1996 Ford Taurus LX

Summary:

Good if it has low mileage. Very comfortable ride

Faults:

The Transmission was replaced at 80,000 miles.

The compressor went at 85,000 miles.

I keep blowing my ABS fuse around 85,000 miles.

My oil pan gasket leaked at 88,000 miles and this cost me over $2,500 alone to fix.

The brakes were replaced numerous times.

The instrument panel intermittantly dims. Problem was noticed around 85,000 miles.

Several recalls were put out a few years ago when the car was manufactured.

General Comments:

With leather seats, the car is extremely comfortable and I love to take long trips. The handling of the car is great.

Unfortunately, at 90K miles the car is beginning to give me a lot of problems and they are all very costly to repair. I've kept the car in immaculate condition. I was the only driver and can count on 1 hand how many times I've let someone else drive it. Too bad, that at 90K, the car doesn't run close to the way it used to run. I will probably be getting a new car soon.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd February, 2007

1996 Ford Taurus GL 3.0 V6

Summary:

This vehicle is a cheap, reliable car that has performed well

Faults:

My automatic transmission failed at around 105,000 miles. When this happened, we had to pay for a tow truck and it brought the total to around $2800.00 The rear hatch door lock mechanism got stuck in the closed position shortly after we unloaded some groceries and would not release the key. I was unable to close the hatch. I had to use a spare key to drive the car and park it in a location where it would not be stolen. I then had to remove the real panels to figure out what happened. Once that was done, I made a trip to the local junkyard to obtain a replacement part. I did the job myself and it was a simple fix for about $20.00. The other major expenses included replacing a failed water pump. It was not an expensive fix and came out to around $100.00..

General Comments:

The station wagon has been a reliable car that is easy to maintain and cheap to operate. I have not had any major problems with it. I do not hesitate jumping into the vehicle and driving it from coast to coast (San Diego, California to Corpus Christi, Texas - Gulf of Mexico). I also drive frequenly from California to Texas and I have never had any problems. The A/C still blows cold air and the heater is still working well. My Ford Wagon has never left me stranded.

I have owned various other vehicles and the V6 3.0 engine in the wagon is sufficient but could use more power. Although the seats are not too bad, in my opinion, they need to provide more lower back and side support. I have considered replacing the seats with something better, but haven't found a good replacement that will fit the stock location. I also replaced the stock oval radio and added a single-DIN radio with a compact disc changer and have not had any electrical problems. The stock speakers were also replaced with better units. This is a good vehicle that has served me well (as long as it is properly maintained).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th October, 2006

26th Jun 2009, 00:37

Mine is a Ford Taurus Duratec 3.0 1996 with a 165,000 mileage and still going strong. Not consuming oil and water yet, so this is a pretty reliable car with the age. The only problem is the factory alarm when set on by remote, so I have to lock it manually.

1996 Ford Taurus SE 2.1

Summary:

Totally Awesome!

Faults:

The O2 sensor is the only thing that ever went wrong with my Taurus. I have had 2 and am planning to buy another this coming week. they are reliable, comfortable and cool looking. A sporty family car!!!

General Comments:

I feel that the Taurus is the best car put out by Ford!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th August, 2006