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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008
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Comments
If I can work out that blind spot with a power seat but not with non-power, I may just go on and spend the extra money. I've been driving the same car for 10 years and a lot of it is getting accustomed to something different.
Have fun with your decesion and enjoy whatever you end up purchasing!
I find that on our 2001 Taurus SEL those little "extra" windows behind the back doors help a lot!
Enjoy the new ride!!
The Vulcan is a good workhorse engine. I would never be afraid of it from a reliability standpoint. Power-wise, though, it is only competitive with some other manufacturer's 4 cylinders. The 24 valve is just a more modern powerplant and is well worth the additional cost IMHO.
Bruce
Hopefully, in a couple of weeks, I'll be driving a new Taurus. I'm really getting tired of going to all these dealerships!
Well, I first strated off with a 1990 Taurus wagon as my first car. I loved it. I bought a 1 year old 1998 Turus SE in Aug of 99 and it has been nothing but problems. Rattles clunks... I can handle all of that (I am a brit car guy). What I can't handle is the transmission problems. It has been in the shop 6 times for the EXACT same symptoms. Just before coming to a complete stop the darn thing gives a jolt that is quite irritating. It does this even worse when the a/c is on. I gave up on the dealre where I bought it and have taken it to a new dealer. The worked on it about 2 weeks ago and the jolt is back. It is going back in on mon 4/30 for a second look. They have replaces the clutch cylinder, clutch bands, and the brain box. I know a bit about cars having restored a few, and have been able to relay to the service techs what I think may be the problem (possible torque converter bug). This has been an awful experience. So much so that I am trading in my beloved taurus for a Grand Prix in June. I still like Fords and all, but I think I need s change of pace.
Regards to all,
Aaron
I don't think it's good or bad. When I asked woodge about his dealer, I kind of figured that it would be. But I wonder if his outcome would've been the same at a non-certified dealer...
The reason I mentioned a blower is because I saw a picture of a Taurus 2001 concept car with a blower, dual exhausts, etc. Just can't remember where I saw it.
Woodge in Oregon
My 97 Vulcan is pretty fuel efficient. It does run out of power but that doesn't bother me. I new what I was buying before I made the purchase.
If it was me I base my decision on dollars to spend and what deal was available. I'd definitely purchase a Duratec if I buy a Taurus or a Sable. If power isn't a big concern buy the Vulcan. I've heard that the Duratecs have been extremely reliable.
I could be wrong but when we bought our 2001 Taurus, I believe the EPA rating was 20 in city for the Duratec and 18 for the Vulcan. I was thinking that the highway number was the same. I wouldn't swear to that and earlier models may have been different. If EPA ratings are important, it easy to check at the EPA website or a local dealer.
In any case, I rent Taurus and Sables frequently for business and have had both Duratecs and Vulcans. I consistently get a little better mileage with the Duratec. Our company has a number of fleet cars and overall, we have found the Duratec a little better on gas in real-world driving. Again, your mileage may vary depending on driving habits, terrain, etc.
Bruce
Bob
I test drove a 96 Duratec about the same time as I bought my 97 Taurus with the Vulcan. Since the Vulcan was the first 6 cylinder I've owned I fine the power to be k. I understand those who have a Duratec stating there is no comparison. I'd tend to agree.
Believe that both engines are very durable when properly cared for.
As far as gas mileage goes, on the highway my cars have been pretty comparable (around 27-30 mpg). Around town the Vulcan does better, but I think that is due to the fact that since the Duratec is so lively I hit the gas a bit heavier than in the Vulcan wagon.
I have noticed that the transmissions are different. The 98 does not shift as smoothly as the 2000, and the 2000 downshifts more gently than the 98.
For the money, you can't beat the Taurus (used, especially). And, the ones that the fleets are getting are pretty loaded (my wagon came with everything but the Duratec, including leather).
They provide more HP, the same torque and they are cheaper than Taurus, plus the have better transmission.
I rented 99 Taures once, my experience comes from that. The car was not moving, there was no pick up at all, it was acting like a heavy truck and odometer was showing only 16K.
Everything equals, 3368 lbs needs more HP. All of it's competitors are coming min 170HP+ with the same torque and the body weight.
My experience with the Taurus has been good, so I have stuck with them. Also, who else sells a wagon that has the same capacity, and is less than $35K? For the most part, the Big 3 have abandoned those of us who don't want to drive a ridiculous SUV or a minivan.
Most of the GM's I looked into buying have the aluminum cylinder heads (the cars under $20,000). The GM does have a cast iron engine on its 3.8L though but you're paying a lot more for it.
Bob
Here are a couple of web pages that may help you:
www.gmpowertrain.com
www.blueovalnews.com/engine_guide.htm
The web page for Ford is for 1999 engines.
As for avoiding GM for squeaks and rattles, your Taurus must be very different than mine (a '97 with more and more rattles and squeaks and popping sounds every day.) I'd expect this from a $9K new low-end Hyundai, but not a car that is 4 years old and originally cost $20K.
I'll have to weigh out color preference over money. Since I hope to get 10 years out of the car, I'd like to get a color that I like.
RE Power Seats... No, no manual over ride on our 2001 Taurus. If it makes you feel any better, 2 months ago we sold out 89 Taurus wagon to a young guy here at work. Lots of stuff was going on the car but after 12 years the driver's power seat still worked like a charm! I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
Bob,
Regarding the speakers.... get a Crutchfield catalog (they do have a web site you can look at) and check out the speakers. If you order from them they do a very good job and send you great instructions for any instalation...speakers, radios, amps, etc and they know what adaptors you need to make the job easy and also will tell you what will fit. The catalog is a great resource even if you don't order from them.
FDIII
snowman - Good luck on finding a car. The only info I have on engines is for GM and Ford. Don't know about Chrysler and the foreign cars.
I still love my Duratec. I have driven a 96 vulcan, I can not beleive the difference. Very much worth the extra money.
This is a one afternoon job.
Reality is that a car is best if driven normally. The oil is not circulating to lubricate and the rubber seals could be dried out.
If you buy it, have it looked over by a reliable mechanic and replace all fluids, filters, and re lube all moving parts.
The engine has been great, it has 32000 miles on it without any issues. I see a lot of post regarding lack of power. The engine seems to pull the car along fine, in fact some friends seemed suprised by the pick up.
My friend is a service manager for Ford, he loves the engine due to the lack of failures with them.