-comfort, you feel like the captain of a ship
-best AC I've ever seen, I live in Dallas so it gets a work out
-radio is great, could use a little more bass but thats nothing a 12" sub wouldnt fix
-roomy, im 6 feet tall and i dont have the seat all the way back
-style, so different than anything on the road, just wait 10-15 years and people will collect these things, and i got a dealer package (southwest edition) and they stuck some pretty rims and a spoiler on it
-interior is solid and simple and controls are well located
-handles like a piece of glass as long as you stay under 95
-safe it feels like you are driving a tank
-trunk size, epic, dead body-sized drunk, ive moved people with this car

-transmission, Im on my second (well technically 3rd), it went out with only like 10K miles and the rebuilt/new one still sucks, randomly downshifts they sorta fixed the new one as well
-sluggish performance, 0-60 yah in like 13 or 14 seconds with the 145hp model
-powersteering unit it cracked and they replaced it under warranty
-gas tank meter never really read correctly
-rear windows only go down like half-way

Let me start by saying this vehicle was a grandma hand-me down (as is the stereotype with sables) but I love this car. All it does is run. Not once has this car not started for me. Even when the transmission sorta went it only lost the 2nd gear and that was because of a defective gear band or something. All I do is change the fluids and put gas in and it goes. Im a college student and I USE this car, i go back and forth from Dallas and Austin all the time and it can fit 5 people and all their stuff as it has often. It just completed a trip from South Padre Island to Dallas, 600 miles in one day, no overheating no nothing, just purred. The Plano Lincoln/Mercury dealership is so great, any problem i have they fix, usually at a competetive price. I wax my baby 2X a year and with the gold package/spoiler and the pretty rims, this car still turns heads (at least a couple). I have so many memories with this car, I learned to drive on it. I would highly recommend this product for someone who wants to find a value and a change from the blah blah styling of those rice burning Camrys and Accords.

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-1997 Pontiac Bonneville my friend has was comperable
-my dad's 1998 Cadillac Seville SLS is much better, hehehe, but my other friends Civics and Saturns are nothing in comparision
-1994 Galant isnt even close
-1996 Sable LS was a little better, but similar strengths and weaknesses (fair WARNING - the friend with the LS also had a transmission go out and i read on a hush hush car website ford knew something was wrong with the 96 and 97 transmissions and they changed it in 98, food for thought)

-3.8 Litre engine has wonderful power at any speed, and really quiet.
-Premium stereo has excellent sound quality and reception.
-Roomy car, solid structure.
-Leather seats are very comfy. And both front seats are six way power adjust.
-Huge trunk.
-car looks wonderful: one reason I bought it.
-excellent ride and wonderful handling.

-Gas mileage sucks 75% of the time(lucky if it gets 21 mpg).
-rides rough on certain roads.
-I have had numerous problems, from motor mounts to air conditioning to tie rod snapping off.
-Automatic climate control faulty.
-Radio AM reception is bad.
-Found out that 3.8 engines and transmissions are very bad. I haven't experienced it yet, but could be anytime. I don't trust it.
-Moonroof loves to rattle and hum.

I like my Mercury Sable, but after having experienced all kinds of problems with it, and after having tough dealings with Ford Motor Company and the selling dealer, I will be hard pressed to buy another Sable, and quite possibly any Ford product.(Their other products will have to rate good before I even consider them.) If I do not buy a GM, I will most certainly buy a Japanese product.
All I have to say is: AVOID A TAURUS OR SABLE, FROM ANY YEAR, AT ALL COSTS.

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1984 Ford Tempo: a lemon, 1993 Pontiac Sunbird: very reliable; I don't know why I got rid of it and got my current car.

Strengths?

Head gaskets went on the 3.8 engine, just like they did with my Ford Ranger. Rear struts mounts cost a fortune ($500+) to fix. Paint is chipping, nothing is put together properly (ie. even the ash tray doesn't close correctly)

I am never going to buy an American car ever again. My next car will be a Toyota, Mazda, or Honda! I have had two ford vehicles in the past four years which have cost me a grand total of $2900 in just head gasket repairs!

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None

Strong frame, I got hit from behind and subsequently hit someone in front of me and my Sable only took a small dent in the bumper.

Car lurches when I accelerate between 20-25mph. Frame too heavy for small engine. Car rattles at 55mph+ incessantly.

