2003 Ford Taurus SE review from North America
"For someone who normally trades every 18-24 months, I'm keeping this one for a while"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I've had very few maintenance or integrity issues with this car. I believe the front rotors to be slightly warped and the Continental brand tires are out of round. The car has been returned to the dealer twice for recall work, but no problems were noted prior to the recall notification.
I've found the interior cloth seating is susceptible to wear and easy to blemish, as also described by another reviewer.
General comments?
This is one of four Taurus' our family purchased in May 2003. We have had very good experiences. This particular car averages 31 miles per gallon with mostly Interstate driving and occasional short-distance and city mileage. This car is a huge improvement over the vehicle it replaced (GMC Jimmy) in mechanical integrity and comfort. While I wouldn't recommend against manufacturer's suggested maintenance, I do run fully synthetic oil changed at 10,000 mile intervals and 87 octane. The engine runs extremely smooth and quiet with no indication of wear or power compromise.
Recommended reviews
| Worst new car ever!! Avoid!! |
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| Taurus is roomy and comfortable, but reliability after 50K miles is definitely an issue |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2003 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | Vulcan V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 7 miles |
| Most recent distance | 46000 miles |
| Previous car | GMC Jimmy |
| Date of Entry | 17th March, 2005 |