98 - Taurus

[RinNC]

I have been looking to purchase a 1998 ford Taurus which has been sitting on the street for 18 months ( not being moved) . They recently replaced the battery and moved it into the driveway. How reliable are the 98 Taurus models, and what kind of problems should I be aware of since the vehicle has been sitting for 18 months? The vehicle has 102,000 miles.

[shorod]

Why was it sitting so long? There's a good chance you should consider replacing the tires soon and certainly the oil. The cooling system is probably due to be flushed and the brake fluid should also be flushed.

You'll certainly want to take this car for a test drive if you are interested in it and I'd suggest taking it to a shop that you trust and pay them to inspect it for potential purchase.

-Rod

[RinNC]

Originally Posted by shorod

Why was it sitting so long? There's a good chance you should consider replacing the tires soon and certainly the oil. The cooling system is probably due to be flushed and the brake fluid should also be flushed.

You'll certainly want to take this car for a test drive if you are interested in it and I'd suggest taking it to a shop that you trust and pay them to inspect it for potential purchase.

-Rod

The owners purchased a new car and from what I could tell did not try real hard to sell it. I told the mechanic I use for my other cars about this one, and he said stay away from it. The fuel injectors are probably rusted, and the transmission fluid has just been sitting there. I really wanted other opinions before I decide to buy it or not. I think he would take an offer of $800.00.

[drdisque]

Does it have the duratec (24V DOHC) or vulcan engine?

What kind of interior does it have?

[RinNC]

Originally Posted by drdisque

Does it have the duratec (24V DOHC) or vulcan engine?

What kind of interior does it have?

The Ford Taurus has a 24V DOHC. The Interior looks good. The vehicle belongs to 2 teachers with no kids. Back seat has hardly been sat in.

[CrapaTaurusWrecks]

I recently bought a 98 Taurus SE with 125,000 miles on the Duratech that had been sitting for two years because of brake problems. Within a few minutes of bringing it home I had it running. I dropped the gas tank because it had a bad fuel pump and to my surprise the gas was fine. After giving everything else the once over I don't see any problems from the car sitting for so long. The car was in California all of it's life so that may be part of the reason but I wouldn't be too affraid of the car you are interested in.