24th Dec 2006, 14:41
I had the Taurus, later Crown Vics company cars. I had no major maintenance on any of them. They were acquired new and driven only by myself. I always overchange the fluids, filters and have transmission fluids, filters with any adjustment necessary more than the manual ever indicates. Granted the company pays for this... but if you drive around with dirty filters, fluid it will cost you more in the end... the majority of the time I just found going rapidly through Jiffy Lube was fine. When you tack on a lot of miles you often are in there every single month. Its very fast in and out. If you never change your antifreeze wait 4 years or so, never change the transmission fluid until it fails that is poor maintenance. A company car is also income and you are taxed. If someone supplies info on a company car you may want to listen. There is daily usage, but no ownership or personal bias. Some of the employees have bought some of my vehicles as they still ran and looked new. You report it as you see it. You may also refresh your Harley Davidson information. Harley had issues with the AMF merger... however they bought AMF out changed their assembly lines and quality assurance and surpassed Honda in 1986 with their large street bikes. All this was well beyond 10 years ago. I had a full tour of the York Pa plant just after AMF was bought out and was extremely impressed.
28th Dec 2006, 01:08
And I wonder why rental companies use so many taurus, I mean come on, why would a rental company want to pay so much in repairs on these vehicles because it is so unreliable?
Or, maybe they really are reliable, my 2001 is!
29th Dec 2006, 15:53
The Toyota Highlander is one if the best engineered SUV's on the road with 100% reliability rating and its manufacturered in the US. Beats the junk GM come up with there's no comparison.
29th Dec 2006, 15:57
Interesting to see so many GM salesmens on this site Rubbishing the Japanese brands which are far better than any American domestic brand. Honda's, Toyota's are far better in every respect and the sales of these cars and their high resale values reflect this.
29th Dec 2006, 17:46
I don't think there are GM salesmen on this site 'rubbishing' Toyota brands any more than I think there are Toyota salesmen on here. But you have to give evidence as to why Toyota is better then any American brands, because so far, I haven't heard anybody say why. Some of the Toyota people on here seem really snobbish about this, what I hear them saying is: 'There is no way an American brand could EVER equal the great TOYOTA!' Think I'm lying? Just look at most of what the Toyota supporters say on this site!
29th Dec 2006, 21:49
Less options, more major mechanical repairs than I had in the past, less power, worse ride, less warranty made me jump ship to domestics in 2006.
30th Dec 2006, 09:03
Oh, and domestics have fixed this problem? I sure love my Trailblazer. rolled over before it could hit 100,000 miles. Sorry buck, but I cannot believe you at all. No thanks Roger Smith...
30th Dec 2006, 15:25
The first 95,000 miles it worked somehow... did you upgrade for a new Vette with the ZO6?
16th Jan 2007, 03:49
For the person who thinks the Ford Taurus is reliable, read the reviews on this site for the last seven years before Ford stopped manufacturing them, interview anyone you know who owns a Taurus- I've met people who have changed their tranny fluid and antifreeze according to Ford's schedule and have still had tranny and head gasket problems... Besides if the Taurus was still great, why did Ford stop making them... Enough said!
16th Jan 2007, 07:38
Why did the stop making Acura Legends? Sometimes a great car gets replaced with a fresher style and it isn't anywhere near as good as before... I had great luck with Taurus.
16th Jan 2007, 08:57
I love the great tonneau cover design that GM came up with on my 98 Corvette Convertible. If I buy the new Vette the warranty on the engine, drivetrain is standard 100,000 miles.
16th Jan 2007, 09:51
As to 20th Dec 2006, 14:31:
Well Ford and GM are in the sad state that they are in not because of Quality issues. It's because the workers are unionized and that mayor expense is killing the companies. Toyota, BTW, doesn't have to deal with that with their American workers.
The other problem is that they haven't produced fuel efficient vehicles like Toy and Honda. Gas goes up, people rather buy fuel efficient cars...
Regarding Ford reliability: I've seen most Ford last a long time with little maintenance. However, a friend had a troublesome Thunderbird that constantly needed something done to it. It was a real nightmare.
Don't every think that Toyota will never break down or not leave you stranded or not turn into a money pit because I've seen it happen with my own eyes too. Actually more frequent than with Fords.
BTW the Saturn Aura is 2007 Car of the Year.
16th Jan 2007, 14:41
<<Well Ford and GM are in the sad state that they are in not because of Quality issues. It's because the workers are unionized and that mayor expense is killing the companies.>>
Really? So my Ford Focus had 20 recalls and was in the shop 10 times because of overpaid workers?
Yeah, I believe that one.
Sorry, but if they built quality cars they could easily overcome the union issues. No one wants American vehicles and that's why Toyota is opening up five plants in the US and the Big 3 are NOT.
16th Jan 2007, 14:48
Guess you'll have to explain why my first year Scion had minor problems vs. the hell I had with my first year Focus.
17th Jan 2007, 13:56
What does this have to do with the comment you were quoting? He said that Toyota's DO in fact break down. You don't agree with that? Because I can guarantee that its true. Just because you had a Toyota that wasn't TOO bad of a junk heap doesn't mean all of them aren't.
17th Jan 2007, 15:14
Wait, I've proven that not EVERY Toyota breaks down and now you're denying I've done that?
And one minor repair in three years means this car is going to be a junk heap? You truly have bizarre standards.
I'm not saying Toyota is the greatest thing on earth, but all the people here keep saying buy American because you'll have this amazing experience. Never has happened to me in the 25 years I've been driving.
You want quality, you buy Japanese made in Japan.
24th Dec 2006, 08:46
Harley Davidson's troubles stemmed from the early eighties- not a few years ago. They have turned around within the last decade, thanks in large part to the Ceo. As for the previous comment, the person who had three Taurus's as company cars: the company has the money to pay for all that maintenance, in fact they also get discounts on insurance, these companies can raise their rates, prices to offset these repair costs, while the average person who lives paycheck to paycheck can't and can't afford $3,000 for a new transmission, or $1,200 for a head gasket before 100,000 miles and while paying other more important bills. That is just my opinion. It has always seemed a little "fishy" to me that a model like the Ford Taurus can be such a polarizing car. You either lust over it, or you despise it, but from the reviews I've read on this site, I will not purchase one anytime soon...