Wicked buzzkill from a FB automotive group

[abaton6]

I joined this FB group,... Car repair advice, from real mechanics and technicians.


I asked for some advice about the issue I have about the temp control. Two guys on there just kept slamming the car!

"Trade it back. There's a reason those cars had a limited production. They were junk. Also check coolant level"

"I've been a Ford tech for a long time. We literally fight over who gets to not work on those relics at my dealer. Between discontinued parts, general pattern failure of every sort and poor Jaguar style engineering, they're a mess"

Talk about BUZZKILL, I've had this car for 65 hours, and he says "trade it back" Hey, I own a 2005 Crossfire, and a 67 Mini Cooper., and I've had a early 90's Sabb Sonnett, I know every car has it's quirks. Are these cars really that bad , or are these guys just trying to ruin my fun?

[BacktotheFuturePete]

Well I can say that I have owned mine for over 14 years and though I only have 50,000 miles on it I haven't had to replace one damn thing. Been nothing but a joy to own.

[Gobird]

I have had mine for 17 years, most expensive repair was a fuel pump. It has 148,000 miles on it. Judge for yourself.

[007Cruiser]

I will have 16 years on the 28th. No complaints here. Ignore the part replacers.

[merlot4]

I have replaced: the a/c; had the water inlet pipe split twice; had the transmission rebuilt; had suspension boots and parts replaced; replaced 6 of 8 COPs; replaced the fan motor in the dash; replaced the transmission brake sensor twice; and other odds and ends. It is a 15 year old car with 96K miles, things are going to wear out either as a function of time, or from use. YMMV. I suggest looking in the TBird Garage section of the forum to get a feel for things that commonly happen. Best of luck with your new ride; I challenge those who mouthed off to find a car with a beautiful design like this that presently costs less than a Corolla. I frequently have people come up to ask about it, compliment it, or talk about the one they, or a friend had. At the dealer, if you look, or ask, you will find there are plenty of recent cars being repaired, so it's a toss of the dice.

[2K2BIRD]

Somewhere along the way our car of choice became an object of ridicule for a lot of folks that have never driven, much less owned one. The fact that there are multiple happy campers on this site that have been here since buying their cars new might be a clue the naysayers don't know what they are talking about.

That is not to say that there aren't challenges with keeping teenaged cars in top shape - there are some. However, that will be the case for virtually every other make and model in this age range.

Enjoy your car, fix it when it breaks and ignore comments from would be car critics.

[007Cruiser]

Ever see a dealership without a service department? Me neither.

[TBird1stLuv]

Don't let those negative people kill your joy! There are a lot of ford haters out there but if you love the style of the car you won't mind a repair here and there. I would rather push my Thunderbird than drive another car.

[FUN X 3]

I've found that service advisers and mechanics are some of the most negative people you will meet. Do what makes you happy, not what makes them happy.

[MikeB6]

When I finally have to take my car to a dealer for service, I’m not gonna bother going to the Ford store. My impression is that because of the Lincoln LS, the guys at the Lincoln place should be more familiar with my retrobird.

[5bird7]

My counter is that they have to put up with girlfriends turning their heads and gawking as one passes by - even though that is a rare occurrence of even seeing one.

I've always questioned their intent anyway. What if behind their tales, is the thought if they can scare you enough to sell it cheap then they can turn around and buy it for a "song". Stick to your guns and smile and walk away.

We've driven Fords forever. Fix them when they need it and then keep driving them. Our old 57 station wagon is undergoing a very slow restoration but we put in over 200K miles on it and started driving it with 150K miles on it. Repaired when needed and kept driving it until we moved on to another used Ford and started buying new..

Our 02 is pushing 200K miles. It's been sidelined for awhile waiting for spouse to figure out why it's overheating. He grumbles but I really want to continue driving the car. The time spent with repairs is very minimal compared to the time we've spent driving it.

The 05 has also had a few repairs but none that have kept it off the road for more than a day or two.

[Lakebum]

Don't let them get to you Ken.. They are just JEALOUS of our fine cars.. I have had to do a few things, A/C compressor, coolant lines etc. nothing I have not had to do on other cars over the years..

ENJOY YOUR NICE BIRD!!!

[Virginia_PCR]

Ken, my PCR just turned 15 years old, has 27K on it and looks and drives virtually like a brand new car. The COPs issue did have to be addressed twice, and the heated seat switches had to be swapped out; I’ve put a new set of tires on the car and had to replace the windshield many years ago. Other than routine maintenance, the car is original to the core. Every time I visit the dealer, I get compliments from the staff, to include a technician here and there. Half the time I’m at the pumps, somebody comes up to me and asks me if the TBird has been reintroduced or otherwise comments on the car. Yes, they aren’t perfect, no car is, but my retro bird represents the most fun I’ve ever had with a cruiser in my 47 years with a drivers license; and that includes the 10 Mercedes I’ve owned! Ignore the idiots.

[birdfan]

Ken, Ignore them. I have had the Bird for 10 years and it is great fun.

I had a good work friend who's husband was a GM mechanic. While he was a very good mechanic (did an engine replacement on a Oldsmobile I had, under warranty) I tried to discuss cars with him a number of times. He HATED cars. He told me he didn't know why people kept cars for more than 2-3 years because after that they were just old junk. My impression was that as a mechanic if a car took more than easy "replace and move on" effort he was not interested. Unfortunately, I think that attitude may be more prevalent than we would like.

[BillyL]

I am not familiar with that FB site and not interested in it. I am relative new to TBN ( three years) joining when I bought my PCR. I cannot imagine any other website or group that can give you better advise and support for our Retro Birds than this one. Personally I would only go to a ford dealer with my car as a last resort. they are mostly "parts changers" and "oil changers" for newer cars under ford warranty. I reference this site for all information and history when needed and have not been disappointed. All you need to do is ask. Yes you will encounter issues and challenges, but that comes with any low production 15 year old auto. Go enjoy your bird and the journey ahead! It will be worth it.