Proud new owner of a 1999 Sable/Taurus Wagon

[dbeach84]

After 12 years of driving small Mopars (3 years in a Shadow, 9 (!) in a '97 Neon) and finally outgrowing my "Fast & Furious" days, I knew I needed to find something bigger, roomier, less pocket rocket and more comfortable cruiser. The problem was, I'm just a year out of my SECOND trip to college (6.5 years total!) and my debt-to-income ratio was, well, a bit lop-sided for someone looking for a car loan, even a used one.

Well, some stars aligned, prayers were answered, and low and behold I was able to buy (albeit with interest) something in the $3-5K range. I should be able to find something, right? Right. The rule of the used car market today is, if it runs and rolls, it's worth five grand. All I was finding were questionable cars on the very edge of what I was willing to pay and beater pickups and trashed Cavaliers.

At a little clean used car lot in the backwoods of Southern Ohio I saw a 1999 Mercury Sable Wagon LS, Torreador (sp?) Red with gray interior, with a Taurus front clip (guy said when it came in, it needed a bumper, and since he had one the right color already, why try to find a Sable bumper?). It was loaded, it was clean, and it had LOW miles - only 69K. Your stereotypical old-lady grocery-getter, and I passed over it to check out small SUVs and hatchbacks at other lots.

A week later I came back (when I'd visited the lot they were closed), I asked if they had anything at all under $4K. Just one car - the Sable wagon. How much? $2800?! That price changed everything. Had to be a catch, so I took it for a test drive. It drove great. The only issues that I could find (and I tested everything) were the cruise wouldn't stay on and there's an ever-so-slight shimmy at 45mph. Compared to my 270K-miles Neon, it was a luxury car.

After checking out pretty much every lot in a 50-mile radius, I could find nothing that matched that combination of low miles and low price with the room and comfort I was looking for. Ok, not sold on the 3rd-gen Taurus styling (for all intents and purposes, it's a Taurus wagon with Mercury badges, esp. with that front end lol), but otherwise, exactly what I was looking for. I left work early today and picked up the girlfriend so we could do one more check over the car. Couldn't find a single problem other than the ones I mentioned earlier. Sold.

Now that I'm done rambling, I just wanna say that I'm looking forward to getting to know my new Taur--Sable...Taurble? Sablus? Hooray cargo space and power seats!

[major]

Welcome to the club. Now you can have a fast and furious wagon. The front suspension on a used Taurus/ Sable almost always needs balljoints or tierods. These cars are so dirt cheap to fix and Joe Dirt easy to repair. You may have lucked out completely and just need a brake rotor and reconnect the cruise control linkage to the throttle body. I usually never end by saying 'check out my garage photos' but feel free to see what I've done to a '99 wagon.

[sheila]

Congrats and welcome!

[Bullhorn]

Welcome!!! Major how did you get that gen 4 front end on your gen 3? I LOVE it!!

[JIMMER]

Welcome aboard.

[sousa632]

Welcome. Gotta love a wagon

[aaroncgi]

Welcome and congratulations, dbeach84! I too am very impressed by how much car you get for the money in a Sable/Taurus, having just purchased my first one (also a wagon) a few weeks ago.

[S3CKSHUN]

Welcome, bought my taurus almost 2 years ago with essentially the same details. Been a great car for me. A few hiccups at first but once I replaced a pcv valve and threw a new wheel hub assembly on its been great. Have to say I am rather jealous of the wagons with the front/rear disc brake combo but I suppose I only have to do a small mod.

[S3CKSHUN]

Originally Posted by JIMMER

Welcome aboard.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound like a groveling fanboy but every time I see your car I get brain boners.

[sousa632]

Originally Posted by S3CKSHUN

I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound like a groveling fanboy but every time I see your car I get brain boners.

As do most of us.......