Big, powerful, luxurious, lots of special features such as 6
CD changer, numeric keypsd entry as well as remote, leather seats. T purchased car with 35,500 miles, but still on warrantee since the date it was put in service was 7/98. It needed a new air conditioning system, a rear window electronic unit, and a rear shock. All this was covered, but it made me uncomfortable that the air-conditioner went out so soon. Powerful Duratec engine with excellent acceleration.

Bad gas mileage. 14 in city, about 26 on highway. Does not have electronic passenger seat.

Paid $10350 with a 100,000 extended warranty. I like its funky looks and power. Will trade it in well before warranty ends.

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1991 Mercury Sable LS was more luxurious, but very costly to own. Had many big repair bills.

Well powered with 3.8 L engine, holds lots of cargo, third seat (this is a wagon) is great for transporting kids and their friends. Still no wagons in price range comparable in carrying capacity. That said, see below.

We bought this car with 23K miles on it. It ran great for the next 30K miles and then the nightmare began. First, the head gasket blew. This is common for the 3.8L engine, and Ford has given an extended warranty on 94's forward, but the SOB's haven't included the 93's and previous with the same lousy engine. Then the transmission went to the tune of $1,000. Problems starting let to two new starters before we discovered it was a bad ignition switch and had that replaced. Then the AC accummulator went, then the AC clutch (another $1,000). The latest is the steering column, where a bushing has broken causing the whole column to wiggle. Another $600 job. And we don't have 75K on the car. Plan to get rid of it, but feel guilty selling it to anyone. As Will Smith in MIB would say, this is a Ford P.O.S. I have never had this much trouble with a car, and will never buy a Ford product again unless they offer 100K bumper to bumper warranties and are $5,000 cheaper than the competition.

Also, the car handles terribly on the highway in the rain - it hydroplanes all over the road.

Paid 10K used. Would rather walk than own another Sable.

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We also own a 1992 Taurus Wagon with the 3.0 L engine. It has ove 100K on it, handles better and has held up ok, except for going through one fuel pump per year for the past 4 years (at $400 per pop).

good gas milage, if you can figure it.

very hard to fill tank. have to fill last 3-4 gallons manually and risk spiling fuel.

we had our sable in the shop 5 times in 7 months. after filling up the gauge would drop to 3/4 of a tank after 20 miles. there is a design problem with the fuel tank and or sensor curcuit. we also had a stong burning smell outside of the car. finally a lotboy found plastic wrapped around the exthaust system.

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now have mercury villager and love it.

Strong Engine
Quite, smooth ride
Great handling
Climate Control
Overall Comfort

Memory driver seat would be nice

We love our 2000 Sable. We were looking for a 4 door family sedan and this one has the largest interior and the most features for the money. I drove a Volvo V40, Camry and Honda and they just seemed so cramped inside and not as much attention given to detail. We have a loaded LS Premium - leather seats, moonroof, 6 CD changer, climate control (love that), etc. We paid 20,525 not including tax. You cannot find a more well equipped car in this price range. The ride is great, almost too good, I find myself exceeding 65 mph without even realizing it. The handling is also very good. The engine (24V) is quiet and responds immediately. I would highly recommend this car to anyone looking for a family sedan. When you are driving it you feel like you are driving a much sportier car, now only if they could match the looks with the feel! Oh well, I guess you can't have everything.

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Traded in a Chevy Malibu - a far cry from this car!

Engine, sound system

Transmission replaced (under warranty), 2 steering racks replaced, small plastic items in cabin break regularly.

We paid $12,500 used in 1998. Vehcie was still under warranty and thank God. As a new model (big changes for the Taurus/Sable in model year 96) it is superior to the previous models but the car has had, and continues to have, many nagging problems. Low coolant light when the coolant is fine, transmissions, steering racks, motor mounts, - far too many problems but - love the engine and sound system. I may be the only one - but I like the style also. I'd be hard-pressed to buy another because of the problems.

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1992 Taurus (96 Sable a much better vehicle).

My Mercury Sable LS '99 has power! this car is fast and has punch at any speed. When you rev the 200hp 3.0L Duratac V6 upwards and excess of 5000rpm it roars. The look of the car is not for everyone, but it is a unique design. Enterior room is very good, theres is plenty room in the driver and passenger seats. Noise in the cabin is down to a minimum.

Quality of some Mercury Sables is not perfect. My car for instance, the driver for sticks out aprox. 5mm. Mercury should drop the Vulcan V6 and keep the more powerful Duratec V6 as standard equipment. No SHO! model

I strongly recomend the Duratec 200hp V6, with daul exhaust and chrome or alluminum wheels, ABS (optional), CD changer, DAMIT...! just get the LS model, youll be satisfyied!!! promiss. Anyone with a desire for speed from a mid-size sedan, wants to kick some toyota, honda ass buy this, youll leave them in the dust!

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This car feels stronger and better than Honda Accords or Toyota Camarys, its a very nice AMERICAN sedan!!!

Smooth riding, power 3.0 engine, confortable interiors, good AM-FM-Cassette
Radio, nice style, good security.

