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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008

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Comments

  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Buy what you want...its your money.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    I can see validity in both sides of this issue. True, in general the least costly approach is to buy slightly used to let someone else take the initial big depreciation hit. On the other hand, I buy new because I intend to keep the cars a long time-10 years or so as I only put on about 10K miles a year and would prefer to have direct involvement in all maintenance.

    I buy new but wait till the end of the model year and buy a leftover as the rebates and incentives usually are very good for leftovers, thus I try to keep the cash out of pocket lower than buying at the beginning or middle of the model year.

    There is no necessarily right or wrong approach, it just depends on the individual.
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    I agree that waiting to the end of the model year can net you a very good deal, rebates and an additional discount from a dealership that wants to clear inventory. On the other hand, purchasing slightly used may get you a car with all the bugs fixed.

    By the way, I saw the 2004 Taurus. Very nice indeed. Noticeable new fascia. Best looking car on the road. Distinguished but not flashy.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    so much more tasteful than that new malibu. even if its older design.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    If the car is new the warranty will get you 3 years/36k miles to fix any bugs. Maybe what you mean is that it might save the inconvenience of taking the car in to get any bugs fixed, as that was the previous owners hassle?

    On the other hand, buying slightly used may mean you miss out on the fact the first owner drove 15K before his first oil change or routinely jack rabbit started, jumped curbs, rode the brakes, slammed the transmission into park before stopping, etc. That's why I like to buy new, though I agree a 1-2 year old low mileage car is very tempting to keep that initial $ outlay much lower.

    Maybe the best bet is to buy 1-2 years old but also pay for some extended warranty as well to give yourself some peace of mind.

    Regfootball: I agree, I can find no cars in Taurus car size/price range that look as good to me as the current generation Taurus- either with the slight freshening on the 04 or on the 00-03's. I think Ford did a great job of correcting some of the too oval previous generation and came up with a classy but not too sedate style. Certainly better than Camry, Accord, and Altima, and GM's midsizers rub me slightly wrong also. Intrepid is a great looking car, but just a bit over done and its styling makes it look huge, though I think it's length is not much different than Taurus.
     
    The overall structure of Tauri, even though most of it dates back to 96 is still near state of the art in stiffness and integrity, and with the DOHC Duratec, at least Ford can't be accused of sticking exclusively with pushrod engines-not that there really is anything particularly wrong with pushrod engines, in my opinion. All at a price maybe $4-$6K less than the equivalently equipped V-6 Camcordaltimas.
  • macarthur2macarthur2 Member Posts: 135
    Though I normally drive a Buick LeSabre I recently had the occasion to rent a 2004 Taurus SES for six days just outside of Boston Mass. We found the car to be very attractive with some of the sportiest looks around. I would add the spoiler on the trunk and take one in the Tan (beige, odd green or whatever that is.) I liked the interior and dash and found the seats to be firmer and more comfortable than those in my Buick. The little V6 at 155hp is a bit anemic away from a stop and a bit noisy under throttle but settles in nicely at speed. I believe I would rather have the 201hp Duratec 24v dohc unit which has got to perform better. We put 200 miles on it up through Lexington and Concord on to New Hampshire and back. It handles nice and takes those narrow 2 lane roads in stride. I like it well enough to consider it as a replacement for my Mazda which is showing it's age. Lots of them on the market (program cars)here in OKC for 12-14K. Nice car and a really great seat -- Gm needs to copy this front seat.
  • eastinwayeastinway Member Posts: 3
    I bought a 96 Taurus in 98 with 33,000 miles on it. I am still drivin this car with currently 130,063 miles. Just replaced the water pump and belt but no other major repairs. Most of my miles are highway. I am very happy with this car and thinking about buying another one, probably 2002 model. I like the look of the Sable. How many more miles can I expect from this car. Are the 02's just as reliable?
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    should be, the mechanicals are mostly the same.
  • eastinwayeastinway Member Posts: 3
    With 130,000+ miles on my 96 Taurus, does anyone out there know how many more I can expect to get out of this vehicle.
  • chuckles_gchuckles_g Member Posts: 10
    I saw one a couple months ago, two owners. Current owners originally bought as a program car with 16K on the clock and they traded it in with 303K. Just regular maintenance and tunes ups. It was the 3.0L vulcan engine. Ran better than some I've seen with 1/2 the miles
  • ehennessehenness Member Posts: 92
    From what I understand from reading and talking to Ford technicians, if you have a Vulcan and take care of the transaxle (change the fluid and filter regularly--like at the 30K interval Ford calls for), the car can be darn near bulletproof. This is mostly for the later generations ('96-up). Other than body panels, trim, and options/features, the 1996 through '04 Tauruses and Sables are pretty much the same car, so these comments should apply to all of them.

