Hello my name is Margaret. I'm on my way to buy a new 2009 Mercury Sable. I'm currently driving a Mercury Grand Marquis. And In all reality, I'm just going to get this car just to keep up with my slightly younger brother, who just bought the resurrected Taurus. I think it quite nice. Well of course, I'm not going to tell him that and I definitely won't be buying the same ford model he has. So the Mercury is my option! I like plastic wood trim in my car, he's fine with basic plastic. I like chrome wheels on my car, he's fine with just alloy. I need a car with a chrome semi triangular shape split into three bars on the steering wheel, he's fine with a plastic blue oval. My husband and I eat baked salmon and fettuccine, my brother is fine with chicken and potatoes. I won't shop anywhere else other than Target. My brother will gladly take his family to Walmart and spend at least two hours there! The very idea! Have you seen on the internet some of the fights that go on there! Our father, who drives a 2007 Town Car calls me his uppity child and a social climber and worst of all... Hyacinth Bouquet from Keeping Up Appearances! Well I don't care. I like what I like. And after I pick up my new car from a brand that isn't going to exist in a few years, I'm going to shop at Dillard's. Never JC Penny's! 🙂
I had a rental 2008 Sable once, it was pretty nice. Unfortunately one of the tires blew out. The rental car company swapped it out for a 2007 Five Hundred. Back to back, the 2008 refresh was so much better than what came before!
Absolutely love your presentation. As someone who has owned about a dozen of these vehicles through my dealership, let me give you a nice synopsis. 1) Ford missed a great opportunity by not selling the Five Hundred / Montego and Taurus / Sable as a Volvo instead. At the time Volvos were ridiculously overpriced and their attempt to compete with BMW and Audi with newer more aero designs had been a massive failure. 2) If this vehicle had been sold as a 'Volvo 260' sedan, wagon, and SUV with a more Volvo level interior, and exterior, they would have done exceptionally well with it. There was enough space to fit the 3.2 Liter engine, and many traditional Volvo owners, along with Subaru owners, were looking for an entry-level upscale vehicle that had once been the domain of the 850/S70. This could have been that car. This could have also been a wagon. 3) Instead Ford focused on a Taurus replacement which vehicle really was not. The Fusion/Milan held that role and did a solid job with it in terms of sales and reputation. These P3 vehicles were destined for failure because they had such an extreme cost disadvantage over the Toyota Avalon and Hyundai Azera, and even the ancient Panther platform, that the only way they could compete was by massively decontenting the interior and adding ridiculously cheap designs to the exterior. Such as the wafer thin waterfall grille on the Sable. Nobody wanted a full-sized luxury car that wasn't really a full-sized luxury car. In today's used car market the 3.0 Liter with the conventional automatic is a better choice than the 3.5 Liter (due to expensive water pump and other engine issues) and the CVT (which few people ever service). Today you can usually get them for about a third less than an Avalon and maybe about 20% less than a loaded Azera.
I have owned various configurations of this car, including two Montegos, an '08 Sable Premier, and an '08 Taurus X Eddie Bauer. The Montego featured better quality leather and other interior materials and standard HID headlights, while the Sable had a softer and more comfortable ride. The 3.0 Duratec engine in the Montego was adequate for merging and passing, while the 3.5 Duratec was more refined and powerful but had a poor water pump design that caused issues. Of course we didn’t know that when these cars were new. The Taurus X was thirsty and developed a transmission problem at 10k miles, but it was covered under warranty. Despite this, I would happily own another Sable or Montego, preferring the latter for its more reliable engine.
Great video Rob! It's kind of crazy how Lincoln is the new Mercury with none of the benefits. Tbh, the Sable had two problems: A dying brand, but moreover in a dying segment. I wonder what it would look like today with today's car prices...?
You’re right about the dying full-size segment. Seems as though the full-size class of cars are only limited to the high end luxury brands, S, 7, Audi A8, LS500, etc.
Excellent. Everytime I was about to type something about the video, you said it and covered it. Excellent work. I will share this. Mercury did not get a version as the brand was on its way out, but Lincoln did. The MKS. The MKS was replaced by Continental. The Taurus lives in The Middle East and China as Mondeo: czcams.com/video/9iUDiOSE6C8/video.html I heard your comments about Grand Marquis and front bench seats and column shifters too. That Grand Marquis kept Mercury alive. I did note that all the other Mercury products adopted the Milan look. Things did indeed change. Mercury should be here today. Selling Linited and Platunum trim level Fords is not getting the job done.
