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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008
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Sorry for the rambling. This is just a "raw nerve" with me.
Even many "collector cars" have only kept up with inflation. And that's just if you look at the purchase price, and don't consider maintenance. Don't get me wrong, I love cars, but the reasons aren't economic that's for sure!
Personally, I'm glad that so many people like to lease (i.e. perpetually in debt) or buy new cars and sell them "when they're tired to them". Because then the market for two year old cars IS flooded, and I can buy them for 30% off! Heh, heh, heh. ;-)
Brake light switch replacement on the adjustable pedals seems to have cured the ABS dash light problem, as pointed out by MinnesotaArt.
6 CD cartridge...Best Buy in Oxnard did not carry, but see that www.nexxon.com (for Aiwa MCDMG55 6 DISC CARTRIDGE $25, incl shipping) may be a source, versus dealer $75. Can anyone confirm?
I think there might be a line to apologize...
at least there oughta be! ;>
and to stay on topic: any news on the next Taurus being RWD?
But that doesn't seem like much of a gap, unless Ford plans to take the Vic up in price/size, which could happen; somewhere I read a rumor that the '02 Vic could be stretched 6".
But a Fairlane on a T-Bird/LS/S-Type platform sounds good. I'd like to see more RWD setups out there...
so how does this used Sable look? (It was owned by my drafting boss's brother.)
I've decided against buying new, for now, so I can save for a few years and buy a house...
Of course I am open to donations.
I don't know if it has the JBL; my boss thinks it has ABS and the automatic climate control (which the web page doesn't list).
I guess I just need to go for a test drive now...
I believe all LS' have ABS. Mine stops on a dime!
According to the values that you listed, it sounds like a good price. I figured on a "high" milage car the miles must be mostly freeway miles and therefore pretty easy miles.
Off the line the 6 isn't that potent. Once you get to about 3000 RPM's, hold on! The Duratec is most happy in the upper rev's. You can also shift manually to get better launch's.
Have fun!!!
You're right about the Duratec liking the upper RPMs (this one did); but I'd put 3-4k miles on my dad's '96 Taurus LX with a Duratec, and it was quick off the line. Rode a little smoother, too. But, that was 2 years ago. Could be my memory is fuzzy?
It's too bad; this Sable is mint, and the price is good, but I guess its not the one for me...
Thanks for all your help though!
Any quality 5W30 or 10W30 will perform just fine for you if you want to change your oil yourself. These oils will meet engine specs. Check the oil rating listed in your manual(should be SJ)and on the back of the quart that you select. As long as they conform you're all set.
One Lnk/Merc dealer is offering a 5 year/75k warranty, from original purchase date, and I looked on the ford web page and cant find any info on this program. They have a lot of used car warnty info but none have a 5/75 option. I am trying to determine the value of this feature. Many of their programs have a deductible and potential loopholes so I am leary of the extended wrnty. I bought a certified used cadillac and the program was great, no loopholes, even covered light bulbs, no deductible, always provided a cadillac loaner car, they even rented one for me once when their fleet was saturated - and that was not at the purchasing dealer.
Has anyone heard or have experience with the ford/L/Merc used car warranty programs.
In the process of buying a new 2001 Taurus and want to make the best choice of.engines.Does anyone know of any problems with any of these 3 engines.
1- 3.0 liter V 6
2- 3.0 liter V 6 24 valve Duratec
3- 3.0 liter V 6 flexible fuel
Once bought a Cadillac with a 4-6-8 engine, enough said about that, don't want to make that mistake again.
I have 6400 miles on it and have had NO problems at all!! It zoomed up mountains on my trip through West Virginia even with the air on, going 70 mph without hesitation. No engine knock, either. I think that possibly some of the problems people are having are caused by rough drivers. I have always treated my cars like the expensive investment that they are and not like disposable items. My last two Mustangs EACH lasted 16 years and I sold both of them for more than someone who didn't take of them which includes twice yearly waxings.
Yeah, who cares about resale when you can take care of a car and put your saved money into a good mutual fund!!