    The Vulcan is supposed to be the most reliable engine Ford makes. It's 'old tech' and that's fine--cast iron block, cast iron heads, timing chain. That is one reason it lasts. It may be a bit weaker in power, but it doesn't have any very weak points (unlike the head gasket in the old 3.8 V6, etc.). The Duratech looks good as well, but hasn't had the 15 years of existence yet to prove its longevity. A fair amount of the short block is Vulcan-based, though.

    The AX4N transmission is somewhat more reliable than the AX4S from what I hear, but even the AX4S can last a long time if it's taken care of.

    If the rest of the car is in good shape, and you've taken care of it, there should be lots of miles left in the car.
  • eastinwayeastinway Member Posts: 3
    Regfootball,Chuckles g and Ehenness,

    Thank you very much for the information provided to me on the Ford Taurus. I was thinking of buying an 02 Lexus ES series but will definitely save my money and purchase a 02 Sable.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    You likely could buy a new Taurus or Sable fully loaded for less or equal to a used 02 Lexus ES300 and about 1/2 the cost of a new Lexus ES.

    Luxury cars are definitely not the way to keep your transportation costs down. Maintenance costs on luxury cars are generally much more expensive as well, as I think the dealers and manufacturer's figure if you can afford the $ for the luxury car, we might as well gouge you for parts and service too.

    You will be pleasantly surprised with reduced noise and smoother shifting transmissions in any '00 and newer Taurus/Sable over your '96.

    Of course, your least expensive route is to keep your current '96 and drive it until it dies and then replace it with a late model used. But you risk being stranded on occasion.
  • sableguy1sableguy1 Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a program '03 Sable GS Plus with 12K miles for only $12,500. The car didn't have a single door ding or scrape. The interior still smelled new. It was safety checked and serviced by the dealer and detailed. The delivery was as good as for a new car. I will never buy a new again. I love this car and runs perfect with comfortable seats and a smooth ride.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    Only reason to get new is if it's a rare hard to get model, with high resale.

    If interested in 2004 Tauruses, wait until some program cars come to the market to save big $$$.
  • koolk2koolk2 Member Posts: 1
    I'm a Sales Engineer who drives 40K plus miles a year. Currently driving a 2000 Sable LS with 130K miles on it. I've been looking at 2003 & 2004 Tari SES. Both have leather, bucket seats, spoiler, and luxury package. The 2003 also has moonroof, adjustable pedals, Mach audio, and 6 CD changer (none of which I use). With Ford's increased incentive of $3000 ($2000 rebate + $1000 Ford financing) the 2004 is $1000 more than 2003. I'm still not sure which way to go. Any opinions from the Board?
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    if its only a thousand bucks I'd go 2004........you'll get 1000 back in resale....however if you go 2003 then you will always have a low mileage 2003...wait, you drive 40k miles.......maybe you should stick with the 2003.
  • riswamiriswami Member Posts: 192
    I'd go with the 03. You put a lot of miles on em. There are so many of these cars on the market in the first place. Got to figure the average buyer wants lower miles. So the high miles is going to ding that value pretty hard. Plus these cars don't have the rep for longevity that some other models do. Not saying they shouldn't have it, but some perceptions are hard to overcome.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    my friend has had tauri as rep cars and routinely runs them trouble free up to 90k miles or more.
  • radrluv1radrluv1 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2002 Taurus SES with the 3.0 Liter flex fuel engine. After the car has sat for more than a couple of hours, when I start it the engine revs all the way up to 1700 RPM and very slowly begins to go down to 800 RPM. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Most cars have high idle when starting a cold engine. This is all computer controlled to get engine warm quickly, keep cold start emissions down, etc. My 2000 Taurus SES with Duratec does similar, I don't think it quite gets up to 1700, but is more like 1200-1500. I don't think yours is performing unusually.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Things depend on wheather temp. If you live in cold climate, 1700 may be considered OK. Mine jumps to 13 -1400 and goes down to 700 or so shortly. However, slow movement may indicate a problem. It should settle at 700-800 within 1/2 minute or less.
  • danny33danny33 Member Posts: 1
    I have a '02 Taurus SES, with 17,000 miles. I love everything about the car, except when I get between 60-63mph I hear a loud roaring noise. I once thought it was coming from the front but now I think its the rear end. Has anyone experienced this? If so What can I do to get rid of this annoying noise?
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    If I were you, the first thing I would do is to rotate the tires. This will help you to eliminate tires as cause.
    If the noise tranfers to front, then you may have defective tire...
  • ehennessehenness Member Posts: 92
    It could be the tires, as snowman posts. This would be especially true if it's a new noise.

