Gettin a used car...good deal?

[Avalon]

I've been planning on getting a used car soon so I can travel back and forth from school, and I just recently came across an offer that sounded pretty nice given my relatively low budget. I've got a family member who works at this used car dealership who can get me a '96 Ford Taurus shaggin waggin style with 85k miles on it. The interior is mint, and upon mechanic inspection, the engine and the mechanics are also in great condition too. Car is loaded with options. I can get it for $2500, reason being is that it's been on the lot since November and the dealership wants to get rid of it. From what I hear, it's still there because everyone that goes to the place pretty much wants the BMWs, Mazdas, Hondas, and Toyotas. I've never had a Ford before. Think it may be able to last me a good 3-4 years? Should I jump on this deal?

 

[Thegonagle]

It'll last. Tell them to do a full fluid flush on the automatic transmission, and call it a done deal.

You'll find that the wagon is a boon for moving stuff back and forth (not like that! OK, maybe even that too) and your friends will be asking to borrow it whenever they need to move something too. (Most mid-size wagons have at least as much room as a Ford Explorer-sized SUV.)

 

[boomdart]

The taurus is pretty close to the worst car Ford's ever made reliability wise.

And watch out, having a car like that your friends will use you to haul their sht.

 

[BatmanNate]

Watch the transmission if it's an auto. My girlfriend's father has a 95 and the transmission has gone twice, the motor once. The guy is a mechanic by trade also, and the car only has 90k or so original miles.

 

[zCypher]

No it's not, the Tempo is worse than the Taurus for sure.

 

[Xionide]

I have a taurus. Its sitting out in front of my house with a gazillion problems.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: boomdart
The taurus is pretty close to the worst car Ford's ever made reliability wise.

And watch out, having a car like that your friends will use you to haul their sht.

Consumer Reports rates the '96 Taurus as having average reliability. If it's already in excellent shape with no immediate problems, I say that one could do a hell of a lot worse for $2500. (Condition is everything with cars at this age/price range. Brand and model start taking a back seat to overall maintenance at this point.)

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: zCypher
No it's not, the Tempo is worse than the Taurus for sure.

I thought the Tempo had decent reliability and just sucked in every OTHER way?

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: zCypher
No it's not, the Tempo is worse than the Taurus for sure.

I thought the Tempo had decent reliability and just sucked in every OTHER way?

Nope. Their 2.3L engines would last a long time if the car didn't fall apart all around it (it would reliably fall apart if you weren't paying attention), but that's about it. In particular, the Tempo's ultra-poor front suspension required frequent and costly repairs just to keep the wheels going straight.