The car rattles so loud that I can't hear the radio on the highway. Control is good and I like the size. Good car for older folks who don't drive much. Poor gas miles and small tank. I do feel safe in it though. Bad outweighs the good.

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I used to own a 1991 Ford Taurus, my Sable is much nicer than that was but only because Ford Taurus' are pieces of crap. They are like driving tin foil on wheels.

Everything. From the roomy seats to the great engine.

Radio

I love my car. I have not had it all that long, but it is the best. The only thing I had to replace was the radio, but that was because the previous owners trashed it. Now that the radio is new, the car is perfect. It is such a smooth ride, I just love to drive it.

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Oldsmobile (1986). My sable is much better than the oldsmobile.

Had problems with the car since the first day I bought the car and dealer could never fix the problems so I can't find any good qualities.

Problems with car from date of purchase (1995). Took car back five times to fix a rattle with the speedometer. As of today (2001) car still rattles.

Took car in for blown head gasket which was a factory recall. After Kirk Ford kept my car for several days, I picked my car up and on the way home the car would go dead when you went to stop and engine was running very rough. I called dealer early the next morning and was told by Kirk Ford employee that that was normal with a blown head gasket and to bring my car back in so they could repair the oxygen sensors that were now damaged from the blown head gasket. I took my car in and was charged for damages that occured from the factory recall according to dealership.

When I got car back the second time, car still not running properly and I had to take car to another repair shop to make further repairs from recall.

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Previously owned an Oldsmobile and car and dealership was great. I would love to go back to an Oldsmobile but uncertain because of Oldsmobile status.

Nice features for a low price,... but...

Transmission died at 162000KM. Head gasket went at 163000KM. Both cases, Ford Service said they would not fix the problems, even though they were both a result of a manufacture recall. I was 3000km over the head gasket recall limit, and they would give no leaway.

Had the transmission rebuilt, then took it into the Ford dealership 6 months later to change tyrod ends. Ford mechanic suggested that the transmission be rebuild because they thought I would soon experience problems. He quickly changed his toon when I told him that I had just had it rebuild. Haven't been back there or any ford dealer ship since. Chrysler has slow service, but they won't try to screw you.

Next car... back to Chrysler, or foreign.

Had the transmission replaced, and it is starting to act up again. It's only been two years and 30000KM. Ball joints need replacing, but thats acceptable. $500 per side is not.

Ford wanted to replace the head gasket for $1800CDN, eventually lowering it to $500 dollars after I complained. Instead, I bought rad sealant from Canadian tire, and haven't had a problem in over 1 year.

My rating is based purely on the quality of the product and not the service that I have received.

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Had a Chrysler before that and never had any problems with dishonest service technicians.

Smooth Ride
Good Gas Milage
Lots of Room

No Get-up-and-go
Air Conditioning Problems
Parts Really Expensive considering there are so many Taurus and Sables on the road
Loud Interior

Cheap and reliable, random problems like tires a/c and windshield, also audio systems totally sucked and I had to redo it. Definetly not a performance car but it will get you from here to there.

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1991 Buick LeSabre<-P.O.S.
1996 Chevy Lumina<-Another P.O.S.

Best car so far owned by my mother; luxurious and comfortable to the core; hassle free; car to be treasured

As usual as found in all automatic cars; pick-up near signals and r/a.

Having sat in the car for more than 5 years never had any discomfort. Always trouble free and user friendly.

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Far superior & luxurious to other models like Hyundai, Toyota etc

Car is roomy, paint seems to be good quality, we like the styling. Good A/C.

We bought this car (3.8ltr) in October with 47,000 mi, it looked great on the lot previous owner obviously took great care of it. Seven months later the head gasket went, along with the timing gear cover gasket, and some sort of exaust / heat sensor ($285 installed). The other work was under warranty. Dont' have any confidence in this car anymore. Previously had 89 Ford Taurs with 3.0, put over 85k on it with only routine repairs, eg; alternator, belts ect. What happened with the 3.8s?

This sable seems to be a real piece of junk, at least with the 3.8. STAY AWAY from any 3.8 powered ford products.

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Previously had 89 Ford Taurs with 3.0, put over 85k on it with only routine repairs, eg; alternator, belts ect. What happened with the 3.8s? Still have a 1994 Ford Taurs sedan w/ 3.0 and 75k, no major repairs, is very reliable.