The Life of Taurus.....

[mihi]

I came upon this in some old computer files. Its the repair records for my 1991 Taurus wagon, which we no longer have. I purchased the wagon used in 1994 for $8,000. This car would get us about 30 mpg on the highway if I didn't run it to hard. I did find out after buying the car that the 1991 year transmission was the worst for the Taurus. Only a real car head will enjoy this, but enjoy!:

1991 Ford Taurus Wagon
3.0 lit. V6, Automatic overdrive trans.

Bought at 59,000 miles for $8,000

Milage Date Work Done
59,000 Oil changed dealer.
61,370 8/20/1994 New air filter.
61,750 9/1/1994 New radiator hoses and heater hoses. New fan belts installed. New fuel filter.
New distributor cap and rotor button.
61,750 Transmission fluid and filter changed.
61,768 New spark plugs. Injector cleaner added.
62,546 10/16/1994 Oil &Filter changed (10W-30 Mobil1).
65,606 2/18/1995 1/2 qt. Oil added.
68,750 Oil & filter changed. Amzoil 10W-30.
70,090 6/15/1995 New battery. Rotate & balance 4 tires.
76,302 12/12/1995 New Jasper rebuilt transmission installed . $1,579 total cost.
77,315 1/4/1996 New tires - Michelins.
77,315 1/4/1996 4-wheel alignment. New right drive shaft boot.
77,346 Oil & filter changed (10W-30 Mobil-1)
78,171 2/2/1996 New brake fluid. New brake shoes, wheel cylinders, New wiper motor ($228).
Radiator back-flushed and new coolant installed.
78,390 New fuel pump and fuel filter.($250)
79,976 3/27/1996 Re-charged air conditioner.
83,763 Transmission fluid and filter changed. Synthetic trans. Fluid installed.
Transmission cooler installed.
83,779 Oil & filter changed. 1 qt. Slick-50 added w/4-qrts. Of Mobil-1.
84,160 7/6/1996 Tires rotated and balanced.
85,078 Car detailed by Keep It Clean.
87,585 10/11/1996 Brake job done on front two wheels. New front rotors and brake pad installed.
Back brakes were adjusted only.
87,593 New air filter installed.
87,607 New wiper blades.
87,616 Aired up spare tire.
89,202 12/4/1996 New front struts installed and new rear shocks installed.
89,236 New front-left CV boot installed. New inner and outer tie-rods installed.
89,236 Changed oil and filter.
89,241 4-wheel alignment. New PCV valve installed.
93,478 4/17/1997 New oxygen sensor installed.
Changed transmission fluid and filter (synthetic used).
93,622 4/22/1997 Replaced O-ring in air-conditioner system and re-charged system ($125).
96,268 6/19/1997 Changed oil and filter.
97,800 7/21/1997 Tires X-rotated and balanced.
97,985 New water pump. New coolant thermostat. Replaced gasket in A/C system and re-charged.
101,890 10/24/1997 New fuel filter. New upper & lower radiator hoses. New heater hoses.
New fan (serpentine) belt. Changed coolant in radiator.
102,093 11/2/1997 Changed oil and filter. New air filter.
104,193 12/24/1997 Rotated tires and balanced.
107,181 4/11/1998 Changed oil and filter.
5/4/1998 New front headlights and rear brake lights and new rear lights on hatch.
111,051 7/6/1998 New battery.
111,451 7/11/1998 New spark plugs. New rotor button. New distributor cap.
111,921 Transmission fluid & filter changed. New front brake pads. Adjusted rear brakes.
115,000 Changed oil and filter.
118,000 New wiper blades.
12/19/1998 Aired up spare tire.
119,189 1/5/1999 New air filter.
119,189 New spark plug wires installed.
1/28/1999 Tires rotated and balanced. One was out by 1 oz.
1/29/1999 Radiator coolant installed. New fuel filter. New PCV valve and PCV filter.
Right rear door lock fixed.
125,000 6/18/1999 New water pump. ($138 RT Clapp)
125,350 6/19/1999 New air-conditioning system. ($1,010 - at R.T.Clapp)
131,000 11/22/1999 New air-conditioning pressure valve installed ($45 - R.T. Clapp)
137,800 4/20/2000 New front axles, new CV-joints, new inner and outer boots.($310 - A-1 Alignment).
137,900 4/25/2000 New front brake pads and front calipers. Rear brakes inspected.($155 A-1 Alignment).
137,900 4/25/2000 Tires were rotated and balanced. (Modern Tire $10)

The records were lost between 137,900 miles and 175,000 miles. But basically just typical maintenance was required, other than at least one more water pump, a new alternator, and a new brake master cylinder.

