A great value
I have had trouble with the ac, but I live in the south so it is on ALL the time.
This has been a very reliable car for me! I have put on many miles and I have had very few problems with this car. It has been one of the best cars I have owned and I tend to drive the begeebers out of my cars and keep them a very long time!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th April, 2004
I wish all the cars I have bought in the past were as dependable as this one
I had to replace the transmission at 150,000 miles. This was after having never changed the transmission fluid. It quit on me right as I was backing into my driveway so it didn't even leave me stranded.
I also had to replace alternator, battery and serpentine belt within about a month of each other at about 135,000 miles.
This is one of the most satisfying cars I have ever owned. I would buy another one in a heartbeat, but I am convinced this one is going to outlast me.
The car has electric windows, locks, mirrors, seats, etc. and they all still work perfectly.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th February, 2004
Very reliable, even with higher miles
One of the two mufflers at the back had a whole in it. I sold it before fixing this.
I sold this car because I got a good deal on a Chrysler Concorde.
Although it had 85,500 miles on it, it was the most problem-free car I've ever had.
It had many options like automatic (light sensitive) headlights, 6 CD changer etc.
It was even sad to part from it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 15th January, 2004
A dealer service department regular
CV failure at 3,500 miles, replaced under warranty.
Radio antenna connector replaced at 4,000 miles, under warranty.
Radio stopped working at 5,000 miles, bad fuse, replaced under warranty.
The rear disk brakes seized at 19,000 miles. The dealer told me it was normal wear and tear.
Radio stopped working at 21,000 miles, bad fuse, replaced under warranty.
The transmission differential failed at 23,000 miles. Dealer reluctantly replaced, did not offer a rental, and took over two months to get the car back.
Radio stopped working at 24,000 miles, bad fuse, replaced under warranty.
Radio stopped working at 26,000 miles, bad fuse, replaced under warranty.
Transmission slipping at 27,000 miles, replaced under warranty.
Radio stopped working at 29,000 miles, bad fuse, replaced under warranty.
Radio stopped working at 30,000 miles, bad fuse, NOT replaced under warranty.
Check Engine Light at 32,000 miles, replaced O2 sensor, not under warranty.
Radio stopped working at 36,000 miles, bad fuse, NOT replaced under warranty.
Rear disk breaks seized at 38,000 miles, dealer advised me not to use emergency brake when parked.
Engine started to stall at 39,000 miles, dealer reluctantly suggested replacing the "Y" Pipe, because of clogged Catalytic Converters, NOT replaced under warranty.
The transmission shift cable broke at 42,000 miles. Dealer says it is out of warranty.
Transmission failure at 45,000 miles (unknown cause), replaced, but not under warranty.
Transmission slipping at 46,000 miles, replaced under warranty (dealer did not fill properly)
Transmission seized at 52,000 miles, replaced, not under warranty.
Transmission 1-2 solenoid stopped working at 56,000 miles, rebuilt by Ford dealer, under warranty.
Engine spun #1 main bearing at 56,000 miles. Not covered under warranty, a.k.a. the last straw.
I purchased this vehicle new, I have all maintenance records for this vehicle.
This car feels like it has spent most of its life in the dealer's service bay. I have only driven it on the highway (I live two lights off of a highway) in order to get to work 60 miles away.
Although the car handles quite well and performs equally well, I don't think I will be able to purchase another Ford based on my experiences with this car. My last 5 cars were Fords, the last one was a 1990 5.0L Crown Victoria.
I haven't had this many problems with a single car since I purchased my 1973 Ford Pinto new, but at least the engine (not to mention the transmission) on the pinto lasted more that 56,000 miles.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 27th September, 2003
The solution? Don't buy another! Consider a Lincoln. :-)
Dude, Lincolns are the same worthless piles of junk. OK, seriously, what sense does it make to even buy an American car? They're unreliable, and the resale is to laugh at. Every last American car I've owned has never even had the chance to make it back to the dealer for a trade in.
Import Nation.
"Sense to buy an American car?"
well there's a lot of sense... like having the money go to American and not overseas, helping the American economy, and being patriotic.
If the American private sector is going to continue releasing crappy products that need to be repaired and replaced all of the time to get the consumer to drop more cash, I don't care to boost their profits. I'll buy from a country that cares about quality and the economic well being of their consumers - like Japan or Germany.
I believe all the popular cars on the market are properly priced. You get what you pay for. As for Taurus, I have owned one (second hand) for over ten years and it has only had a couple of minor troubles and fixing them was cheap. How a car is driven and cared are critical to its life.
21st Jul 2004, 22:24
With the exception of the problem experienced with the radio, I too have had numerous and ongoing problems with the 1998 Ford Taurus I purchased as pre-owned with 21,000 miles on it.
The rear brakes wear unbelievably fast and the rotors have been replaced twice.
My transmission hose ruptured causing a fire under the hood.
The head gaskets have blown and been replaced three times. This last time the mechanic told me that they should not be replaced again, and that I should prepare myself to buy another car.
The radiator has been replaced also.
The seat belt on the rear passenger side stuck and tightened the more we tried to release the lock. I subsequently cut it to get my son out of it.
The rear window passenger side, will not roll up unless it is pushed. It will roll down fine.
I cannot lock the passenger side door with the key because it just spins around. Ford repaired it once, and it messed up again less than six months later. The power lock doesn't work on the driver side door. It will lock the other doors, but pops back up in the driver side.
It has been a very frustrating situation because Ford has chalked the problems up to normal wear and tear.
I have paid out over 25% of the purchase price in parts and repair costs.
The biggest headache is that I am still paying for the car.
If there are any remedies out there I would sure like to know about them.