1991 Ford Thunderbird Base review from North America
"Great car, hates salt. 3.8L eats HG's"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Head gasket @ 80,000 miles.
Head gasket again @ 147,000 miles.
Body rot : drivers door, passenger rocker panel.
Fuel pump @ 147,000 miles.
Shocks, springs, inner & outer tie rods, upper & lower control arms, sway bar end links & bushings, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, brake hoses & hard lines to rear, pass side rear wheel bearing @ 115,000 miles.
Ignition coil @ 135,000 miles.
A/c failed @ 60,000 miles.
General comments?
I had a lot of fun driving this car hard for the last 18 years.
It never left me stranded by the side of the road, and never failed to start.
It was very roomy with loads of front leg room.
It was nicely designed, well made and easy to work on.
It was very reasonably priced.
Body rot ultimately made it not worth repairing.
The parking brake adjusts the rear drums, use it or the rear brakes stop working, transferring the load to the front, causing the rotors to warp.
The 3.8L V6 has a head gasket problem, I would not recommend this engine, get the V8.
Heating & cooling and braking systems weak.
The alternator, water pump, radiator and exhaust were original (!)
Recommended reviews
| A serious waste of $ and space on earth |
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| 1990 - Thunderbird Super Coupe V6 3.8 Supercharged Awesome fast sports car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1991 |
| Year of manufacture | 1991 |
| First year of ownership | 1991 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8L Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 147000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Nova |
| Date of Entry | 18th July, 2009 |