What would you recommend?
- Thread starter Sandlot
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Mobil 1 EP does not come in 5W-20, I guess you're using the "regular" M1 5W-20?
I would just use the Motocraft 5w20 for the rest of warranty at 5k oil changes
Yes, I was reading another thread while adding to this one, got my wires crossed. I actually had a hard time finding M1 5w20, it was sold out at the Walmarts I routinely pass, someone went into a storeroom and dug it out for me.
I am, however, getting the impression that M1 is not the best choice for my application. It's a bit of a mixed message though. I am looking for long term engine life. Will I get that with Motorcraft synthetic blend 5w20 or will it only get me through the warrantee?
You show me another mid-size sedan on a tried and true platform that I can get loaded one year old for $14K. I spend 12 hrs. a day in or near my car and appreciate some comfort & amenities. I will never buy another Honda, one year old Camrys run in th $25k range, and GM products have too many problems past 150K.
I have owned a number of Fords and have never had a major problem in a million total vehicle miles. Most of these were F-350s with an International motor but held up very well in very adverse conditions.
I also have a number of peers who swear by '00 and newer Taurus'. Other than a periodic loose front end, most have been sold in good order with an excess of 200k on them. My business is not hard on vehicles, it just racks up a lot of miles (70-80%highway).
If you run *ANY* good dino oil like;
Pennzoil
Halovine
Castrol
Chevron
Mobil 5000
Valvoline
(you get the point)
and change it with your style of driving every 5k your engine with last as long as if your running some $5 quart a oil.
I had a 1999 Taurus and both my wife and I loved it. I did not like it eating head gaskets every 40-60k.
I used 5w30(in the winter) and 10-30w (in the summer) Dino Pennzoil and since we had to take the heads off at 61k and over 100k I got to see the inside of the engine.
Spotless. Nothing to report. Changed it 3-5k and used Supertech and Motorcraft filters. Oil change cost was right around $7 incl filters (I bought the Pennzoil at .69 cents a quart on sale.. Still have a little left in the stash (about 100 quarts..
We had the Wagon so it was under powered and never had a problem with its transmission durning the 112k I owned it. Just flush the fluid every 30k and you'll be happy. They fixed the transmissions before 1998 I've read.
Nice driving car and we have at work quite a few 1999 and 2000 taurus sedans that have HARD miles and they are still going @ 150k so far.
I know mine was a problem child and we were sad to get rid of it. But, I could not afford $1200 every 18months to 2 years..
The wife still tells me she wished the Taurus was still around. The Corolla is quite a bit smaller. (it does get 10-15 miles per gallon better)..
There are times I've thought of getting another Taurus Wagon (2003-2004) with 20-30k on it for her..
Just get a good oil, change it 5k and get on with it.
I'm looking foward for your 200k mile report on your Taurus.
Take care, bill
BTW:
Sandlot- you make great arguement about the ratio of price to feature.. And I agree...
The taurus, may not be, the most well build vehicle on the road, but truth be told, every vehicle on the road these days, is almost, designed, to be replaced, not repared.. I mean.. look at the situation, we have new versions of exisisting cars coming out every 3 years, new models coming out constantly. Litterally, an overwhelming number of designs... resulting in everything being expensive, and difficult to work on.... Even the expensive toyotas and hondas, will have their problems....
Like you said, you were able to pick up a very new(used) fully featured taurus, for 14k... far less than a comparable offering from the major import options... the amount you saved on inical cost, will more than makup for any differences in repairs or vehicle life that the import option may have had to offer...
These tauruses, really are, a bang-for-buck option.. I have a neighbor who owns 3 of them... all late 90s.. bought them all around 60k miles, for less than $3000.... so he has 3 cars, that his family shares, all relativally "young"... for less than $10k.
The taurus body, is also very "sleek".... they tend to be suprisingly fuel efficiant, even with a decent amount of power under the hood from a V6. (previously mentioned neighbor, routinally gets over 30mpg on the HWY in his V6 taurus wagon)
Back on topic....
I suggest using Motorcraft 5w20 blend, at the interval required to meet the warrenty, that way you aren't met with any hastles if something does crop up.
