Anybody have any experience with Saturns or Ford Tauruses tho? Any info in that area?
Sorry my posts didn't suit your taste, but dude... I think I gave you sound advice for any used car, anyhow... (a couple of others have seconded my advice, so it's not like I derailed your thread.)
About the Taurus...
Look for some forums about them - post and check into it more that way. Maybe a Google on "Ford Taurus Forum" and see what you find. I know that some of the Taurus' with the bigger engines - Taurus SHO - are used in street racing (the Intrepid I own is also used in street racing - I belong to a similar forum.)
I've been driving a 1995 Saturn wagon since 2001 and have liked it. It's needed exhaust work twice and recently a huge catalytic converter project that killed the budget, but I'm not sure that's unheard of after 12 years of use.
Other than that, general upkeep, regular mechanic checkups and oil changes and it's been a great car for me. And I love the material it's made of for Michigan winters where there is alot of salt on the roads and not one spot of rust on it.
Also the old commercials about how a saturn can take a hit from light stuff like a grocery cart or the stupid concrete poles at the gas tanks? It's true.
Good cars I think. I have considered getting something else but just keep staying with my saturn.
I also had a Taurus in l994 and liked it fine; took it across country from Arkansas to Michigan twice with no problems.
My suggested mode of transportation, however, for Socinian, Unitarian, or anti-theistic miscreants (particularly those driving regularly on freeways with heavy, high-speed tractor-trailer traffic) can be viewed at http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/mode...p;ModelId=CH807 . :]
I had a '96 Taurus station wagon with the 3-liter v-6, automatic and all the bells and whistles. It was a GREAT car, till I let computer boy drive it. He managed to destroy it in just a little over 6 months, but I don't think that was the car's fault.
It was compfy, reliable, and very nice to drive.
I wish I had it back...
(do keep after the serpentine belt, idlers and the cooling systems stuff though, it all works fine when it works, but causes real havoc if you let it go)
I had a 1990 Ford Taurus quite a few years ago. I owned it for the 5 years I was on Staff. I didn't drive that much back then, but it was a decent car. It was roomy without being a tuna boat, and it was fairly decent with gas mileage.
My parents have owned 3 different Ford Tauruses. They didn't have any problems, but then they buy brand new cars every 3 years anyway.
I've known several people who have owned Ford Tauruses. When I was on Staff, that seemed to be the car which was purchased the most because you could get a decent used one without having to fork out a ton of money. I never talked to anyone who had complaints about a Taurus.
The Taurus you are considering does seem to have quite a bit of mileage on it. You might want to check and see when items were last replaced on it. Some people never replace things until they break. They never follow manufacturer suggestions, and then get stranded somewhere ticked off.
Sorry but I don't trust North American cars anymore.
I would buy a Toyota Corolla or Camry, or even a Honda Civic. Once you do you will never go back.
Maybe these guys will wake up someday and start building decent cars again.
I'm confused here. Hondas and Toyota are made in North America now. Honda has manufacturing plants in Ohio and Kentucky, and I knew that Toyota was manufactured at a plant in Fremont Californa (same place where Geo was manufactured) until the mid 1990s.
After my HQ Chevy Citation finally died, I bought a brand-new, manual-transmission Saturn SL; it was a 1992. I drove it for 10 years, with no major problems. It was reliable, economical on gas, and cute; I have to say that I am a Nazi about getting regular oil changes; even old clunkers generally last pretty well for me, just for that reason, so I was certainly careful with this one, which was my first brand-new car. The only problem was that the seat cushion that one sits upon was sewn in such a way that the seams hit me funny; my hips used to get sore from sitting in it for a long time. When I married, my husband was too tall to fit into the vehicle, and had to scrunch down in order to see clearly; this led to a sore back when we'd take the car on long trips. Since he is only 6'2", this seems like inattentive design. Some mechanics, even GM ones, didn't have parts for it, and wouldn't even touch it; if you don't live near a Saturn dealer, you may have trouble with that. Most oil change places are just fine with it, though. This may have changed in the past 8 years; it seems to be a pretty major drawback, and I can't imagine GM letting that situation go for very long.
