Faults:

The transmission is leaking fluid from the dip stick while sitting in cold weather (MN). Motor is not running when the leak is observed. Removed dip stick and fluid comes out.

General Comments:

It has been an fine car until this problem appeared.

Faults:

Cracked heads.

General Comments:

I bought the car because it looked nice, felt comfortable and was affordable with low miles.

I purchased it from a dealership and it was under factory warranty until 36,000 miles. Naturally, just out of the warranty, the check engine light came on. Shortly thereafter the heater stopped working.

The shop diagnosed a head gasket, but as it turns out, the gaskets were fine but the heads (both) were cracked. This vehicle never overheated, the fluids were maintained, and the guages all read in the proper levels.

The shop tells me that the 3.0 motor is "junk". They tell me it is a common issue with heads and gaskets on these motors. I tried for weeks to deal with Ford and get some help, but to no avail. No warranty, no help, period. This is the 3rd Ford I've owned, but never another.

I assume the previous owner MAY have run the car hot, but then it took considerable time to finally rear its ugly head.

The biggest disappointment: no help from Ford with an engine issue that seems to be fairly prevalent according to my research and to the mechanic.

Faults:

Was a great car. Purchased with 30,000 miles on the clock and bailed out at 122,000 when the shift solenoids went in the transmission.

Was smooth sailing for almost 100,000 miles.

Stitching on leather seats dried from the sun and turned color and frayed and separated from the leather.

General Comments:

Was always a reliable mode of transportation.

Quick and agile.

Until the day it got stuck in second gear and wouldn't shift.

Even though it was 7 years old, the styling looked rather current.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

For what I paid - 12Gs for a car that has 16K on the clock and almost every option known to mankind - this car is a great value. Keep in mind that in many ways it's just "very adequate". It's comfortable and drives very smoothly. The 2-tone leather interior looks very nice. The car heats up very quickly. Gas mileage is good - 24 city, 29ish on the highway. The engine is adequate - enough to get you around without saying "man, what a dog", but I wouldn't call it quick. The transmission is smooth, but it does want to shift quickly unless you put your foot down.

I like the info center - compass, air temp, gas mileage, etc. I only wish you could have temp and compass at the same time.

The trunk is huge, and the back seats fold forward, making it even bigger.

Cons? It has darn near every safety option EXCEPT ABS brakes. That's weird.

The stereo blows. It's a tin box with no bass, and a CD player that has about a 10 second access time.

The handling is, like most aspects of this car, very adequate. That's it. There's nothing bad about it, but it just under-steers like mad if you push it. My old Grand Prix had much crisper handling.

Bottom line - nothing in this car "shines", but everything works well. For the money, to get you to work and back, this is a great car. What else costs so little?