Howdy from the REAL dairy state!

[mc_muench]

Dont have a SHO yet but looking into getting a 1st or 2nd gen for the manual tranx...I know exactly what they are...a PERFORMANCE family sedan, so these 2 questions are a little stupid to ask but they are very important to me and my wallet. Being an 18 with no tickets but 2, I swear to god not my fault, accidents, what can I expect for insurance? Also, about what do they get for highway mpg's? I given up on city because any car I drive gets less than 15.

My first car, or truck rather, was a 92 Ranger with the 3.0 Vulcan V6 and a 5spd. Was a regular on a forum, TRS, for that and these cars and there engines were a popular topic for a great swap that was never actually done. Had to sell it though, because I got my sisters 99 ******, absolutly hate it because of the auto tranx, love the mpg though. So Im looking for something else and being 18, I want something with some balls, but I dont want the typical rice burner honda or cop magnet mustang, I want more of a sleeper. A SHO is perfect for that, I can just see my "ricer" friends face when I womp him in a Taurus!!!

There are a couple SHO around my area I'll be looking at...let me know what you think!!

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/1988671770.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/1954461235.html

Also, when looking at these above is there anything special to look out for, like common problems?

Good to be here!
Max

 

[zblackbeast]

first off, welcome..

Being 20, and have been in your situation, insurance is not big on these cars. My insurance company sees it pretty much as a taurus, and with 2 tickets as well I pay about 70 a month.

As for MPH on the highway, if your car is well maintained and stout you can see upwards of 30 MPG with a 5 speed. In town ( if i mostly stay out of the secondaries, i see about 22-23 ish)

Be prepared if you buy this car to become very friendly with it. Not many, if any at all, shops know how to work on the motors of this car so if your arent mechanically inclined i would steer clear because it could be a money pit.

Now for reliability.. IF all maintenance is performed, this car will treat you right. I've owned my car for 2 and a half years now and she only left me stranded once when the 16 year old bushing for the strut rod failed. I just spend the last week updating my suspension, 60k (timing belt, water pump, couple of sensors, valve seals, valve cover gaskets etc) and rod bearings and I wouldn't be afraid to drive this thing cross country and back. Just remember, take care of here and shell take care of you.

Now, those 2 ads really don't give you much detail about the car, so i would call and ask what maintenance has been performed and get back with us then. also the preference between the 2 generations is clearly up to you. Some people love gen 1's 989-91) and some love the gen 2's (92-95).. granted that 89 with 108k is still a baby.. (there are some on the forum with well over 200k or even 300k.

Best of luck.

-Clay

 

[mc_muench]

Thanks for the info, and thats pretty reasuring about the insurance. I'm a DIY type a guy, so thats all cool with me and I do take good care of my and my families cars maintainence wise, and if there is anything I cant do, I got a good mechanic friend. as for1st vs. 2nd gens...Im partial to 1st gens, I love the "ugly" squareness of all 80's/early 90's cars, but I dont think 2nd gens are ugly by any means.

Max

 

[SHOmethewayhome]

first off, welcome..

Being 20, and have been in your situation, insurance is not big on these cars. My insurance company sees it pretty much as a taurus, and with 2 tickets as well I pay about 70 a month.

As for MPH on the highway, if your car is well maintained and stout you can see upwards of 30 MPG with a 5 speed. In town ( if i mostly stay out of the secondaries, i see about 22-23 ish)

Be prepared if you buy this car to become very friendly with it. Not many, if any at all, shops know how to work on the motors of this car so if your arent mechanically inclined i would steer clear because it could be a money pit.

Now for reliability.. IF all maintenance is performed, this car will treat you right. I've owned my car for 2 and a half years now and she only left me stranded once when the 16 year old bushing for the strut rod failed. I just spend the last week updating my suspension, 60k (timing belt, water pump, couple of sensors, valve seals, valve cover gaskets etc) and rod bearings and I wouldn't be afraid to drive this thing cross country and back. Just remember, take care of here and shell take care of you.

Now, those 2 ads really don't give you much detail about the car, so i would call and ask what maintenance has been performed and get back with us then. also the preference between the 2 generations is clearly up to you. Some people love gen 1's 989-91) and some love the gen 2's (92-95).. granted that 89 with 108k is still a baby.. (there are some on the forum with well over 200k or even 300k.

