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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008

3389 messages,  Last post on Jan 21, 2011 at 11:46 AM

You are in the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Sedan

Messages Page 247 of 340

#2457 of 3389 2002 SES for $11,500 by chicagosky

Oct 02, 2003 (6:15 pm)

As S852 stated, you can most definitely get a 2002 SES for $11K or so now. Two months ago, on 1 August, I bought a 2002 SES with 21K miles for $11,500 before my trade-in, with standard SES equipment, along with two new tires, new windshield wipers, oil change, etc. They listed in the $13Ks. This is not to say that I necessarily got the world's best price-- I'm new to the car-buying game and though I did my research, I doubt I got the best deal out there. I'm sure you can get a better price now. If geographical area can influence price, as I imagine it can, my area is the Southeast U.S., despite my username.
 
Another comment is this: when shopping, I narrowed it down to two cars, much like it seems vacman1 is doing. I was deciding between a Saturn L200 and a Taurus SES, of the same year and of comparable mileage. When it came down to it, I got the car of lesser quality/options (the Saturn L200) dealer to get down to their "lowest" price, and decided the evening that my boyfriend and I went to the Ford dealer, if we could get them to commit to that "low" price, then I would buy the car, as it's nicer. And that's what happened. Maybe not the most logical/informed approach, but I like having some range of vehicles to choose from, and I was very happy with the end result. Buying a car is really such a game anyway, though unfortunately it's really no fun for the buyer until they have the prize, and it's fun for the dealers, who are secretly laughing in everybody's face anyway, the entire time.

#2458 of 3389 by nvbanker

Oct 02, 2003 (8:19 pm)

I get the same feeling, Chicago, that I never really win, I just get a car......

#2459 of 3389 by myfirsttaurus

Oct 02, 2003 (11:17 pm)

Hi Everone, I am new to this forum but have enjoyed reading it for the last few days. I have not seen any messages refering to a factory installed handsfree phone system.I bought my 2001 SES Taurus with one last August.My hubby and I were shopping for a Taurus (my choice,first time I got to pick the car in 30 years)and we came across the one we finally agreed upon. The only thing that was wrong was the ugly phone holder in the fold down cup holder. But the price was right and the color was right and it drove fantastic, so we bought it.I told hubby he better figure out how to get rid of the phone holder and he agreed,(small dealership, not Ford and nobody knew anything about the phone).Black antenna attached to the rear window. Well anyways, turns out it holds a standard Nokia phone, and when you recieve a call,you talk in the air and you here your caller thru the speakers!It is crystal clear and your radio or cd shut off when a call comes in and starts back up when call is finished. I just love it! It is one of my favorite things about the car now. I am just wondering if anyone else has one and do they love it as much as me. Thank gosh hubby didnt remove it. We didnt have a phone at the time and asked my Daughter to see if hers fit and low and behold it did. Next day ran out and bought a phone, even the phone dealer was clueless, but very much impressed when he heard it in motion.

#2460 of 3389 American cars by netranger4

Oct 02, 2003 (11:56 pm)

Briefly, I doubt that there ever will be a Honda/Toyota/Nissan collectors club. However there are still Model A's and T's and later vintage Fords/Mercurys/Lincolns still out there and being enjoyed by their owners.
 
The Asian makes are designed to last X miles with little or no trouble. Yes, they may make it to XXX,XXX miles if they don't rust to pieces in the meantime. If they are so utterly reliable and trouble-free, why do the dealers bother to employ mechanics and require service appointments far in advance?
 
American cars are designed for our driving styles and conditions. If one thinks that they are superior, simply check some of the other bulletin boards to verify their reputations.

#2461 of 3389 Depreciation / Car Deals by vacman1

Oct 03, 2003 (9:05 am)

As has been stated several times already there is really only one way to avoid excessive depreciation and that's to let someone else take the 25-30% hit the first year on the car price while you buy used.
 
I do think however, you can minimize this hit on a new car if you are smart when you do your shopping. For instance, I recently test drove a 300 M and liked it. Immediately, of course, the salesman wants to make a deal to get me in it because the "rebates might be going down since it was the month's end." I waited, in fact, still haven't bought and now that same dealer is having a huge sale with bigger rebates a few days later.
 
Now do you think the salesman told me this sale would be coming up? No way! Do you think he knew? You bet your sweet patootie he did. That's one dealer I won't be purchasing from.
 
I have found that the best way to take the dealers on is to play their own game with them. Patience is the key. Go to 4 or 5 (or more) local dealers and give them the intention you will buy soon (2 wks / 1 month or so). Walk around with them and check out some of the cars you're interested in. Comment very slyly that you think the MSRPs seem high, or that so and so dealer (you don't even need to mention a name) says he can provide model X for a price you set. This does two things: 1) it establishes that you aren't a sucker; 2) it tells you whether the dealer is the kind that will lower the MSRP.
 
