1997 Ford Taurus GL review from North America
"Buy American!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Overall I have always been very pleased with Ford Taurus reliability. This is my fourth Taurus, and also my favorite. However, it's still a mechanical entity and things occasionally go awry...
Rack and pinion steering went bad at around 100k, had it completely replaced for about $500.
Engine coolant reservoir exploded one day under the hood. Antifreeze everywhere... replaced reservoir.
Catalytic converter went out at around 120k, caused check engine light to come on. Replaced for the cost of parts. $120.
Four-wheel disc brake models love to eat brakes.
...and that's about it.
General comments?
Overall I am pleased with this car. I have owned a 1986 Mercury Sable, a 1992 Taurus GL sedan and a 1994 GL Wagon. This Taurus is much more spacious and improved over generations 1 & 2.
I love that this design was ahead of its time in 1996, as a result, even though my car is pushing 13 years old, it doesn't look very out of place on the road today. The materials used are also of higher quality than on previous models. One of my biggest gripes with the first two generations was the large number of exposed screws in the cabin. This generation and every one thereafter nixed this problem. Seating fabrics and plastics used are better than those of 1986-95.
The 3.0 V6 is the most reliable of the Taurus engines. Although the 3.8 Essex (not available after 1995) was more fun and had better torque. This engine has power but sometimes the car feels to heavy for it. Automatic transmission performance is good, about as good as can be expected from a Taurus. A little clunky and unsure of what it wants to do at times, but a decent performer. I have never had transmission problems with any of my Tauruses, and hopefully never will (knock on wood).
After driving my Galant, I'd rather have a Taurus over any other mid-size sedan. More attractive to a broader crowd than say a Buick LeSabre, but cheaper to insure and maintain than an import equivalent, I don't really believe one can go wrong with a Taurus when car shopping.
Recommended reviews
| 1997 - Taurus GL Wagon 3.0L Duratec 24v V6 - 200HP Doesn't win on style points, but a good value and good performance station wagon |
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| Hope you brought your wallet for the parts store!!! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1997 |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 Vulcan V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 49000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 125000 miles |
| Previous car | Mitsubishi Galant |
| Date of Entry | 2nd June, 2009 |