1987 Ford Taurus LX Wagon from North America - Comments

The Engine:

The 3.0 is a great engine, which is why Ford is still offering it as the base engine in the Taurus today. The only major things that went wrong with mine are the alternator, water pump, and ignition module. All of the above went out at around 100K miles.

The Body:

The doors rusted to heck soon after we bought it. I guess this was before rust prevention was a big deal to Ford, as the fasteners that held the LX style trim on the sides allowed water into the doors, while the trim held it there.

My father was the one who bought the car, and after he was side-swiped by a garbage truck (crinkling up the passenger's side, with no damage to the functioning of the doors) he gave me the car. He had just bought a Focus. I didn't treat it too well. I got it stuck in a ditch twice, got hit by a GELOC crane in the rear driver's side corner, knocking out that window (covered the hole with a piece of shower curtain) and knocked out a fender by hitting the corner of a haywagon while doing backwards donuts in a wet lawn. I replaced the fender myself. It was fun.

The thing that really did the car in was sliding off the road and hitting a tree going backwards at about 30 MPH. That's what I get for driving in a blizzard on Michigan country roads. This accident demolished the tailgate, but since the lights all still worked, I drove the car for another 2,500 miles.

I got laughed at a lot for the horrific body damage. I did the laughing when I drag raced better-looking, but slower cars and won.

You can't kill this car. I still have it around, although since I have a '99 Mystique (I've written a review for it as well) I don't drive the Taurus (a.k.a. The BattleWagon) much.

Since I had the LX trim level, this car had all the goodies. I love the digital dash, and both the driver and the passenger are treated to power seats with lumbar support. Exceedingly comfortable, but so-so performance. It's a station wagon, after all.

I drove my LX wagon to 317,000 plus miles, before parking her due to rust. She still looks great, but the welded body seams are blown apart underneath (Minnesota/Wisconsin wintertime salt).

Purchase cost was $5,000 (used with 69,000 miles) in 1991. I replaced two water pumps, two alternators, the front brake linings and rotors (once), and did one extensive tuneup (plugs, wires, distributor cap) in 250,000 miles. She only stranded me once, with a failed ignition module at about 150,000 miles.

This car handled like a dream, accelerated like a SHO, and was cheaper than dirt to drive and maintain. Not including expendables (gas & oil), she cost me about two cents a mile to drive. When I parked her she still didn't burn oil between changes, and the original engine and transmission were still installed and operating well.

Would I buy another one? You betcha... already have.