If the dealer wont budge on MSRP - walk right off the lot. This isn't the kind of dealer you want to be doing business with anyway. On the other hand, you may get the result I got recently which was to be offered a very loaded car for an employee price, when I am not an employee of D/C. You'd be surprised what a salesman will do to get you in a car if they are desperate enough.
 
Once you've agreed on a sale price - or at least you have the price in your mind leave the dealership! Take the salesmans card and negotiate the financing at home over the telephone or by fax! You'll feel less pressure to sign anything in a controlled environment. Remember that as far as you are concerned the sales price and the financing are two seperate issues.
 
Use Edmunds price calculator to evaluate the financing terms of a deal before signing anything. For example, a $30,700 car ($35K MSRP) with a $2000 rebate sounds like a great deal until you find out they want 4.9% interest for the financing. It's better to take the same car at 0% for 60 months. Know your credit rating before negotiating a finance deal. Some dealers will say you can't get the 0% financing because of a "bad credit" score - which is illegal by the way. And hold out for 0% / 60 months because a lot of dealers will give you that if your credit is 650 or over, and it means a substantially smaller car payment most of the time vs. rebates.
 
Another optional method I've used with great success is to talk to 4-5 dealers, get the salesmans card and then fax a bid form to all of them highlighting the car model, features you want and financing terms. You dictate all of these and put the names of the other salesman on the fax and then see who bites. Give them one shot to submit their "best price" to you via fax. This is how public works projects are bid and it is a highly successful method that often results in substantial savings to you. Plus, when you enter the dealer to sign papers you already have a form of a written contract, so it's very difficult for them to retract the promises later.
 
A second major advantage of this method is that if you are a shy person (no worries for me though) you'll have more bargaining power and feel less obligated to give in to the pressure in the sales office. The worst thing one can do is go into a car salesman's office to sign anything!!!!! Make them do it in the open air tables on the show floor because if they think someone else might be watching, it plays on their conscience if the papers are being signed outside the security of their cubes. I know a lot of you think salesman have no conscience, but believe me most all of them do! The ones that don't can usually be ferreted out by trying to negotiate on MSRP.

#2462 of 3389 Vacman and seats by ehenness

Oct 06, 2003 (5:28 am)

You might want to look for a Taurus/Sable with the floor shifter and bucket seats. I'd heard that the standard seat (with the column shifter) was uncomfortable when I was looking for my '98 Taurus in 2000. It has buckets, and I've been in several rentals newer than mine with the regular seat. The comments are true--my car is much more comfortable than cars with the standard seat--even new ones.
 
If you buy new, I think it's a $90 option to get the floor shifter and buckets (unless they moved packages around and you can't get it alone), or the SES comes with it. Used cars may be a bit tougher to find with buckets.
 
Just keep it a while to avoid the depreciation if you don't intend to keep it until the wheels fall off!

#2463 of 3389 SE Seats by vacman1

Oct 06, 2003 (1:32 pm)

My Taurus SE came with a floor shifter and seats (obviously ) but I'm not sure what kind of seats were stock on the '99 SE. Either those particular seats were mighty uncomfortable, or my ass is a lot bigger than I thought!
 
All kidding aside, I put 95K miles on that car in just a few years. I don't know if the seats are only good for wearing those many miles or the comfort had to do with time in the car, etc. I do remember very distinctly getting a very nasty backache after spending 10 hours in the car in one go. Perhaps I would get that with any seat?
 
At any rate, I don't think another Taurus is in my future at this point. I liked the cost to operate and maintain it, but it depreciated like nuts and overall even the "nice" ones with leather are still a bit plain for me. I'm just approaching that receding hairline / growing gut stage that screams the onset of middle age. It's time to move up to a pricier, more sporty sedan I think!

#2464 of 3389 by nvbanker

Oct 06, 2003 (3:31 pm)

The seats in the 86-87 Taurus were the best, IMO, course, I was a lot younger then too. But either the age factor has made an impact, or the seats have gotten cheaper since inception, because the Tauri I have rented lately have been disappointingly weak in the seat department, formerly a strong point of the Ford line I thought.

#2465 of 3389 vacman1 by badgerfan

Oct 07, 2003 (11:41 am)

Good luck if you go with the 300M. It's a nice car, but a bit pricey for what is basically an Intrepid with a lot of bells and whistles. I still would rather go with the Lincoln LS if I was going to move upscale. A base V-6 new LS 2003 leftover will run you less than $30K and I bet you will end up at that price level with the 300M. The 300M is likely a more spacious car than the LS, however.
 
Still, a loaded Taurus would cost you a lot less, and remember, money you do not spend but keep in your bank account does not depreciate! The extra money you spend on any new entry luxury car, domestic or import, will indeed depreciate quickly.

#2466 of 3389 netranger4 by venus537

Oct 08, 2003 (5:31 pm)

i would say american cars that need to sell at $5-7k less than comparable japanese/european cars in order to move them off the lot are not exactly designed for our driving styles and conditions.
 
or when over half the sales of some american cars are to the fleet variety.

Messages Page 247 of 340

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