Faults:

I have replaced the power steering pump.

The A/C went out, and I never bothered to fix it.

The electrical system, mostly between the battery and starter, have given me nonstop trouble. (never left me stranded though)

The ignition and neutral control switch have some sort of malfunction, I connect the solenoid with a wire to start the car on a rare occasion.

All four power window motors died, as well as the replacements I bought.

General Comments:

This is a great first car if you can find one that was taken care of mechanically.

The car is slow at the line, but has power to spare even at 85 MPH, which is surprising for a 3.0.

This is a very inexpensive car, and cheap to maintain. (i paid 800 for mine)

No serious mechanical problems with this car for the 2 years that I drove it very hard. (from age 16-19) The car took all the abuse I could dish out and still ran like a true champ.

The transmission kicked when entering 2nd gear since I bought it, but never died. This is a true example of quality American engineering; finding a transmission that will run for years with something like that wrong is a rarity.

The power windows (on mine at least) are a real pain to deal with, but if your on a budget, unbolt em and use your hands... no shame baby.

This car is very easy to work on, even for someone starting out with zero car knowledge. It's a great car to learn with.

Faults:

Failed Cradle mount.

Bent tie rod end.

A weak head gasket which caused multiple coolant system breaks, including a blow out frost plug.

Major body rust due to use in sever weather environment, unpaved roads.

Replaced original battery in 2005.

Replaced headlamps.

General Comments:

I bought this car from the original owners for $1100CDN. In two years I have put roughly $600 into repairs (most of them myself).

The car has fairly good fuel economy. The interior is comfortable and roomy.

I would not recommend this car to someone not willing to do minor repairs themselves. The repairs are fairly simple, but could add up if taken to a mechanic.

In all this car is worth the money.

Faults:

Fuel pump went out.

General Comments:

Best car I have ever had.

So I bought another Ford Taurus 1989.

I loved this car, it is better then any "bow tie", if you do not know what that is, it's a Chevy.

Faults:

The one piece of advice that I have for anyone who is buying an older Taurus, is to make sure that the car has not been sitting for a long time. I got my 1988 Ford Taurus from an older lady who had not driven it more than a couple of times a week.

When the car reaches around 70 mph, it starts to shake and rattle the entire front console.

Also, about a year after I got the car, in 2003, the transmission totally blew out. It just died on me and it would have cost $3000 to replace it, which is more than the entire worth of the car.

General Comments:

Overall, the Ford Taurus is great family car. It's reliable and economic. My family has owned a total of 3 so far.

Although my 1988 Ford Taurus was old, it could still get up and go.

The gas mileage was excellent. I could drive 350 miles and not have to fill up. (The gas tank is only 12 gallons).

Faults:

At 64,000 miles the rod blew a hole in the engine, and oil leaked everywhere.

The brakes were not working properly when my parents bought the car.

The passenger side window doesn't even come close to working.

Seat belts lock up before I even put them on.

The alternator was brand new at 25,000 miles said the guy we bought it from.

General Comments:

This car is a piece of crap. When we bought this car, the guy told us it was in mint condition. Boy was he wrong. I could not drive it before I could go 1500 miles after buying it. I had to get a new engine because of the rod hole. I took care of the car real well, but that wasn't enough. It was too damaged and rundown before I bought the car. Although I had a good time with my car, it was not very good to buy. I regret buying it.