 We had a 1992 Escort wagon that ran great, so we decided to upgrade to a Taurus. Shortly after buying it, we inherited a 1996 Taurus sedan that literally fell apart in our driveway (after $5K in repairs failed to fix it).  If only we'd gotten that car before the wagon. Since 2001, we've averaged around $3K/yr in repairs, despite being vigilant about maintenance. I don't have enough space to list every thing that's failed, but it includes the power steering, the key system (2X), the brakes, and even the clasps to the CD changer door.  Reading reviews, it sounds like we are among a third of Taurus owners who have poor reliability.  The kicker--the Escort is still going strong today.  