    It could also be wind noise--are your doors and windows sealing properly? Is the cowl piece loose? Wind noise can be tough to find...

    Could be a wheel bearing (though usually you hear that at any speed, just louder as you go faster).

    I'd also suggest that you take the car to the dealer. An '02 with 17K should certainly be under warrantee. The dealer will have what they call 'chassis ears.' They are a device that hooks up to the car and helps pinpoint the sources of noise in the car. Many times the ears can narrow down and even pinpoint the noise source.

    No matter what the source, it should be covered under the warrantee, so don't go too nuts on your own trying to find it. Let the dealer techs help.
  • malibu99malibu99 Member Posts: 305
    Hello Everyone

    My mother in law broke the drivers side mirror while backing out of the garage on her 99 Sable. I was wondering, has anyone done the replacement themselves? If so is it easy and can someone give me a brief description of how its done? Much appreaciated.
  • saxologistsaxologist Member Posts: 4
    I am the original owner of a 2000 Sable (65k), with the Duratek engine. It has been a great car. I have never owned such a trouble-free automobile.

    I do much of the routine maintenance myself. But I am not able to find where the PCV valve is on this vehicle. Can anyone help?

    Many thanks
  • mettechmettech Member Posts: 28
    Just purchased a 03 Merc Sable yesterday.. Traded my 96 Linc Cont in.. The following is data for the purchase:

    Sable LS prem $23025.
    Moonroof 995. (over priced)
    Platinum pkg 595.
    Mach Audio sys 695. (Not as good as JBL or Bose)
    Dest & Delv 670.
    TOTAL 25980.

    Dealership dis $3985.
    Ford Rebate 3000.
    Ford Loan Dis 1000. (matched APR from Credit Un)
    Collage Dis 400. (wife in school)
    Lin Cont Trd 2000. (many problems)

    With more than $8K discount on car with only 8 miles on it.. This is the best value on the market.. Mace Linc Merc in Indiana beat everyone on the net and local market.. Hope the car provides trouble free miles.. Will keep you posted..

    Had many problems with the Conti with 122000 miles.. Ball joints bad, Ride Control going out (pump runs all the time), ABS sensor bad (ABS on everytime I put on brakes). Inside trim comming off, Rearview mirror replaced twice and bad again, transmission starting to shift funny.. However, Very good sound system, nice seats, GREAT 4.6 engine.

    BTW, our other vehicle is a 03 Dodge Ram 2500, 5.7 SLT. LOVE IT!! Bought the Sable so my wife will let me drive the truck...LOL
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    Congrats, enjoy your new Sable and keep us posted on how its doing!

