rather that for a little more than the MKS as a starting point.

The MKZ or Fusion with the 2.0T and awd and summer tire package is 700 lbs lighter fwiw.
 
#7 ·
fwiw- the front seats are quite roomy.
Feel is subjective, and that's where most complain because Ford went for a cockpit feel in a large car (odd choice).
Maybe the idea that it feels chunky around you makes it feel safer? idk.

And I don't think a 550 hp Taurus/MKS will be long term reliable- the tranny is my main concern before engine issues.
And fun to drive is way more than 1/4 mile times.
Can an MKS be made to dance with simple mods?

Ford made some sig improvement with the SHO for model year 13... I'd rather that for a little more than the MKS as a starting point.

The MKZ or Fusion with the 2.0T and awd and summer tire package is 700 lbs lighter fwiw.
The 3.5L Ecoboost (6F55) gets a beefier version of the 6F compared to the 2.0 Ecoboost (6F35) and 3.5L N/A (6F50). That being said, the early versions of the 6F did have some teething problems...
 
#8 ·


Haha oh no! I think it's a finger-slidey-thingy beneath the hazards. But there is a toggle on the right steering wheel post. Nevertheless, such gages, wow.

Agreed 100%: fun-to-drive is not about 0-60 times. But sadly around here most long drives could be drawn with rulers.

I'm not too worried about this being my only fun car. The Mini definitely works in both capacities, although my legs hurt after much longer than an hour in the car. I feel like I've done the whole fun, Spartan car thing for a while now. I want something that has a nice sound system, ball coolers, and is more quiet on the highway. And a little more adult.

Maybe a used E class is a better option, although I don't think they have ventilated seats.
 
#22 ·
CTS, but that's because I'm biased and if I'm driving a larger/luxury car, I'd like a longitudinal engine/RWD (or AWD). I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with the MKS/Taurus, but I'd even prefer the Fusion or the MKZ. Maybe a 2.7TT Fusion sport?
 
#26 ·
I wanted to like a current gen SHO so bad when I drove it, but I was ultimately disappointed. Powerful, but handled like a huge land yacht. But...maybe that's not a deal-breaker as your long-ish commute/DD if you keep your Mini? Also have to admit, tuning the EB engines is a tempting proposition... The EB Fusion Sport suggested above is intriguing...

Hyundai Genesis? I love how they look. New 3.3T is also interesting...but maybe still kinda new/too expensive.

Still, I'd go SS or CTS V Sport (2014's are the best values since they produced MANY more for that model year, FYI) if I were you.
 
#23 ·
The potential bargain on these has popped onto my radar too. Teens for a big comfy luxury Ford with a 3.5EB? Not bad. Everyone here fawns over the Flex EcoBoost, after all.

I'm guessing there's ways the SHO is still the better car from a TCL perspective, but I think they're more $ used, like for like.
 
#24 ·
You're not crazy, you're a genius. If you're in the market for a car of this type, it's got to be killer bang for the buck, especially used. There are people on TCL enthralled with their used MKZ hybrids. I think this is the same idea.

As an alternate suggestion, check out Hemi 300Cs.
 
#31 · (Edited)
I didn't realize they sold it in all wheel drive form.:peace:


I had a 3.5 front-wheel drive Taurus Limited rental several years ago (a 13 maybe).
The car had some lower quality interior plastics ans less rear seat room than I expected, but everything else was surprisingly good, especially considering the cliché criticisms.
It felt quite adapt even when cornering,...
I'd like to drive a similarly average spec Impala to compare.
 
#29 ·
For what its worth, I recently had about two hours of seat time in one of these. It was a 2014 with every available option.

they're big. You sit up quit high, so it feels more like driving a crossover than a sedan. combined with the high belt line made for an interesting experience compared to my VW.

the stock Ecoboost in the AWD model doesn't feel slow at all, and it shifts really really smooth.

I'm a big fan of the entertainment and info systems. The Bluetooth audio synced right up with spotify on my phone, so I could do everything hands free, and the abundant steering wheel controls let you select just about anything on the two mini displays that flank the speedometer.

This car had adaptive cruise control, which was nice since the two hours I spent in it were all highway time, blind spot monitors, collision avoidance, and lane departure assist. It would actually turn slightly back into the lane if you started to drift.

I was driving it for a dealership that purchased the car wholesale. I was sort of stunned to learn that they purchased it wholesale for only $14,000. It definitely seems like a lot of car for the money.
 
#30 ·
I was shopping CPO MKS cars and SHOs out of Detroit last year before arriving at the decision of my CPO MKZ. Why? Under $20k, under 20k miles, and 100k mile warranty. The MKS/Taurus platform is markedly larger, and I loved the power. But the center console and hip intrusion from the crowded cockpit is ridiculous. A car that big should not make me feel claustrophobic and restrict my ability to keep my legs a comfortable distance apart.

Still a great value, and a wonderful freeway cruiser.

Stock performance on the 3.5 twin turbo not enough? Look here.
 
#34 ·
I understand wanting more luxury/comfort for the increased boring commute, but why do you need that large of a car if you've been fine with the mini?

Seems to me like the ATS/3/A4/C size sedans would much better suit your goals. Comfy, luxurious yet still not barges. Alternatively there is the Charger.

Personally, I couldn't do the Lincoln, not because they aren't nice but because I would become bored. I'd go SHO but I can't get over the size and beltline of those cars, they're simply huge.
 
#35 ·
I like this car a lot and took a LONG look at it. The main reason I didn't end buying one was size - I was going from an 189" long TL and I was not interested in fitting a 206" MKS into my garage. And more annoying, the Taurus is shorter, meaning the extra length in the MKS isn't functional. :thumbdown:
 
#45 ·
Lots of good suggestions. Sounds like not too many problems with the 3.5 Ecoboost.

The SS really is probably the class of the bunch but RWD only and ten grand more. Not that I really care about RWD in winter, I guess; I don't mind snow tires.

The Fusion Sport--I had looked at them but aren't they all still '17? Probably a bit too expensive yet. Plus the smaller motor--2.7 not 3.5L. But burgundy velvet is the business and actual buttons in the interior.

I hadn't thought of the Impala because I didn't think they were all that fast. A guy at work reverse-parks his black LTZ every day and I have to admit I don't blame him for showing it off. It's a handsome car if let down a bit by its big butt. And I guess the equivalent car would be the XTS but it doesn't blow my skirt up much. I actually quite like the Lacrosse but sadly I don't know if I could buy a Buick. Regal Sportback is pretty neat.

Didn't know the MKS was about 2 inches longer. Interesting! Of course, Taurus and MKS are both gigantic, 10 inches longer than an SS.

As we all know, the shopping is half the fun of this game; I just hadn't ever put an MKS on my radar as a comfortable car that you could actually tune and make a (sigh) hot-rod Lincoln but nobody would know it. I mean--I think it's actually a quite uncool car but that's what makes me like it all the more, if that makes sense. I'm not sure you can get more car for 20 grand.
 
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