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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Wagons
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If you mention the dealership and town, people should be able find it. Also, if you want, you can ask people to email you for further details.... Okay? Thanks for abiding by our rules. Also, feel free to email me if you have any questions/comments regarding this matter.
And now, back to the subject of the Ford Taurus & Mercury Sable Wagons!
Revka
Hatchbacks & Wagons Host
I notice when i tried it on a snow covered parking lot there was a noisy grinding sound along with quick brake applications when I held down hard on the brakes. It did stop OK and straight in a short distance but it was NOISY. I just had brakes done on this car at a Ford dealer but wanted to know how it reacts as this is my first Ford with ABS.
Thanks in advance.
The failure modes are:
- Car will not shift out of park without following the elaborate procedure in the manual
- Cruise control will not shut off or shuts off randomly while cruising down the road
- Other cars seem to get very large in your mirrors while braking for stoplights....probably because your brake lights don't work.
I just ordered this part today from my dealer....looks simple to change.
Jon
Did you get a fix?
OK, first, it's a 10 year old car, 2nd it's used, 3rd the "old lady driven" is a myth.
The biggest myth in used cars is that low mileage is "all that". A car that sits and sits will have dried out seals and parts. No way is a car "preserved" if it is driven 10 miles a week.
I remember someone writing to the Chicago Tribune complaining of 120,000 mile Cadillac that died, saying "I'll never get one again!" The editor basically told him he was lucky it lasted that long!!!
Any used car is "buyer beware".
For quality is really great.
I love it, though, seems like a cream puff so far...
Roger
Roger
I find the Taurus to be much more pleasant to drive/ ride in than any of the SUV's I tried, and it also carries more stuff.
I believe the lighting is by LED, which last a long time and do not easily burn out.
Date: 1/31/2003 8:24 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Heidi 929
Message-id: <20030131202454.17879.00030880@mbs-m04.aol.com>
I am trying to decide whether to buy an LS mercury sable wagon. How long does it take the car to warm up inside? There is 79 cubic feet to heat. Does the back seat get warm enough. The six seater does not have an A/C vent in the rear for the summer, either.
If you own the car. please share your experience. I don't want to buy a car that is an icebox- I have some medical issues. I rather cough up more $$ and get a Saab. Thanks in advance.
Has anyone tried installing removable head rests and cores in the bench seats for extra safety? Has anyone found an aftermarket site that sells mercury sable head rests and cores?? I know you can buy head rests and cores for some European cars.
Thanks in advance.
Well, I managed to make the old switch go about three more weeks before it completely gave up. It looks like the rod which travels to the master cylinder presses against some very tiny standing plastic walls on the brake light switch, and when those little plastic walls wear down beyond a certain point (from the brake rod pushing on them), the switch stops functioning. We are talking thousandths of an inch here, as far as the "wear limit" goes.
My car is out of warranty. I found that my dealer would warranty the switch they installed under recall for 12 months/12K miles, but it turned out this switch had been in there longer than that. I think the replacement switch cost $16.
Jon
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
Saturn L Series :
sysop "Saturn L-Series Wagons" Feb 28, 2003 12:33am
And p.s., I didn't trade the Sable in for a Saturn, it was just an example of a backseat headrest that wouldn't obstruct visibility, since some folks have expressed that concern. Although if Ford put in removeable headrests, as some wagon makers have, drivers could have the choice. But then that would drive up the cost, yeah, I know, can't have that, blah, blah, blah......
(P.S. I am not anti- SUV's as I have one.)
Your dream car is a Mercedes E-Class wagon.
Sorry but you said it in your stats. I have found older cars do take more maintenance than brand new ones too.
1. Model Year & Total miles to date.
2. MPG & Driving habits. Any differences in mpg since you first purchase?
3. Any additional accessories & mods?
4. Maintenance issues to date.
5. Any interesting trips or cargo experiences?
6. Overall impressions pro/cons of your vehicle since you first purchased....
Share as much (or as little) information as you'd like. I'm sure other owners/shoppers passing through here, would find the information quite interesting, if not helpful.
Also, you can report back every 3-5k to update again. Who's game? ;-)
Thanks for your participation!
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
years old. I bought it new at a Brooklyn Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
I traded a Mazda MPV for it which I had purchased new in 1998.
Paid for the S.W. $22.000 minus the trade. Purchase experience
left much to be desired. I complained with Ford headquarters directly which interceded somewhat with the dealer.
My Sable is currently giving me 20 mpg in overall city/highway driving, but only if I control my urge to step on the gas with a heavy foot. Very powerful motor, adequate passing power, good emergency handling, good brakes, roomy interior for passengers
and cargo. The well under the cargo area is a convenient way to store small valuables. I placed a large rubber mat to cover the
lid so hinges are not seen by prying eyes. The lid easily folds
to become two seats.
My car is fully equipped except for a moon roof and CD changer.
It now has 21,000 miles, and it has been serviced mainly by
dealer's service department for scheduled maintenance, 2 or 3 recalls, to realign the lift gate and to fix the hood latch.
Both jobs were done under warranty. I began using dealer
service when I realized that the private shop I used to take all
my cars to was actually charging me more than this Lincoln-Mercury dealer, quite a bit more. Go figure. By the way, dealer service
has been quite good indeed. Courteous, efficient and on time.
And although, my purchase experience was lousy service made up
for it.