The month that our family increased to being one more individual than the Saturn would seat, we sold it to a high school kid, who drove it pretty aggressively; the transmission promptly fell out.
That's all I have to say about that.
My in-laws have driven Tauruses forever; a new one when the old one is about to die. They buy them from Enterprise rent-a-car, because they've been maintained, and there are service records. If I were in the market for a car, I'd definitely check that source.
So ya got the Taurus? Cool. I had a Taurus, think it was an 86? Had it for about 8 years and it ran great. I got it from a dealer kind of like Cynic's I think. They were an Avis dealer, selling the lease cars after they hit a certain mileage and were returned. It was a great deal, the one we got was "like new" in all respects, all the service records were with it, we got the color we wanted and it ran like a top the whole time we had it, till the last year or so, and it needed transmission work. Brakes and stuff like that were pretty normal wear, if I rekolleck right.
One thing I learned was the paint finishes on some years of Taurus went bad after a couple years and there was flaking and peeling. We didn't have that problem, fortunately. I changed the oil regularly and did the basic maintainance stuff. We sold it for a good price, it still ran great and the person who bought it was as excited as we had been when we got it. It was good all the around. :)
We have a 98 Taurus--it has been ok but it the brakes run out all the time on it!!! (And I usually coast to a stop!) We should have noticed that it was odd that every used car we looked at was a Taurus.
Our 96 Saturn SC 2 has had some problems. It seems many of its parts are made of plastic-we had a problem with plastic parts on the moonroof as well as the clutch linkage. We bought it from a dealer who was best riends with my uncle.
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ChasUFarley
Sorry my posts didn't suit your taste, but dude... I think I gave you sound advice for any used car, anyhow... (a couple of others have seconded my advice, so it's not like I derailed your thread.)
About the Taurus...
Look for some forums about them - post and check into it more that way. Maybe a Google on "Ford Taurus Forum" and see what you find. I know that some of the Taurus' with the bigger engines - Taurus SHO - are used in street racing (the Intrepid I own is also used in street racing - I belong to a similar forum.)
Good luck.
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Shellon
I've been driving a 1995 Saturn wagon since 2001 and have liked it. It's needed exhaust work twice and recently a huge catalytic converter project that killed the budget, but I'm not sure that's unheard of after 12 years of use.
Other than that, general upkeep, regular mechanic checkups and oil changes and it's been a great car for me. And I love the material it's made of for Michigan winters where there is alot of salt on the roads and not one spot of rust on it.
Also the old commercials about how a saturn can take a hit from light stuff like a grocery cart or the stupid concrete poles at the gas tanks? It's true.
Good cars I think. I have considered getting something else but just keep staying with my saturn.
I also had a Taurus in l994 and liked it fine; took it across country from Arkansas to Michigan twice with no problems.
But of the two I've liked the Saturn best.
Good luck either way!
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GarthP2000
ChasUFarley,
I appreciate the advice too. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.
In any event, I went ahead and got the 2001 Ford Taurus. I guess the engine design flaw in the Saturn SL2 kept it out of the running.
Again, thanks to all for the information and advice.
:)
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dmiller
And THIS MIGHT BE THE RIDE for trinitarians on the same roads?? ;)
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GarthP2000
Good one Dave.
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Cynic
My statement about not probably not buying a Taurus with 138,000 miles on it might have helped motivate Garth to go out and get one. :]
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GarthP2000
... sure beats driving all the way up to New York/New Jersey to get the one you referred to.
:B)
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George Aar
I had a '96 Taurus station wagon with the 3-liter v-6, automatic and all the bells and whistles. It was a GREAT car, till I let computer boy drive it. He managed to destroy it in just a little over 6 months, but I don't think that was the car's fault.
