Lincoln’s drop in initial quality blamed on old people not knowing SYNC

Lincoln was probably the most talked about brand of 2007’s J.D. Power Associates Initial Quality Survey, but this year the it dropped 11 spots from number 3 to number 14.

According to Free Press and their discussion with Ford, it’s not the design or mechanical defects that hurt Lincoln - supposedly customers rated the brand a bit harshly for not knowing how to work the new innovative technology.’

Ford’s new Sync technology came standard on all Lincoln MKZ and MKX models during the study period. However, Lincoln’s Navigator didn’t and...
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DaHarder - 6/5/2008 10:28:44 AM

+2 Boost

Oh No! Not The iDrive-Syndrome...

Unfortunately, There's Probably Quite A Bit Of Validity To These Claims, As Many Are Intimidated By The New And (Slightly) Technologically Challenging

Rupert - 6/5/2008 11:02:04 AM

+7 Boost

Why Do You Capitalise Everything? It Makes It Hard To Read.

DaHarder - 6/5/2008 2:12:31 PM

-1 Boost

The Greater Question is...

Why Can't You Allow Individuals To Participate As The Choose, Focus On The Topic At Hand, And Stop Being So Petty?

S4cabriofoxone - 6/5/2008 11:47:50 PM

+3 Boost

Why Do You Keep Avoiding The Question? Stop Capitalizing. It Is Annoying.

ChicaneShooter - 6/6/2008 9:56:04 AM

+1 Boost

daharder, you oughta be like me and use NO caps at all, until you WANT to place emphasis on a word or three.

(also makes for blazing 120+ wpm writing!)

Hyundai - 6/6/2008 10:13:47 AM

+3 Boost

CanT YoU TeLl HeS tRYinG tO bE An InDIViduAl? stOp TryINg 2 SuRPrEsS His cReatiVitY!

Rupert - 6/5/2008 11:05:08 AM

+2 Boost

Sync seems pretty cool actually. Being able to say "Play artist: randombandname" seems great!

answer - 6/5/2008 11:15:45 AM

+7 Boost

I would prefer those over 80 years old just focus on driving and not dicking around with any kind of stereo/navigation thing voice-activated or not.

Spectator - 6/5/2008 1:03:51 PM

+7 Boost

To be honest I would perfer those 80 year old's not to drive at all...or at least be restricted to driving between 9am-11am and 1pm-3pm monday through fridays.

When my grandmother turned eighty years ago, she couldn't pass the vision test and had some dementia...yet the good ole' DMV approved her license anyway. This is not the person you need behind the wheel of a 2 ton vehicle...

even if its moving at 3mph on the highway in the left lane with its blinker on.

;-)

tattedtwice - 6/5/2008 1:31:27 PM

+4 Boost

Id take my chances on an older driver going too slow, over some idiotic teenager or just-as-dumb twenty-something kid putting everyone in danger going too damn fast.

SteedPub - 6/5/2008 11:16:33 AM

0 Boost

Ha Ha that is funny. On one hand they should not be shoveling this stuff onto old people, of they should be educating them onsite when they take delivery.

But at the same time it is unfair to Lincoln that their quality rating is hit by the stupidity of customers. It is just like Ebay allowing buyers to rate sellers based on shipping costs. It is absurd because most people dont have a clue what it costs to ship things and they always think they are being ripped off. Even when you give FREE shipping people still dock you points.

silver1 - 6/5/2008 11:41:38 AM

+1 Boost

LOL! This is too funny.....

Maverick2020 - 6/5/2008 11:54:50 AM

+1 Boost

I suppose Lincoln has got to blame someone for their 11 place drop in IQS ranking.

While it may be true that it SYNC is not easy to use, I find it hard to believe that one issue alone would account for the huge drop in initial quality.

tattedtwice - 6/5/2008 1:29:25 PM

0 Boost

You would, if you used just a little common sense. Companies dont just drop from a top spot to below average in one year, especially when nothing has been redesigned. The only thing new is SYNC, and it really isnt that user-friendly, so it doesnt take much brain-power to see that caused their drop.

Whelan - 6/5/2008 11:56:00 AM

+4 Boost

Im amazed old people like that even have an ipod or know how to use the cell phone itself. If they have not setup the bluetooth for sync it wont work. Just the other day my grandmother got a new phoen and could not even store a number. She did not know the green phone and red phone meant hang up or answer. And that little multi scroll with the up down left right and center ok or enter button. She was lost in space.

silver1 - 6/5/2008 2:55:56 PM

+1 Boost

LMAO!!! Please tell me your kidding!!! LOL

Whelan - 6/5/2008 11:57:04 AM

+1 Boost

Bottm line for Ford, if your avg. customer age is 62 and the avg. 62 year old barely can use a cell and or doesn't have an ipod. Why not make the Sync feature an option, no cost option or something like that, cause some people just dont want it.

M35MT - 6/5/2008 12:31:38 PM

+1 Boost

Old people have a hard time adapting, for example...

My grandfather got a new Buick Lucerne after having a Lasabre for over 10 years...he had 1 complaint...the side bolsters on the seats made it hard to get in/get out.

I looked at the seats, and to my eyes, saw no bolstering what so ever. Then I realized the old buicks had a bench for a seat.

Seats need to hug! One of the best features of my car is the seats, they'd be at home in an S4/M3.

gsh23 - 6/5/2008 2:02:55 PM

+1 Boost

do you have the sport seats? they are great...

gsh23 - 6/5/2008 2:01:55 PM

+1 Boost

well hold on, if SYNC really is too hard for older people to use, then that is an issue. i say older because of course you dont automatically turn into a dumbass when you hit the age of 50. if SYNC is the reason why IQS dropped so low, then it gives me the hint that maybe SYNC to sucks.

Matthew1 - 6/5/2008 4:05:52 PM

+1 Boost

I believe the seats in the 'S' and 'RS' Audi models are SUPERIOR to those in the M3.

Audi's sports seats are poetry in bolstering and spinal balance....

Shove that up 'yer pipe.

eric452 - 6/6/2008 11:38:14 PM

0 Boost

i think audi is a overrated POS volkswagon

SteveL - 6/5/2008 2:37:02 PM

+1 Boost

Good ole Ford. "Its not our falt, its the customers" This is currently the mind set of Ford anyways. They are thinking that what they are producing is what we should be buying. They think they know what we want even if we tell them we do not want it.

Caraficionado - 6/5/2008 2:41:11 PM

+1 Boost

Just the name plate alone sounds old.

What do you drive? A Lincoln.

What do you drive? A Ford

I'd stick to #2

indoctrin8ed - 6/6/2008 6:06:15 AM

+1 Boost

Article reads "but this year the it dropped 11 spots from number 3 to number 14."

Forget Ford. How about some grammar quality. And don't forget 3 should read three.

ChicaneShooter - 6/6/2008 10:02:58 AM

-3 Boost

how does customers not wanting certain features translate to "initial QUALITY survey?"

don't they have another survey, measuring "customer SATISFACTION?"

well, i never had much confidence in the jdp peeple and their surveys anyway. they can't hold a candle to the CR surveys.