1997 Ford Taurus GS review from North America

Day 3 sunroof motor (free with grief)

Day 5 sunroof gasket (also free with grief)

Week 2 rotors needed turned (again free with grief)

Month 2 CD changer replaced (free no fuss)

Month 6 first window adjustment due to sticking (free)

1 year Water in floorboards (free) Engine pinging on regular or mid-grade gas ("they do that")

1.5 years Water again (free)

2 years 1st cam position sensor (free)

2.5 years CD changer replaced and windows adjusted again

3years 3 months under 27,000 miles oil pan gasket as a result of a bad PCV valve ($650)

3.5 years changer went again I didn't bother

4 years water on the floor again $200

4.5 years no heat (pressure flush $110)

5 years Stopped using right rear window because it might not go up

5.5 years water back and replaced stabilizer pins

6 years all four oxygen sensors and cam position sensors ($DEAR GOD)

6.5 No heat again pressure flush water back, but just using a shop vac. Bought another car this was not fit to trust with my wife's life.

Etc...

2006 and more than the cost of two new cars later

serpentine lets go causing no gauges to work including idiot lites motor over heats I hand the keys to the junk yard glad to have it out of my driveway.

I am a mechanic, but on this one I just wanted to see if ford could do a better job than me. Obviously that wasn't even so much the issue. This car has been known to be of poor quality and with good reason. No car should lose an oil pan gasket due to a PCV valve that bolts to the engine.

All makes due have bad years and bad runs however and my Ranger has 160,000 on it with a grand total of $500 in non-consumable parts so Ford is not on trial here just this car. My opinion is steer clear, but the car does have that old boat ride with the new car gidgets, but I don't think the the good out-ways the bad.

Good luck whatever you decide.