2/8/2006.
The car went to ***** and he ran it up to about 175,000 miles.
***** overheated it by running it with the water pump leaking, or steaming, on the way back from
school and it blew a head gasket. I gave the car away to a guy that worked at C&D Tire.

 

[mihi]

good bye.....

good bye Taurus old pal. You were great while you lasted. At least your repairs were pretty cheap.

 

[rp2813]

A very faithful car indeed. But look at it this way--it was time for change.

 

[Timonator]

Proves my point!

In todays world of "foreign is better" obviously you had a good experience with an american car! My mother had a 91 Taurus as well she bought it new and drove it 180,000 miles! with nuthing but routine maintenance! Unfourtunatley Today American car manufacturers are in trouble! Americans need to support them! Now I realize im going to open up a can of worms here...We will probably get responses stating how bad american cars are ! But in reality Millions of people drive them basically trouble free everyday right here in america!

 

[whirlcool]

It seemed to have a thing for water pumps, didn't it?

 

[mihi]

it did seem to like water pumps.....

and a water pump was its undoing in the end. At least they were less than $200 to have replaced. But too, if my son, god bless him, had just pulled over and called me when the car starting smelling and steaming instead of continuing to drive for about 15 more minutes the Taurus would likely be going today. Its transmission was working perfectly, the engine was in very, very good shape and used no oil and didn't smoke at all, and got pretty good milage.

While I don't think they are a "great" quality car, they do have strengths, which are:

Cheap to buy used, a real bargain really.
The 3.0 engine is a very good one, I figure equivalent to the
old Ford 289, just newer and a V6.
Fairly cheap to repair and parts are available everywhere.
All the mechanics can fix them and know their issues.
They are safe.
Handle surprisingly well for an American car.

My neighbor up the street has one, its a 1993 and its his daily driver and has been for 10 or 11 years. He has about 180,000 on it with the original engine and original transmission. He says he has to put refrigerant in the AC twice a year but it still works too.

So goodbye old pal, my next beer will be a toast to your life and service, long may you run up there in that old salvage yard in the sky.....

 

[tuthill]

Ahhh Timonator, the "reality" of it is, American car companies make bad cars... AND thus have trouble selling them AND thus struggle as a business. It's not rocket science. GM and Ford (Chrysler already bit the dust imo) can kiss my ass and go bankrupt for all I care. Build a better car than Toyota or Honda if you want my business, but please don't pull the "American" pity card on me. That's just plain BS.

 

[mihi]

Toyotas are great cars.....

I've had several Toyotas and they really are excellent cars. I've never had a Honda though, but have had several Honda motorcycles - great motorcycles and value.

I've had very, very few problems with my Toyotas although I did have to replace a transmission in a Corolla well before it should have ever had to be done. But some Toyotas have problems too, they just don't have the abundance of problems that many of the American cars do. My other neighbor across the street had to get rid of a Toyota Forerunner because the V6 main bearing went bad at 90K, and toyo has had problems with that particular engine and some others - sludge issues. My advice on any Toyota engine - run synthetic oil and change it at 5K to 6K miles and you'll be the least likely to coke a bearing from sludge build-up.

Toyota makes most excellent stuff, but there are some other good auto's too, you just have to pick and choose. I think on average Toyota engines and the transmissions they use will get to 150,000 miles without major repairs more often than about any other auto manufacturer. On most of the Americans you're going to rebuild a transmission and air-conditioning system before that in most cases.
Just my opinion here.

 

[beadsobleach]

Us or Them

I don't think you can make such sweeping generalizations. I've owned many American cars that were reliable and lasted over 200,000 miles. If you prefer a Toyota, fine. Even Japanese cars break down and need to be recalled, A friend of mine bought a new Nissan Titan, its been recalled several times, brake and electrical problems. Just my thoughts.

 

[tuthill]

Fuel to the Fire

I just can't help it, I'm a passionate GM hater (except their washers LOL!)

View attachment 8-30-2008-15-54-34--Tuthill.jpg

 

[Timonator]

Ignorance

The responses here are basically what I expected...as I said before..all you so called Vintage appliance guys who love the old american made products sure do have problems supporting the companies and people who made them! But eh..dont complain when your son, daughter or grandkids have no place to work..or no health insurance The american dream of homeownership is also going down the tubes....but alas...You can stand high on your pedestal and tell us what a great car your Toyota is!