The Grand Marquis did keep the brand alive. Crazy how the Marquis basically kept its basic design since 1992. It would be interesting to see what Mercury would’ve evolved into had the brand stuck around. More than likely, all SUVs. Highly doubt they’d have a sedan. At least one sedan would be great. If they brought back the Mondeo and promoted it as the sixth-generation Sable. They’re talking about making a 4-door Mustang, so there is clearly a market for sedans.
@@MotorMaster_Stunticon That platform on the Grand Marquis goes back to 1979. It was updated in 1992. It ran until 2011. That is saying something. You think about all the Ford Crown Victorias and Lincoln Town Cars and Grand Marquis that platform spawned for so long. Then think about the GM B Body too. It would be interesting to see what Mercury could have become. You just might be right about the suv and crossover only line up. They have that Taurus in The Middle East and China as the Mondeo: czcams.com/video/9iUDiOSE6C8/video.html I heard about the 4 door Mustang. The latest I heard the name will be Falcon or Thunderbird. Falcon was used in Australia and Brazil. They said think Dodge Charger competitor when you think of this sedan. I agree with you on there being a market for sedans. I totally agree. The suv/crossover thing is too much and I am waiting for the market to change. Then add electric cars that now they are backing away from after going so hard in that direction.
I was born in the late 70s. As far as I remember, Mercury was never (excepting the late 80s Tracer and early 90s Capri) more than a Ford clone. Because of that, I always considered Mercury to be a stupid brand. 2:46 - Jill Wagner. 🥰
Totally agree. I like the Australian Capri but yeah, other than that everything else was mostly clones in the later years. Jill Wagner did good promoting the car.
Especially since Fords were becoming more upscale. With the 2010 Taurus, it would be difficult to imagine what they could’ve done to make a worthwhile Sable variant.
Hello my name is Margaret. I'm on my way to buy a new 2009 Mercury Sable. I'm currently driving a Mercury Grand Marquis. And In all reality, I'm just going to get this car just to keep up with my slightly younger brother, who just bought the resurrected Taurus. I think it quite nice. Well of course, I'm not going to tell him that and I definitely won't be buying the same ford model he has. So the Mercury is my option! I like plastic wood trim in my car, he's fine with basic plastic. I like chrome wheels on my car, he's fine with just alloy. I need a car with a chrome semi triangular shape split into three bars on the steering wheel, he's fine with a plastic blue oval. My husband and I eat baked salmon and fettuccine, my brother is fine with chicken and potatoes. I won't shop anywhere else other than Target. My brother will gladly take his family to Walmart and spend at least two hours there! The very idea! Have you seen on the internet some of the fights that go on there! Our father, who drives a 2007 Town Car calls me his uppity child and a social climber and worst of all... Hyacinth Bouquet from Keeping Up Appearances! Well I don't care. I like what I like. And after I pick up my new car from a brand that isn't going to exist in a few years, I'm going to shop at Dillard's.
Never JC Penny's! 🙂
😂😂 good one as always!!
What in the absolute F*CK are you talking about??? I think it's a joke but still random AF
You are on a roll Rob! Keep them coming!
Indeed man, thanks for tuning in.
I had a rental 2008 Sable once, it was pretty nice. Unfortunately one of the tires blew out. The rental car company swapped it out for a 2007 Five Hundred. Back to back, the 2008 refresh was so much better than what came before!
Yep, and the 2008 refresh had more power too. That helped out a lot.
Absolutely love your presentation. As someone who has owned about a dozen of these vehicles through my dealership, let me give you a nice synopsis.
1) Ford missed a great opportunity by not selling the Five Hundred / Montego and Taurus / Sable as a Volvo instead. At the time Volvos were ridiculously overpriced and their attempt to compete with BMW and Audi with newer more aero designs had been a massive failure.
2) If this vehicle had been sold as a 'Volvo 260' sedan, wagon, and SUV with a more Volvo level interior, and exterior, they would have done exceptionally well with it. There was enough space to fit the 3.2 Liter engine, and many traditional Volvo owners, along with Subaru owners, were looking for an entry-level upscale vehicle that had once been the domain of the 850/S70.
This could have been that car. This could have also been a wagon.
3) Instead Ford focused on a Taurus replacement which vehicle really was not. The Fusion/Milan held that role and did a solid job with it in terms of sales and reputation. These P3 vehicles were destined for failure because they had such an extreme cost disadvantage over the Toyota Avalon and Hyundai Azera, and even the ancient Panther platform, that the only way they could compete was by massively decontenting the interior and adding ridiculously cheap designs to the exterior. Such as the wafer thin waterfall grille on the Sable.
Nobody wanted a full-sized luxury car that wasn't really a full-sized luxury car.
