too good to be true?

Howdy all, i'm posting this here cause the Taurus forum is more active than the sable one. I stumbled across a 2001 Sable LS Premium sedan. Its got 36K miles on it, leather, CD changer, all the goodies but no moon roof. Anways, its priced less than $5000. I test drove it and found out its got a rebuilt title as a result of a minor fender bender, no air bag deployment. It was purchased at auction and rebuilt and repainted. Looks like new. Is this too good of a deal to pass up? Everything looked clean in the engine bay (24V duratech motor) and the electronics all worked (electronic climate control in this car is pretty cool/confusing). Seemed to run and drive just like any other car with this low of miles. What should I be on the lookout for? Is this about the time these cars need intake gasket/head gaskets, and whats the deal with the rack and pinion going out, how could I tell?
Thanks in advance!!

Go to NADA.com and type in all the info. on the car and see what the value is, keep in mind it is a car that has been damaged and something else with the title that you mentioned. Take it to you mechanic and see what he says. One thing you could do is have someone drive behind you as you are driving the Sable and see if it is going down the road straight or does it look like it's going down the road sideways(slightly) you get behind cars on the road like that every day, just look, you'll see them. As for headgaskets and all that, with 35K on it you should have no worries. Now you did mention the power stearing going out, that you may want to have checked out. Have you had Fords before? Fords power stearing systems do make noise, kind of a grinding noise when you turn the wheel. They all do that, that's just the nature of the beast. There's nothing wrong with them, that's just how they are. I had someone (first time buying a Ford) at the Ford dealer I worked at ask me the same thing. I had to show him 8 Fords on the lot and my own Mustang to convince him that's just the way they are.

Thanks for posting, i'm prolly gonna take it to a local shop and have them do a diagnostic on it just to make sure everything is sound. Theres nothing wrong with the steering, i've just head that the rack and pinions on these cars is subject to failure??? This car looks fabulous inside and out, except for some slightly above average wear on the drivers seat leather surface. It tracks straight down the road, but has some steering wheel shimmy on the highway. I'm suspecting the worn front tires as the culprit there though. If all goes well, it'll be in my driveway by the end of the week.

It won't have a "rebuilt" or salvage title from a fender bender, it was totalled by an insurance company. 36,000 miles is awfully low for a vehicle that is nearly 5 years old. The seat wear is a tip off.

They have all the paperwork from the rebuild, showing what was done and why it was totaled. Evidently, it was hit from both ends, but no air bag deployment, or frame damage. Damage exceded 2/3'rds of the value of the car, hence, totalled a.

There's no resale on these cars anyway.

It won't have a "rebuilt" or salvage title from a fender bender, it was totalled by an insurance company. 36,000 miles is awfully low for a vehicle that is nearly 5 years old. The seat wear is a tip off.
Other things to check: how much the petals and other controls are worn. Also, since it only has 36K-miles on it, either this car's spent most of its time parked in the garage for the past four or five years or somebody's been playing with the odometer, which is illegal. Get the vintage number and do some research on it. Pay special attention to odometer readings, especially at the time it was totaled. If it shows something like 53K-miles (still way low), that's a good clue that someone's been playing with the odometer and the police should check this one out.

I've got the paperwork from when the car was purchased by this shop that fixed it from totaled. The sales receipt says 24K miles on it at time of purchase in early 2004. I'm scared now that maybe the gauge cluster was replaced and this car may have more miles on it than the gauge indicates. It seems to shift pretty good, except I think its got a broken motor mount. I'm gonna drive it for a week before I sell my old car and make sure its sound. I may end up reselling this, arg!!

so you bought the car already then?

so you bought the car already then?

Yup, bought the car. I'm almost sorta starting to regret it now though. The tranny seems to have a noticeable delay between shifts from 1-2nd gear. All other gear shifts are ok. any ideas?

