New Taurus

[98GMLS]

Guys I'm the market to replace my 1998 Grand Marquis, I only car that I'm inserted in is the 2008 Taurus (aka Five Hundred). Has there been any problems with this car so far. I'm thinking of getting either a Limited or a Limited AWD.

I would appreciate any feedback on this.

 

Thank you in advance.

[bbf2530]

Guys I'm the market to replace my 1998 Grand Marquis, I only car that I'm inserted in is the 2008 Taurus (aka Five Hundred). Has there been any problems with this car so far. I'm thinking of getting either a Limited or a Limited AWD.

I would appreciate any feedback on this.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Hi 98GMLS. :D No common problems. To date they are very reliable cars. I would highly recommend the Taurus to family or friends. They are good looking cars and reliable. Also more refined than the 500, due to the new 3.5 liter engine and other improvements.

 

As far as deciding between FWD or AWD, this would be my advice: Unless you live in an area which receives heavy snowfall/very harsh winters and have a job which forces you to travel in that type of weather (Doctor, Emergency/Police, etc.) stick with the FWD. There is obviously an up front cost penalty for the AWD, and an ensuing cost of ownership penalty that follows (decreased fuel mileage, mechanical complexity).

 

Just my opinion.

 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

[98GMLS]

Hi 98GMLS. :D No common problems. To date they are very reliable cars. I would highly recommend the Taurus to family or friends. They are good looking cars and reliable. Also more refined than the 500, due to the new 3.5 liter engine and other improvements.

 

As far as deciding between FWD or AWD, this would be my advice: Unless you live in an area which receives heavy snowfall/very harsh winters and have a job which forces you to travel in that type of weather (Doctor, Emergency/Police, etc.) stick with the FWD. There is obviously an up front cost penalty for the AWD, and an ensuing cost of ownership penalty that follows (decreased fuel mileage, mechanical complexity).

 

Just my opinion.

 

Whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

 

Thank you bbf2530. I live just outside of Toronto Canada, we have average snowfall. So maybe I will take your advice and stick with the FWD. After driving my Grand Marquis in the winters, I think most FWD cars will be have better traction.

Again, thank you for the comments.

[ibinubu12]

Thank you bbf2530. I live just outside of Toronto Canada, we have average snowfall. So maybe I will take your advice and stick with the FWD. After driving my Grand Marquis in the winters, I think most FWD cars will be have better traction.

Again, thank you for the comments.

 

I'd highly recommend the FWD model. I can't see where AWD is necessary in S. Michigan (which is relatively comparable to Toronto's weather).

 

Good luck!

[OldZephyr]

Hi, we have a FWD '08 Taurus SEL with the optional electronic stability control (ESC will be standard on every '09 Taurus). We live in northern Minnesota where there can be a lot of snow and it can get pretty cold. We bought it in January and it is an excellent winter car. The handling is good in the snow, the traction is excellent (probably the best of any car we've had), the heater is powerful, and we've had no problems with the car starting or running in -20 degree (F) weather.

 

I agree 100% with bbf2350 who posted above. We simply have no regrets getting the FWD instead of the AWD. The gas savings are significant (we get over 30 MPG on the road with a light foot) and I don't need to be driving in really bad weather for my job or otherwise. I figure that if the weather is so bad to require AWD in order to just get moving, I shouldn't be driving.

 

We have had zero problems and we have around 11,000 miles on it already. It fits all drivers in our family (from 5'1" to 5'11") and is comfortable and roomy. And while we certainly did not get it for its looks, to my amazement a number of different people have commented to us out of the blue about how sporty and attractive the car is. At first I thought they were pulling my leg, but it has happened enough that I think the people were serious.

Edited July 26, 2008 by OldZephyr

[regfootball]

i love my 06 500 FWD, but there are plenty of times in the winter i wish i would have gotten the AWD. live in MN btw

Edited July 29, 2008 by regfootball

[FordFanForEver]

i love my 06 500 FWD, but there are plenty of times in the winter i wish i would have gotten the AWD. live in MN btw

 

The 500 is a fine car, we also have one.

[FordFanForEver]

Guys I'm the market to replace my 1998 Grand Marquis, I only car that I'm inserted in is the 2008 Taurus (aka Five Hundred). Has there been any problems with this car so far. I'm thinking of getting either a Limited or a Limited AWD.

I would appreciate any feedback on this.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Since you own a GM, you should buy a Sable and stay with Mercury.

[WC-MAN]

+1 for FWD. I live in the mid-atlantic mountains US, and a LOT of people I know pay a huge penalty for AWD when we very rarely have need of it (1 or 2 times a year max). One thing with FWD, the major diff is if your tires loose traction, you also lose steering. Traction control helps a lot.

[armadamaster]

Guys I'm the market to replace my 1998 Grand Marquis,

 

Town Car time! :happy feet:

[Roadrunner]

To answer your most pressing question, there have been no major issues with the Five Hundred or Taurus. They are regarded as highly reliable with a growing track record.

