1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe review from North America
"A diamond in the rough for Ford that they will never make again"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The car's braking system was fantastic, when it worked. When it broke, EVERYTHING cost a great deal of money unless you could cut corners like I did or you knew people. I once had to have Ford do an entire search to find an ABS sensor and it had been sitting on a service shelf for 8 years.
The car also loved to overheat, and of all places, on the highway. You would think hard city driving would be the key, but not so in this case. My guess was that it was just a poorly-engineered water pump.
The fuel pump was the anti-Christ, and replacing it (and the fuel sending unit) was like the fifth ring of hell.
General comments?
The postings on here made me think about a car that I loved dearly but no longer own. Despite its shortcomings, I have to be fair since the car was ten years old when I bought it. Although I have owned a few cars since then, this was one of the finest vehicles Ford ever made. It is a rarity too: I used to see one every three to four days; I am lucky if I see one now every three to four months.
I used this car as a daily driver, which was a bad idea in terms of my then broke-college student budget. I think I had the least-optioned TC available: no illuminated vanity mirrors, auto dim/lamp, etc. However, the color scheme (Black with Scarlet Red velour) was the best!
I'd eagerly recommend anyone to buy this car if they find a decent one, which is quite hard to find. The lower mileage, one-owner car is worth the extra $700-1000, trust me.
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![]() ![]() | This car is a great car for both young and old |
![]() ![]() | 1987 - Thunderbird Turbo Coupe 2.3 turbo If you've got extra money to blow... and time |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1999 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3L turbo Manual |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 101000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 193000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Date of Entry | 3rd November, 2001 |