    Is it a Duratec?
  • mettechmettech Member Posts: 28
    Yes.. It's the Duratec. Don't think the Mach audio is as good as the JBL system..
  • s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    The rear tail lights now have white backup lights across the top.
    The grille and front bumper is changed and kind of looks like an "old style" Infiniti I30.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    mach audio pretty much stinks, not much better than a kraco.
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    After reading and watching IIHS on SUVS' bumpers, I thought back to around May 2000 when a new Honda Accord hit me in the back at around 25 to 30 mph. The only damage was, as I recall, cosmetic, and the estimate for the repair was $375. The rear bumper absorbed the hit and didn't allow damage to the body of my station wagon.

    As a side comment the IIHS confirms what I've been saying for a long time: SUVS' ruggedness and strength are at best questionable and their safety doubtful. For quite a bit less money I have just as much cargo space in my S.W.

    I wish the rest of my car were built as solidly mechanically as the bumper. I wouldn't be considering more reliable brands but would be thinking what color to get my next Sable.
  • drususdrusus Member Posts: 1
    I don't quite get why people bash on the poor little Vulcan. Yes, it could offer better gas mileage, but as previously discussed, it is extremely reliable. I'm aware that it only puts out 155hp, but more importantly (and often overlooked), it puts out 185lb/ft of torque. That makes for pretty solid acceleration for a "base" engine compared to several of the competitors. Yeah, it's no Duratec, and it's no 3.8L pushrod Monte Carlo, but it's a fine little engine.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    Well, the little Vulcans are reliable and run long. I've seen early 90's Tauri Vulcans with 150K miles on them for sale on Ebay or at little used car dealers. The 3.8 engines died off first.
  • riswamiriswami Member Posts: 192
    just went over 100,000. It cracked the barrier on a round trip from Rhode Island to Albany, NY. On the way back my service engine soon light came on. The light was gone after approximately another 250 miles of driving (two days later). I noticed that the tach was about 150 to 200 rpms higher than normal during many parts of this trip. I've gotten a torque converter code a few times previous to this service engine soon warning. I'll get it checked out when I take the car in for it's next service. Don't know when that'll be; and it has been over two weeks and the car is fine.
    I agree with the previous two post, this engine is more than adequate for daily driving. I plan on giving mine to my daughter sometime next year. It'll be her first car. The car is safe and solid so it'll be a good set of wheels for a new driver.
  • shank6shank6 Member Posts: 64
    Hi guys :

    Happy holidays to all. Any thoughts on a rear defroster that just quit Tuesday ?. I replaced the relay but no luck. Dealer says it may be a module ?. Any help would br appreciated.

    Thanks,
    SHANK6
  • ezaircon4jcezaircon4jc Member Posts: 793
    My '01 Sable with the 3.8L had 175K on the clock when we traded it in on a Lincoln LS. I didn't have to do anything other than regular maintenance, including the head gasket. It was fine. The water pump went at ~130K, and the a/c clutch field at ~ 110K. I got excellent service from that car. We got $1500 on the trade-in, which I thought was very fair.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    You could not have the 3.8L in your '01 Sable. It was discontinued in Taurus/Sable when the Duractec 3.0 was introduced in 1996, so you either had the Duratec DOHC 3.0 or the Vulcan OHV 3.0.
  • sapansapan Member Posts: 6
    Hi to everyone on the board. Recently, a dealer ask me to look at a fully loaded 2003 taurus sel with 15k miles in their lot. the price is $15k. I have no idea what's decent price for the car. Currently I own a 12 years old accord, really want to trade it in for a roomy, solid, and comfortable car. I am going to test drive the car tommorrow. any comment is appreciated.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    Sounds like a pretty reasonable price. Check Edmunds Used Car Appraiser section and you may be able to get a better idea.

    I would offer them maybe $1K less than that, see if they bite. If not, maybe you can get them to throw an extended warranty into the deal. I believe Ford and some individual dealers have some sort of "certified used car" program for lower mileage and newer cars where they throw in an extended drive train warranty-you may want to check that out.

