1991 FORD TAURUS SHO - solid engine but numerous cosmetic and other issues: READ

1991 Ford Taurus SHO

Additional photos (160 of them) are included in the gallery located at this web page:
http://alittleredcabin.com/sho/
Car does not have a current registration so cannot be driven. So your choices are: pay the $156 to the California DMV to register the vehicle, or tow the vehicle. I have AAA "plus" and will have the vehicle towed for you, at no charge, up to 150 miles from Cupertino, California.
CARFAX REPORT:
* No accident/damage reported to CARFAX
* No total loss reported to CARFAX
* No structural damage reported to CARFAX
* No airbag deployment reported to CARFAX
* No accidents or damage reported to CARFAX
* No recalls reported to CARFAX
CARFAX DETAILED HISTORY:
02/28/1991 0 Vehicle manufactured and shipped to original dealer
03/15/1994 38,096 Passed emissions inspection (Los Altos, CA)
03/14/1998 82,424 Passed emissions inspection (Los Altos, CA)
03/11/2000 98,116 Passed emissions inspection (Los Altos, CA)
06/25/2001 100,517 Interior trim checked (Sunnyvale Ford, CA)
03/16/2002 105,000 Passed emissions inspection (Los Altos, CA)
03/15/2004 111,022 Failed emissions inspection
03/16/2004 111,022 Air filter repaired, Oxygen sensors repaired
03/16/2004 111,029 Passed emissions inspection (California Inspection Station)
03/14/2006 112,871 Passed emissions inspection (California Inspection Station)
03/13/2008 114,139 Passed emissions inspection (California Inspection Station)
10/09/2008 Duplicate title issued - registration updated when owner moved
03/03/2010 114,191 Passed emissions inspection (Cupertino, CA)
END OF CARFAX REPORT
ADDITIONAL VEHICLE HISTORY STATEMENTS BY SELLER:
Original owner (non smoker, no pets) - car was purchased new from dealer
No smoking was ever done in the car and no pets were ever in the car. No kids either.
Current odometer 114,204
Car has been in driveway (in California so minimal weather) undriven FROM 2010 through current
Owner has "pink slip" and will sign vehicle over to buyer
Owner has last 3 smog report printouts (detailed emissions data) from 2010, 2008, and 2006
After smog inspection passed on 03/03/2010, owner stopped using vehicle (114,204)
On 03/16/2012, owner declared vehicle status as PNO (planned nonoperation).
Acknowledgement of nonoperational status receipt received (and retained for inspection by buyer)
Nonoperated vehicle notices retained (for inspection by buyer) for 2014, 2015, 2017 (valid through 3/16/2018)
California DMV fee to return vehicle from nonoperated to operated is $156
2 front tires replaced at Goodyear on 11/13/2001 (odometer 104386) with Eagle GA (receipt retained)
2 rear tires replaced at Sears on 02/18/2005 with Michelin (receipt not retained)
CONDITION DISCLOSURES BY SELLER:
When new, this car was purchased fully loaded with every available option. Every single one. Power seats, both sides. Power bolsters and lumbar inflaters, both sides. Power moonroof.
Car is started once every 2 years - most recently on 07/17/2017 (My wife needed me to move the car out of the driveway to make room for an inflatable bouncy house for my son's birthday party. I pulled it out of the driveway to park it across the street, then drove it back into the driveway after the rental company picked up the bouncy house. Technically, it's not allowed to be driven at all while under nonoperational registration status nor parked on public streets, but when the wife says get that car out of the driveway, you do it.)
Battery basically does not hold a charge. In order to drive it across the street to park it, I had to charge the battery for an hour (jumper cables to my truck) in order to start the car. Of course it started, but because I only drove it across the street to park it, I had to charge it up for another hour the next day to start it, to drive it back into the driveway. Since the car has sat in the driveway for the past 7 years, started only every 2 years, it is likely that the battery no longer reliably holds a charge.
Paint on roof is badly oxidized/peeling, and paint on hood and rear deck lid are "dull" (not shiny). On 08/05/2001 entire car was repainted by Earl Scheib Auto Painters. Although I don't have a receipt for that, I keep records in Quicken so that is why I know the exact date when things were done. The paint job didn't really last (what do you expect for a $400 paint job). As seen in the photos of the vehicle now, the paint on the roof is badly oxidized.
The rear spoiler is a custom third-party spoiler and NOT the Ford version. It's well made and well-attached (no rattling).
The keypad to unlock the driver door works perfectly, and is also used to unlock all 4 doors, and also the rear trunk. Regarding the rear trunk - there are 3 ways to open it: using the keypad, using the key, and using a pushbutton located to the left of the driver's seat. Please note that the pushbutton method cannot be used - it probably actually works, but the "valet key" that inserts into the pushbutton in order to disable it has been LOST, so that pushbutton is currently "locked out". This means that you cannot pop open the rear trunk while seated in the driver seat; you have to get out of the car and use the key to open the trunk, or the keypad.
