Comments: 1-15, 16
Replaced fuel pump twice, once at 80000 miles and again at 100000 miles.
Replaced ignition module, EFI and chip set at 90000 miles.
Replaced gas tank at 90000 miles.
Replaced alternator, radiator and transmission at approximately 95000 miles.
Replaced front brakes at 85000 miles.
When my lease expired on a 1991 Mustang LX convertible (4-cylinder), I decided to look for an older used car that would be cheaper to insure.
Unfortunately, I purchased a 1985 Thunderbird coupe with the V6 automatic. The odometer read 72800 miles when purchased.
I had problems with this car from the day I drove it home. The car ran extremely rough and the transmission would be sluggish or buck when accelerating and shifting up. I finally replaced the tranny myself with a rebuilt tranny from a junk yard.
Biggest complaint with this car had to do with the EFI and the on-board computer/chip set. This developed several problems, and the whole electronics had to be replaced, work which had to be done at a Ford dealer. Needless to say, my experience with Ford dealers in terms of repairs was that they take forever and charge exorbitantly. The car was once in their shop for 3 weeks. Fortunately, I only lived about 1.5 miles from my work, so I could walk while the car was in the shop.
This car was hungry for money/used parts, and virtually most expensive parts under the hood had to be replaced between 80000 and 100000 miles. To some extent, replacing an alternator, battery, brake service, muffler is to be expected, but I was disappointed in having to replace the gas tank, fuel pump (2) and tranny before I ever reached 100,000 miles.
This car also took oil, and was told by a reliable mechanic that both the V6 and the 302-V8 took a fair amount of oil.
I was not impressed with handling and braking of this car at all. Needed forever to stop and did not give a smooth ride.
I will give this car credit for the following:
1. The car had pretty good acceleration for a V6, and when it wasn't broken down, it had some serious giddy-up.
2. The car could really perform in snow and mud. I didn't have a great set of tires on this car, but the car would handle a foot of snow on the roads with no problem, and I bogged through at least 8-10" inches of mud on a mountain road with this car. To this day, I don't know how I got through that mud.
3. The interior was plush and loaded with amenities such as good stereo (AM-FM cassette) lighted visor mirrors and comfy seats. The car's heater could throw out serious heat within a matter of minutes. Only downsides were the LED dash (which takes some getting used to) and the air condition, which died around 80K.
4. Body styling was sharp; the mid-1980s T-bird (before the 1988 design change) was a very rakish car. Still like to see these cars on the road today.
I had a real love-hate relationship with this car. I liked the comfort and design of the car, but I was always fixing this car. Spent many a weekend under the hood of the car, and I spent $5000 on parts and repairs in the three years I drove the car. Perhaps Ford has gotten its act together since the mid-1980s, but I would be extremely reluctant to buy another Ford vehicle. There are mid-1980s T-birds out there to be had cheap, but who should buy one? Not people looking for a reliable car, but perhaps a young guy who wants to get experience working on a car. You'll get plenty of practice, but if you have the cash and the time, you can get a comfortable, stylish used car, and if you find a V8 Turbo, you'll get some good power as well.
I have a very good relationship with my 1985 Thunderbird. It has 302 5.0 liter V8 and I have had very little trouble with this car. The only things I have replaced are the thermostat, the magnetic pickup inside the distributor, the heater core and a new exhaust system. All of these replacements cost total about $200 and I did it all myself.
The only reason I replaced the exhaust was because I wanted a tougher sound. The Thunderbird, outside of the engine aspects of it, is a great car also. It has a very nice interior on the inside and everything is set up really well. It has very comfortable seats and the electronics all work well.
The outside look was very neat and stylish but looks like an old people's car. That's why I added a spoiler for down-force and custom wheels and wide tires. After that this car was turned into a sporty looking car. I'm also about to purchase a 1988 Ford Thunderbird hood that went on the 4 cylinder turbos, that way I can have scoops on my car and get a little bit of power out of it.
Overall I give the car a 9 out of 10 because there are some things that are hard to get to when working on the engine. IT'S A GREAT CAR.
Who ever the "Gentalman" who wrote the article about the Ford Thundbird being a lemon is obviously a Chevy lover. I have 192k on my bird with only a timing chain and a started replaced I think it did pretty darn good!~ Just b/c he got a lemon most likely for $ 100.00 and expected a $ 10,000 performance out of it.
I love my bird and there hasn't been any MUSTANG or any other car yet to out run her,,,,, (THAT INCLUDES CHEVYS)
T- birds rock! they are the first of there kind.
I bought a farm out here in Kansas 3 years ago & found a 1985 T-Bird out in the barn with the engine part way dismantled. I have no idea what to do with it. I hooked up a battery charger to it & popped the trunk & found all the engine parts in there. The only thing I know about T-Birds is back in the 60's I had a 1962 T-Bird. Now there was a real car.
