Stepsons first car-Ford Taurus or Cavalier or?

[Lux Hauler]

Let him have whatever HE can afford.

[Dfm503]

You can get a running Taurus for like 700 bucks, I just got an 88 sable 3.0 today... Sure it's crappy but it's still running in 2014. The Taurus either gives up at 100,000 or just won't die. I used to have a 94 (last year) with the notoriously unreliable 3.8, it cost me $600 an lasted 10,000 miles until the ecu shorted and blew ALL of my sensors, so I drove it another 3000 miles and then sold it for 500, STILL RUNNING! These things are bullet proof. I got the 94 up to 112 mph when it was running well.

[Miller88]

By 2003 they had the transmission issues sorted out.

I had a 2001 Taurus. Great car other than severe rust issues. Never let me down!

[hitman619]

I think your husband should reconsider the 2003 Buick LeSabre . At 200k mostly everything has probably been replaced, not mention if it has the optional side airbags, it will be the safer of the 3 imo.
If I were your husband I would take the Buick To a Mechanic to have it check out!
Cheap, safe or Reliable:
you can only pick 2 of the 3

[Vannort54]

Get a Taurus better motor. The only reason ford droped the tarus was because the fusion. The 3.0 motor in the tarus is good. And some 3.0 motors are flex/fule if you ever see the little leaf on the back of the tarus emblem then it's flex/fule. Flex/fule has been around since the late 70's.

[Chris V]

Originally Posted by dreamofmonterey

Cavalier 2001, has 100k miles

Taurus 2003, less mileage

Cutlass Ciera 1996 (cheap) has 125k miles

Lesabre 2003 was nice but over 200k miles so my husband said its too high mileage


main concern is so he can drive rural, gas mileage not a big problem, but wants reliable make/model/engine.

Whats experts opinions? want to give him good advice, and Im bad with cars. looked on Consumer reports websites but different years have different issues, figured an expert here could give better advice.

Thanks

I see this young mans future. He s gonna be very good at fixing cars to save a few bucks. Cause its always something minor.

But For advice, I d stick him into a honda civic or a toyota corolla

[ghostrider7811]

Another vote for a Taurus. Cheap to own and operate. If you live in the North, I would fly down to FL or TX and buy an older rust free car. They are all over FL, clean older ones under 3K. Don't forget the Mercury Sable also.