danemodsandy
Well-known member
A tip on Taurii:
DO NOT buy a 1996 or 1997 model. Earlier or later is reasonably okay. In those two years, Ford had a problem with the 3.0 litre engine's cooling system. Basically, current from the electrical system was somehow running through the engine, creating corrosion issues. The issue was never fully resolved on cars that had the problem; once the corrosion started, it was impossible to stop, even if you did everything the Ford service bulletins said to do. Ford later changed some things that kept the problem from starting in the first place. If you are looking at a Taurus, check the coolant. If it is brown, FORGET THAT CAR. Even if it's green, look closely at the coolant bottle, where you top off the coolant. If there are brown (rust) stains in the bottle, someone has changed the coolant to hide the cooling system problem. The corrosion problem can kill a Taurus's water pump, freeze plugs, radiator, and heater core, to the tune of around $3000 in repairs. Even after you fix everything, you've still got an engine with internal corrosion, and the problem will begin all over again.
Just be careful. The best Taurii ever were the 1994-1995 models; they were basically unchanged from almost ten years before, so Ford had had plenty of time to get them right. In 1996, they changed a lot of stuff, and made the cars unnecessarily complicated, particularly the electronics. The result was cars less reliable than before, and the eventual death of the Taurus brand.
Sorry to go on at such length, but I ate over $40,000 in Ford products, and I wouldn't like to see that happen to anyone else. It's easily avoided if you stay away from 1996-1997 Taurii, and stay away from the 3.8 litre engine, which loves to blow head gaskets at around 85,000 miles or so.
DO NOT buy a 1996 or 1997 model. Earlier or later is reasonably okay. In those two years, Ford had a problem with the 3.0 litre engine's cooling system. Basically, current from the electrical system was somehow running through the engine, creating corrosion issues. The issue was never fully resolved on cars that had the problem; once the corrosion started, it was impossible to stop, even if you did everything the Ford service bulletins said to do. Ford later changed some things that kept the problem from starting in the first place. If you are looking at a Taurus, check the coolant. If it is brown, FORGET THAT CAR. Even if it's green, look closely at the coolant bottle, where you top off the coolant. If there are brown (rust) stains in the bottle, someone has changed the coolant to hide the cooling system problem. The corrosion problem can kill a Taurus's water pump, freeze plugs, radiator, and heater core, to the tune of around $3000 in repairs. Even after you fix everything, you've still got an engine with internal corrosion, and the problem will begin all over again.
Just be careful. The best Taurii ever were the 1994-1995 models; they were basically unchanged from almost ten years before, so Ford had had plenty of time to get them right. In 1996, they changed a lot of stuff, and made the cars unnecessarily complicated, particularly the electronics. The result was cars less reliable than before, and the eventual death of the Taurus brand.
Sorry to go on at such length, but I ate over $40,000 in Ford products, and I wouldn't like to see that happen to anyone else. It's easily avoided if you stay away from 1996-1997 Taurii, and stay away from the 3.8 litre engine, which loves to blow head gaskets at around 85,000 miles or so.