I'm not sure on that one. it could be a sensor. try resetting the computer by unplugging the battery. if no one else has any ideas, try this place for help too http://flatratetech.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=26

Remember to leave the battery disconnected for several minutes (over 5 minutes). Also, once you connect it back up, there's a procedure to let it quickly relearn the proper fuel/air/timing settings--First, start the car and let it idle for 60 seconds. You'll see the RPM's go up and down during this time. Then, shift to some drive gear, but hold the brakes to keep the car from going anywhere. Let it idle for 60 seconds. Once you do that, you can take off. :D

The 1-2 shift may not be a mechanical problem. My adaptive transmission is use to when I accleerate very lightly, I usually have to stop soon, so it will not shift up until 2300RPM and when it realises that I want to shift, it will shift hard. A little harder on the gas and it shifs great. I'd unplug the batter.

If it's the adaptive shifting, that may also explain why mine's "slamming" when I start to let off and get back on it. I normally accelerate at WOT until I get to the speed I want to go. Then I'll usually cruise at that speed when possible. Maybe if you keep doing the same thing when possible, then it will figure out what it should do (IE, it will better know when to shift). :D

Unplugging the battery for this may be a good idea. When you do that, it will forget the previous user's driving method and would then have to relearn your driving paturns, not the previous owner. :D

I unplugged the battery tonight for over an hour, then reconnected. I started the car, let it idle for 60 seconds, then shifted into D and let it idle for a minute as well. Then I took it out and drove it round the block at low speed, never exceeding 25mph. The shifting is still a thunk from 1st into 2nd, and then from 2nd back inot 1st (though not as harsh or "thunky", if that makes sense). Guess now alls I can do is power flush the tranny, and add a cooler. If that doesn't improve things, its off to the car lot while it still drives. I'd hate to see it go, cause its a great car with lotsa power. I just don't wanna be into it for another 2 grand for a tranny :o(

I unplugged the battery tonight for over an hour, then reconnected. I started the car, let it idle for 60 seconds, then shifted into D and let it idle for a minute as well. Then I took it out and drove it round the block at low speed, never exceeding 25mph. The shifting is still a thunk from 1st into 2nd, and then from 2nd back inot 1st (though not as harsh or "thunky", if that makes sense). Guess now alls I can do is power flush the tranny, and add a cooler. If that doesn't improve things, its off to the car lot while it still drives. I'd hate to see it go, cause its a great car with lotsa power. I just don't wanna be into it for another 2 grand for a tranny :o(
Try leaving the battery off overnight. Sometimes just an hour won't cut it. :D

Left the battery off for 24 hours, dropped pan and did fluid (about 7 quarts, used Castrol Mercon V) and filter. Drove round the block several times, shifts into overdrive much smoother now, but not much change on the 1-2 shift, all other gears are smooth as silk. I'm thinkin I'll put some Lucas tranny stabilzer in, anybody had good luck with that? Do I have to drain a quart of fluid before adding it, or just pour it in? The bottle doesn't say one way or the other.....

Left the battery off for 24 hours, dropped pan and did fluid (about 7 quarts, used Castrol Mercon V) and filter. Drove round the block several times, shifts into overdrive much smoother now, but not much change on the 1-2 shift, all other gears are smooth as silk. I'm thinkin I'll put some Lucas tranny stabilzer in, anybody had good luck with that? Do I have to drain a quart of fluid before adding it, or just pour it in? The bottle doesn't say one way or the other.....

I've heard good and bad about Lucas. I've heard that it works, but if you put too much in, you'll burn everything up, and I would also bet that the Lucas takes up some volume, so you would have to substitute it for that much normal tranny fluid. I've also heard that when it's time for Lucas, it's really time for a new tranny, but seeing that all your other gears seem to shift great, maybe the problem's just in that one gear, and it may be much cheaper to just let a tranny mechanic have a look at it.

...but then again, I think most of the NHRA racers run Lucas, don't they?