 

[spankomatic]

Fuel to the Fire

Nice photo Tuthill! I too have spent too many hours on the side of the freeway waiting for a tow truck with my GM products. Too many hours dealing with repair shops. One of those GM products actually put me in a life threatening situation when the entire wheel assembly fell off the car. A poorly enginered and built vehicle is a DANGEROUS vehicle. A poorly maintained vehicle is also a DANGEROUS vehicle regardless of make. I alway maintain my vehicles VERY well.

I had a 2000 Toyota 4 runner for 8 years. 186,000 miles with ZERO breakdowns. Just routine service. What a fantastic product! No waiting on the freeway for tow trucks... No repair shops.... No suprise repair bills... No new transmission,water pump,a/c,fuel pump.... and the wheels stay on!

Now I drive a 2008 Toyota Prius. 34,000 trouble free miles. A dream car to drive. Good gas milage too! I have no doubt I will have many years of enjoyable trouble free driving with this vehicle.

Too bad it took 2 GM products before I learned my lesson on good and bad automobiles. But at least I learned and got it figured out. Some people don't.

Jim

 

[phillygrl]

190,000 miles

That's what the 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 we own turned over today. This car has been great, right up there with Honda and Nissan products we have owned. No major repairs so far. Just routine maintanence and wear parts, brakes and suspension, tires and such. So don't claim that Detroit doesn't know how to make a reliable car. The only thing Ford did wrong with this model is discontinue it. Next year when we go car shopping, it looks like there won't be a Ford in our future.

 

[mihi]

everyone has a different car story I guess.....

my brothers mid-80's Chevy pick-up with auto and 350-V8 went to 200,000 before he traded it in on a new Chevy pick-up. His had the original engine, trans and A/C and none of them ever required rebuilding. He did put a nice paint job on the truck a few years ago, a really nice one. It looked about new when he traded it.

I don't think you can make a generalization that American cars are bad and others are good. There are good and bad models from each mfg. Its just I think that the statistics say that, say Toyota, overall makes a higher quality car than, say GM and Ford.

About the Ford Focus, I've rented three of them over the years and was very, very impressed with them. I even wanted to buy one after renting them. I've never gotten around to getting one but might some day.

 

[rp2813]

I had the occassion to drive a friend's semi-beater Taurus recently. I'm into cars but honestly can't say what year this one was. I suspect it's around 10 years old. While it made a seemingly trademark growl/whine that changed pitch according to RPM, I was extremely impressed with the solid feel of the car as it went down the highway and over bumps and RR tracks. Not a rattle inside or from the suspension or undercarriage. Tight as a drum. I wasn't expecting that.

 

[andrewinorlando]

I've got a 1998 Buick Regal with 131,000 miles on it. While I can't say it's been a model of reliability like the Acura Legend it replaced (212,000 miles, no major repairs whatsoever), it has never stranded me. It's a very well built car, very comfortable, somewhat quiet, handles seemingly well, stops well. While it's not an "exciting" car to drive, it gets me where I want to go. It's had a lot of small, annoying problems (A/C Climate Control system, cruise control, power window and mirror switches, belt tensioners), and two very expensive repairs (thank you, extended warranty) which were a new supercharger ($3300), and a new A/C compressor and fuel injector at 100K miles. I just put a new master cylinder and power brake booster in it, and plan to keep it till the wheels fall off. Fortunately I can do most of the smaller stuff myself and parts are readily available for it, new or used. I've saved myself over $3,000 on most of the smaller do-it-yourself repairs (cruise control, climate control, power module switches, replacement driver's seat (found used "new" online), etc).

To me, it's a damned expensive car to repair, and it's fuel efficiency is only marginal. But it does have a fabulous supercharged powertrain, which is absolutely flawless and has what seems like almost limitless amounts of forward thrust at any speed and a terrifice Monsoon stereo system. Nice features. But I feel very safe in it and it always has gotten me where I was going, so I guess I can't complain. Would I buy another one? Hard to say.

