Faults:

We put a new starter on the car 6 months after purchasing it, which I consider to be basic yearly maintenance.

The idler pulley froze up and unscrewed out of the engine, which was easy and economical to replace.

General Comments:

This car has been a dream come true for me. It is very reliable and cost effective to own and operate.

It drives like a brand new car for being the year that it is.

The car has been very low maintenance for me. Besides oil changes and tune ups, not much has gone wrong with the car at all.

The interior is large and roomy. The seats are very comfortable to me, plus the automatic driver's seat allows me to change the seat to fit me perfectly. The driver's seat will go back far enough for me to drive comfortably for my height, 6'2".

I have put over 40,000 miles on it in just over a year and the car has not given me any major headaches.

Everything that was equipped on the car when I purchased it as a used car is still working.

My first car was a Ford Escort. My second car was a Ford Taurus GL. My third car was a Ford Taurus GL. And my next car will once again be a Ford Taurus!

Faults:

My check engine light always stays on. I have had it checked out, but I was told that it was just a faulty sensor. I was told that this was common on the 96 Taurus, but that it was not something to worry about as long as I checked my fluid levels regularly.

The trunk leaks, so I can't leave anything in there unless I have it wrapped up. Otherwise it will get damaged.

The car shakes when I get up to speeds of 70 mph or more. I have also gotten this checked and was told that it has nothing to do with the alignment or my tires.

General Comments:

The cup holder/cassette storage that folds out of the middle of the front seat is inconvenient. When I want to plug my cell phone into the cigarette lighter, I have to fold it back down, leaving me nowhere to put a drink.

The car handles very well. The ride is smooth and you can hardly hear the engine.

The turning radius is very wide, however.

The radio is of average quality for this type of car and is easy to program, but it is a very inconvenient shape when it comes to installing a CD player. I had to buy a special installation kit that cost me almost $50 in order to make it compatible with most car audio components that are out there.

The heating and cooling system is great, but it takes awhile for the car to heat up/cool down.

The heated side mirrors are nice.

It has a great feature which prevents you from locking your keys in the car. I have almost done this on several occasions, and the car will automatically unlock if the keys are in the ignition when you hit the lock button.

Overall, this has been a great car. I'm a college student, and it has been very reliable both in town and on the highway. I haven't had any major problems with it; only a few minor things that would be expected on a high-mileage car. It looks nice and gets decent gas mileage. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great-looking, dependable car at an affordable price.

Faults:

The transmission was replaced before I bought it, around 90,000 miles.

I replaced both front wheel bearings at 105,000 miles.

I replaced the radiator at 135,000 miles.

General Comments:

Overall I am very happy with this car.

The Taurus has always been very reliable, and has never left me anywhere.

The comfort of the car is great, and all of the controls are in reach.

This car has provided the cheapest miles I have ever driven.