Do taurus'es really blow up at 90k miles?

[Fire-bomb]

Ford did something after '95 - the line improved considerably (as reviewed by Consumer Reports). I am surprised that you feel the 3.8 has a marginal gain in observable power. Taking a trip to Canada in two of our T's really contrasted the difference in power. The 3.8 had to rarely, if ever, downshift for hills (cars were both loaded). Now I'm really curious. We'll have a more scientific test to render a % between them. Remember, the 3.8 has 187K on it to boot!!

[philstaf]

The 3.8L had more torque but was rated at about the same horsepower. Guess I don't drive hard enough for it to make much difference to me. Certainly not enough to make up for the lower gas mileage. I made a point to get the 3.0L next time.

[fajita23200]

Originally Posted by TorinoGT69

My guess is all these people with extremely high mileage on their taurus have a lot of problems they are unaware of or they just like the car so they are down playing the problems they have had. I check out a ton of taurus's and most of the time they have a lot of problems. I guess maybe there are some lucky people out there who got good ones.

No,you don't have to guess.They definitely have alot of problems.Did they make a few good ones??I'm sure they did.But, I'd imagine those are few and far in between.I'm not a Ford fan.But even I have an open mind and have to admit a good car when I see one(those are not it.)

[tasteph]

I just bought a '93 Taurus LX with 96000 miles on it for $500.00! It's one of the best running vehicles I've ever had.

[97TaurusGuy]

i bought a 1997 Taurus G a few years ago, it was a one owner vehicle who had all of the service records. After reviewing the records i discovered the only work done to the vehicle was a new power steering pump at 80000 miles other than regular repairs like brakes. The indestructable car now has 145k on it with the original engine and tranny. The only repairs I have had to make is a new right front wheel bearing and camshaft position sensor on my Vulcan engine (not bad I would say, 3 minor repairs in 145000 miles??). I have seen many Taurus' like this, no problems other than tranny on a few. It seems to me as if these people bad mouthing Taurus' on this message board either dont do regular preventive maintence (oil changes, air filter, fuel filter, tranny filter and NOT the fluid) or just drive their cars like idiots. I have never seen a Taurus with problems like people exaggerate in here.

[Paul Masley]

QUOTE: "You drove your Toerus over 100 mph? are you trying to kill yourself?"

I have a 2003 SE. It is not happy unless it is cruising around 95 mph. Yes, I have seen 100 mph+ quite a few times with it. It doesn't start to get light until you get past 115. And before you ask, yea, the ECM has been modified along with the intake and exhaust to open it up a little. I don't know what it will top out at. On a hard shift, the tach is at 5,300. It will drop down out of overdrive at 97 mph (appears to be its drop down limit) for a wicked kickdown and will not shift out of it until about 114 mph. At 100 mph it is running at about 3,250 rpm in overdrive.

[Willyum]

My 3 year old SES has only had a light bulb replacement. Before you bad mouth a car, should consider how it was driven and/or taken care of. Some people will screw up an iron ball. Consider the expense of maintaining an older luxury car vs. the Taurus well taken care of. A lot of folks around with little car knowledge but plenty of car care sense get very good service from their Taurus.

[Paul Masley]

I agree with ya Willy. I have not had mine a year yet, it is approaching 60K. The only problem that I have had is the brakes, but I am hard on the car.

Gang, just remember, the newer Taurus' rear brakes are adjusted by setting the park brake. If you do not use it, your pedal will gradually go towards the floor and that dang antilevel device on the axle will make you think that the master cylinder is failing. Been there, done that.

[tasteph]

Originally Posted by tasteph

I just bought a '93 Taurus LX with 96000 miles on it for $500.00! It's one of the best running vehicles I've ever had.

Still going strong!!! Still one of the best running vehicles I've ever had!!!

[AlsoScoobyDoo]

I have a 94 that I bought two years ago with 94,000 miles on it, I drive alot and it has 135,000 miles on it. All I have had to replace is the Radiator and the starter. Everything else seems to work as it is suppost to.

[AlsoScoobyDoo]

Originally Posted by fajita23200

No,you don't have to guess.They definitely have alot of problems.Did they make a few good ones??I'm sure they did.But, I'd imagine those are few and far in between.I'm not a Ford fan.But even I have an open mind and have to admit a good car when I see one(those are not it.)

I don't know about you, but Ford is all I buy. My first car was an 1986 Escourt witched died in 99 then I got my 1991 Topaz and traded it in for my Taurus. I have never had any problems with my car, of course with reasonable driving, the car runs and acts like it should without tearing up.

[sjr8ut]

my '88 has 159k--but I have had to replace the tranny at only93k!
Then I replaced the ingition module, ps pump, alternator, water pump, cv boots, engine mounts, fuel pump, o2 sensor, fuel injector, heater core and then a bunch of routine maintenance stuff. It is lucky that I did it all myself (except for the trans) or it would have cost me a fortune!

[TAB1A]

Originally Posted by Melt

I heard a bunch of horror stories in the early nineties about this, but is it still true today?

HOPEFULLY , Most of the owners had their head gaskets replaced with the recall. Also a More expensive Stop Leak may help avert a problem with any gaskets plus heater vapor plus radiator leaks. Also the tranny flush if the car has had some previous pan oil changes helps prolong life.
But dirty oil and a flush could cause the tranny to act up.

