1994 Ford Taurus GL 3.0 Vulcan

Faults:

Alternator.

A/C compressor.

Minor bearings on the engine drive belt.

Oil pan gasket leaks.

Radiator leaks.

Body rust.

Slipping transmission.

General Comments:

This was my first car out of high school. My parents went with me to test drive; it was quiet, with a smooth engine, and the automatic transmission shifted good. With that being said, we felt it was worth the $1400 dollars they were asking for it. It was 10 years old with 139000 miles. We took it to a mechanic for a check and it needed an alternator and water pump right away (but showed no sign of issues). The car drove and ran well.

The Vulcan engine was a quiet, smooth running engine. It provided decent low RPM power up to about 75 mph; any faster than that, it would seem to struggle. This was an older pushrod engine (not designed for high speed) but was reliable. The AXOD E auto trans shifted SMOOTH. I remember reading complaints on how this was a bad transmission, but mine seemed to run well.

At 160000 I took it to my mechanic to have the trans fluid changed as regular maintenance; he said it looked like original tranny to him and that someone had maintained the tranny well (the old fluid looked decent).

A/C compressor was junk; never worked and never fixed.

Drove it to 184000, when fluids began to leak out of radiator and engine oil. Auto tranny began to slip just a bit (sometimes) even with clean fluid. Vulcan engine was still quiet and smooth. Sold it for 500 to a kid down the street. He would pass me in it driving it hard (near 90 mph) down the highway for 6 months. He was smart enough to fix the oil leaks, but after 6 months the tranny went out according to him.

Good car for the money. It's a cheap car, but you get what you pay for.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 4th June, 2017

1994 Ford Taurus GL 3.8L V6

Summary:

I love my Taurus, and will have it for years

Faults:

I have yet to have any problems with this car. Keep in mind I have only had it a week LOL. However the previous owner did replace the radiator for one reason or another.

General Comments:

This car is nice for its age. I got a great deal on a 1 owner with lower mileage model. It runs like a new car, and the previous owner kept it in the best condition possible.

The 3.8L V6 is powerful enough to satisfy my need to get places quickly, yet is decent on MPG as well.

The interior is A+, with comfort most cars lack. Soft and cushy seats with plenty of room.

Great braking system and good steering for a front wheel drive.

This car is a great starter, and with 105,000 miles, I expect it to run well over 300k before I have any major problems, if I have any at all.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th September, 2012

28th Sep 2012, 09:36

"with comfort most cars lack"

Believe it or not, there are millions of cars on the road that are very comfortable. In fact other than a original Ford Bronco (the small Jeep-like ones), a couple of Jeep Wranglers, and a few old VW's (original Bugs), I would say virtually every car my family had ever owned was very comfortable (oh, I forgot my dad's 1974 Datsun pick-up truck).

The fact is even small cars have gotten very comfortable, as have most modern SUVs.

So in my opinion, I wouldn't assume that "most cars" lack comfort - I think there are more comfortable cars out there than ones that aren't. Of course I guess that it depends on your definition of comfort.

As far as getting 300,000 miles out of your Taurus - I can give you this advice - maintenance, maintenance, & more maintenance. The key to automobile longevity is proper maintenance and of course do not abuse your car and/or drive it like a "stunt driver". Take care of it, and it should give you years of reliable service.

Keep us posted. Thanks.

In reply to 28th Sep 2012, 09:36

5th Dec 2014, 17:34

The only really important thing on the Taurus is to check the transmission fluid like once a week; it will start leaking, sooner or later. Usually it's minor and adding a quart of transmission fluid every month or two will keep the car on the road indefinitely, but most owners neglect it entirely and blow the transmission. My 88 Sable just died at just over 300K miles and wiring issues abundant! LOL.