 

[alr2903]

Its all been done before, and the cost is hidden. IMHO

If your old enough to remember the late 70's and early 80's, the first time I remember a energy crisis and long lines for gas, everyone rushed to small cars remember the Chevette? Then came a time when there were many small cars domestic and foreign on the highways. The BIG ole gas guzzlers trickled down to people with limited financial means, sticking them with the guzzlers, many were under or not insured. When a big car hits a little car the $damage is often greater than small car to small car collision. Id imagine your chance of being killed, in the smaller car is greater. So in about 2-4 yrs we will again be in our our small cars with big ole, worn out, smoking, SUV's in front of us. Now if the auto companies want to do something GREEN, and good for all of us. IMHO, Corporate responsibility would begin with trade in a SUV or other guzzler, and it goes back to the manufacturer of ORIGIN, for a melt down and recycle into something we can afford and live with. I wonder what MFR. would get the most "guzzlers" returned to them? I have a PT cruiser now, must admit it is fun to drive and real close to 30 mpg on the highway. Something to think about in fuel cost, insurance rates, injuries, death. LOL, I just hope that we do not relive that 55MPH experiment.

 

[irishwashguy]

I have never owned an American car, nor will i ever

I have heard way to may stories and witnessed them before my eyes around crappy American made cars. GM itself has no real integrity, they build the same design on their pick up trucks from 1973-1987 with the gas tank in a dangerous spot in the back knowingly and killed lots of people before being sued more than once by a consumer or two. My mother had a Chev Citation that nearly killed her spinning around five times on a busy street on her way home from work good thing that she took her foot off of the clutch.. They never would fix the problem, they told my mom that it was in her head and that she should not waste their time. That is integrity? Mom only had GM cars for over 30 years, never had this happen. She was so pissed at the dealership, she now owns a Honda Accord, build in Ohio, and has not had a day of trouble with it. I have a 2003 Honda Civic , built in Ohio, and have not had alot of issues with it other than basic matenence. I have had two other Civics that I put----one I put almost 200, 000 miles on, and sill sold it for 1000 when I was done with it., the other 140,000 miles on it before it was in a three car pile on, i drive alot. If they built good cars, the American car co's I would buy it. I don't think that they care about the regular consumer, and keep repeating the same pattern, and think that by doing it the same that people will forget after they spend 30,000 on it agan and again. Plus they killed the Frigidaire! Shame for shame! . This is my 2 cents.
PS--In ford's commercial they tout that they are as 'Now as reliable as Toyota' if they are so good, why would they say that. Did they get that way over night or something? I am not that kind of fairy, and i am sure that they are not either.

 

[mihi]

I think where the American cars shine is.....

is in their cost to buy used. Unless I got some kind of great deal (which I did get with my Montana van) I wouldn't buy a new American car, to much depreciation - exactly why I like them as used cars. I would buy a new Toyota though.

But as a used car, you can get the American car cheap, and get a pretty good and reliable car, if you pick the right American car. American pick-ups are top notch though, especially the GM ones. I'd buy one of them new anyday, but of course can get even better deals on used ones.

With all things being relative, each car has its place. If you've never had a problem with a Jap car you just haven't owned enough of them yet. I had a Toyo transmission go out long before it should have. My neighbor had a main bearing fail on his 4-runner, again long before it should have. They're not perfect either, but I do think they're on average much better quality than the American cars. But the Toyo's aren't cheap used, and the Americans are. Now we're talking.

 

[super32]

And old argument

I have owned both, foreign and domestics. I have had 3 toyota trucks, (tacomas) 95' 97' 98'. I had some sort of trouble with all three of them. The 95' was the only one i didnt buy new, and it was the one i had the most trouble with. They gave me camry's as loaner cars and they were fun and very comfortable to drive. Would i buy one? probably not. Im 6'3", somewhat of a big buck. I DONT fit into most import cars and trucks. I originally bought the first toyota truck because i had GM and Ford products that i didnt really care for. One of the Fords was a 91 sable LS. Yes the transmission went out at about 75K. It was about $1500 to have repaired. Ford ended up paying for it. There was also other issues with the car, the most notable was the automatic climate control/air-condition. I learned that AC problems was a "Ford thing" thru the early 90's. The one thing that seems to be common umong american branded cars is electrical issues. I had an 88' town car, and 92' continental. Both of them were plagued with electrical problems. The town car had the least engine trouble.

Since my late 80's/early 90's Fords i have had a few Ford trucks, a Benz, Bmw, 5 Cadilliac's, Chrysler, another Continental, and now a 08' Ram. I'm a person that never really looked at a chrysler twice but fell in love with the Dodge truck after a test drive back in 06'.

All those different makes and models had their issues, some were major most were minor in my eyes. So far the Ram, has had no issues in 7400mi.

I now buy cars because i like the looks, the way it drives, the way i fit in it, and other personal preferences. I see cars as MORE reliable overall these days. However, reliable to 100k. It seems thats the point in which you either make it or breake it.

OK just my $0.09 worth.

