bummer

[hiya]

My daughter bought a 1992 Mercury Sable in Pa where she is going to school. An older couple owned it . He died about 5 years ago,his wife ran it to church. It only had 54,460 mile on it.We brough it home and spent a little over $200. to get it inspected.She took it back up to school.She said it missed a little,on the way home it started to get a little hot. It didn't get to the red,but high normal.Saturday I check it out,it was smoking some (white smoke).Blowed head gasket,#1 cylinder has water in it.
Sunday night my wife took her back to school, on the way home the transmission started to slip on her van.($1500 +) So now we are down to my work van. Unloaded all my tools. Put another seat in so we can all get in to go to church.
In the middle of all this I lost a filling in one tooth,go to the denest he charged me $98.00 to tell me to go to a oral surgeon ($190.00) and 1 1/2 days off work.
One thing for sure to make it in this world you need the LORD, other wise I would be in bad shape.
Richard

[Frank_Pender]

hiya, you are so correct. AMEN ;D

[Tobacco Plug]

Check with a dealer about that Mercury.  Had a 1996 Sable that blew a head gasket.  There was a silent recall concerning the coolant system and they replaced the engine.  Had about the same mileage as your daughter's too.  Good luck!

[crtreedude]

It was the 6 cylinder engines that had the most problems. I had one and swore I would never buy another Ford product again because of it.

[hiya]

I checked with the dealer. They would only go back to 94.
Friday morning I hit the curb turning into work, cut the right rear tire. Got two new ones in afternoon.Went to Pa. to the daughters school. They had their Christmas program. My daughter had a solo. She did good. Dad almost poped buttons.  : Tonight my wife was taking her back to school. Called from Harrisburg (about half way) she hit something on the road. Cut the side wall on a new tire.So tomorrow a nother new tire.
My minister picked me up[ for church tonight.Was glad I went.Had a couple talk He talked to the men and she talked to the women.
About an hour yet and my wife should be home.
Richard

[Grawulf]

Richard,
Sounds like you mighta been prayin' for patience lately ......... Holy mackerel Andy - stop that would ya!   Consider yourself hedged - sure that there's other peoples out there that'll be prayin' for ya too!

[rebocardo]

I stopped working for Ford in the year 2001. Some things may have changed, but, here goes.

Ford has a recall on any 3.8L engine with under 100k on it for defective head bolts. The supplier of the bolts gave Ford weak ones and after time they loosen up and destroy the engine. Ford will pop a rebuilt motor in and NOT fix the one in the car. Usually a two day job because it takes (and only pays) 12 hours. So, most dealers are not too anxious to do it, though they have to.

The automatic transmission fluid should be changed every 20k or so, IMO, on the Ford Taurus. Also, they are not the best and I think you have the year with the weaker of the two that were offered. Again, you might have one that was under recall. I think if you have one with the pan that says "DO NOT REMOVE - CALL FORD" or something to that effect Ford will replace it for free.


Try http://www.taurusclub.com/ for more information.

[rebocardo]

Go to www.yahoo.com and use advance search on these keywords:

ford taurus automatic transmission recall

From one site pulled up:

http://members.aol.com/MKBradley/

Here is a comment from a transmission shop owner:
"You should have good luck in a class action suit against Ford for the simple reason that the trans in question is truly a piece of junk. You've undoubtably heard the jingle on the recent Taurus comercials saying 'Taurus, making the dream come true' we sing along at our shop every time we hear it, because the Taurus really is making our dreams come true."

I could not tell by your post if the tranny failed in the Taurus or van. If it has not failed in the Taurus, it will. My advice is if you can get the engine fixed for free, then fix it and then sell the car for whatever you can "as is where is" and buy something much better like a standard shift Escort, full size Crown Vic or RWD Chevy with a V-8.

I hate to say it, but, a standard shift 1996 -> (get one with OBD2) Honda Accord is one of the most bullet proof used car purchases (check engine compression) a student on a low budget can make.

Every car OEM has some bum models to stay away from and your daughter picked one of them. If you paid more then $1000 for this car, you paid too much. Unless you put a used engine into it yourself, I would not invest any money into this car unless you budget for at least one transmission. It is going to be one thing after another.

[Joe W]

Hi Richard sounds like last couple of monthes I've had.I'm in the process of cleaning out my yard,and have a few of those motors if you need one.Send me an email Joe

[GF]

I have a 2003 GMC Sierra pickup with 32000 mile on it, every since I purchased it it used a quart of oil in about 4000-5000 miles.

When I had it in for warranty work I asked about it, they said maybe 1 out of 5 they see this but GM says there is no problem had to try to keep my mouth shut   :-/.  

According to the manager there GM does not consider that excess oil usage, anything that uses more the 1 1/2 quarts in 1500 miles or less is considered excess oil uasage, he even agreed with me but GM Corporate told him otherwise.  

I have rebuilt many 350 engines in the past, from boring to turning cranks etc so they can feed me all the B_ they want, I know better, my truck I sold before this one had over 250,000 miles on it and did not use any oil.

[slowzuki]

My gf's parents had an S-10 Blazer, 2002 or something like that with the 4.3, it used a couple litres every 5000 km.  They had to get a lawyer involved to even get them to take it back.

Exchange vehicle was given but up'ed their payment 50$ a month and it didn't even have the auto-track 4wd on it.

Don't trust these car dealers one bit!
Ken

[kcpalmer]

Hi!  My name is kimtate.  I know how you feel it seems like if one thing goes wrong it is another and another and so forth.  It will get better the LORD will help you through it all.  Hang in there

Kim

[hiya]

Up date : Went in to get another tire.I didn't buy the warnety(sp) I never had the need before, I just fixed my own flats. ;D They put on new tire, no charge. PTL.
Last night we worked on Amy's car. Got the front head off,the first cylcinder had water in it.The top corner bolt was streched.The gasket was blowned next to the bolt.
I checked the dealer said the car was too old for the recall. ;D
Richard