Simply a reliable well put together car at a great
I own a 2006 Taurus SE which I bought as a fleet vehicle with 20020 miles in 2007 with clean title as a certified car. The price was 11,600 out the door. The battery went bad under warranty and was replaced. This and a few oil changes and tire rotation has been it and it now has 53,200 miles on it. This car lacks in excelleration somewhat but has plenty of power to pass with very strong engine that very long steep hills doesn't bother whatsoever. I can't believe the HP rating on this car as it easily outpowers most cars with higher hp ratings. It almost drives itself its so smooth and the tranny works very well with this car. It does brake well but I find it does lean in the corners if you are going too fast. My wife has a 2007 Camry bought new at 26,000, and yes it is a nicer car but I actually perfer driving the Taurus as it handles better if you don't want to spend all your time watching the road, it is almost as comfortable and the interior is laid out simply and easy to use the functions without having to look away. I am quite certain it will last just as long and at less than half the price. Go ahead and look around at used cars and check the prices. I wanted to buy a used Camry after my wife got hers but I couldn't get one with less than 100,000 miles for the price I paid for my Taurus. If your looking for something to get the family around in and don't have lots of cash for costly repairs then this car is hard to beat and it is easy on the eyes as well. The newer cars with the sharp lines and high hp ratings are great but this would make a wonderful new drivers car, not to fast, reliable and safe, it works great for our 2nd car and in fact gets driven more when all members of the family are together as it is much easier to see out of than the Camry. I have a 13 year old that will probably get this car with around 80,ooo miles when he starts driving.Another consideration is cheap insurance rates. Summary, this car is a steal at current pricing you can get a great deal on a low milage Taurus for well under 10k find me another you can do as well on!
4th owner
For the Taurus SEL I drove, I immediately noticed the vibrations in the road coming from the steering wheel. One of the windshield wiper fluid ejectors does not work when too cold and I noticed a small amount of water in the spare wheel compartment but may be just condensation. However, I was not too concerned since it would always be in a garage at night. Been on the lot two months, so it needed a battery charge before I bought it. It is a fast car when the engine is warmed up and can pass cars easily when engaged in passing gear. The engine is roomy and it appears I have easy visibility and access to all spark plugs, filters (including oil filter), and dipsticks under the hood which is important to me since I will doing most of maintenance. I must say that the visibility can be low especially for shorter people. When backing up, I had some difficulty seeing between the rear end window and passenger rear window, so extra care was needed. Steering wheel easy to turn and no problems in the snow because of the heavy front end. I like it and hope it will bring many years of reliable mileage with good care, of course.
The best car I've owned so far
For those who don't like American made cars, or think Camry's and Accord's will outperform, negative. The Taurus, is great for me, because I drive about 90 miles a day, commuting back-and forth to work and school. It gets decent gas (foreign cars do get a little better), but it makes up with it's performance. It drives smooth, probably the smoothest ride I've driven, and here in Wisconsin, we have many potholes and cracks, but it keeps up very well. It also is great for those not trying to spend more than 10k on a vehicle, but want something very nice. The design is fairly basic, yet beautiful, but not to the point people would want to steal it. And, even if they tried, it has an Anti-Theft system built into it, so they're not stealing anything without the designated key. It has power windows (auto driver side), optional moonroof, very very roomy, and a great interior design in my opinion. And most important, it's the most reliable car on the market for everyday drivers. I owned an 87 Taurus which I loved, very reliable too. Also owned an 02 Dodge Intrepid which I hated, so I traded it in 3 months ago, for this Taurus @ 60k, and have had NO issues. Your not going to beat a Taurus reliability. The only downsides, are the model is missing a CD player, but you can get a deck from Best Buy installed for about 200, or use it's Cassette plays with a Ipod adapter, which plays really clear. Also, I have experienced my gas pedal sticking two times, but I just pressed on it again, and it was fine. Bottomline: If you want the flashiest car on the street, this isn't for you. BUT, if you want a great car, reliable, safe, spacious, and won't break your pockets, this is the best bet, no doubt about it.
