31st Mar 2009, 10:44
A lot of the cars made in America in the 70's - 90's weren't the best vehicles. American companies had to build them as cheap as they could to compete with the import business. Here lately though, it seems that they learned that you have to spend money to make money. It's a lesson some of them were just starting to put into practice in the 90's.
I say this because I'm reading a lot of complaints about the Taurus/Sable. True, low mileage cars shouldn't croak so easily, but a lot of these comments are about cars with over 100,000 miles on them. Well I'm sorry to tell you folks this, but the American car companies were just pulling their heads out of their... uh, the sand, at this point. 150,000 good miles on a mid 90's American car with no rebuilds or overhauls is not something I'd expect at all! The Taurus/Sable was prone to tranny problems, but '93 - '95 seems to be some of their better years.
One comment here mentioned that their car died because of mountain driving. Perhaps it was driven in overdrive through mountains and hills most of it's life, and that's what killed your tranny? Some people don't know any better. Even in an automatic, you have to make decisions about the transmission.
The coolant and head-gasket problems are probably due to poor maintenance. Ford sent home a guide with the vehicles they sell stating when to change coolant, tranny fluid, motor juice, the whole works. When you buy a used car, you don't know if any of that has been done. You buy a risk. I'd be madder than a wet hornet if I bought a car with 146,000 on it and the tranny went out 4000 miles later, but you are purchasing a risk, and you have to expect there could be a negative outcome.
I bought my 1993 Sable 3.8 in 2006. It is now 2009, and it has been a very good vehicle, despite the fact that it was neglected by it's previous owner and the fact that I really don't maintain it properly. And when it dies due to my poor maintenance, I won't post a survey here complaining about it been a piece of junk. But I think that is what a few of the negative comments here are, and that isn't fair at all. To the others, you have my sympathy, because I've bought other peoples poorly maintained lemons before too. It sucks big time. But you have to expect that the guy selling the car to you wouldn't be keeping it if it was the most amazing thing on four wheels.
10th Mar 2007, 06:09
It seems like all this is very negative. I have yet to hear of a car that is defective free. I would think someone would expect things to go wrong. Cars are mechanical, they break. The thing is, we don't know when. I have owned 2 Taurus and 1 Sable. All had over 125,000 miles and ran great. Sure the '94 Sable had blown head gasket, but I bought it that way and fixed it- With 156,000 miles on it. There are a few problem areas with these cars. But if you know what they are, you can deal with them. It is a gem of a car and I have just sold it. It was hard to sell because it is a great car. I am really surprised that no one remembers the past. Go back 25-50 years if not longer back than that, and cars rarely if ever saw 100,000 miles without a complete engine overhaul, plus a whole host of other things. In all reality, no car will "not give you trouble". They all have their problems and quirks. One cannot expect it to run forever with no major problems. Granted, they did have their problems, but you can't tell me you didn't know that before you bought it. By a used car, and expect something to go wrong. Why do you think it is being sold. Sometimes it is to pass on the the problem to someone else, and hopefully they don't notice it until after it is their driveway.