I've owned 2 T-Bird Turbo Coupes, which, by the way, have a 4 cylinder, not a V-8. Except for the usual things that need to be replaced on an 18 yr. old car, they've both been great! I love T-Birds, and just because you own one bad vehicle of a certain type, doesn't mean they are all that way. In fact, you can take a bone stock Turbo Coupe, spend about $500 in modifications, and absolutely FLY! I am a Bird of Prey.
I bought a 1985 Thunderbird a year ago Dec for 300.00 and it is still going strong, when my $4000 Dodge Dakota is setting in the back yard broke down with god knows what is wrong with it, but the Thunderbird is running and going 130 miles + everyday I'am sorry this guy got a bad one, but I love my bird.
Mike from Tennessee.
I would have to agree with the rest of the bunch! I've got a 1988 T-bird 5.0L with 257,800 miles... ALL ORIGINAL except for the normal service work. This car is without a doubt the "BEAST" as my wife would say.
I guess you just got the bad one, because I havnt had any problems with my Thunderbird. It's an '85 Turbo Coupe, and after my grandpa died it sat in the garage until I was responsible enough to drive it. Eight years later, I backed it out of the garage and have drove it just about everywhere. It has about 73,500 miles on it, and has some very minor problems, like the motor in the power window went out, but I love my Thunderbird. I've been driving it for about a month now, starts up every time, hadnt died on me once. I would recommend this car to anyone, sorry you got a bad one.
My wife has had 3 t-birds first was a 78 with a 302 a 84 turbo coupe and a85 with a v-6 all have been great cars, I'm sorry he got a bad one.
I have a 1985 T-bird 5.0 and it hasn't done anything, but out run CHEVY'S. It's still going strong and hasn't let me down.
I am in the process of owning a 1985 thunder bird v6 coupe with only 18,500 original miles. It is a one owner car and is as new other than a few very minor issues. My purchase price is only $1,000. It is very assuring to here so many good comments on this model. I will let you all know on how it holds up in the future.
I have a 85 302 5.0 and the only problems I have had are minor I've done nothing, but upgrades I have not lost any races to either chevy nor ford I have custom exhaust and wheels pretty much performance all around my t-bird has 137,000 original miles on it and is still running strong you want to put money wise on what I've spent besides upgrades is a ignition module and a voltage regulator proximately about 100.00 dollars and paid 1700.00 for the car this is the best ford I have ever owned need more of them on the road today.
My 85' T-Bird has only 86k original miles on it and the only thing wrong with mine is the freeze plug for only about 4 dollars after tax and a half of day work it will be up and running in no time.
When I bought the car back in 2002 it had everything orginal on it down to the plugs wires and air filter; may not be original, but it was motor craft which is close enough. I've had my shares of chevys, dodges, pontiacs, and fords, but the one I like the best is my t-bird and escort Zx2. that little zx2 pulled an 88 escort and the t-bird both and the t-bird was pulled for more than 20 miles and still going strong.
P.S. the only repairs I had done on that car was the valve cover gaskets, thermostat, and the heater core.
I bought my first car a little more than a year ago, 1985 Thunderbird (the one that came with the V8) and aside from same age-related issues that the previous owner forget to deal with (mostly because he hadn't used it in a long time) it's been a perfect catch. Aside from having to get a brake line fixed because of age, and getting the engine tuned to be up to my state's EPA, I'm the only guy in my circle of friends who hasn't had serious car issues. Been in 2 accidents & a collision with a dumpster (yeah I'm a bad driver) and aside from a dent in the bumper, unscratched. It's built like a tank, manueverable like a fish in the water, and as 3 Civics & a PT Cruiser have learned, flies off the line.
In 2003 I purchased a one owner 1985 Thunderbird V6 with 42K original miles from my ex partners grandmother who passed on. When I purchased the car, it was faded and dirty from sitting outside in the Florida sun. I gave her a tune up, changed the fluids and drove her home to Pa.
Upon getting (Trudy) back home, I gave the car to my mechanic and told him to go over the car with a fine toothed comb. I have replaced the radiator, left and right tie rod ends, all belts and hoses, brake lines, battery, and customized the exhaust system to a 3 inch magna flow system. Later the rear springs were replaced and stiffer front struts were installed. I had the body stripped to bare metal and had two very little rust spots repaired on the rear deck.
The car sits covered now in a nice warm garage. Sometimes for 6 or 8 months at a time I will just leave here there without starting it. Every time I do go she fires up with a spark to go show her off. Never a day of trouble with Trudy.
She now has 54K on her. She looks like new, gave her new headlights which are upgraded halogen blue bulbs using an H7 bulb. New led bulb replacements on all other lights.
She get a steady 27MPG hwy 20 or so City. Not bad for an old girl. I look forward to many years of car shows and have managed to gather all the history she had including pictures of Trudy the previous owner when she had the god awful Earl Shibe paint job back in 1987. She is back to original brown added gold flake to make her glimmer as she goes down memory lane.
R.M.A Trudy, I hope you like what I did. Your daughter Donna loves it.