Ford Taurus Wagon “Third Seat”

My Favorite Part…the Ford Taurus Wagon “Third Seat”

With the birth of our third child came the dilemma of how to fit our entire family of 5 comfortably into a car. Our fourteen-year old daughter barely fit between the two car seats in the back of our 2006 Corolla, let alone seat an extra teenage friend or two. We started looking for a mini van but we weren’t sure we could afford it while I was on maternity leave. Eventually, I stumbled across an old 1999 Ford Taurus Wagon that a family friend was selling cheaply. I thought it was a great find, but my husband was less than impressed. The car was much wider than the Corolla comfortable seating 2 car seats and an adult in the back seat. Given the price, my husband gave in and we bought it thinking car would just do to seat the 5 of us, as well as fit his hockey equipment easily in the back.

When we got the car home I started thumbing thought the owners manual and realized that some Taurus wagons have the additional option of a third seat (a bench with shoulder seatbelts) which folds out over the spare tire in the trunk area. I was very excited as this meant that we now had a vehicle that potentially could accommodate extra teenager or two. I immediately contacted Ford Canada to see if we could buy this seat. My spirits plummeted when I found out that third bench had been discontinued. I decided to contact Union Auto Parts. I was impressed when Jeff could immediately tell me without looking it up that they did indeed have one of these benches in stock. I literally did a happy dance! We now had a car that could accommodate 7 people if needed, and we got this amazing value to our car for only $150! The car was no longer had gone from being a piece of junk to being a gem! When I went and picked up the part from Union Auto, Jeff gave me another piece of good news! I hadn’t realized that the front seat in the car actually had a seat beat assembly under it which allow yet another person to see in the car. Our car now seated 8 people…one more than a mini van can seat!!

Now when I pass other drivers with station wagons I often laugh to myself, and think, “I bet they can’t seat 8 people in their car!” Even my husband had to admit; our Ford Taurus was an incredible find. Thanks Union Auto Parts for such a useful addition to our car.

Above: My nephew, Andrew and husband, David, test our new 3rd seat after they install it.

Submitted by Cate Rushford