1996 Ford Taurus LX review from North America
"For an American car made in 1996, this car is a wonderful car, and is a pleasure to drive."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission has been replaced 2 times.
Thermostat would not work right and would make the car overheat very quickly; was replaced.
When the outside temperature is over 85 degrees, and the air conditioner is on, the car runs extremely close to the overheating line on the temperature gauge.
Engine currently burns about a quart of oil every 1,500 miles.
After about 20 minutes of use with the climate control on, the air smells like burning oil at random times.
Exhaust system was replaced.
Radiator hoses were replaced.
Rear speakers went out, and were replaced.
Weatherstripping on passenger door was replaced.
Cup-holders will not stay open without a drink inside of it.
Recently, I have noticed a loss of power, compared to a year ago, along with a huge dip in gas mileage. Right now, I get about 16 MPG city, and only about 22 MPG highway.
General comments?
I really like this car. It drives nice, has a lot of initial power, passing power, and it handles nicely. The air conditioning starts working soon after the vehicle is started, and the JBL audio system is outstanding.
Honestly, for an older American car with 160,000 miles on it, I am perfectly satisfied with this car.
There have been problems with the transmission, but I have come to the conclusion that the majority of its' problems were due to how I drive the car, instead of the manufactures lack on engineering.
There have also a lot of things replaced, but once again, most cars that have 160,000 or more miles on it will have the same things replaced, and they will have the same problems as mine does.
The loss of power and the dip in fuel mileage is probably due to it's old age, and is a sign that this car will be "on it's last legs," soon.
Recommended reviews
| Volcano waiting to erupt |
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| If you are looking for reliability and courteous service, look elsewhere |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0L Duratec Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 75000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 160000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 18th November, 2005 |