[98GMLS]

Thanks very much to all who replied. I guess I will stick with the FWD. I l would like to get a Sable, just to be different, but Mercury's are not sold in Canada. I saw some on the autotrader, but they must be imported from the USA. I had originally wanted to get the Five Hundred, but the 3.0 was a little underpowered and the styling was a little blank. The new Taurus address both of my concerns.

I drove a new Limited and it's a beautiful machine. I never drove the AWD, but your right, it's probably not needed most of the time, only in a major storm, and then you should not be driving anyways.

My Grand Marquis has been an great machine, it's not fast in the city, but it's got great passing power on the highway and for long drives, it can't be beat, it's heavy so it gives a very comfortable ride. I had drove it 7 times from Toronto to NY City, with 4 or 5 adults in the car, and it didn't miss a heartbeat. I hope the new Taurus will be as comfortable on long trips, and as reliable. The 4.6 is the best engine I think I ever owned. It's so reliable. I have 232, 000 KM's on it and it has most of the original parts on it. I only changed the spark plugs, the fuel filter, pcv twice, it has a K&N. Brakes twice and shocks once.

 

Thanks again to all. I will start to look for my new ride. # 12 in the past 20 years.

 

Anyone looking for used 98 Grand Marquis!

[FordFanForEver]

Thanks very much to all who replied. I guess I will stick with the FWD. I l would like to get a Sable, just to be different, but Mercury's are not sold in Canada. I saw some on the autotrader, but they must be imported from the USA. I had originally wanted to get the Five Hundred, but the 3.0 was a little underpowered and the styling was a little blank. The new Taurus address both of my concerns.

I drove a new Limited and it's a beautiful machine. I never drove the AWD, but your right, it's probably not needed most of the time, only in a major storm, and then you should not be driving anyways.

My Grand Marquis has been an great machine, it's not fast in the city, but it's got great passing power on the highway and for long drives, it can't be beat, it's heavy so it gives a very comfortable ride. I had drove it 7 times from Toronto to NY City, with 4 or 5 adults in the car, and it didn't miss a heartbeat. I hope the new Taurus will be as comfortable on long trips, and as reliable. The 4.6 is the best engine I think I ever owned. It's so reliable. I have 232, 000 KM's on it and it has most of the original parts on it. I only changed the spark plugs, the fuel filter, pcv twice, it has a K&N. Brakes twice and shocks once.

 

Thanks again to all. I will start to look for my new ride. # 12 in the past 20 years.

 

Anyone looking for used 98 Grand Marquis!

 

Post some pictures. Interior and Exterior

[mazda626]

I disagree with all of you about the AWD being unnessary. When I lived in southern California, I agree it would have been useless to me. I moved back to Canada a few years ago, and this spring I bought a 2008 Taurus Limited AWD. What an improvement it makes on slippery roads! It is much more stable than my FWD Mazda626, which has winter tires. I plan to buy a full set of winter tires for my Taurus this fall; I'm curious how well the car will do with the extra traction.

 

Where I live there are several 4-way stop intersections that get icy every winter. If I am able to get across the intersection faster, I will reduce the chance of another car sliding into me. The AWD makes it a safer car. I won't need it all the time, but if it prevents a single accident it will pay for itself.

 

If you live in a part of the country that gets ice and snow, consider getting the AWD

[theoldwizard]

I don't think "stupidity" has hit the Taurus product line yet ...

 

Many cars have been installing larger and larger wheels, especially with many of the option packages. Consequently, the tires are going to lower and lower profiles (55-50-45 is some cases). Besides the fact that 1) larger wheels weigh more than there smaller ones and therefore reduce acceleration and increase braking and 2) lower profile just rides poorly on any thing less than glass smooth asphalt, many of these low profile tire do very poor in rain and snow.

 

If this kind of thing is of concern to you, get "up close and personal" with your tires (before you buy). Look for a Tire Traction rating of "AA" for the best wet traction (info on Universal Tire Quality Guide UTQG). But, if you drive at all in a snowy area, also look for "M+S" stamped on the sidewall. It stands for "Mud and Snow". I can't be specific on what design/testing is required to get that on a tire, but I can tell you that tires without it are are about as good as roller skates in the snow.

 

I believe that the optional wheel/tire package on the Taurus are not "M+S"

Edited July 31, 2008 by theoldwizard

[WC-MAN]

Town Car time!

 

Even Better! :happy feet:

[FordFanForEver]

Even Better! :happy feet:

 

Your Villager is a Mercury and its piece of crap??? Nah, quit lying to your self!!! The van looks nice but to bad it has a NISSAN ENGINE!!!!!!!

