1994 Mercury Sable review from North America
"For a '94 domestic make, a pretty darn good car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission required rebuild at 128,000.
Passenger door does not operate w/key.
Driver door hinge lacks tension - won't stay open on it's own unless you're parked pointing downhill on a slope.
Remote Fuel door release broken-must be opened with credit card, etc. Simple fix, but I haven't got around to it.
Ignition (tumbler) worn out - allows key to be removed while running (frankly an advantage in my business)
General comments?
For all of the trouble I've heard about people having with the first generation Mercury Sable/Ford Taurus, this car has been remarkably trouble free.
The transmission shouldn't have gone out, but it did have 125,000 miles on the odometer. And delivering pizza with this car doesn't help the tranny any.
The body has been remarkable free of rust, besides the very bottom inside of doors, which just need to be sanded, primed, and repainted every few years. The lack of body rust is especially notable because I live in the rust belt.
My Sable began it's life as a rental, and has the 3.0 liter engine, so I have not had any of the head gasket problems associated with the 3.8 liter.
Besides the tranny, this vehicle, 125,000 miles on, has given me almost the reliability that I would expect from a Honda or Toyota. Perhaps at least one year they got things right with the Taurus/Sable?
This vehicle has good pickup, decent fuel economy, and still looks pretty sharp 11 years and 125,000 miles later.
Recommended reviews
| High maintenance, low resale |
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| A good car for cheap! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1994 |
| Year of manufacture | 1993 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 liter Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 128000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Caprice |
| Date of Entry | 22nd May, 2005 |