Gang,

I've started this topic to get feedback, positive and negative, along with any suggestions for Mania 4, that you would like to share with all the members about your experience at Mania 3. The only off-limits discussion, as per our promise, is the 2003 LS models that we saw.

Thanks for your input and cooperation.

I know this sounds like pushing things, but maybe a little more discussion time. Or have an expediter. We seemed to get off track a few times and probably belaboured a point or two. Other than that, the time was very productive. It seemed to me that we had the ears of the right people.

I can't get this stupid  ;D off of my face!

;D :D

Just wanted to thank all of you for the birthday wishes and the cake!  

I think we need to make the Q&A structured so that we stay focused on one subject at a time.

Hope to see all of you at MANIA IV!!

As I posted on Edmunds, it was indeed a thrill to attend Mania III.  What a great opportunity to interface with engineers.  The best part is that they have been listening to us and our suggestions have been included in the 2003 LS.

Just a teeny suggestion.  I wish the nice Mania III polo shirts provided  had been available to wear to PAG Headquarters.  The sea of blue shirts would certainly raise our visibility level among PAG employees and when they asked the question who are those people?, the answer is Lincoln LS owners interested enough to tour their headquarters.  Perhaps they could be distributed by the hotel front desk at check-in along with a note asking Mania attendees to please at least wear at official Lincoln LS functions.

I also agree that a more structured discussion would be helpful.  At Mania II, Lincoln provided a printed meeting agenda.  Even though it was not followed very well by attendees, I believe it would be helpful to explain the rules at the beginning of the meeting to discuss each item and then move on.  There were too many people trying to talk over each other and it gets garbled in my hearing aid.

Brian, Debbie, and all others involved in organizing and implementing Mania III, a heartfelt THANK YOU!  8)

The format, the presentations, the quality of our hosts, were nothing short of first class. The autocross and dinner at the Gowings lovely home was just icing on a very well-made cake!!

I was a little confused as to what to, and what not to ask at the Q and A.

The exciting/surprising part about the car and its short history is that more-than-the-basics are there. They built a wonderful platform for now and future incarnations.

In that light, rather than just bagging on them for past problems, it would have been most exciting for me to kick the tires (or is that tyres)of the ultimate fantasy LS.

Also, if I am not correct, one of the pivitol reasons for the PAG creation on the west coast was to take advantage of the "automotive creative design" aspects of the Irvine, Newport Beach area. It might be nice in the future, if at all possible, for them to throw some "new" styling concepts our direction. We are ready and eager to be that focus group.  ;)
Some of the recent Lincoln "Concept Cars" that have been making the show circuit have us a bit concerned as to the future styling "direction" that LM "may" bestow upon the future LS. I know I know its a brand DNA thing but the LS now has it's own DNA also ;D

Kevin had mentioned that it would have been a good idea to have their ad/marketing rep there. That in fact would have been a great idea. It has been very interesting/puzzling? to me observing how they market the car.

So as usual I just wanted more of a good thing ;D ;D

It was a great 2 days and I sure hope to do it again.

Jay.......er funkcity......out

:)How about having maniaIV on the east coast. Some of us just cant get to the west coast that often. Also After Each event how about a detailed description so those of us who cant go can get an Idea of whats going on.
Thanks

It's hard to imagine anything that could have made Mania 3 better.  Well, OK, the weather Saturday AM, maybe.  Even after experiencing it twice, I'm bowled over by the people of Lincoln and their commitment to the car and it's enthusiasts.  There can be no doubt of their sincerity when that many busy people are willing to devote an entire day, and then some, to participating in and hosting an event like this.

For me, the autocross was the highlight of the weekend.  I knew the LS was a great handling car, but it was almost humbling to get a feeling of it's true capabilities.  My driving skills are so far behind what the car can do, I could almost sense it's impatience.  Squeezing the throttle all the way to the floor coming out of the circle and just driving through the next several turns with no letup, a whiny little voice in the back of my head was saying "no way".  But we blast right through it, and the car is saying "See?  Nothing to it."  

Saturday evening at Brian & Debbie's was the perfect cap to the weekend.  Good food, good company, and Steve pulled together some really cool stuff for the raffle and the auction and made that a lot of fun.  A born game show host/auctioneer. :D  Just kidding; well done, Steve.

Maybe next time we should collect a little more money, enough to rent a small hall or reserve a room in a restaurant.  It was nice to be able to sing Happy Birthday for Debbie, but she deserves more of the fun for all the work she does for the club.  Besides, next time, or sometime soon, I have a feeling she's going to be driving with us instead of getting a party ready.  She looked really good sitting in that '03, and she kind of had her eye on that candy apple red car, didn't she? ;D

Another first-class gathering all around and, as before, the friends & camaraderie are the best part.  Thanks to all for a memorable experience.

;D 8) ;D

Hey Scott,

Think we can still talk Brian into it - the 03 that is ;) and yes I really loved that candy apple red color and after I take my autocross driving schooling - you bet ya, I'll be out there with the rest of you all :o  I got to drive the supercharger back over Ortega Hwy this morning and oh what fun that was - Ryan even had that "Crazy LS Grin" :o

You think the fog was bad on Sat. luckily it rained on Sun. and as the Big Kahuna said "the LS Gods are watching out for us".

Thanks again for the birthday wishes and boy was it was a surprise alright!!  Thanks to all of you, and thanks Steve_CA for helping get the cake!

Mrs. Kahuna (aka) Debbie

Again, excellent.

I am going to agree with a more structured Q&A next time though, although the time allocated for it was just right (though a bit on the long side).  We should submit issues beforehand so they have a chance to prepare responses, and it should be moderated to keep us from diving into the weeds again.

I wonder if anyone else noticed that there were really no new technical problems discussed this time around?  Ok, there's the stall issue - but I think it's a very good indication from a quality standpoint, if we only have one technical problem to throw at them.

Personally, I don't mind the LS being our little secret - makes the owners club a little more exclusive.  Kind of like the SHO's - most of John Q. Public doesn't know they exist (and are subsequently left far far behind when they try to pull something on the highway, hehe).

Thanks again to Debbie for all the hard work - hope she got taken somewhere nice for dinner (that is, if Brian could afford it after all the bidding she was doing!).
And also to the gang at Lincoln - their participation and openess makes me very comfortable with buying an LS (about as comfortable as I could be, when spending $45-large on a car).   :D