The Death of a Taurus

A Ford Taurus, specifically. I was driving to Philadelphia with my girlfriend, about half way there on the turnpike, when my engine starts bucking. The tachometer jumps between 3 and 5 thousand RPMs as I speed along at 75 miles per hour. I think, "Oh, my car's having trouble shifting." I voice my concerns. I decide to slow down. The tachometer jumps wildly as my foot eases down on the accelerator again, my speed has decreased from 75 to 60. I think, "Maybe if I stop completely I'll allow my car's transmission to 'catch up' with the engine." I voice my thoughts. My girlfriend agrees. I pull over into a patch of gravel, ten feet from the border of the turnpike. I'm completely safe from oncoming traffic, unless they're formidably drunk. I know there's something wrong with my car, but I'm not absolutely certain yet. I turn my car back on and put it into drive. My foot is on the accelerator, the engine turns over but the car stands still. Fuck. My transmission died. Again. This is the second transmission I've put into this car, and it lasted a grand total of 5 months. Getting a new transmission put in would cost more than the car is even worth, despite the schnazzy sun roof. My girlfriend calls her dad to come pick us up. He has triple A. When he gets to mile marker 304 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, he calls a tow truck to bring it to Scott's Transmission, in Lebanon, PA. I know I'm not bringing my car home, I merely brought it to the garage to verify my assumption (I checked the transmission fluid, it was fine). Now I wait until tomorrow for a word from Scott's Transmission about my dead car.
First I lose my Cordoba because I can't afford the upkeep on a 33 year-old luxury vehicle that's rusting apart, now I lose my second choice because I couldn't afford a new transmission again. Cars suck. I'm in the market for a new four-wheeled contraption that isn't a money pit.

 

I would suggest getting this if you don't like maintenance costs.

 

DF, I appreciate the suggestion, though I need something that can safely travel on the highway and that doesn't cost as much as a used car at a dealership.

 

Check craigslist then? Or get yerself a Vespa Though not really recommended that you drive that on a highway. Unless you're suicidal of course.

EDIT: Or you could always go get your motorcycle license and buy a used bike.

 

If you haven't been soured by the Taurus, I recommend the Ford Focus. Mine is a 2002 and it has only recently (within the past 20k miles) been making some noise that my preferred mechanic has not been able to identify. Apart from that there have been no major issues with the vehicle.

 

Did some searching online and found a used '83 Buick Riviera for under a thousand, only 110k miles on it (and just 8 miles away). They look sortof like Cordobas, have better gas mileage, and are generally reliable. Still, I'm going to keep my eyes open for better deals, though I'm definitely checking the car out.

 

That car is older than I am...

 

So? My last 4 cars haven't been newer than 30 years old.

Suggestion: XR6 Ford Falcon, old holden on gas or since America is the land of ignorance, go for some sort of subaru. They're fairly cheap to run and will go on for ever and ever and ever and ever, most of the ugly 80's models are still getting about unfortunately.

Jags are nice if you like comfort though (and if you can afford the fuel bill)

 

Corolla lasts longer than people.

 

It is so true, have you seen the Top Gear episode where they put a Toyota Hilux through hell and back and it still runs?

 

Toyota has earned my loyalty too. In a word, reliable.

 

Japan needs my blood, not my money. I'm buying a car made in the western world.

 

Ah well, you might get inferior quality, but at least you'll get a car with a macho name.

 

Eh, Buicks are reliable cars, and something called a Riviera hardly sounds macho. Checking out the old '83 on wednesday morning. Spent all day calling banks about repo yards, they told me to call dealerships. So I called dealerships about repo yards, and all I heard was the sound of phones hanging up. There's a car auction in Whitehall, about 25 minutes from me, but I'm afraid to go because of the possible disappointment. The dealer that has the old Riviera says he hand-picks all the cars he has on the lot, and he told me that he actually wanted to save the Buick for himself, all that's wrong with it is the interior is kinda saggy and the paint is old and he was going to fix it up. I can fix it up eventually, but those "problems" are superficial. I just want something road worthy, I don't care what it looks like anymore, though it does help that '83 Buick Rivieras resemble '77 Chrysler Cordobas.

 

Alright, fair point. I was making a feeble jab at american cars.

I'm lucky to have an honest, dilligent mechanic/car dealer as a step-brother-in-law and I'm just waiting for him to find me the perfect toyota for my price range... I'm too autistic to shop around myself... Good luck.

 

I liked my mechanic until I bought a Taurus that he said was "fine". Two dead transmissions later, I'm never bringing anything to that man again. Since the Taurus was a privately owned vehicle and not a certified used vehicle, I can't even invoke the lemon law.
Still, your comment does fly for just about every other American made vehicle. Take the Ford Taurus, for example. Looks nothing like a bull, lasts for 15 years and makes me hate old people that sell them to me.

 

Bahaha, you can't trust anyone... unless they're too autistic to lie.

 

Bingo. Got me described to a T, good thing there's two of them in "autistic."

 

Lets not turn this thread into another who has autism and other problems discussion.