1997 Ford Taurus GL from North America - Comments

Purchased vehicle with:

Bad Water Pump.

Rear Defrost not working.

Bad spark plugs (Bosche Platinum)

Bad tires.

If ever there was a car made for the budget minded, it would be the second generation Taurus (1996-1999).

Some would call it a maintenance headache. Indeed, the car is plagued with some problems. Most notably, some of the AX4S and sometimes the AX4N transmissions have given poor service lives and the cooling system has corrosion problems. There are also numerous complaints for "door ajar" indicators malfunctioning and power windows failing (a common Ford problem) among other lesser issues.

Apart from several "known" weaknesses, the Gen 3 Ford Taurus has many strengths. First among them is the nearly indestructible Vulcan 3.0L V6 engine. It is not uncommon to find many Ford Tauruses with well over 200,000 miles on the clocks, running just as well as they did the day they were made. Few engines ever manufactured exhibit such tenacity and durability.

The car itself, is wonderfully designed. Ergonomically, it is nearly perfect, being one of the most comfortable cars to drive. It is roomy enough for four adults, a trunk with generous space and fold down rear seats and ride and handling qualities that are still a standard today. The styling was ahead of it's time which means that it is not dated and even though some of these cars are exceeding 10 years in age, they do not look out of place on the road today.

Fuel economy can be quite impressive from a well maintained and tuned example. It is reasonable to expect 21-23 mpg average under normal driving conditions and 30 mpg or more on the freeway. Some owners report higher.

The best thing about these cars is that they are absolute bargains on the used car market. The Taurus' were produced in such high numbers and the reputation for poor reliability (arguably justified) has caused the resale value on these cars to be on par with a Yugo. You can literally buy 3 or 4 (or more) 1997 Ford Taurus GL's for the price of a 1997 Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. The parts, available everywhere new and used, are dirt cheap and every mechanic in the world knows how to work on these things.

I submit that a clever person, armed with modest tools, a good service manual and some patience, could keep a couple of 1997 Ford Tauruses running like Swiss watches for many, many years, at a cost that would never surpass the original investment in a like model from a Japanese manufacturer. And compared to buying a new car, forget about it. Driving a Gen 3 Ford Taurus is like throwing money in the bank. I have had several Tauruses (1994, 1999, 1997) and have had very good results from all of them. In fact, my 1999 SE never gave me a single problem in well over 70,000 miles of service.

There is so much information on the Internet on these cars that an informed purchase can be made easily and maintenance is not an issue if you already know what these cars are likely to have happen to them. If you know what to look for, you can beat the asking price down dramatically.

Bottom line; a car that you can enjoy driving, safe, economical and reliable if maintained properly, all for rock bottom clearance pricing. And if you think these cars don't last, just take a look on eBay and see how many of these cars are for sale that have over 100,000 miles on them.

A Taurus is like a person, you will never find one that's perfect, but usually, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.

I could not agree with you more. My '97 is actually a Mercury Sable, which is essentially the same car. It also has the 3.0, and is a wagon. Paid $5K for it 4 years ago and it only had 38000 miles on it. It now has almost 90K and it has been a dream. Only major repair work has been a new radiator just last month, and a cam drive sensor about 2 years ago. I do worry about the transaxle, but so far so good. You certainly don't sacrifice good MPG for the comfort and cargo room, either.

This is a great review. Unlike some of the reviews on the Taurus on this site, which are usually written by 17 year olds who hated the car before they even drove it.

I own a 1991 Taurus and '91 Taurus SHO and they are both GREAT CARS! I love my Tauri and wouldn't trade them for any of that japanese crap.

This review was spoken for truth!

Thanks for the review. My 1996 Taurus G has 219,000 miles on it (and counting). What a deal! Never had a problem with the trans or engine. Replaced the spark plugs twice. Replaced the brake pads a three times. That's it.

Bought the car used in 1999 for $11,000. It had 41k miles on it at the time. Like the reviewer said, buying this car pays MAJOR dividends.

I agree. Just bought a 97 GL. Having tranny trouble. Shifter linkage in column loose. Easy fix, but the tranny has way too much fluid in it. Am looking to replace, but first I'm letting some fluid out and will see if runs better.

1997 Taurus GL, 3.0 Vulcan "OHV" (not DOHC). We bought it "new" with 5K demo miles, now almost 170K miles. Also a low-cost experience so far, after getting a few things reworked under warranty (A/C compressor, belt tensioner pulley, steering rack). Then after 120+K miles, I finally changed the spark plugs, and heated CO sensors in exhaust lines when the OBDII computer started throwing check-engine alerts. Runs like a top! I highly recommend the Autolite APP 103 (yes, the 103, not the 104), in front and back cylinders. Oh, I did change out the solenoid (on the starter) which was sluggish in the winter... one of the easiest and most accessible ones I've ever changed! Excellent handling on Monroe Sens-A-Trac's and Bridgestone P215/60-R15 (yes, 216/60) Potenza RE950's. (Warning: The stock General tires were very skittish and skidded way too easily.) Only one major repair so far... had to rebuild the tranny. Of course, use good motor oil and change every 3K mi. Flush the brakes and radiator every few years. Voila!

Cheers from Atlanta!

Hi, I just bought my first car and it a 97 Taurus GL. I got it for $250 from a friend of mine who has no idea how to fix cars. It's a hell of a great deal and the car runs great, and is in a really great shape overall. Being a design student, I never liked the Taurus design, in fact I really disliked it. Now that own one, I love it as I love my fiancé. X)