# '97 Taurus Wagon GL 177k+: Accident Damage **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 16, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834 "2009-12-16T04:08:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Colt\_Hero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Colt\_Hero](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Colt_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/1 "2009-12-16T04:08:11Z")
'97 Taurus Wagon GL 177k+: Accident Damage Involved in an accident on the way home from work. Fortunately nobody hurt. Car drove home OK - no leaks that I can tell. The front driver’s side fender, headlight assembly and side marker light are history. The hood is probably history too as it went partially underneath the rear passenger corner of the truck in front and ended up getting scored pretty deeply lengthwise. The front fascia/bumper cover might be reusable; I’m not sure. I see these parts being sold on EBAY through multiple vendors as “aftermarket” (non-OEM) that are supposedly “guaranteed to fit”. None mention the wagon, though. Does anybody know: 1.) What the quality of these “aftermarket” parts is. 2.) If these parts typically fit, or which brands seem to fit more often. 3.) If I need to buy parts for a wagon-only (in other words: are the sedan and wagon body parts the same on the front end or not). ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/2 "2009-12-16T04:43:09Z")
I can’t be specific on your Taurus but I can tell you that some aftermarket is fine and some fits like a cheap suit, meaning it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/3 "2009-12-16T04:44:35Z")
You need to check with your local car parts recycling yard (junk yard). If you aren’t to fussy about color I’m pretty certain any front end parts from that year Taurus will be fine. And the recycler can tell you if other years will work too. ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/4 "2009-12-16T14:11:41Z")
On a 177k/12 year old Taurus get the cheapest parts possible. The car is well done and used and the cost of patching it will likely equal or exceed its book value. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/5 "2009-12-16T15:23:19Z")
97 Taurus , wagon vs sedan. Headlamps, same hood, same fenders, same From the front doors (same) forward they’re the same parts. On a car that age, don’t spend big bucks on perfection. Concentrate on functional and legal first then looks later. ---
**Author:** ![Colt\_Hero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Colt\_Hero](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Colt_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/6 "2009-12-17T18:18:03Z")
Prices I’ve seen don’t look TOO bad: Hood $150, Fender $75, Headlight $40, Side Marker $12, Fascia $100. But the more I think of it, the more I think I’ll just (at least initially) do what I did a long time ago with my Colt (and like you mentioned): 1.) Clean the area up really well to see what’s actually damaged 2.) Replace the headlight and side marker light 3.) Straighten as best I can, Bondo and paint to stop rust. Then i can buy the junkyard parts at my leisure, looking for pristine white parts at decent prices… ---
**Author:** ![bernd](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bernd/32/157_2.png) [@bernd](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bernd)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/97-taurus-wagon-gl-177k-accident-damage/40834/7 "2009-12-17T18:21:18Z")
Taurus parts are common enough, but I used to get parts for mine on ebay motors (not affiliated, etc). There is usually a few people parting them out on there.