Do you think the 2002 to 2005 are under valued

[Chris11]

"Value" (ie price) is tied to scarcity and demand. While there is a healthy amount of demand for the cars there is also a ton of inventory of cars for sale in both low and high miles with asking prices from $5,000. to $35,000. I think most of the low mileage cars for sale are overpriced (which is why they don't sell). It would be interesting to have a survey of retro Tbirds for sale nationwide at a any given time compared to production numbers and then compare that ratio to another low production car.

Sometimes low mileage cars are a detriment. I sold a 2001 Jaguar XK8 convertible with 31K miles five years ago. I was told that the low mileage was the cause of all the issues I had with the car. Cost over $1,000 per year just to keep it running (you can stop with the Jaguar reliability jokes, I have had others that had no issues at all...). My point is that the low mileage didn't really help on the sale price of the Jag either. Got $13K, which I was very happy with. And it was in flawless shape (and repaired!).

[Brad]

If you're not concerned with miles, you may want to consider one with 120-150k miles. Retro Tbirds in that mileage range can often be had for $6-9k

[Vantbird]

If you're not concerned with miles, you may want to consider one with 120-150k miles. Retro Tbirds in that mileage range can often be had for $6-9k

Does anyone know how many miles the drive-train is good for in these retro Tbirds?

[Birdlover]

Does anyone know how many miles the drive-train is good for in these retro Tbirds?

I know of a TBN member in the Chicago area whose daily driver TBird is well in excess of 200K miles. I'm sure there are are / were other members with like mileage.

[Vantbird]

I know of a TBN member in the Chicago area whose daily driver TBird is well in excess of 200K miles. I'm sure there are are / were other members with like mileage.

Wow not bad

[Welker]

Various comments about low mileage brings this to mind. Anybody who has put any real mileage on these cars has a tale to tell about what to expect at about what mileage and what the repair will cost. Nearly everybody with input to this subject has commented on the shortage of parts and the complications brought on by failed and often irreplaceable modules and computer parts. Anybody owning a car with really low mileage can expect the same problems sometime in the future when the parts may be unavailable. If I were the owner of a really low mileage car and planning to reap the collector car benefit, I guess I would just put it up on blocks, drain it, cover it and plan for the eventual estate sale of my stuff.

[428PI]

Look up mileage on lincoln LS's for how many miles they will go. I've worked on a 2002 that had over 250k and just replaced the vc gaskets and oil adapter seal for leaks.

[AyPapiii]

The fever burns hot for some obscuring objective evaluation of value.

Given I am a potential buyer and not a seller, I must say I learned a lesson back in the seventies with the "last convertible that will be built", the El Dorado. With the last few new ones rumored to be selling for $200,000 and collectors locking them up, I thought I could not go wrong in buying a 1972 for lots less. Swayed by those rumors and optomistic thinking I did not do the market research I now know to do. I learned an expensive lesson and, worse of all, I hated the car.

Actual sale prices not ASKING prices is where to start. One uninformed buyer making an above worth purchase does not a market value make. Hype made the daffodil market in Holland once soar and hype makes for blips in car values.

[Will]

The fever burns hot for some obscuring objective evaluation of value.
Hype made the daffodil market in Holland once soar

Holland? Nope. Those were tulips. -----Will, flower child

[AZTB]

The fever burns hot for some obscuring objective evaluation of value...

Huh?

[11TH GEN]

The fever burns hot for some obscuring objective evaluation of value.

There are plentiful objective evaluations available. The hot fever is over subjective evaluations.

[FEsTbird]

It would be interesting to have a place showing pricing--Edwards?--I was just offered $8K as a trade-in on my 2003 with 75K miles. Last year, I spent over $2K for a new thermostat and heater control valve repair. I was told that only one bank in our area would loan money for the Tbirds since they are older, an impediment for dealer sales.

[Brad]

It would be interesting to have a place showing pricing--Edwards?--I was just offered $8K as a trade-in on my 2003 with 75K miles. Last year, I spent over $2K for a new thermostat and heater control valve repair. I was told that only one bank in our area would loan money for the Tbirds since they are older, an impediment for dealer sales.

KBB shows average trade in on your car as $8413 (7463-9362) and $10,054. average private party sale value

https://www.kbb.com/ford/thunderbird...condition=good

[BirdsAndBugs]

It would be interesting to have a place showing pricing--Edwards?--I was just offered $8K as a trade-in on my 2003 with 75K miles. Last year, I spent over $2K for a new thermostat and heater control valve repair. I was told that only one bank in our area would loan money for the Tbirds since they are older, an impediment for dealer sales.

Many banks won't finance anything more than 10 years old for a secured auto loan. Anything older, many banks or credit unions will only do it as an unsecured personal loan to customers with excellent credit. The reason (as I've been in banking 20+ years)? When an older car like that has a major failure (engine, transmission, etc.), you can pretty well count on sending out the repo man to pick it up. People that often buy older cars often lack the resources to repair it.

[2K2BIRD]

If anything it seems more are over valued by the seller, than the market truly supports. Do a few sell for above average prices, sure. But that is the exception, not the rule.

That said, the cars have held their value way better than the average 15 year old vehicle.