2000 Ford Taurus SE from North America - Comments

Brake rotors warped (took to Midas; no problems since)

Broken front coil spring (dealer replaced due to recall)

Cracked coolant overflow ($125)

First of all, all cars of the same make are not all built the same. My '01 Ford Taurus SE is a beast. My sister-in law's '02 Taurus SEL is a piece of junk. Even though mine is older and has 70,000 more miles than hers, it is a far better car. It's faster, even though hers has the 200 hp DOHC V6. I have the 200 hp OHV V6 (optional on the '01 Taurus because it's easier to maintain than the DOHC, and more powerful than the 155 hp Vulcan). I have found, by trial and error, that the products used in my vehicle drastically change the performance. In my '01 Taurus, I use Castrol 5W30 SAE high mileage motor oil and it runs so much better (gas mileage and acceleration) on Shell Premium gasoline. My car still idles at 550rpm. It's a better handling car without the factory Firestones (Continental Touring AS). Also, twice a year I run a fuel system cleaner through the system (STP Total Fuel System Cleaner for High Mileage vehicles) and my car runs better than some brand-new rental cars I have driven for very long road trips. My Taurus now has 142,400 miles on it and I still get about 17 mpg city and 28mpg highway. Last summer I took a road trip (404 miles round trip) and I had a little less than a quarter tank when I pulled into my driveway. The suspension is very tight and you can feel every bump on city streets, but on the freeway my '01 Taurus is a monster (borderline sports car) with great handling, sure steering, and plenty of power. The harder I drive it the better it performs and I love the sound of the engine as it comes alive. I have done 95mph and had more than half the pedal left. I think this may be the best performing car that I have owned and I have had quite a few. However, this is not a maintenance-free vehicle, but if you get a good one, the Ford Taurus SE will be one of the best cars you will ever own provided:

-change the plugs once a year

-flush the transmission once a year

-use only Castrol motor oil

-use only Shell Premium gasoline

-do not allow dealer to replace original rotors with more original rotors (they warp quickly, so go to Midas)

-use Continental Touring AS tires to replace crappy factory Firestones

-have regular tire rotation and balance

-have regular alignments (once a year)

I like the Taurus, and it is a great car, and very reliable. However as a mechanic I find some of your service recommendations a bit on the excessive side. The plugs in the Taurus are designed to go 100,000 miles, and changing them every year is a waste of money. The same with the transmission flush. It simply is not necessary yearly, though it won't do any harm to anything other than your wallet.

As for front end alignments, I have had only one front end alignment done on a car in my entire life. I've driven several cars over 200,000 miles without one. Domestic vehicles are incredibly tough and not easily knocked out of alignment (the one alignment I did have to have was on a Japanese import). Unless there is some reason (such as pulling to one side or uneven tire wear) having an alignment is, again, throwing money away needlessly.

I do endorse the use of Castrol Syntech full synthetic oil. Synthetic oils do not form sludge, lessen friction and reduce wear on the engines. As much money as you are wasting on needless alignments, transmission service and spark plugs, spending a little on full synthetic oil shouldn't be a problem.

Premium fuel is not required in the 3.0 V-6 and does not provide any extra benefits over regular grades of gas. In the United States all gasoline has to meet very strict government requirements, so the brand is not important. I know lots of people feel that "If you pay more it must be worth more". Not so at all. Just this morning I went to pick up a part for my car at AutoZone. I was told "We have 2 brands and they both have a lifetime warranty". One was fully 50% less than the other, so I naturally bought it. Although I believe in reincarnation, I don't plan to drive the same car in my next lifetime, so one "Lifetime" warranty is as good as another. I took the money I saved and treated myself to a nice lunch.

I'm glad you have enjoyed your Taurus, but you are spending a ton of money needlessly. One of our Fords was driven for 17 years and made over 300,000 miles and NEVER had a transmission flush or a front end alignment. It was a "gofer" car that was used as a car to go to and from work and run errands. It was run on the cheapest gas we could find and on cheap non-synthetic oil and Wal-Mart tires. It STILL made 300,000 miles with no problems.

The only two engines available on the Taurus at that time were the Duratec 30 and the Vulcan V6. The 3.0L OHV engine that you have is indeed the Vulcan.

I hate to burst your bubble, but Ford never offered a 200 HP OHV (pushrod) V6 in the Taurus. The Vulcan pushrod engine was rated at 155 HP and 185 lb-ft of torque in 2001. The comparable numbers for the DOHC Duratec V6 were 200 HP and 200 lb-ft.

I have a 2000 Ford Taurus with the flex fuel OHV 3.0 V6 - we bought it with 50,000+ miles on it and have rodded the crap out of it, and only replaced the transmission (bought from an old lady) and fuel pump (bad gas).

It now has 105,000, and seems to beat Aleros and doesn't have any performance issues at all. I love the performance and the ease of high speed cruising in it. You can go 90 and not even realize it at all. The only downfall is its e85 gas efficiency. It gets about 20 hwy and 15 town.