    I think you will be happy with the car. In my opinion Taurus/Sables are one of the more underrated cars available, making them a good bargain.
  • riswamiriswami Member Posts: 192
    sounds high to me. Is it loaded with leather and Duratec? Taurus has a high depreciation rate first couple of years. Around here I've seen 04s with leather and sunroof for $16,800.

    The market may be different in your part of the country.
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    SEL's only come with the Duratec.

    I just plugged into Edmunds used car appraiser and for my zip code (Milwaukee, WI area) and with every available option checked and checking the best condition and 15000 miles, the trade in price was $12455, the private party sale price was $13623, and the dealer price was $15569. So I think trying to get the dealer down to $14,000 is a reasonable start, assuming this SEL is actually loaded up with every option and is in excellent condition, as it should be with only 15K miles, unless the previous owner was a real pig and the dealer was actually willing to stock a car in bad condition. Usually new car dealers auction off the real loser used cars, so you won't find one that looks to doggish on their lots.
  • sapansapan Member Posts: 6
    I really appreciate your kind responses. Actually, if I can get 14K, and the dealer is going to offer a little more for my trade-in, I will go for it. my 91 accord ex runs great, has some rust, with 145k miles on it. the dealer only offered $400. That really sucks. I think my car is at least in fair condition. it should be something close to $800-1000. Badgefan, do you think it is neccessary to take the car to a garage for comprehensive inspection before I buy the car?
  • badgerfanbadgerfan Member Posts: 1,565
    If you are buying it from a Ford dealer, probably not. The car still has a bumper to bumper warranty until it is 3 years old or 36K miles, whichever comes first, and this warranty is transferable to you, so I don't think you have too much risk. Some states also require the dealer to provide upon request who the previous owner was, and you may be able to contact them also to discover any issues. There also CARFAX service available for a fee (see the link on the left side of your Edmunds page) that can give you vehicle history.

    If buying from a used car only dealer or private party, you may want to get a second opinion, especially if the car's past history is questionable, such as a rental car, lease or repossession, where the last driver could have abused it.

    You could probably sell your old car outright yourself for much better than $400, if you want to put up with the hassle.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    in some instances, donating a vehicle will result in a tax write off that is greater than the trade in.

    If you plan on keeping this car a long time, consider an extended warranty.

    I would also offer that if you don't buy cars often, take a look at maybe buying new. It is more money right now, but you will gain back the best mileage the car has to offer, when new.

    The Taurus is a depreciator, but still its a good enough deal when new that you don't blow a lot of money vs. used.
  • jneelybryan1jneelybryan1 Member Posts: 1
    After about 30,000 miles the OEM Firestone Affinity tires on my 2000 Sable developed unbalance, flat spots, noisy, poor ride, etc. Replaced them with Yokohama Avid Touring tires. Tremendous improvement overall. Practically no road noise, cruising at up to 75-80 MPH, although I usually set the cruise control just under the posted speed limits on the Interstates.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    I have been riding on them for almost 22k miles. They are very quite, they resist wear. Couple cons are, they are prone to ozone cracks. Mine developed cracks on side walls due to wheather condition. They are not the size that I should be alarmed but they are there.
    Don't forget to check air pressure monthly. They have tendecy to leak down to 25-26 psi. I always set them to 31. 32 gives very harsh ride.
    Tread wear is excellent. I still have %80 of it.
    Overall, they are very good tires.
    Lately, I discovered Kumhos, my wife is riding on them (Neon) for almost a month. They are cheaper ($37 piece)then Yoko and more resist to wet wheather. Of course, they are from Tire rack.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    ok, I need to know HOW to disable the auto locking doors!

    I am FED UP with having to UNLOCK my freakin doors when I get out of the car and try to open another one of the doors. I am TIRED of having to use the FOB just to get into the back seat or passenger door, or have to unlock the doors when I leave the car.

    WHAT A PITA!

    HELP! what do I do!
  • wep68wep68 Member Posts: 18
    desribes how to disable the auto locking doors.

    I like the feature, as I never remember to lock the doors when driving, and I guess it adds some margin of safety to have them locked. I guess its like oatmeal -- locked doors is just the right thing to do
This discussion has been closed.