"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
11/20/2015 at 11:53 • Filed to: None

I am unable to stop looking at SHO swaps today. Please help.

DISCUSSION (27)

TylerJ > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 11:59

I’d like to get a Taurus SHO, but they are so freaking gigantic.

CalzoneGolem > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 12:00

Kinja'd!!!

AlphonzeMephesto > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 12:03

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/06/550…

A few steps beyond SHO

Steve in Manhattan > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 12:19

Is that the V8 that was in my ‘97?

Speed > TylerJ
11/20/2015 at 12:20

Fo SHO!

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/20/2015 at 12:40

Ah yes, the smallest displacement USDM V8 ever produced. A whopping 3.4 liters! And it was actually pretty cool.

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/20/2015 at 12:49

The car was fairly quick for its size, and very comfortable. As reliable as my CRX Si as well - the only thing that broke was the in-trunk CD changer, and that was JBL’s fault, not Ford’s.

TahoeSTi > Jack Does Cars
11/20/2015 at 13:08

But it was built in Japan by Yamaha

Mattbob > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 13:18

I just can’t love that engine because it is a 60 degree V8. I know they designed around it, and it is fine, but it’s just not right. Sort of how 90 degree V6s just aren’t as good as they could be.

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/20/2015 at 13:44

How long did you have it for?

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/20/2015 at 14:53

Bought new in October‘97, sold in July 2001 when I moved to NYC - put about 100K on it. More reliable than my ‘87 300D and my ‘88 Camry wagon 5M (bad 2nd gear, Toyota finally split the cost of rebuild with me after I proved it wasn’t my fault).

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/20/2015 at 15:00

It’s rare that you hear a mid-90’s Ford being more reliable than a 300DD, so I like that.

3rd gen SHO’s are getting super cheap, and I’m looking for an interesting first car, so that could be on the list...

vondon302 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 16:47

Well thanks alot now its spreading. Didn’t know this was a thing but i like it.

swaptastic > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/20/2015 at 17:14

Swaps are healthy. They have all but replaced vegetables in my diet.

Wildstar > Steve in Manhattan
11/21/2015 at 00:02

The engine in that Austin-Healey is a 3.0L V-6 SHO engine, not the V-8.

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/21/2015 at 11:59

300D - trap oxidizer and turbo (Mercedes paid, known defect) sunroof motor and cable, electric window motors (x4), sunroof motor and cable, radio, instrument cluster seized (twice), and other things I’ve forgotten about. It was not a reliable car.

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/21/2015 at 14:04

Oh. I hope it wasn’t common.

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/21/2015 at 15:37

That car had a 3 liter diesel, and I believe it was the only year for that engine in the US - they knew it was problematic. The later diesels had 2.5 liter engines.

And people forget that diesel reliability applies only to the engine. The window lifts, wiper motor, struts, and all the other bits are generally the same as in, say, a 300E, the gas version of the car of that period. To be fair, the car never left me stranded in 110K of driving it, but I recall barely making it under the dealer’s service canopy when the sunroof jammed open before the skies opened up. When the turbo failed, it felt like limp-home mode in a car of today. But I managed to make it to the dealer.

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/21/2015 at 15:39

Considering you’ve owned both, would you recommend a 300D or an SHO to someone as their first car?

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/21/2015 at 15:55

If I were buying now, and if you want a Mercedes, get a W123 diesel, not the later W124 that I had. The former is a simpler car - you could actually work on it. It’s also indestructible. The only plus is that the W124 has a driver’s side airbag, and that could save your life.

In fact, I’d go with the same model SHO I had - it’s a lot newer, and it handled a bit better than my 300D. It also has driver and passenger side airbags. I have read here and elsewhere that the V8 with the Yamaha heads has issues, but I didn’t have any during 110K of use (why do I always seem to put 110K on a car?). Getting parts for either car isn’t an issue as Mercedes provides parts for their models forever. Still, you could make some mods to the SHO to increase its power (I believe it’s 235 BHP standard). Just please don’t lower it.

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/21/2015 at 16:13

I promise nothing will be lowered. Probably. But thanks for the advice, I’m strongly considering a Lexus LS400, W123 300D, XJ Cherokee, or an early E46 3-Series as my first car.

Steve in Manhattan > Jack Does Cars
11/21/2015 at 16:22

Guy called in to Car Talk once about his LS400. Had 350K on it, and the only thing he’d ever done was tires and bulbs - the car had the original spark plugs. The caller wondered if he should do something to a car that just ran and ran. Tom and Ray said he should at least have the suspension checked and replace the plugs and wires.

So you could do a lot worse than to buy one.

Jack Does Cars > Steve in Manhattan
11/21/2015 at 16:32

Yep, pretty much my goal in life right there.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > TahoeSTi
11/22/2015 at 17:23

Wasn’t the V8 built by Jaguar?

Oran J Sands III > mkbruin, Atlas VP
11/23/2015 at 08:36

Kinja'd!!!

Classic styling with modern oommmph!

TahoeSTi > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
11/23/2015 at 13:20

The Ford SHO V8 engine (Super High Output) was designed and built by Ford Motor Company in conjunction with Yamaha Motor Corporation *From wiki....So the v8 was more of half ford half Yamaha where as the v6 sho before it was closer to an all Yamaha motor. The V8 was based on the Duratec which started life as a European ford motor, but i don’t think it was ever put in a Jag, nor where there any duratec v8s all were i4s or v6s.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > TahoeSTi
11/23/2015 at 14:14

Oh I knew the V6 was made by Yamaha, but I had always thought the V8 was a jag engine. The more you know.