If you haven't read my thread in off topic I am looking for a cheap but nice car to replace the Si with because I don't want to have car payments anymore. I checked out a 93 Sable wagon with the Vulcan engine tonight. Seller wanted $1300. Car started right up and ran good. The exterior was pretty nice, right hand side of the drivers door was pushed in a bit, don't know what was hit but it did not leave any marks.

Underneath the car was VERY clean and rust free, I was amazed since it is a NH car. The guy was very nice and said that his parents owned it and didn't drive it much in the winter.

The interior is FUGLY though. This car has vynil seats, UUUUGGGHHHH. I didn't even know they where an option, please tell me they where recovered and the stock velour seats are under there, haha.

Only major concearns are:

1. Steering wheel is VERY shakey when going slow, didn't take the car on the highway but the seller says it actually smooths out on the highway. Feels like a bad tire to me, but he said he had it checked out and it's not, so maybe a bent tie rod or something? The RF tire treads look like they've been sandpapered and the tire is almost bald whereas the rest look new.

2. ABS will kick on sometimes when applying the brakes and will apply more braking pressure for you making you stop like you don't know how to drive. Happened to me twice, no abs sensor on tough. Bad sensor or dirty / rusty trigger wheel?

3. AC not working. Car never converted from R12. Lines didn't appear too rusty (I've seen some BAD ones on tauri before). Compressor is there, clutch and pulley appear good. Prob just a leak in a line, but how often do condensors / evaps leak on these cars?

Overall I kinda liked the car. It's going to take some getting used to going from a 200 hp 05 taurus and a 200 hp little civic that handles like it's on rails to an older car. This thing was slooooowww as helllll. And the older axode, although maintained and barely leaking shifts slow. I know it's how they're supposed to shift as I've owned a few, but I've been spoiled over the years.

On with the pics.










The drips under the car are water, I drove through a puddle before we parked. My thoughts? I don't know if I like the car enought to really want to put money into it if I buy it. I like the fact that it's a wagon and the interior is clean, but I think the interior is UGLY. I have a hard time getting past the grey vynil. I know I'm going to hate that if I get it, but it'd prob be too hard to swap out another color.

It seems to have a lot of problems for $1300. Have you considered a Gen3 since it has the better transmission?

The car is very nice looking for being almost 15 years old.

You call that fugly? That's one of the cleanest interiors i've seen on an older car. I'm not big on vinyl seats either, but at least they're in really good shape, and you could always get some seat covers if you really don't like them, or pick up some cloth seats from a wrecker or something. As for the a/c, you may be able to just get away with an R134 retrofit, which would include replacing all the o-rings in the system, and that may fix whatever the problem is. Yes, the trannies do shift more slowly, since those older bulls were geared more towards average driving, not very sporty, but you could always look at a shift kit or custom tune down the road to firm it up a little. It does sound like a bad tire to me as far as the wobble goes - is it being sold safetied? If so, then whatever is causing that will likely be fixed to pass the safety. And the ABS is probably kicking in due to a weak sensor or cracked tone ring (the most likely cause is a cracked ring on the front) which doesn't always set a code and turn the light on, but isn't that big a deal to fix. And FWIW, ABS doesn't have to work to pass a safety - only the base brakes have to work properly. Silly, but true, at least here in Cananda. Just like suspension - you can have weak or leaking shocks/struts, and clunking stab link ends, but as long as nothing is actually broken, and everything is connected as it should be, it'll pass.

The interior looks good but floor mats need cleaning. Body looks nice, but the rust underneath bugs me.

It's not thaaat ugly, I just think the grey is nasty. If I go for it I'm not buying it for 1300. I just emailed a dealer on autotrader selling a 95 taurus sedan tan on tan cloth with 48k on it for 2700. I'll talk to him tomorrow and see what he says. Now that I see what's out there for low mileage Tauri I think that's what I'm going to look for. Something cheaper but still nice and something I have no problem putting some money into once I pay off my debts.



This camera really shows dirt. The car looked very clean inside but not from the flash of the camera.

guess it's a good way to judge your cleaning abilities?

The rust under the car is just surface rust. I'm very suprised at the undercarriage, it looks like it came from florida even though it didn't. There really is no rust besides a little bit of rust color that would show up on a biece of metal after a rain. Nothing eating into metal at all.

It is in good shape for it's age.

Why aren't you looking at something such as an 01 SE like you used to have? Considered coming down south for a rust free Taurus?

Although that is a pretty nice looking car, I seriously think you could get away with a nice Gen3 or Early Gen4 sedan for under 5000.

It looks like a pretty nice car.

And I think those seats have leather seating surfaces, but the sides and seat-backs are vinyl. The headrests are also leather, but only on the front part where your head rests. Leather was an extra cost option over cloth.

Edit: I just read the encyclopedia options list, and it could in fact be vinyl seat trim. But only if this is a 1992, cause its not listed for 1993.

Florida has good deals and virtually rust free. Check this one out that I found.

http://www.automart.com/vehicledetail/adid...urus/orlando/fl

You could probably get into an '01-02 'tec for less than a third of what you'll probably get for the SI.

If I do get an '05 'tec in a few years, I will be venturing down south or out west, and I may have to schedule meets along the way back to PA

Offer him $900. If they don't accept it look for another vehicle. That one from Florida looks good. Especially the '0' miles on it!