Accessories are very good. A/C cools quickly and heating warms
the whole car fast. Leather seats are cold in winter and hot in summer, but relatively easy to clean. Passenger in the middle
front seat is not comfortable during long trips. Second seat
without head rests represents a glaring mistake on the part of
Ford. I'd be concerned with putting 2 kids in the rear most seat, even for short trips. Not safe at all. Adjustable pedals are a
good feature. Ergonomics are good. Front seating positions for driver and passenger are fine. Access to the rear is awkward; I'
ve hit my head on several occasions while entering. However, the seat is comfortable with adequate support and leg room is ample.
As said previously, the engine is powerful but I do not find it
all that smooth. Ride feels firm and solid. Transmission shifts
smoothly, but not silky smooth. At times is difficult to move
the lever from from "Park".
Initially when I bought this station wagon was for transporting
my kids and their friends on short and long trips. However, my
boys decided they'd never be seen in such a vehicle. One of the
told me that the Honda Accord is more comfortable that my "ugly looking station wagon". The other one said that it looks like a "little yellow taxi". None of this is true, in my opinion.
Not a head turner by any means but it's good looking and is also adequate transportation at a reasonable price.
My Sable feels solid, safe, is very roomy, not tiring on log
trips, relatively low insurance, (not attractive for joy riders
or professional thieves). I find it difficult to parallel park
here in New York where parking is at a premium. Or perhaps I
should practice parking it using cones.
My bumper to bumper warranty expires this month, and I'm very
sorry I didn't buy an extended warranty 3 years ago. Now if
anything goes wrong ( and things will go wrong)is on me.
Otherwise, I could trade and absorb depreciation on a car that
has received good care and has low miles. Selling it privately
would give me $1000 more than what I would get on trade.
So who's next? Anyone else have a vehicle update to share? Thanks for your participation!
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
The Taurus took a hard shot to the left rear bumper, breaking the muffler mount to the unibody, and collapsing the bumper and the metal support underneath. The unibody channels don't look like they were touched at all, which is amazing considering that they are protected by what amounts to a couple of flat pieces of plastic and metal.
It looks like most of the repair will be replacement of parts, with little, if any straightening of anything required. The rear doors and hatch work just fine, and the car drove just the same on the way home from the hospital. By comparison, the offending minivan had a crumpled hood, fender, and bumper.
Now the insurance fun begins.....
Jon
BUT, I like to think I just got a Sable that wasn't put together that well. My husband called it a "Friday car", meaning the plant had to make quota and slapped my little red wagon together on a friday afternoon. Who knows?
I had the rear license plate mechanism (not the holder, the entire mechanism) fall off after only a couple of months, the roof rail cross bar broke after about 6 useages (and I had to fight with Ford to get them to fix under warranty), and my drivers side seatbelt twisted up on me out of nowhere and I was told that it was never installed properly to begin with! Plus, the brake lamp switch went out on me 3x. (It was one of at least 5 service recalls I received and they couldn't fix it right.)
On the plus side, I loved the room, cubbies for everything, the storage bin under the cargo floor, the smooth ride and transmission and overall handling. I miss those things now that I don't have them.
Oh, my Saab wagon is nice, has every gizmo under the sun, but it's small and harder to drive. And has lousy cupholders! But it's better put together. And that won out.
However, for the money, you can't beat the Sable and I'd try one again, because I've seen new ones on the dealer lot and I can tell they're just put together better than the one I had. There was just something wrong with mine from the beginning, but I like to think it was a anomoly.
If you're interested in talking for 5 minutes about the car, please email me at lanetef@yahoo.com
Does the dealer have a copy of previous service records? Also, with the vin, you may be able to find out Ford 800 Customer Service what kind of warranty work has been done on the vehicle. Others here may have more to add.... Good luck, and please keep us posted on your purchase.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
This is the first time I've had these options on a car. I previously owned a 1989 and 1995 Taurus Wagon. Kept them for 6 years and 120k miles. Anyway the ABS and TC got a good workout this winter and made driving in the snow much easier. However, I notice that at times on dry pavement if I am making a turn from a stop and the road is bumpy I've had the TC engage which in turns reduces power and can make for some tense few seconds when you are trying to accelerate out of the way of an oncomiing vehicle. Has anyone else experienced this? Would it be safer to have the TC off when not needed? It currently is on automatically and you have to turn it off manually.
I have a 95 Taurus wagon, and I found the coolant temperature gauge always in the area around the "C". Although the "Normal" take a long range, but I still think there must be something wrong with the temperature sensor. The reason is even after driving more than 200 miles, I still feel the coolant is cool if I open the cap of the coolant reservior and put my finger.
So I wonder how about your temperature gauge performan if you have the same model car? does it always stay in the middle of the gauge after the car warm up and drive a while? or it stay around "C"? and if I want to check and repair myself, how to begin? I worry about the engine will overheat if I want take a long trip.
Thanks for any response and have a good day.
Best regards
I had a '95 Taurus Wagon. As I remember the coolant guage was closer to the C than the H in the normal range. My 2001 Taurus stays in the middle. If you're getting hot air from the heating system then the coolant should be circulating. Are the upper and lower hoses hot? I don't think you should be able to open the radiator cap after driving 200 miles. It should be too hot to touch and if you opened it you would probaby have hot coolant spraying out under pressure in your face.
Good luck.