How Many do you think are left?

[My T]

I've been wondering...

What is the count of the TOTAL number of Retro Birds built during 2002 to 2005? (My guess is that it is something like 55,000).

Approximately how many have survived and are still in use? ( as either daily drivers or as only rare occasional use). It has been eight years since the first ones came off the line. In other words, what is the loss ratio?

How many are stored away, unregistered, as true collectors, never driven, and do not ever see the light of day?

I think it would be interesting data. How rare are our cars getting to be, since there are no replacements now. And, how does that compare with other makes that are no longer in production?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[BIRD 42]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

From Dot's Portholeauthority page

2002 31,368
2003 14,678
2004 12,757
2005 9,295
total 68,098

The site breaks down each color for each year as well
Tom, You have asked a very interesting question.

Mike

[5bird7]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Mike posted the only info we can get our hands on.

The rest may be much more difficult to get since that depends on records kept by many different states and agencies and the owners themselves.

Loss ratio was probably pretty small when the cars were new but we can speculate from Joe's thread that it's increased somewhat.

[berogersjr]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Probably a big undertaking, but in addition to the registry on TBN and various other Thunderbird sites, maybe someone needs to start/keep a master database of known retrobirds, their VINs, owners, locations, etc. This also needs to include birds listed on eBay, autotraders, birds that have been wrecked, birds sighted at a dealership, etc. Twenty years or so down the road, this might be the only way to really answer questions like Tom had.

Anybody know of such a thing already in progress?

[5bird7]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Thunderbird Registry has such a database going. entries are sent to the owner of the site and he adds to the data there.

[SunnyDayz]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

I would imagine not too many have been lost, since owners of these cars generally don't use them as an appliance. They're probably driven less and not in the hands of teenagers as much either.

[berogersjr]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Thunderbird Registry has such a database going. entries are sent to the owner of the site and he adds to the data there.

I know of that one also, but it does not seem to be updated regularly. I've sent several updates to it that have never been included.

[5bird7]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Roger, it may depend on when you sent the entries in. He was not able to add entries for a couple of years but has overcome that now. Have you checked in the last 6 months?

[Leroy]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Seems to me the only way you could even come close to an accurate count would be through the BMV of each State. Leroy

\ \ \ \ \______________________________________________

[My T]

Re: How Many do you think are left?

Interesting responses from several of you. Thanks.

The questions remains:

Of the 68,000 BIRDS built 2002 - 2005, approximately how many have been lost to wrecks, burn-ups, or other casualty to end up in the graveyard? Or, perhaps in permament, locked up, collector storage? What would be your best estimate? Do you think that 60,000 are still in circulation? TBN has only about 6,000.

Do we have access to any stats from other manufacturers who have discontinued a model and then tracked it's survival? For example, I wonder if Pontiac is doing that. How will Solstice do? Or, did Camaro do that between 2002 and 2010? Any other examples?