When the warrenty gives out... do an arx clean and rinse phase on a standard dino (5w20 or 5w30)(penz/gtx/quaker/supertech/mobil5000/exonsuperflo/etc etc etc)... Then switch to a Full synthetic... and work your way up on drain intervals using some oil analysis to determin how long you can go. Since you drive an incredable amount, you won't have time to wait for results to see if you can continue using the oil in the crankcase, the turnaround time on mailing/testing/interpretation is too long... I suggest Blackstone/Dyson (Terry does oil analysis using blackstone labs as the test facility), inform Terry of your situation... send in samples at drain time, and keep extending them based on Terry's interpretation... I don't doubt, he'll recomend LC to extend your oil life... which, in your case, would certainly be benificial.
I wouldn't be suprised, if you could start doing 15-20k mile oil change intervals, or more, usng a top notch oil, like Mobil EP, or redline, with LC added as directed. That way, you won't be under the car changing fluids every other week. The "weak" point of "thin" oils like 5w20, is barrier lubrication- the possability, that the oil film, could break down, and lead to fast met-to-metal wear... a synthetic, regardless of weight, is going to have a much higher film strength, even in 5w20.... A 5w30 wouldn't hurt anything, if you are sceptical of the 5w20 hype.
At the warrenty experation- would also be a good time to arx the transmission/power steering. (maybe someone else could chime in on this- did ford fix the power steering issues? the pumps were super noisey and went out every 30-50k for awhile there)
Your driving style, gets a lot of miles, in short time. Primarily highway, very easy on the oil for the most part.... Just keep the rest of the components working, and you'll be fine... keep doing occasional oil analysis to watch for coolant...
good luck, take it easy.
The taurus, may not be, the most well build vehicle on the road, but truth be told, every vehicle on the road these days, is almost, designed, to be replaced, not repared.. I mean.. look at the situation, we have new versions of exisisting cars coming out every 3 years, new models coming out constantly. Litterally, an overwhelming number of designs... resulting in everything being expensive, and difficult to work on.... Even the expensive toyotas and hondas, will have their problems....
Like you said, you were able to pick up a very new(used) fully featured taurus, for 14k... far less than a comparable offering from the major import options... the amount you saved on inical cost, will more than makup for any differences in repairs or vehicle life that the import option may have had to offer...
These tauruses, really are, a bang-for-buck option.. I have a neighbor who owns 3 of them... all late 90s.. bought them all around 60k miles, for less than $3000.... so he has 3 cars, that his family shares, all relativally "young"... for less than $10k.
The taurus body, is also very "sleek".... they tend to be suprisingly fuel efficiant, even with a decent amount of power under the hood from a V6. (previously mentioned neighbor, routinally gets over 30mpg on the HWY in his V6 taurus wagon)
Back on topic....
I suggest using Motorcraft 5w20 blend, at the interval required to meet the warrenty, that way you aren't met with any hastles if something does crop up.
When the warrenty gives out... do an arx clean and rinse phase on a standard dino (5w20 or 5w30)(penz/gtx/quaker/supertech/mobil5000/exonsuperflo/etc etc etc)... Then switch to a Full synthetic... and work your way up on drain intervals using some oil analysis to determin how long you can go. Since you drive an incredable amount, you won't have time to wait for results to see if you can continue using the oil in the crankcase, the turnaround time on mailing/testing/interpretation is too long... I suggest Blackstone/Dyson (Terry does oil analysis using blackstone labs as the test facility), inform Terry of your situation... send in samples at drain time, and keep extending them based on Terry's interpretation... I don't doubt, he'll recomend LC to extend your oil life... which, in your case, would certainly be benificial.
I wouldn't be suprised, if you could start doing 15-20k mile oil change intervals, or more, usng a top notch oil, like Mobil EP, or redline, with LC added as directed. That way, you won't be under the car changing fluids every other week. The "weak" point of "thin" oils like 5w20, is barrier lubrication- the possability, that the oil film, could break down, and lead to fast met-to-metal wear... a synthetic, regardless of weight, is going to have a much higher film strength, even in 5w20.... A 5w30 wouldn't hurt anything, if you are sceptical of the 5w20 hype.
At the warrenty experation- would also be a good time to arx the transmission/power steering. (maybe someone else could chime in on this- did ford fix the power steering issues? the pumps were super noisey and went out every 30-50k for awhile there)
Your driving style, gets a lot of miles, in short time. Primarily highway, very easy on the oil for the most part.... Just keep the rest of the components working, and you'll be fine... keep doing occasional oil analysis to watch for coolant...
good luck, take it easy.
Even at $14k, with a new taurus you get really getting burned on depreciation when you put that many miles on it. You might as well buy 2 $5k used hondas or toyotas along the way. But to each his own. Just take good care of that automatic trasmission. Good luck
Justin.
Justin.
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