Brake vibration problems (4 visit to Ford Shop) Automatic Transmission
shift problems (rough first engaging when stoping, same first starting
shift)(5 visits to shop) Front steering problems - car dance at 50 + speed)

Mercury Sable cars can be better if Ford Motor Co. shop service should work customer service with more dedication and responsability. Most customer's service men are not professionals. I have a very bad experience by the time I visit Miami Lincln Mercury dealer shop service. Avoid buying Ford Cars. Next time I prefere to deal with GM.

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1994 Camry Wagon. Does not compare in shop service. Ford Motor Co. have the
worst shop service. Ford never solve the problem to client's satisfaction. Japaneese have a best performance at shop service, also Japaneese cars are better built than american cars.

smooth ride car responds well roomy interior

radiator replaced at 67,000 500 dollars some sensor problems

i bought this car 3 yrs ago with 42,000 miles and havent had many problems ive avoided those transmission problrms so far just normal wear and tear the car now has 67,000 and still seems in good shape i depend on the car for getting to work and its been fairly reliable

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none

Even at 86.000 miles, the pickup is still great. I have overtaken Porshe's and Mustangs. The ride is still very confortable. It has great room.

I have been experiencing tie rod problems, that cause me not to navigate sharp turns at high speeds. I have to use the highest grade gas or when i load up the car it feel sluggish during acceleration. The factory sound system really sucks.

I paid $4500 for it, it was well worth it, still no major problems. THe tie rods cost me about $270.

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N/A

The Sable/Taurus models have reasonably good handling characteristics for a mid-priced sedan. Understeer in corners is easily controlled with the throttle, and trailing braking is predictable. ABS is very good, although you can't buy a set of rotors that won't warp in 3,000 miles. Mid range torque is excellent for this size engine (3.0 liter dual overhead cam, dual exhaust) however it is more than a little sluggish off the line. The transmission has good ratio spacings for intended use.

The car is plain ugly. Sorry, but it is. Ovoid styling run amok. The spring rating combined with the strut tuning give the Sable an unduly harsh ride over any road irregularities. This harshness becomes nearly unbearable past 50K miles as struts begin to wear. I understand the new (2000) model has addressed this with 20% reduction of spring rates in front, and 12% in the rear, along with a two peice strut mount. The power steering pump is inadequate to keep up with quick transitions from sharp turns, but oddly only in right to straight transitions. This is not a unique condition of my car in that I have experienced it in virtually every model I have ever driven (rent frequently on business). The lumbar support is mounted much too high in the seat to be effective, and has to be even worse for people shorter than me. I'm 6'3". The lower seat cushion (driver) is clearly not designed to comfortably accomodate anyone over the height of 5'10", but then few cars are today. Brake rotors are abominable for warping (been through 3 sets in 112,000 miles) Trunk opening of the 96-99 model Sables was designed by someone more intent on making a styling statement than in addressing functionality. Can't even fit a family size picnic cooler through it. Further, the trunk lid attachment arms are so intrusive, that full trunk usage (as on vacation with entire family) is impossible. Unique design of center console controls eliminates possibility of using after market audio system. Clearly the intent of Ford in that they charge obscene prices for factory audio upgrade systems. For the prices they charge to upgrade the radio system, you can purchase a killer home computer system with a full order of magnitude of complexity and production costs. This single factor, if not remedied, could curtail my purchase of any other Ford product in the future.Cost of dealer maintenance is significant, even for routine maintenance (e.g. transmission fluid and filter replacement at over $100.00) and not in keeping with the median cost marketing image of this particular model. NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) is much to high for a car of this price range and size. I have driven numerous cars of lesser value and size that put this model to shame in this area. Wind noise at speed is particularly unacceptable. Structural rigidity of the body/chassis is very good (lending to the good handling characteristics) however many items bolted to it are not secure enough leading to a loose sounding structure (front stabilizer "chortle") both at the suspension level, and the interior. Cowl shake is nearly non-existent, however the dash itself has loosend up over time. One last item, when is Ford going to manufacture a HVAC fan that is designed to run quietly for more than one year of use. After the first year, it sounds as if it is going to die any moment, and after 3 years it does. I've had six Ford products in the last 10 years, 4 of them have lost their HVAC fans, and all sounded like crap after the first year. Further, replacement is major surgery and often entails parting with nearly $1,000.00.

$21,500. I would not recommend purchase of this car for anyone who intends to drive more than 10-12K miles per year, or for anyone who intends to do long distance driving such as myself (125 mile a day commute) The new 2000 model (by review and specifications) appears to have addressed many of the complaints/problems I have had, however the proof is in the long haul. For anyone considering this car as a used car, and falling into the mileage/distance restrictions I have noted, this car is an outstanding value. It is inexpensive to purchase used by virtue of the number produced, the ho-hum desirablity factor, and the number dumped in the market from fleet operations.

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'92 Taurus, 94 Sable LS. Both of these cars had much better ride characteristics (though did not handle as well) and MUCH better space utilization both interior and trunk. Ford would do well to take a lesson from Honda in the NVH and space utilization areas.