Best Car I've Had SoFar
I bought a used 2006 Taurus SE 3 years ago and I have to say it's been the best overall car that I've had. I've had virtually no maintenance problems or repairs and it keeps running smoothly no matter what climate or conditions it seems to encounter. The only problem I have had was an idling problem which was cured by having a computer update made to the powertrain, at a cost of under $150.00. The interior is comfortable for long trips, the AC and heating are supreme and have had no problems at all. If I would improve anything, it would be adding ABS as this causes a few minor handling problems, but nothing major if one is knowledgeable in how to correct them. The car is well suited for highway travel and slightly less for stop and go city travel as the mileage for this decreases quite a lot from the highway mileage. It drives well and does well on regular grade gas so it is more economical than cars that require a higher grade of gas.
Great car
I bought this car off my buddy for 6500 with 70,000 on it. The cars worth every penny and then some. The ride is fairly smooth, but i would say that it can get bumpy at times. It handles turns and brakes better than some of the camrys and corollas ive test driven. But both those cars are more fuel efficent. I get 24 mpg, the toyotas get around 30. So far ive had no problems, im at 120,000 miles. You get the biggest bang for your buck with the old taurus, i would definately recommend to anyone. The cars handling was the biggest surprise. It's Excellent
Awsome for the money!!!
This is not a high class BMW or Lexus, but it is a beautiful car for the money. Rides great, if you don't plan on racing with it. Inside is well designed for room and comfort. The leather is very clean looking and comfortable. All of the controls are easy to reach from the drivers seat. The optional moonroof adds a nice touch on a beautiful summer day. Over all, I would recommend this car to anyone that wants the biggest bang for the buck.
You get what you pay for
Car has 92,000 on it. I haven't done anything except oil changes. I bought the car with 70,000 miles on it 7 months ago. While the car has been good for the last 7 months, I can't take the ride and lack of comfort any longer. I need my Honda back. If you are on a budget, this is a good car. If you can afford a couple extra grand, get something else. This car is made to prove that people WANT to be cheap. Otherwise I can't see a reason why someone would want to drive one. To the lady who said she traded her Accord in to get another Taurus, I wish we had met. I would of happily swapped you cars.
Rear brake lights
Rear tail lights do not work, except the one on the top of trunk, cost for wiring repair approximately $550 and the cost of the ticket. Luckily no accident due to this!
Best car for the Money
I own a 2006 Taurus SE. Got the car in April of 06 with 12K on it. Did my "carfax" search and found out that it had been a fleet car. Dealership certified it and extended the factory warranty to 75K. Out the door for around $12,000 It is now May of 08 and have 50K+ miles. I have not had any mechanical problems at all. I do all the regular maintenance myself at the suggested intervals. Did first brake job last weekend. Great thing about these cars is that parts are easy to find and not complicated. I think the simplicity helps in the reliability factor, but also leads to poor fit and finish. Exterior door moldings don't line up, interior door plastics starting to come loose, some rattles, etc.. In the end I am more concerned about mechanical reliability than fit and finish. Car rides and drives great for what it is. Best thing of all is that it is just about paid for!
efficent in ever way
i previously owned a 1997 ford taurus, from 2001 until 2003 i was in a pretty bad accident with it and walked away unharmed. At which time it had 83,000 miles, and the only things i had done to the car were new tires, oil changes, wiper blades and breaks, and that was in about 40,000 miles of use. After wrecking this car i had switched to a honda accord, i recently traded the accord in and now own a 2006 Taurus, this car rides very smoothly has great pick up and gets great gas mileage for the size of the engine, much quieter and smoother than the accord i owned. It's also a much better value, for 12,000 i was able to buy a 2006 Taurus with 30,000 miles and a 4yr 40,000 mile full new car warranty, it's an sel model and has leather seats, cd system, and a sun roof, for that kind of money you wouldn't get those features on a Accord, also it's much roomier than my Accord and can actually fit 5 people with out cramming, and still maintains good pickup with the 5 people, where as my Accord would struggle in that area.