In March we took delivery of my wife's 2001 Taurus SEL. Great car and she loves it! Lots of room, drives like a dream, great seats (leather buckets) and love the way the whole car is designed. My wife thinks we made a very good choice.
In April we took delivery of my son's 2001 Focus SE Sport Sedan. Also a great car! For the size and the price great room and very good interior (better looking than my Mom's Toyota Camry LE). The car is a pip to drive and the standard equipment is very good.
In short.. our family likes both cars. In late April we brought my son his new Focus at school (about 250 miles away). My wife drove her Taurus and I drove the Focus. Both cars were great on the trip up. On the way back I drove the Taurus and it is obviously the more luxurious of the two. Very comfortable and a more isolated ride than in the Focus.
The bottom line is that they are both good cars but they are different cars. First the Taurus cost almost $10,000 more and is a different kind of a car. I would have no problem buying or recommending either. The Focus would make a great second car for a family or only car for someone. The reality is that it is a better all around car than my 2000 Mustang convertible (but not when the tops down!!). The Taurus is a great family car with lots of room, luxury, and good driving manors.
Sorry... can't shoot down the Focus. They are both good cars but kind of like comparing apples and oranges.
FDIII
Considered the Camry and Accord, but there was just no comparison for what we could get for the money with a low-mileage used car. If we were buying new, I might have gone with the Accord for the better mileage and manual transmission, but I can't say the Taurus has disappointed. I also like the funky interior that doesn't look like everything else.
Just one of the many developing problems with my 99SE. Currently with 41,000 miles. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
This is a whole lot of nice car for this money and has 10k miles of original warranty and 6yr/75k mile limited powertrain, $100 deductable warranty. the extended warranty was not as good as I hoped but it also includes some roadside assistance perks. I think the value of the wrnty is about $500.
One has to wonder why the competing cars are so much higher in the used market. I know the ford/mercs are plentifull, but I cant justify 2 or 3 thousand more for a same year grand prix, impala, and 3 or 4 thousand more for a same year accord or camry. All cars will depreciate to minimal dollars in time, why put more in up front? Unless you get out of it after driving and say "holy s??t that was nice. But the cars in this group are not going to get that reaction from me
here is a link provided to me in the warranty section of town hall for ford cert used program
http://www.fordvehicles.com/shopping/preowned/
I could not find it from the simple ford.com page.
I am out of the car market for a little while, but never done looking!!!!
Since you bought the Taurus used and a big depreciation hit has already been taken, that will lessen the cost in your situation unless you end up spending a lot of money on repairs that not covered by the warranty in a few years.
Here are some facts I place some faith in
not All accords are problem free
not All taurus' are lemons
Be carefull when you believe the statistic thrown at you regarding reliability, they are always presented in one fashion and looking at them from another angle may reveal that the chances of getting a GOOD car form any manufacturer are very similar. The chances of getting a BAD car vary greatly from manufacturer.
I still think that buying a car can be a crap shoot. I've had Toyotas that were garbage, a Honda that rusted away, and a Mercury that I had to finish the assembly on. Also have had great experiences with other vehicles from the same companies.
Also, please stop bashing people who have already bought a car. We really don't care how smart you are and what jerks we were. Thanks for your advice but who asked!!!
FDIII
Amazing that GM can't even come close to these Ford motors.
Sorry to rain in your parade but the 3.0L Vulcan 'Pushrod' V6 doesn't even come close to the smooth power delivery, fuel economy and durability of the 200/205/240HP (Supercharged)3800 Series II V6 engine. Sorry no comparison there.
The Duratec 24V is certainly better than the lackluster Vulcan but still the pushrod 3800 Series II outruns it, has a flatter torque curve and has much better oomph from the get-go. Now comparing 'apples to apples' the 3.5L DOHC 'Shortstar' (215hp) found in the Olds Intrigue and Olds Aurora 3.5 is a much superior engine than the Duratec. The Duratec is OK for the most part and just adequate in terms of performance and fuel economy.
