Need some car advice...
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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Need some car advice...
My gf is looking to upgrade from her 92 camry (thing is falling apart faster than I can put it back together)... and at the local dealer we found an 05 Ford Five Hundred... loaded... every option except nav... AWD... safe car by the looks of it... Now here is where things get tricky... The car has 107k on it... it was brought there with a bad motor which they replaced with a motor with 22k on it... Now they were offering it for 10k... and I wasn't real interested in it but now the price is $8500 on the car... Interior is in GREAT shape.. and exterior is a bit better than you would expect with 100k+... So I need some advice... does this car sound like a disaster waiting to happen or a reasonable deal? Thanks!
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,714
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From: SE Florida
They discontinued it because it cost too much to produce. There were some early failures, but from what I was able to learn from my friends that were on the design team for that trans if it lasted the first 5,000 miles it would last a long, long time.
My wife had this same car. At 43k it was still running fantastic when it's life came to an end when she slid off a snow covered road and took out a big tree. She's fine, the car didn't make it.
My wife had this same car. At 43k it was still running fantastic when it's life came to an end when she slid off a snow covered road and took out a big tree. She's fine, the car didn't make it.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Long Beach, Ms.
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Go for it, it's a well built car. What kind of warranty if any is coming with the new engine?
Tim
Tim
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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Transmission was really the biggest question mark for me... I have never driven one it really is pretty nice though... What about the rest of the car? What would I have to worry about wearin out? They said they would give me a 1 year 12k mile warranty on the motor... which would take it to the 3 year 36k mile point... Thanks you guys are giving me more confidence in this vehicle.. My gf loved it but it needs to be reliable... Its either this car or lease a pretty basic mazda 3 with a warranty for a little more money...
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
Subscribe to Consumer Reports and see how it rated from owner feedback. That is the most honest accurate indicator of long term service, imho. Every Ford vehicle that got a bullet item, such as the transmission in the Explorer, we know here as a weak link (A4LD).
I would leave $2500 cash to cover the motor or transmission if it goes.
In this economy I would only pay cash for a vehicle and would seriously look at buying a manual transmission 4 cy;. eco. box and buy gold and ammo instead.
I would leave $2500 cash to cover the motor or transmission if it goes.
In this economy I would only pay cash for a vehicle and would seriously look at buying a manual transmission 4 cy;. eco. box and buy gold and ammo instead.