In today's used car market the 3.0 Liter with the conventional automatic is a better choice than the 3.5 Liter (due to expensive water pump and other engine issues) and the CVT (which few people ever service).
Today you can usually get them for about a third less than an Avalon and maybe about 20% less than a loaded Azera.
Thanks for watching and I appreciate that synopsis.
I have owned various configurations of this car, including two Montegos, an '08 Sable Premier, and an '08 Taurus X Eddie Bauer. The Montego featured better quality leather and other interior materials and standard HID headlights, while the Sable had a softer and more comfortable ride. The 3.0 Duratec engine in the Montego was adequate for merging and passing, while the 3.5 Duratec was more refined and powerful but had a poor water pump design that caused issues. Of course we didn’t know that when these cars were new. The Taurus X was thirsty and developed a transmission problem at 10k miles, but it was covered under warranty. Despite this, I would happily own another Sable or Montego, preferring the latter for its more reliable engine.
Thanks for sharing that info.
Great video Rob! It's kind of crazy how Lincoln is the new Mercury with none of the benefits. Tbh, the Sable had two problems: A dying brand, but moreover in a dying segment. I wonder what it would look like today with today's car prices...?
You’re right about the dying full-size segment. Seems as though the full-size class of cars are only limited to the high end luxury brands, S, 7, Audi A8, LS500, etc.
Awesome video rob
More to come!
I remember being weary looking at one to buy in ‘09. Didn’t see much Taurus/Five Hundreds on the road made me question why?
The 500s didn’t sell well and the refreshed one was only around for 2 years, that’s why.
those were the last two years of the Sable which was produced for 24 model years from 1986 to 2009
Good point
Excellent. Everytime I was about to type something about the video, you said it and covered it. Excellent work. I will share this. Mercury did not get a version as the brand was on its way out, but Lincoln did. The MKS. The MKS was replaced by Continental. The Taurus lives in The Middle East and China as Mondeo: czcams.com/video/9iUDiOSE6C8/video.html I heard your comments about Grand Marquis and front bench seats and column shifters too. That Grand Marquis kept Mercury alive. I did note that all the other Mercury products adopted the Milan look. Things did indeed change. Mercury should be here today. Selling Linited and Platunum trim level Fords is not getting the job done.
The Grand Marquis did keep the brand alive. Crazy how the Marquis basically kept its basic design since 1992.
It would be interesting to see what Mercury would’ve evolved into had the brand stuck around. More than likely, all SUVs. Highly doubt they’d have a sedan. At least one sedan would be great. If they brought back the Mondeo and promoted it as the sixth-generation Sable.
They’re talking about making a 4-door Mustang, so there is clearly a market for sedans.
@@MotorMaster_Stunticon That platform on the Grand Marquis goes back to 1979. It was updated in 1992. It ran until 2011. That is saying something. You think about all the Ford Crown Victorias and Lincoln Town Cars and Grand Marquis that platform spawned for so long. Then think about the GM B Body too. It would be interesting to see what Mercury could have become. You just might be right about the suv and crossover only line up. They have that Taurus in The Middle East and China as the Mondeo: czcams.com/video/9iUDiOSE6C8/video.html I heard about the 4 door Mustang. The latest I heard the name will be Falcon or Thunderbird. Falcon was used in Australia and Brazil. They said think Dodge Charger competitor when you think of this sedan. I agree with you on there being a market for sedans. I totally agree. The suv/crossover thing is too much and I am waiting for the market to change. Then add electric cars that now they are backing away from after going so hard in that direction.
I was born in the late 70s. As far as I remember, Mercury was never (excepting the late 80s Tracer and early 90s Capri) more than a Ford clone. Because of that, I always considered Mercury to be a stupid brand.
2:46 - Jill Wagner. 🥰
Totally agree. I like the Australian Capri but yeah, other than that everything else was mostly clones in the later years.
Jill Wagner did good promoting the car.
Great video as always along with the unique drink choice. Why do you refer to the engine as a "mill"?
I’m glad you found value in the video.
I like to say “mill” because it’s just another term for engine or motor.
Mill is just old hot rodder slang for engine.
8:59 - the entire Mercury brand was essentially just a trim option on a Ford model. Good decision to kill Mercury. It was irrelevant for decades.
Especially since Fords were becoming more upscale. With the 2010 Taurus, it would be difficult to imagine what they could’ve done to make a worthwhile Sable variant.
Why didn't it have rwd
It had AWD instead
Because The Volvo S80 it was based on didn’t lol
Nice VW Passat.😅
Yep, that’s what it looked like from the side profile.
Buick LeSable 😂
Haha good one!
No kidding,duh ,just like1986🙄🙄
Not just 1986, but every year up until 2009 to be Frank!