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Older Ford Taurus Overview And How To Buy At The Best Price
First of all, I happen to have a personal bias for the Ford Taurus. I think they're just a great car. You see, I've owned three of them ... and still have the third. I put 119,000 miles on the first one, bettered that with 147,000 on the second and we bought a third one that's now up to 75,000 miles.
I keep buying them because I've never had a major problem. They just go and go, in my experience anyway, with regular maintenance and the occasional expected minor repair from time to time.
I also think, because the Taurus had somewhat of a reputation as a rental or fleet lease vehicle, that there's less demand for them in the aftermarket and this has caused them to offer strong value as a used car purchase.
The sixth-generation Taurus, and its last, was prooduced for the 2010 model year and carried through 2019 when many sedans across nearly all brands were discontinued due to the overall high demand for trucks and SUVs.
While sharing its powertrain and spacious cabin with the previous generation, this version is widely agreed to be a significant improvement thanks to its more appealing interior and exterior design. This production run also saw the much anticipated reintroduction of the more performance-oriented Taurus SHO with the most powerful Taurus engine ever under the hood ... a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out a robust 365 horsepower.
This version of the Taurus essentially bridges the gap between a family sedan and a large luxury car. Most models will be found with front-wheel drive and a capable 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces a healthy 263 horsepower. But all-wheel drive models can also be found in the secondary market as it was optional on upper trims. It's also a standard feature on the SHO model. And all of these models were equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the only one offered.
This Taurus can be found in four trims: SE, SEL, Limited and SHO. Standard features on the already well-equipped base SE model include 17-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, SecuriCode entry pad, cruise control, air conditioning, automatic headlights, a 6-way power driver seat, steering wheel audio controls, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a tilt/telescoping steering column and a 6-speaker sound system with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio jack. Upper trim levels can be found with more upscale features such as leather upholstery, a rearview camera, Sync Electronics, dual-zone automatic climate control, larger wheels, a power passenger seat and rear parking sensors.
Those shopping for a used Taurus SHO will find the standard twin-turbocharged engine, a sport-tuned suspension, special upholstery and xenon headlamps.
Used Taurus models can also be found, depending on the trim, with optional features such as a sunroof, navigation, massaging front seats, adaptive cruise control and a premium 12-speaker Sony sound system.
The cabin's are much improved with a distinctive twin-cowl dashboard design, while on the pavement the Taurus provides a quiet, comfortable and confident ride ... upped significantly on the SHO visa its power-packed engine and revised suspension.
The fifth generation was only produced for the 2008 and 2009 model years (it had previously been the Ford Five Hundred). This Taurus was a full-size sedan which came in a single engine choice, a 3.5-liter V6 that produced 263 horsepower and was also mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Some of these can also be found with the optional all-wheel drive for those of you driving in areas prone to inclement weather.
Three trims were produced: SE, SEL and Limited. Again, even the base SE model was fairly well equipped with standard features such as power front seats, full power accessories, air conditioning, cruise control, 17-inch wheels, stability control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, faux wood-grain interior trim and a CD player with an auxiliary input jack. The Limited model added 18-inch wheels, front seat heaters, leather upholstery, chrome exterior trim accents, the Sync system, an analog clock and driver memory settings.
This version of the Taurus again provided a comfortable ride while still being fairly capable in terms of handling. It also offered excellent outward visability and topnotch crash test ratings.
The last generation we'll cover here is the Taurus' fourth, produced from the 2000 to 2006 model years. This Taurus was offered in both sedan and wagon body styles with either a 3.0-liter V6 "Vulcan" engine that produced 155 horsepower and 185-pound-feet of torque or a 3.0-liter V6 "Duratec" that produced 200-hp and 200 lb-ft. The main difference in the engines was the base Vulcan had two valves per cylinder, while the Duratec had four. Both were mated with a 4-speed automatic transmission.
The models were base LX, midlevel SE and more luxury-oriented SES and SEL trims. Again, even the base LX was fairly well-equipped for the time with standard features such as air-conditioning, power windows, power door locks, a rear defogger, an antitheft system and a tilt steering wheel. The SE trim added a power driver seat, remote keyless entry, cruise control, aluminum wheels and a CD player.
Moving up to an SES added antilock brakes, illuminated visor mirrors and a split-folding rear seat, while those with the SES Deluxe package also had the more-powerful engine, a rear spoiler and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The top-of-the-line Taurus SEL came with standard machined aluminum wheels, automatic climate control an in-dash 6-disc changer and automatic climate control.
It should be noted that by the end of this generation, only the SE and SEL models remained and the 200-hp V6 had been dropped. The Taurus wagon was also discontinued after the 2005 model year.
How To Get The Best Price
There are actually several different ways to buy a used Taurus at the lowest price, and even at wholesale. You can click on the links to each of the following methods to get the specific instructions.
First of all, here's a Lowest Price Used Car Buying Guide that details a super effective method, one that often beats down prices even to wholesale levels. And somewhat related to this, here's another excellent method that identifies Price-Distressed Cars Right On Dealer Lots. These are vehicles they are so desperate to unload they would welcome your wholesale offer.
In addition, you can also try the Public Car Auctions in your own geographic area. While there can be a lot of junk vehicles at these auctions, there are often absolute gems sprinkled in as well. This article reviews what to expect at open-to-the-public car auctions and how to locate them in your own area.
Also ... for those of you who might be interested in a brand new Ford, if the price was crazy good, here's info on exactly How To Get The Best Price On A New Ford. This works just phenomenally well.
