1988 Ford Taurus LX 140 HP 3.0 V6 fuel-injected from North America

Summary:

I'll never forget this car, it is the king of low budget transportation

Faults:

I have replaced the power steering pump.

The A/C went out, and I never bothered to fix it.

The electrical system, mostly between the battery and starter, have given me nonstop trouble. (never left me stranded though)

The ignition and neutral control switch have some sort of malfunction, I connect the solenoid with a wire to start the car on a rare occasion.

All four power window motors died, as well as the replacements I bought.

General Comments:

This is a great first car if you can find one that was taken care of mechanically.

The car is slow at the line, but has power to spare even at 85 MPH, which is surprising for a 3.0.

This is a very inexpensive car, and cheap to maintain. (i paid 800 for mine)

No serious mechanical problems with this car for the 2 years that I drove it very hard. (from age 16-19) The car took all the abuse I could dish out and still ran like a true champ.

The transmission kicked when entering 2nd gear since I bought it, but never died. This is a true example of quality American engineering; finding a transmission that will run for years with something like that wrong is a rarity.

The power windows (on mine at least) are a real pain to deal with, but if your on a budget, unbolt em and use your hands... no shame baby.

This car is very easy to work on, even for someone starting out with zero car knowledge. It's a great car to learn with.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th February, 2007

1988 Ford Taurus LS Wagon 3.0L from North America

Summary:

Very economical

Faults:

Failed Cradle mount.

Bent tie rod end.

A weak head gasket which caused multiple coolant system breaks, including a blow out frost plug.

Major body rust due to use in sever weather environment, unpaved roads.

Replaced original battery in 2005.

Replaced headlamps.

General Comments:

I bought this car from the original owners for $1100CDN. In two years I have put roughly $600 into repairs (most of them myself).

The car has fairly good fuel economy. The interior is comfortable and roomy.

I would not recommend this car to someone not willing to do minor repairs themselves. The repairs are fairly simple, but could add up if taken to a mechanic.

In all this car is worth the money.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st August, 2006

1988 Ford Taurus 3.0 from North America

Summary:

Ford Taurus' are good cars

Faults:

Fuel pump went out.

General Comments:

Best car I have ever had.

So I bought another Ford Taurus 1989.

I loved this car, it is better then any "bow tie", if you do not know what that is, it's a Chevy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd April, 2005

24th Apr 2005, 11:53

Isn't the plural "Tauri"?

1988 Ford Taurus LX 3.0L V6 from North America

Summary:

Make sure it hasn't been sitting a long time!

Faults:

The one piece of advice that I have for anyone who is buying an older Taurus, is to make sure that the car has not been sitting for a long time. I got my 1988 Ford Taurus from an older lady who had not driven it more than a couple of times a week.

When the car reaches around 70 mph, it starts to shake and rattle the entire front console.

Also, about a year after I got the car, in 2003, the transmission totally blew out. It just died on me and it would have cost $3000 to replace it, which is more than the entire worth of the car.

General Comments:

Overall, the Ford Taurus is great family car. It's reliable and economic. My family has owned a total of 3 so far.

Although my 1988 Ford Taurus was old, it could still get up and go.

The gas mileage was excellent. I could drive 350 miles and not have to fill up. (The gas tank is only 12 gallons).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 1st May, 2004

1988 Ford Taurus L 3.0 liter from North America

Summary:

Piece of crap car

Faults:

At 64,000 miles the rod blew a hole in the engine, and oil leaked everywhere.

The brakes were not working properly when my parents bought the car.

The passenger side window doesn't even come close to working.

Seat belts lock up before I even put them on.

The alternator was brand new at 25,000 miles said the guy we bought it from.

General Comments:

This car is a piece of crap. When we bought this car, the guy told us it was in mint condition. Boy was he wrong. I could not drive it before I could go 1500 miles after buying it. I had to get a new engine because of the rod hole. I took care of the car real well, but that wasn't enough. It was too damaged and rundown before I bought the car. Although I had a good time with my car, it was not very good to buy. I regret buying it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th April, 2004

30th Jan 2005, 07:00

I am amazed that people will buy a used vehicle without knowing the way it was treated or it's service history and condemn the car as total junk. The first thing I'd be suspicious of with this car is the actual mileage. Buying a car over thirteen years old that has only 62,000 miles on it? Are you sure that is accurate? That alone would've sent up a red flag to me. If you are less than experienced with cars, it might be wise to take it to a mechanic to have it looked over prior to purchase. Generally, significant engine failure doesn't take place as described without a few warning signs along the way. A mechanics expertise may have saved this person a great deal of grief.

6th Jun 2012, 22:08

I don't see anyone "condemning" the car. I see people posting about what happened to THEIR car. I also don't see anyone saying "I know my used car was meticulously looked after, it must be the car's fault!" How old are you? Do you do your own maintenance? Do you know what a distributor is? I'd love to know how long you've been driving, never mind how long you've worked on cars.