The car has a personalized license plate. In California, this is not part of the vehicle and does not transfer with the vehicle. Buyer will have to register for new license plates.
When new, the keylocks, antenna base, Taurus badge and ring around the Ford logos were all "golded" by a third-party. Over the years, the golding has faded a little (no longer shiny).
The plastic gasket around the outside of the rear window is loose. The window is not loose, just the plastic cosmetic gasket that inserts into the channel on the outside of the window.
Power antenna control works, though it seems to raise/lower the antenna slower than you'd think. Of course, that might just be because of the weak car battery.
Tires are in amazing condition with near-new tread depth. If you do the math from the data given above, you'll see the tires have less than 10,000 miles on them. What's actually most impressive to me is that since 2010 when I stopped using the car, the tires have held their pressure. There is zero leaking, apparently. I did not need to inflate them for the photos.
Wiper blades are old and cracked and need to be replaced.
Rear windows were tinted by a third-party, and the rear quarter panel window tinting is bubbling.
Rear right taillight has damage/cracked.
Passenger side foglight is smashed. Left side foglight is intact and operates as expected.
Front leather seats are badly cracked. Rear leather seat bench is in good shape!
Mats are third-party. Original mats long gone.
Dashboard has a custom carpet cover with cut-outs for instrumentation and vents.
Leather on shifter knob is cracked.
Rubber cover on parking brake is missing.
Due to third-party modification, there is a large portion of the passenger side dashboard cut out, where a pull-out television used to be. The custom carpet cover covers the hole, but the plastic tubing that used to be where the tv inserted is long gone. This means that the rightmost front air vent does not function because the plastic tubing is no longer there to run the air over to that rightmost vent. Note that this year model did NOT have a passenger side airbag, so no airbag was removed - none was every on that side.
Also due to third-party modification, there is what looks like a household electrical outlet on the outside of the glove compartment door, but it is not connected to anything and is non-functional. You can physically plug a device into that outlet but it won't actually provide power.
The radio/cassette/CD deck basically doesn't work. It sometimes makes some buzzing noises but essentially it's dead. It's the original factory stereo system.
The original plastic shifter bushing that connects the gear shifter to the transmission shift cables was replaced with a metal bushing assembly sold byshosource.com
The plastic housing around the roof-line control to open/close the moonroof is loose. The actual rocker switch that opens/closes the moonroof works, but is a replacement part and is beige not black.
Front hood gas-pressured lifts don't really hold the hood up. You have to prop it up with a stick.
Oil filler cap is third-party replacement (original was lost at some point).
Exhaust pipe underneath the car came detached at some point and metal vent tape was used to hold it together. It actually drove for years like that, but should be welded. This doesn't impact the car's ability to be driven, but if noticed at smog inspection the car will not pass since it's not a proper repair. Notably, none of the smog places noticed it and the car regularly passed.
Air conditioner blows warm air.
Radiator appears to have a circulation problem. Although the car has NEVER overheated, if you're sitting in traffic, the temp gauge will slowly increase and it shouldn't do that if the radiator/cooling system is working properly. When that happens, and you get back up to speed, the airflow from the movement of the car makes the temp gauge needle go slowly back down. It doesn't move an extreme amount, but enough to notice it and believe that something isn't working right.
Additional photos (160 of them) are included in the gallery, located at this web page:
http://alittleredcabin.com/sho/
A video of the car engine running is available here - the engine is in GREAT condition and well maintained:
http://www.alittleredcabin.com/sho/shovideo.mov

• Make: Ford
• Model: Taurus
• SubModel: SHO
• Type: Sedan
• Trim: SHO
• Year: 1991
• Mileage: 114,204
• VIN: 1FACP54Y9MA178940
• Color: Black
• Engine size: 3.0L V6 SFI DOHC
• Number of cylinders: 6
• Power options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Drive type: FWD
• Interior color: Black
• Drive side: Left-hand drive
• Safety options: Anti-Lock Brakes, Driver Airbag
• Options: CD Player, Leather Seats, Sunroof
• Vehicle Title: Clear
Want to buy? Contact seller!