Let's not get into automatic transmissions as GM is the clear 'KING' in making the smoothest most efficient and durable automatic slushboxes in the world. The BMW Z3, 3, 5 and 7 series all use GM automatic transmissions, standard.
Don't believe me? See it right here:
www.gmpowertrain.com
Where I am going to agree with you is about the late Yamaha derived DOHC V8 engine found in the Taurus SHO. Clearly a super reliable engine that not even Ford could dream of building on their own.
Too bad that Ford, in their infinite wisdom, dropped the Taurus SHO, the best and only reason to look at a Taurus sedan. Now the Taurus/Sable are just copycat Accord/Camry sedans.
Maybe you Ford lovers should write to Jac 'The Knife' Nasser to see if the Aussie CEO brings back the SHO or decides to bring a more substantial vehicle like the new Ford Mondeo or something along the lines of the Australian Ford Falcon. Also tell him to stop messing with Ford's public perception and to stop cutting corners in quality to meet his ridiculous budget projections and also to stop issuing recalls before the cars even hit the show rooms.
Hasta la vista!
For me, I had a thunderbird, V8 because the V6 was weak
have a 98 Explorer, V8, because the V6 was weak at that time
had a 94 ranger, 4.0l V6, acceptable, but once again large for only 160hp
The duratec engine currently in the taurus is a good engine as are the 6s in the newer explorers and escape. I think ford was a little behind (timewise) the competition in offering these better alternatives to the "larger" solution to more power.
So far with my Taurus I've had to have:
1. the tie-rods replaced (under warranty),
2. the rotors machined once and then replaced (at my expense) which included the brake pads which still squeak and now braking is vibrating the steering wheel again!!
3. the rear lube tube replaced (recall)
4. the tires balanced numerous times for vibration at 50-70 mph (at my expense).
5. the back quarter-panels painted due to chipping/scratches that happened in the service dept.
In addition, the front seats' material is buckling up like they aren't attached properly underneath and two dealerships refused to repair saying it will be considered "normal wear & tear".
My Taurus also PINGS/KNOCKS constantly when using 87 octane gas, especially uphill and the transmission is starting to hesitate it's shifting and kind of jerks when shifting even after having it serviced! And NOW, there's a very strange moaning noise that comes from the rear end when turning left and the dealership says it's the "after market brakes" my husband installed! WHATEVER!
So I was thinking "what else could possibly go wrong?, I'll just keep it and lower my payment!"
But gee, after typing all this (*PHEW!*)it makes me realize what all I have endured and I better get out while I can!!!
I'm actually considering a 2001 Ford Focus ZTS.
Any thoughts on that car? I know the 2000's have had probs.
Buy a Honda.
Your beloved 3800 is a good motor. But its kinda bland in standard form. I've driven about 8 cars with it and all have been so dull I've almost nodded off. I ain't saying its not reliable because it is. The supercharged version is quick too if the car's not too heavy but the Riviera I drove with it was sloooowwwww. But 95 percent of folks have the un-SC version and its not any better than what's available in 10 other makes. Nissan, Toyota, Honda, all make better v6's.
I basically had in mind GM's 3.1 and 3.4 when comparing. Why they even continue to build those motors amazes me. A lot fo articles I've seen say competitive make's 4 cylinders are more desirable. Time for an upgrade. Pushrods are fine in pickups....get em out of the cars. All the good motorcycle makers even use OHC almost exclusively.
Those are the motors I compare the Vulcan to. The Vulcan gets good MPG and is durable, but its not a tire burner. As a pushrod motor its better than GM's 3.4.
I consider the 3.0 DOHC superior to the GM 3.8 because its more entertaining to drive and is smooth. It revs freer. And I know of no one who's had mechanical trouble with any Duratec motor, whether its the 2.5 in the Contour or the 3.0 in the Taurus.
Too bad GM is kiling the Shortstar. Typical GM...eliminate a good product and continue to push crap like the 3.4 on the general public. Why don't they put the Shortstar in the Impala and Grand Prix?????????? or in the Minivans and Azteks??????? Becuase they'd rather sell you the 3.4!!!!!! LOL.