Best of luck.

-Clay

could someone please explain this statement to me? i hear it echoed time after time on this forum.

i would believe it 15 years ago when the last MTX was made, but nowadays there are plenty of DOHC engines that have similar heads to the SHO, use a timing belt to drive the cams, use a crank/cam sensor instead of a distributor, and I'm pretty sure anyone who's worked on a 4 barrel carburetor would understand how the air intake works.

the clutch isn't a tall order either, time consuming? yeah, but you dont need anything more than most other FWD standard transmission cars require for swapping a clutch out.

the wiring? seems pretty 80's-90's ford to me.

if any shop refuses to work on the SHO call it a blessing, as they're probably intimidated by this logic that the motor is some special odd thing. it's got pistons, a crank, burns gasoline and is lubricated by oil and liquid cooled.

I would venture to say any shop that can do a good enough job to make enough money to keep their lights on could handle working on an SHO engine. the problem lies in the commonly held logic (including myself) that it seems ludicrous to pay for a mechanic the hundreds and hundreds of dollars to keep your 20 year old taurus on the road.

i figure, if you love the car, you'll spend the money for a mechanic to fix it. or you'll spend the time to learn how to do it and do the labor yourself.

it aint nothing but nuts and bolts (mostly metric )

 

[mc_muench]

called the guy with the gen 1, waiting for a call back...I kinda swaying towards that one more so than the gen 2, it just looks more...sleeper, if all works out I may go see it and test drive it this next week.

 

[someguy35]

oh. Don't do burnouts. haha.

 

[luigisho]

Don't go by looks alone. Get the one that seems to be in the best shape. Insurance may or may not be a problem for your wallet but I don't know if I would recommend this as a car for a cash limited person to purchase without knowing how it was driven or maintained.

And there have been a few Ranger swaps. Search the forum and you might see one or two already done.

 

[Phoenix]

Welcome in

 

[mc_muench]

oh. Don't do burnouts. haha.

I'll try to resist the teenage boy urge...not promising anything tho.


Also, money tight? Who said I was money tight...I just dont wanna be ***** in the **** by insurance for was is actually just a Taurus, an awesome Taurus.

 

[Vnuk1]

Check out the Minnesota Craigslist there are a few nice ones I will even help if you need someone to look at one for you.

 

[frosho]

I'll try to resist the teenage boy urge...not promising anything tho.

Just don't. Sooner or later, you'll wish you hadn't.

 

[Vnuk1]

Fwd burnouts are ***..

That is all..

 

[zblackbeast]

and youll blow up your transmission

 

[lowc]

welcome in and listen to these guys and leave the rubber on the tires

 

[mc_muench]

The gen1 is sold...that 2nd gen is looking better and better, will call them in the morning.

And I guess sarcasm doesnt transfer over the internet well, I never planned on roasting tires...

 

[SHOstopper1992]

Burnouts means a blown diff. I ended up blowing mine very nicely and with a large gaping hole I had fun having to get a new trans and do all the work myself.

Play it safe and dont do em.

So Im looking for something else and being 18, I want something with some balls, but I dont want the typical rice burner honda or cop magnet mustang, I want more of a sleeper. A SHO is perfect for that, I can just see my "ricer" friends face when I womp him in a Taurus!!!

Im gonna let you in on a little secret: To you and the people on the forum, its an SHO and a great vehicle. To everyone else, its a taurus and you are gonna get made fun of until you walk a turbo'ed car and people see it.

I have been made fun of every-single-day by my friends for thinking my SHO is cool. If your 18, and you have car nut friends, they are gonna make fun of you for it. Thats just the way it is.

Keep up maintenance and do what is common sense knowledge on the car. Drive her, love her, and take care of her, and she will return the favor.

Welcome aboard!

-Stephen

 

[Michelle]

Welcome to SHOforum. I'm north of you in the Holy Hill area.

PS - Gen I > Gen II. Minus the '89s of course.

 

[mc_muench]

found another one for you guys to look at...

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/2025951055.html

 

[Michelle]

Please don't post CL ads.

 

[mc_muench]

ok...reason why?