[WC-MAN]

1996 was a long time ago. My van's past the time when it impresses anyone, too many years of hard family service. But I was just thinking tonight, I was smitten with the van when I started looking in 1999 for a family hauler, was looking for a SWB caravan (wife did not want a LWB van), but completely forgot them when I saw the Mercury. I love the style of those vans. Even today, when I can myself argue why modern vans are superior, the truth is, I couldn't imagine one of them over my Villager. The style, size, performance, and features fit me like a glove.

[98GMLS]

Thanks very much to all who had responded. I picked up my 2008 Taurus SEL last evening. I got the FWD one with a convenience package. It's grey in colour. I hope I will like this car as much as I liked my Grand Marquis. I know for sure the mileage will be better, I was on the highway the computer is showing at 120 KPH (75 MPH), it's using 7 litres per/100 KM. I don't know what's that in MPG, I think like close to 40 MPG?, and in the city, 10 litres per/100/KM, like 26? MPG.

The ride is not as smooth as a Marquis or as solid, but the Marquis must weight like well over 500 lbs more I would think. I don't know if this is just me or if others have this same problem?, the footwell seems kind of small, as is narrow. I'm 6' 4 ", so maybe is just me. The trunk is huge. Lots of interior room. I have the in dash 6 disc CD/MP3 player. Does anyone know if this has a built in amp, as the speakers start to crackle at less than 1/2 of the volume. If anyone has done anything to their 2008, please share, as I would like to improve on mine as well.

Overall I like it.

Again thanks to all who has responded, I guess I may have to change my login from 98GMLS (1998 Mercury Grand Marquis, LS) to 2008TSEL?

[fordmantpw]

Thanks very much to all who had responded. I picked up my 2008 Taurus SEL last evening. I got the FWD one with a convenience package. It's grey in colour. I hope I will like this car as much as I liked my Grand Marquis. I know for sure the mileage will be better, I was on the highway the computer is showing at 120 KPH (75 MPH), it's using 7 litres per/100 KM. I don't know what's that in MPG, I think like close to 40 MPG?, and in the city, 10 litres per/100/KM, like 26? MPG.

The ride is not as smooth as a Marquis or as solid, but the Marquis must weight like well over 500 lbs more I would think. I don't know if this is just me or if others have this same problem?, the footwell seems kind of small, as is narrow. I'm 6' 4 ", so maybe is just me. The trunk is huge. Lots of interior room. I have the in dash 6 disc CD/MP3 player. Does anyone know if this has a built in amp, as the speakers start to crackle at less than 1/2 of the volume. If anyone has done anything to their 2008, please share, as I would like to improve on mine as well.

Overall I like it.

Again thanks to all who has responded, I guess I may have to change my login from 98GMLS (1998 Mercury Grand Marquis, LS) to 2008TSEL?

 

 

Congrats on your new ride!! :happy feet:

 

Here's hoping it provides you many years of trouble-free service!!

[92merc]

Welcome to the D3 world. I came off a 1992 mercury Grand Marquis with 110k miles. I now have the Mercury Montego.

 

A couple of things I've noticed compared to the GM. You now have more HP than the old GM. But compared to the old GM, you'll need to kick that pedal down in order to get the new car to move like the old GM. You now have 24 valves and 6 gears, plus the electronic pedal. It seems like the car doesn't respond until you push the pedal past the 1/2 point. Then it starts to move. And the car will downshift a lot more compared to the old 4 speed V8. That car had lots of torque and didn't need to do much more than drop out of over drive to get going. On the new car, my motto is "You now have 24 valves and 6 gears, use 'em'.

 

It took a little getting used to with the wheel well. I have a bad lower back. But the lower sitting GM started to bother my back. The higher sitting seat in the Montego was better. But I agree, the wheel well could be a bit more spacious.

 

I also have the 6 CD player. There is an amp in the trunk that powers all the speakers. 2 in each door, plus 2 subs in the trunk. I am pretty hard of hearing. When I'm alone in the car, I routinely run the volume well over half. I have no crackling in the speakers. Best factory stereo I've had. I wish my '03 F150 sounded this good. So either you have a problem, or maybe they changed the maker of the speaker since I bought mine. On a Taurus forum, a lot of the guys there swear by higher end speakers like Infinity's though. Me, I'm fine with these.

[Noah Harbinger]

I know for sure the mileage will be better, I was on the highway the computer is showing at 120 KPH (75 MPH), it's using 7 litres per/100 KM. I don't know what's that in MPG, I think like close to 40 MPG?, and in the city, 10 litres per/100/KM, like 26? MPG.

 

Congrats! I had been planning to buy a Taurus, but when house prices started plummeting, decided to save for a down payment instead, and hope my car lasts that long.

 

For the gas calculations: All you have to do is type it into google. If you search for "7 liters per 100km in miles per US gallon" (without quotes, of course), it'll come back with "7 liters per 100km = 33.6020833 miles per US gallon" (If you specify imperial gallons, it's "7 liters per 100km = 40.3544362 miles per Imperial gallon"). Not a bad cruising efficiency.

 

10L/100km = 24 MPG US, 28 MPG Imperial.