1997 Ford Thunderbird LX review from North America
"An excellent balance of performance and comfort at a great price"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission began shifting poorly at 30K miles. Dealer service did not improve the shifting. A trans fluid flush at a local transmission shop fixed the problem. It is still shifting OK. A letter that accompanied the new car explained that the 46 miles were from a factory performance test. They must have paid careful attention to this one, it has run flawlessly for over 72K miles.
General comments?
This car is a good balance between comfort and performance at a very good price. For me seats are exceptionally comfortable, the ride is reasonably smooth with the sport option. The handling is a cut above most other passenger cars, but definitely not sports car level. The car has been exceptionally reliable. This is fortunate since the service by the dealer is so poor.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.6L V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 46 miles |
| Most recent distance | 72500 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Accord |
| Date of Entry | 22nd August, 2002 |