 

[mihi]

super.....

you've had good/bad experiences with American and Japanese cars it sounds like. Same here. All in all, all cars are mechanical devices and will have issues.

About Chryslers, I had my first Chrysler product when I was in college, in around 1975. It was a Plymouth Fury III. I loved that car, the front suspension (torsion bar) gave it great handling. It had a 318ci engine I believe. But it also had about 120K miles and burnt valves, so it hesitated a lot. I'd paid $300 for it I think and after about 6 months sold it for $300. I hadn't had a Chrysler until 1999 when I got the 300M. What a car - I love it and still think its the best looking car on the road today. Its been OK, needed a repair along the way (transmission being the main one) but not much else. My intention is to have my wife drive it to 200,000 miles before we part with it. I've grown fond of Chryslers for some reason, can't explain it really.

 

[Cybrvanr]

That repair record looks as good as the one for my 2005 Ford Freestar I drive for work! That van is rock sold! It has 120,000 miles on it and the only thing that has ever broken on it is the windshield wiper motor at 8000 miles, which the dealer replaced. The van handles very tight and responsive, like the day it was new, and gets almost 24 MPG's on the highway. You cannot tell me the Americans build junk when I get this kind of service out of a vehicle...one that's not supposed to be all that good either! Freestars have a bad reliablity record for some reason. Obviously Consumer reports did not ask our shop, as we have 4 of them with the same kind of mileage, and they all have been just as reliable!

Well, onto the GM stuff! I have a 1988 Chevy Astro van that has 300,000 miles on it. I use it to tow my camper around. The little van is great. I cannot say that it's been perfect, but the Air conditioner still works in it after all those miles!!! I mean, on a vehicle this old, the water pump, alternator, and the starter become "routine service" items. The first time it ever left me stranded was over this past labor day weekend when the throttle cable broke on it. It had been giving me some warnings, binding up and being very hard to press the pedal down...but you can't really fault it! Did GM really think these vans were going to last 20 years, and 300,000 miles ?!?!?!? Luckily, the repair was only $25!

I've owned a Chevette too, and I cannot seem to figure out why people thought these were such bad cars! A neighbor gave the thing to me, saying "you can have it, just get it out of my yard!" After filling it with fluids, I took it to a mechanic, and he said all it needed was new tires and a muffler to be drivable again....That was 5 years ago. Since then, I put new brakes on it. It gets 35 MPG's on the highway, starts on the first crank, and handles great... can't shake a stick at a car that's cost me only $300 to both purchase and drive over the course of 5 years!!!!(except for the fuel!)

I owned a 1978 Honda Civic, and I can honestly say, the Chevette has it all over the Civic! The Civic's engine was not geared for American highways...it revved up way too high at 65 mph. The Chevette? Well, it has a 5 speed transmission with Overdrive. The engine only turns at 2200 RPM at the same speed. The Chevette also has real shocks, no McPherson struts, and much more suspension travel, so it can handle the worn-out pothole-ridden roads here in the USA. The Chevette is also sized properly for American drivers, with bigger seats and a taller roofline. I also like the rear-wheel drive, and the better weight balance of the Chevette.

The Honda Civic, well, it was OK on reliablity. My parents bought it new, and I inherited it and drove it during my high school and college years back in the 90's. The car had some carburator problems, along with brakes. The electrical system was very problematic too. But the worst of it was how bad the rest of the car fell apart around what was a pretty decent little engine. The car had terrible rust problems, and the interior fell apart within about 3 years of buying it with the stiching coming loose in the seats, the dashboard cracking, and the cardboard door panels falling apart.

I bought a Prelude just out of College thinking that Hondas had gotten better, but I ended up experiencing different problems... but also Overheating, and again, electrical issues that I spent fortunes on trying to correct, but never could....Honda parts are Expensive (don't give me no BS about European parts after buying Honda parts!!!) On the flip side of the coin, Mom bought a 1991 Honda Accord (to replace teh old 1978 I ended up with), and it has been pretty reliable through the years she had it. The only real issues with that one were a bad factory paint job, and poor quality interior materials that faded and fell apart (flashbacks to the old 1978!). Currently, one of my friends owns it, and he replaced the timing belt and the CV joints.

It's all in what you get! There are good cars out there and there are bad cars out there from both sides of the pond! My family has always been GM and Honda fans, and we've gotten good cars from both, and bad cars from both. The only thing I can say is that Japanese cars break DIFFERENT stuff that American cars do, but the both will break eventually!...it all comes out in the laundry!