It's been a good ride ...

1987 Ford Taurus MT-5. It's delivered. I purchased it at the end of the 1987 model year at dealer's invoice expecting reliable, economical, safe transportation. Almost thirteen years and 187,000 miles later this vehicle has more than met my expectations. Total maintenance cost has totaled $5135 or 3 cents per mile. This includes the inevitable wear-and-tear items such as tires, batteries, and wiper blades; scheduled maintenance such as oil and coolant changes; and heavier maintenance such as water pumps (three of them!), alternator, starter, struts, brakes, etc. No repairs have ever been done to the transmission (a manual 5-speed), clutch, engine internals, fuel injection, rear brakes, or radiator. My total cost to operate this vehicle has been 23 cents per mile including depreciation, fuel (22-27 mpg), maintenance, insurance, and licensing. Since its inception in 1986 the Taurus has proven that a domestic manufacturer can produce a mainline family sedan with quality comparable to the European and Japanese competitors.

This vehicle has been endearing to me because of its reliability and its capabilities. It's stranded me (electronic ignition failure) only once, and then it had the courtesy to do so within 300 yards of a Ford dealership. (A big plus with a domestic vehicle like a Ford or Chevy: There are a lot of dealers with parts and mechanics who know the vehicles.) It carries four adults and luggage (or backpacks) in comfort. It's reasonably quiet and composed on the highway and can cruise all day at 75 mph while attracting little notice from the constabulary. Its front-wheel drive when coupled with snow tires can deal with most winter driving situations. It's no sport-utility, but my Taurus likely has logged more dirt-road miles than most SUVs. While offering only modest ground clearance the Taurus' front suspension cradles the engine and has parried several hard blows. Once this vehicle even managed a 200 yard off-road stretch so that its hiker-occupants would avoid a snowbank and thus avoid a four-mile road walk at the start of an week-long outing. Ford trucks may be built Ford-Tough, but the Taurus is no pansy of a sedan.

I hoped to see 200K on this vehicle, but I find myself really wanting AWD or 4WD as I am doing more winter driving. ABS and air bags are also attractive. So, it's time for a change and another Taurus will not do (Ford, GM, and Chrysler are not competing with Subaru, Audi, or VW in offering AWD for sedans/wagons). However, if AWD or 4WD is not pivotally important to you, you could do a lot worse than consider a new Taurus.