[rivguy]

the engines in the old 3.8liter were junk but that has been fixed now with the end fo the 3.8 - and trannys are junk but keep up on fluid changes should cure this - radiator problems but coolat flushed cure that - all and all - if you do your part the car will do it's just fine

[metonic]

I have a 1998 Ford Taurus LX. I bought it a year ago for $1600. It has 213k Miles on it now, I had a mechanic look at it before I bought it and they said the engine(aside from a little rust) looked perfect, it ran fine, breaks were excellent, handeling was great, the only thing is the tires were nearly bald.

I bought the car took it home, I did have plates and insurance yet so I continued using my old car, a 1988 Buick Regal Custom Edition, It was luxery at its time with the casset deck Anyway the Buick had gotten 12mpg, I was looking to upgrade to atleast 16mpg, the buick had to be ridden hard, but not to hard or else it would stall or over heat lol, My sister had the car before me and for 4 years had only gotten one oil change, she never changed the fluids, she ran the poor thing on hot all the time(it had a couple leaks) When I got the buick I replaced some hoses(help stop leaks) Bought Stop Leak for various fluids, changed the oil, I had that thing running like a dream. Then I let my brother borrow it, It pulled to the left ALOT, sometimes I'd switch gears and the car wouldn't agree with them(I'd put the car in reverse and it would leap forward) My brother made a sharp turn going 80(top speed is 85 idk why he decided to drive my car like that when I was in the car with him) anyway, he hit the curb, and some how I lost power steering. In 2 months(He came back home after being out of state for a year) he destroyed my baby, which before he came home my other brothers friend a mechanic(same one that looked at my taurus) said If i keep taking care of it, itll give me another 3 years or so. I had him look at it later especially when the thing randomly began to shake Alot more - did it before once in a blue moon when I would slow down, and only for a few seconds.now it did it all the time- and he said 6 months tops. I need a nice ride.

So I got the taurus. I was getting my money together to get the Taurus it's plates(as the buick would be passed on to my brother) I instantly loved the drive, i loved the radio(my buicks antenna wouldnt go up so I had no music if I didnt have the MP3 player and casset hook up.) I loved Air conditioning. I loved the 4 doors, I loved the one touch window.

However, once I got the plates to my car I started driving, and after a week I noticed the engien running hot. It took a while but we found the problem. There were two metal hoses connected to the hoses going to the heater core that were rusted over, So, we bought some heater hoses and redirected around the metal hoses. Problem was solved.

Then, when I was driving a lady tried to merge into me... I went to honk and realized my horn don't work(BTW how much would it cost to fix the horn? lol) This didn't bother me much, before I had the buick I had to drive my mom's PT cruiser and it's horn doesn't work(my brother took it out and now the air bag light is always on and the horn don't work lol) So i was use to not having a horn, it does limit how you drive though lol.

Anyways after a few weeks of breaking the car in I went to hang out with some friends. They were goign to get in and I went to unlock it and the unlock didn't work. So I had to reach across and pull the lock up. The unlock button works... just randomly lol... 7/10 times it works. lol.

Then winter came, I was use to driving the beast that is the buick(The buick could destroy ANYTHING and still be drivable) it never slid in snow, on ice, or in rain... The Taurus slid everywhere, I had forgotten the tires were bald. And by the time I was able to afford them, Winter was over lol. I slid everywhere... It was fun, and scary.

I had gotten pizza for my mom and family for dinner, and I went to set it in
the passenger seat i goto unlock the door with my key... The key doesn't work lol, It only works on the driver side lol... I'm fine with that, I don't normally use passenger side.. So now, I just get in drivers side with anything I'm carrying.

One night last febaury I was on my way home from work, I was going 35 on a 45 because it was slippery as hell and my tires suck. As I drove down the road I kept my eyes open so I could slow down if anyone pulled out. I see this trailer park and this orange Aztec, when I first see it the Aztec is way into the trailer park makign a turn, usually in good weather it takes people 30 seconds from that turn to get to the stop sign on the main road I was maybe 10 seconds away from the parks exit, so I figure I wouldn't have to worry they'll go slow, so they shouldn't slide to much and if they do Ill already be gone. As soon as I finished that thought I looked over to the aztec it was gone. I looked infront just intime to see the aztec cutting me off missing me by inches, I slammed on my breaks and began to slide, It seemed after their speeding they decided to slow down so inorder to avoid them I swerved, when I swerved I spun aorund twice, both times coming an inch away from my read end hitting theirs. Eventually I slide onto the side of the road saved by a snowbank, from goign itn othe muddy ditch. I thought I was stuck for sure, but my tires finally did good and got me out. After I got the car on the road I seen the Aztec swerve in front of another car to make a left turn int oa suburb, then I seen him pull out and drive bakc towards the trailer parks... Anyways.. point of that was.. after that it knocked loose a shield(soemoen told me ait was a heat shield) so it rattles under my car.


To sum it up

MY car is sweet except
it had a rusted through hose (fixed with 10 dollars)
the horn don't work(perhaps blown fuse? I checked the fuses they seemed fine but yeah)
The tires suck Im buying new ones soemtime next week.
the unlock button has a hard tiem working..
the key only opens one door
Theres a shield of some sort rattling...

Most of which I plan on fixing.

Short of 10 years of normal wear and tear the car runs great. looks great. Sounds great(with exception to the sheild rattling)