Ask the Car People.SM


Mainstream Large Sedans Comparison

6854 messages,  Last post on Jul 16, 2012 at 8:08 AM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Buick Lucerne, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, Pontiac G8, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 332 of 686

#3307 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [bobber1] by chikoo

Sep 15, 2007 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: bobber1 (Sep 14, 2007 5:51 pm)
I will agree with you on this.
 
The Duratec is a dependaple engine, and if the vehicle is loaded, i.e. 2 persons or more, the engine feels very smooth.
What I am saying is that Ford engines are probably designed to be smooth revving under load. Under light loads, it is not damped well enough. That said, I have driven the Toyota 3.0L (in a ES300, RX300) and also the 2.5L on the IS250. The 3.0L is smooth, but it is also very detached from the driver. So much so that I could not even hear the belt screeching while seated inside the car. I was lucky my nephew who was standing outside told me to come out with the engine running to ear the sound. What does that mean? It means that the toyota engines are not necessarily more smoother. It is "felt" smoother due to the lack of any sound/vibration transmission to the driver.

#3308 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [chikoo] by chikoo

Sep 15, 2007 (6:49 pm)

Replying to: chikoo (Sep 15, 2007 12:13 pm)
The Duratec is a dependaple engine
 should read "dependable". sorry about that.

#3309 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [bobber1] by captain2

Sep 16, 2007 (6:39 pm)

Replying to: bobber1 (Sep 14, 2007 5:51 pm)
full throttlr engine sound and vibration levels in 3.0 DT Ford 500 and Fusions has been measured to be significantly higher than correspondent V6 engines from all the other mfgrs. all the way 'down' to The Chrysler V6 (which turns out not to be so bad after all. Granted that especially with the extra HP most driversd will rarelyif ever find the need to 'wind' the engine out that far - but in thew case of two of the engines that I do have experience with, the Toyota 2GR and the Nissan VQ, either engine is equally willing (and able) to spend all day in the 4-6000 rpm range without any 'racket'. This not really subjective as you note, a decibel is a decibel, but it does seem as one poster noted that it just might be possible for someone to like this lack of balance and isolation. The 3.5 has been reviewed by a number of auto pubs to share many of those same 'refinement' issues in the Lincoln MKX and Z as well as the Edge, which remains my only basis (along with a similar and simplier VVT) to suspect the 3.5 is 'only' a 'bored/stroked' 3.0 which in itself dated to the smaller 2.5s that proceeded it. Kind of like biting into GMs ludricrous claims that its old 231/3.8/3800 over its multiple incarnations is not still basically the same ole ironblock pushrod. And sure, both those engines, the GM3.8 and the DT ultimately became what they are now - reliable if nothing else.

#3310 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [captain2] by bobber1

Sep 16, 2007 (9:32 pm)

Replying to: captain2 (Sep 16, 2007 6:39 pm)
Okay. Reliability is what I'm after.

#3311 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [chikoo] by tjc78

Sep 17, 2007 (4:43 am)

Replying to: chikoo (Sep 15, 2007 12:13 pm)
"It is "felt" smoother due to the lack of any sound/vibration transmission to the driver"
 
No, it IS smoother and that is why the sound/vibration isn't carried through the driveline. We could have this argument all day, but as far as NVH goes the 2 GR and the VQ are at the top of the class. The old Yota 3.0 wasn't too bad either.

#3312 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [bobber1] by captain2

Sep 17, 2007 (8:12 am)

Replying to: bobber1 (Sep 16, 2007 9:32 pm)
if that's what you want, reliability, than sign up for the Maxima, that VQ is without a doubt the most 'bulletproof' V6 that perhaps has ever been built - the Toyota 2GR while it has displayed no mechanical problems to date, is the new kid on the block , only 3 years old since appearring first in the Avalon and folowed quickly in several Toyota/Lexus vehicles. The point, howeever, is, if you can have both a smooth and refined (and efficient) engine as well as a reliable one - why not? decently maintained all these engines should provide 150-200k relatively troublefree service.

#3313 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [captain2] by bobber1

Sep 17, 2007 (8:21 am)

Replying to: captain2 (Sep 17, 2007 8:12 am)
You know I think we're splitting hairs on this. If you scroll up you'll see how many reliable miles some of my family has gotten out of the Ford engines.
 
It's kind of like comparing fan bases for USC,LSU, Florida, Nebraska, and Texas. Okay one polling service says Texas fans are the "best" while another says something else. In reality they're all good, and that's the way I view most engines.

#3314 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [bobber1] by captain2

Sep 17, 2007 (9:13 am)

Replying to: bobber1 (Sep 17, 2007 8:21 am)
don't believe it's 'splitting hairs' at all - I personally would spend my money on a 'bad' car with a superior engine before a 'good' car with something less than that. Back a few years back that is why I spent a spent several thousand more on my Avalon than the Five Hundred - a car that I really kinda liked until I turned the key. Don't know if it would be the same today with the 260 hp Taurus, although I'm not a big fan of razor blades and overly 'soft' suspensions.

#3315 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [captain2] by chikoo

Sep 17, 2007 (12:44 pm)

Replying to: captain2 (Sep 16, 2007 6:39 pm)
as one my friends told me the other day
 
the Duratec is the basic unit for the engine in the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. Read any article ever written abou that car and you'll see it has been named one of the best supercar engines ever. Powerful as hell, and with a sound almost nothing else can touch. Yes, it is based on the same engine in the Taurus, but when Aston smacked 2 of them together and did its own tweaks, it goes from sedan to supercar engine just that quickly.

#3316 of 6854 Re: 2008 TAURUS [chikoo] by lightfootfl

Sep 17, 2007 (5:31 pm)

Replying to: chikoo (Sep 17, 2007 12:44 pm)
Methinks it might have something to do with what is called "finesse".
van

Messages Page 332 of 686

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement