Ford Taurus 2000 - 2006 review

2001 Ford Taurus

2001 Ford Taurus

Introduced in 1985, Ford Taurus held the title of the best selling passenger car in US from 1992 to 1996, although Toyota Camry and Honda Accord led this category since then.
Taurus is available in two body styles: sedan and station wagon.
Front-wheel drive. Transversely mounted engine, 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.
Two engine choices: Vulcan 3.0-liter OHV V-6 with 155 h.p and more powerful Duratec 3.0-liter DOHC V-6 with 200 h.p.
While the built quality is not the best, the 2000-06 Taurus doesn't have that many problems compared to the previous generation.
The interior is fairly quiet, comfortable and roomy, but conservatively-styled and looks rather cheap. The split rear seat can be folded down for extra cargo room.
Ride is soft, although feels a bit "bouncy" on rough road. Handling is good. Steering is very light. Heavy front end provides good traction on the snow. ABS is optional. Disk brakes in the front, drums in the back (all four disk brakes available on wagon).
Ford Taurus 2000-06 models rated "Good" in IIHS Offset Frontal Crash.
In NHTSA frontal crash test, models from 2000 to 2003 have five stars for both the driver and the front passenger, while 2004-2006 model has four stars for the driver and five stars for the front passenger.

The engine

The 3.0-liter OHV V-6 Vulcan engine

Taurus is available with two engine choices: The 3.0-liter 155 h.p 185 lb.-ft. 12-valve OHV V-6 Vulcan engine. This is a durable engine with an old pushrod design; it's simple and easy to work on. It has good low end torque and is fairly powerful for daily driving. Another choice is the 3.0-liter 200 h.p 200 lb.-ft. DOHC 24-valve V6 Duratec engine, which offers more power but is more complex and consequently more expensive to maintain.

Strengths

- Inexpensive; used Ford Taurus is few thousands cheaper than the same age Camry or Accord
- Comfortable and spacious interior
- Good handling
- Heavy front end provides good traction on the snow.

Weaknesses

- Not the best quality
- Depreciates fast
- Rear windows go down only half way
- Ride isn't that smooth on rough road
- No 4-cylinder version

Overall

The 2000-2006 Taurus might not offer that high-quality interior as in the Honda Accord or Camry's smooth ride, but it's very comfortable, and it's a lot cheaper; 3-4 years old Taurus goes for 4000-5000 US cheaper than Camry or Accord of the same age.
Not very expensive to maintain and any repair shop can work on it. Parts are widely available and moderately priced. Compared to the previous generations, the 2000-2006 Taurus is more reliable and doesn't have that many problems; however, an extended warranty might be still a good idea to protect yourself from unexpected problems.
Learn more about Extended warranty.

What to look for when buying a used Taurus

Taurus is a popular car with fleets and rental companies - definitely check the used car history records - follow this link: How to check used car history
- Check the service records if available - it's important to verify that the car was properly maintained.
- Check for leaks
- If the "check engine" light is on, have the problem assessed with your mechanic or a Ford dealer before buying a car.
Learn more what to look for when buying a used car
- Prior purchase have the car inspected by a mechanic of your choice on a lift - many components (e.g ball joints) can not be properly inspected by simple visual inspection.
After you buy a car, visit your local Ford dealer to check if all necessary recalls have been performed.
Shop wisely, check few cars to compare; it's worth to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition; check our step-by-step used car buying guide for more information.
Some models may be costly to insure. Get the insurance quotes first.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash your car regularly, wax it once in a while to protect the paint.
- If you live in the area with high humidity, rustproofing will help to protect the car body from corrosion.
- Regular oil changes are very important to keep your engine in a good shape.
- Change transmission fluid regularly.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine - it may cause serious problems.
- Take care of minor problems as soon as you can, before they cause something serious.
- Always check your parking space for leaks, and if you find one, get it fixed as soon as you can.
- At least once a year have your car inspected in the garage on the lift (e.g when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at one of those fast lube places; the car must be on the lift.
Check more Car maintenance tips from Samarins.com

Ford Taurus 4-door sedan short specs. (2003 model)

Links

If you are looking for Service Manual

If you want to find more technical information such as repair manual, check engine codes description, electrical diagram, diagnostic procedures, vacuum line diagram, fluid type, maintenance schedule, component location, technical service bulletins, etc. follow this link: Where to find repair manual

by Vlad Samarin