Oppo Confession: I like the oval-tastic Ford Tauruses

"Thunderface" (thunderface)
03/18/2015 at 13:11 • Filed to: ford taurus

More specifically, the 3rd (1996-99) and 4th (2000-07) generations.

Do they make good first cars? How reliable are they?

1996–1999

2000–2007

DISCUSSION (28)

Nibby > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:13

Make sure the water pump has been replaced already.

Thunderface > Nibby
03/18/2015 at 13:14

known problem?

itschrome > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:15

Kinja'd!!!

No! bad!!

Had a 2002 Taurus. Biggest POS ever!

Nibby > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:15

Google has 636,000 results for "Taurus water pump."

Thunderface > itschrome
03/18/2015 at 13:17

care to explain?

Thunderface > Nibby
03/18/2015 at 13:17

lol

RallyWrench > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:23

SHO or GTFO. I mean, LOOK AT DAT WING.

Kinja'd!!!

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:24

Kinja'd!!!

Bro, you want mine?

Depends on what you want it for. A good reliable car? Yeah, it can do that. Just be prepared for the single most boring car you've ever driven.

If you're in the market for one, PLEASE, I repeat, PLEASE, make sure you get one with the Duratec 3.0. The Duratec was a decent motor that had some mod potential and came from the factory with 200 HP. Mine has the Vulcan 3.0, which came factory with 155 HP. It HATES revs, and is utterly gutless. Not to mention, watch out for the intake manifold.

Another thing to look out for is the trans. The transmissions in these are known to grenade at around 140k, so be careful. Shocks and struts are known to go out relatively quicker than others (mine only has 92k on the clock and I'll need them soon). Also watch out for the water pump, as Nibby said. Lastly, watch for the power steering pump.

If you got any other questions, feel free to ask. I'd much rather have the Crown Vics you were looking at.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:24

If they don't have a Vulcan with a bad intake manifold or head gaskets, or a bad trans, they can be pretty good. IF.

itschrome > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:26

A/c caught fire, power steering pump exploded, tranny had to be replaced at 120k, heater fans stopped working under 90k, rusted like a bitch, blew a radiator hose at 113k, and got terrible gas mileage..

I don;t beat on my cars. I do regular up keep, keep things changed, fresh and generally love my cars. But that thing.. Fuck that thing. no matter what I did it only ever hated me. Fuck those cars.

itschrome > Nibby
03/18/2015 at 13:29

think that's bad try over a million for the transmission.. those sucked. Find one that hasn't had a new one or a rebuilt or before 120k and you looking at Taurus that needs to have their tranny replaced..

Schaefft > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:31

I never understood the bad comments about the 3rd gen Taurus/Sable, I think they are reasonably good and distinctive looking cars. The 4th gen cars are bland as fuck tho,

wantafuncar > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:33

I have a 02 with a Vulcan.

It has cost so much to keep running it is ridiculous. It is all technically "wear items" except a few gaskets, but dang if it didn't need nearly every wear item. I am selling soon (buying a house tomorrow, so it was not the right time to buy a car) and I say good riddance.

129k. replaced the following & more: 4 struts, water pump, pulleys (squeaking like crazy - all of them), ball joint, tie rods, brakes, rusted brake line, all strut bolts (rusted out), intake mani gaskets twice, timing cover gasket (twice), valve cover gaskets (twice), trans pan gasket, oil pan gasket (all gaskets replaced because horrid leaks), oil press. sensor, and a bunch of maintenance items...

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:33

I had a third-gen (1999) wagon. Read the glowing scathing review of it here.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/1999-ford-taur…

Second-gen was ok. My mom had one for awhile, and it was ok, but boring. Family had a rental 4th-gen (2003 maybe?) for a few weeks. Pretty crappy, but better than the third gen.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:36

What do you wanna know?

Jonathan Harper > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:37

No.

Boxer_4 > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 13:40

The Ford Taurus is pretty decent. My grandfather has a 2000 SE, which he bought new, and hasn't had too many issues. It only has ~65,000 miles, but it hasn't been used gently. The only problems he has had so far was a couple of Brake On Off (BOO) switch failures, which caused him to be stranded once or twice (couldn't shift out of park). It's not a hard part to change, but it can be inconvenient. The brakes went out recently, too, but I believe that was due to 15 years of rural Pennsylvania winters.

The Vulcan V6 was good when it was introduced in 1986, but it became a pretty low-tech engine by the time it was discontinued in the Taurus in 2007. The Vucan V6 can found in the lower trim levels of both the 3rd and 4th gen Taurus. They seem to have a head gasket problem at higher mileage (~130,000+ miles). The water pumps have plastic impellers, too, which wear down over time. My grandfather hasn't seen these issues, but he hasn't hit that mileage yet. We had a 1994 Taurus with the Vulcan V6, but it was totaled before it hit that mileage.

The Duratec V6 is the better choice, and can be found in higher trim level models. The only issue I know with them is the recall for the cruise control cable. The retention clip could break on them, causing the cable to stick and the car to accelerate uncontrollably.

Thunderface > Jonathan Harper
03/18/2015 at 13:56

lol

Thunderface > ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier
03/18/2015 at 13:56

Are they as unreliable as everyone says?

CalzoneGolem > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 14:23

I've got a 2002 ses. Comfy and cheap that's what I need in a commuter. Approaching 200k miles and still going strong. I bought the car because I needed a car right now after my last car got totaled. It's grown on me.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 14:27

Nope, as long as you get the right one. If you want a 3rd gen (96-99), get a 98 Taurus SE. Those came with the Duratec 24v v6 and the AX4N trans. SE's came with leather, sunroof, Electronic climate control, dual exhaust. Now the engine is more than likely to outlast the trans, but if the trans is taken care of it'll last as long as the engine. Not much of an aftermarket for these cars and the best way to make power with them is just keep up on the maintenance. You could install aftermarket mufflers, K&N panel air filter, and a shit ton of LED lighting. There was a SHO model the same year as the 3rd gens with a V8, but those are very much a MASSIVE pain in the ass to take care of.

If you want a 4th gen (00-07), try and get a 02-04 Taurus SEL, that had the Tec standard and the AX4N. There was no SHO model for these years sadly. Same case as the 98 SE those came with leather, sunroof, Electronic climate control, no dual exhaust this time.

You could also get 2002-2005 Sable LS Premium like I have too...

TL;DR= If you do get one, get a Duratec model.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > RallyWrench
03/18/2015 at 14:32

Bad idea for a first car...... bigger money pit than a duratec model.

RallyWrench > ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier
03/18/2015 at 14:33

I wasn't serious. :)

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > RallyWrench
03/18/2015 at 14:34

THANK GOD!! lol

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Thunderface
03/18/2015 at 14:57

My girlfriend has an '02 SE with the 3.0L Vulcan. I actually rather like it. Perfect highway cruiser, it's so comfortable. The Vulcan seems most at home on the highway too, I guess at those speeds it's in the torquiest part of the rev band and it feels perfectly fine. Feels perfectly fine all the time really. Perfect first car IMO.

Manic Otti > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
03/18/2015 at 16:01

I used to hate those when new, but they aren't nearly as offensive today. I will always hate that spoiler though.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Manic Otti
03/18/2015 at 18:05

Its a very bland design, for sure. I don't necessarily love it, but its a HUGE improvement over the 3rd Gen, in my opinion.

Really? I honestly think the spoiler makes it look better. Helps the lines flow a bit more fluently.

Manic Otti > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
03/18/2015 at 19:30

It needs to take up more than the middle third of the trunklid. I know they were going for ovals, but I think this was an oval too far.