It was compfy, reliable, and very nice to drive.
I wish I had it back...
(do keep after the serpentine belt, idlers and the cooling systems stuff though, it all works fine when it works, but causes real havoc if you let it go)
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Nottawayfer
I had a 1990 Ford Taurus quite a few years ago. I owned it for the 5 years I was on Staff. I didn't drive that much back then, but it was a decent car. It was roomy without being a tuna boat, and it was fairly decent with gas mileage.
My parents have owned 3 different Ford Tauruses. They didn't have any problems, but then they buy brand new cars every 3 years anyway.
I've known several people who have owned Ford Tauruses. When I was on Staff, that seemed to be the car which was purchased the most because you could get a decent used one without having to fork out a ton of money. I never talked to anyone who had complaints about a Taurus.
The Taurus you are considering does seem to have quite a bit of mileage on it. You might want to check and see when items were last replaced on it. Some people never replace things until they break. They never follow manufacturer suggestions, and then get stranded somewhere ticked off.
I'm confused here. Hondas and Toyota are made in North America now. Honda has manufacturing plants in Ohio and Kentucky, and I knew that Toyota was manufactured at a plant in Fremont Californa (same place where Geo was manufactured) until the mid 1990s.
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notinKansasanymore
After my HQ Chevy Citation finally died, I bought a brand-new, manual-transmission Saturn SL; it was a 1992. I drove it for 10 years, with no major problems. It was reliable, economical on gas, and cute; I have to say that I am a Nazi about getting regular oil changes; even old clunkers generally last pretty well for me, just for that reason, so I was certainly careful with this one, which was my first brand-new car. The only problem was that the seat cushion that one sits upon was sewn in such a way that the seams hit me funny; my hips used to get sore from sitting in it for a long time. When I married, my husband was too tall to fit into the vehicle, and had to scrunch down in order to see clearly; this led to a sore back when we'd take the car on long trips. Since he is only 6'2", this seems like inattentive design. Some mechanics, even GM ones, didn't have parts for it, and wouldn't even touch it; if you don't live near a Saturn dealer, you may have trouble with that. Most oil change places are just fine with it, though. This may have changed in the past 8 years; it seems to be a pretty major drawback, and I can't imagine GM letting that situation go for very long.
The month that our family increased to being one more individual than the Saturn would seat, we sold it to a high school kid, who drove it pretty aggressively; the transmission promptly fell out.
That's all I have to say about that.
My in-laws have driven Tauruses forever; a new one when the old one is about to die. They buy them from Enterprise rent-a-car, because they've been maintained, and there are service records. If I were in the market for a car, I'd definitely check that source.
Good luck with your new car.
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socks
So ya got the Taurus? Cool. I had a Taurus, think it was an 86? Had it for about 8 years and it ran great. I got it from a dealer kind of like Cynic's I think. They were an Avis dealer, selling the lease cars after they hit a certain mileage and were returned. It was a great deal, the one we got was "like new" in all respects, all the service records were with it, we got the color we wanted and it ran like a top the whole time we had it, till the last year or so, and it needed transmission work. Brakes and stuff like that were pretty normal wear, if I rekolleck right.
One thing I learned was the paint finishes on some years of Taurus went bad after a couple years and there was flaking and peeling. We didn't have that problem, fortunately. I changed the oil regularly and did the basic maintainance stuff. We sold it for a good price, it still ran great and the person who bought it was as excited as we had been when we got it. It was good all the around. :)
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jackdaniels
We have a 98 Taurus--it has been ok but it the brakes run out all the time on it!!! (And I usually coast to a stop!) We should have noticed that it was odd that every used car we looked at was a Taurus.
Our 96 Saturn SC 2 has had some problems. It seems many of its parts are made of plastic-we had a problem with plastic parts on the moonroof as well as the clutch linkage. We bought it from a dealer who was best riends with my uncle.
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