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What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus/Sable?

530 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 11:00 PM

You are in the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Five Hundred, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Future Vehicle, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 34 of 53

#331 of 530 Re: OK... [dzier217] by mschmal

Aug 28, 2007 (4:24 pm)

Replying to: dzier217 (Aug 27, 2007 9:50 am)
I think you'll love your Taurus.
 
I just hope that Ford continues to follow they Path they started with the Fusion and the Mustang. Each year there is improvements in the Fusion...(more standard equipment) and Mustang (more interior options, more wheel options).
 
I think Ford is learning that you have to make things better constantly.
 
Ford is even making improvements in the middle of the model year. For 2007 Fusions, Job 2 featured upgraded structure to get better IIHS crash scores.
 
I think Alan M. is going to force Ford to do things in a new way. He has the clout and I think that every body that might have stood in his way got a "buy out" (Ford Speak for s***t canned).
 
Mark

#332 of 530 Re: Ughhh [british_rover] by fixrepairdaily

Sep 02, 2007 (4:18 pm)

Replying to: british_rover (Feb 08, 2007 8:26 am)
I will never look at or inquire about another ford taurus in my life!!!!!!!! One big pile of s--t!!!!!!!!!!1

#333 of 530 Re: Ughhh [fixrepairdaily] by jmn1

Sep 03, 2007 (7:30 am)

Replying to: fixrepairdaily (Sep 02, 2007 4:18 pm)
Like anything in life, if you take care of it, it will take care of you. For example, other than regular parts (brakes, tires, fluids, oil, and gas), I can count all of my 2001 Taurus's problems on ONE hand.
 
1) Transaxle seal
2) Transaxle seal
3) Tighten door handle
4) Engine hose
5) Replace rear springs.
 
I will admit, though, neither my 2001 or 1999 Taurus were frugal with fuel. My 1999 got 13 MPG (empty, 50/50 highway/ city), and my 2001 only gets 20/23 city, highway, the latter being 95% highway. The former, 100% city.

#334 of 530 Re: OK... [david_v1234] by gregg_vw

Oct 02, 2007 (3:03 pm)

Replying to: david_v1234 (Aug 27, 2007 12:51 pm)
And I guess you are right. After several months of trying, the new Taurus sales are dismal. On the other hand, the new Accord has taken off the same month it was released.
 
When is Ford going to admit that, as good as the Taurus might now be, people don't want to buy it? It is about as boring a car as anyone has put on the road in the past few years. No grill or engine change will fix the overall tepid aura it carries.

#335 of 530 Dealers Dumping Ford by observer22

Oct 04, 2007 (4:27 pm)

Lead article in latest edition of trade mag "Automotive News" is the suprisingly high number of dealers who are completely dumping Ford.
Dusting off the Taurus/Sable names smacked of desperation. This car (like the 2000 and newer Monte Carlo) is a bit too large and Ford's deplorable habit, practiced thru the decades, of offering a new nameplate that is underpowered and lacking interior refinement (Escort, Tempo, Contour, Focus), is suicidal.

#336 of 530 Re: Dealers Dumping Ford [observer22] by jmn1

Oct 04, 2007 (5:16 pm)

Replying to: observer22 (Oct 04, 2007 4:27 pm)
OK... but it is in its first model year. People are typically hesitant to buy a first-year due to sketchy reliabilty.

#337 of 530 Dealers are not "dumping ford" by mschmal

Oct 05, 2007 (5:09 am)

Ford is "dumping dealers" Ford is paying low volumn dealers to give up their franchise. Since it is Ford that is paying, I would count that as Ford Dumping dealers.
 
Mark.

#338 of 530 Re: Dealers Dumping Ford [jmn1] by gregg_vw

Oct 05, 2007 (5:38 am)

Replying to: jmn1 (Oct 04, 2007 5:16 pm)
It is NOT the first model year. It is the fourth, with some running changes and an engine upgrade--an engine already in use in other FoMoCo models without significant issues. Changing the name does not a new model make.

#339 of 530 Re: Dealers Dumping Ford [gregg_vw] by jeyhoe

Oct 07, 2007 (9:45 am)

Replying to: gregg_vw (Oct 05, 2007 5:38 am)
Gregg is right, the sales of the "New" Taurus/Sable are dismal. In fact, the "Old" Five Hundred/Montego outsold them by a fair percentage.
 
So, Mulally's first "Bold" move is a failure. A dismal failure. What's next? I've read that he wants all Fords the world over to look alike and be basically the same. Ummm, and just what does that being to the party? I mean, who the h__l cares? Most Americans never get to Europe. This is another waste of money fiasco if u ask me. It might have worked with Boeing - I mean a tarmac is a tarmac whereever u go. But roads are different the workd over. Americans have different needs for their cars than Italians just based on the roads alone. Why make cars the same the world over? It dont make any sense.
 
On the personal side, I think the Taurus/Sable might be the best family sedans out there right now. They're big inside and trunk, they ride and handle well, they've got good safety scores, the engine now is up to the task etc etc. Yet sales are down. Why? Here's a few guesses:
* There are more men than just myself who wont buy a car named after a furry rodent whose claim to fame is it makes a nice neck wrap for riche women.
* Americans are not as stupid as Ford marketing (and AM) think. We KNOW the Taurus is not "ALL NEW". To me the name change feels like a sleight-of-hand move designed to fool the consumer.
* The new Accord is fabulous. Anyone who cross-shops is not likely to buy anything else. Unless the have to have AWD.
* The Camry is ... well it's a Camry. And u can get a hybrid for not much more that gets over 30mpg.
* The Subaru beats the Ford head-to-head.
* If u want style and panache, you get a Chrysler 300.
 
So who's going to buy the Ford? Again, I think the car is quite nice. The best in some ways. But still second rate overall.
 
Lastly, Ford marketing is absolutely the WORST in the business. OK, back to wating for baseball games to begin.

#340 of 530 Re: Dealers Dumping Ford [jeyhoe] by jmn1

Oct 07, 2007 (2:44 pm)

Replying to: jeyhoe (Oct 07, 2007 9:45 am)
I disagree.
You said the Accord is fabulous. How? And how does the Subaru beat it? Before he got a 2008 Taurus (a remarkable car), my brother had a Legacy (2006) that wouldn't stop blowing chunks. I think that the new Camry, the Chrysler, and the new/dead GM vans (to get the drift, but the Pontiac SV6 especially) look like hot dogs with bites taken out of them. I wonder how things would be looking now if they had called the US Fusion 'Taurus', called the Five Hundred 'Crown Victoria', ditched the current Crown Vic, and made the 2008 Focus a sedan (budget), a true station wagon (to compete with Subaru and VW), a coupe (to compete with Maxima, Accord, and CAMRY Solara, even the Yaris), and the hatchbacks. The two-door to compete with the VW Golf and come with more upfit options than a Scion(which, unfortunately, as we must remember, is a TOYOTA), and the four-door to compete with the Honda Fit and Dodge Caliber. If we were talking Toyota, I'd say ditch the Scion nameplate and make it Toyota-Scion xB or tC. That would be just like how Saab has Saab 9-3x or 9-7x, all different models. The Taurus' competitors all get okay mileage, so Ford should engineer a hybrid (like TOYOTA)... but, as for the return of the Taurus, its a nice car, as I remember from the 80's (a nice car for then) and possibly legendary. Afterall, its got the largest runk of any sedan sold in North America, and if I am correct, bigger then the Crown Vic (21.2 cubic feet vs 21) and in the world.

Messages Page 34 of 53

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