Ford Thunderbird BUYER'S GUIDE (Review, Values, Common Problems, Yearly Changes 2002-2005)
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- Ford Thunderbird options, colors, special editions, reliability, common problems, performance, gas mileage, and yearly changes from 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005...
All covered in a concisely-edited buyer's guide + review!
THIS OWNER'S REVIEW COVERS TBIRD ELEVENTH GENERATION QUESTIONS LIKE
Is the Thunderbird reliable?
What are common problems and issues?
What to look for when buying a Thunderbird?
How much is a Thunderbird worth (current values)?
What did Hoovies Garage and Doug DeMuro miss in their reviews?
What special edition feature cars did the Thunderbird have?
What color options were available with the Tbird?
What does the stock exhaust sound like?
How much horsepower does this V8 have?
Is the Thunderbird safe in crash tests?
What is the 0-60 mph time of the Thunderbird?
How does the Thunderbird compare to my C4 Corvette?
How does the convertible soft top and hardtop work on the Thunderbird?
And more!
CHAPTERS
0:00 What Is The Retrobird?
1:33 Color Options
2:52 Styling
3:25 Engine + Horsepower
3:48 0-60 MPH (Exhaust Sound)
4:30 Ride + Handling
5:13 Interior
6:27 Trunk + Cargo Space
6:51 Soft Top + Hardtop
8:43 Safety
9:21 Neiman Marcus Edition
10:14 007 Edition
10:42 Pacific Coast Edition
10:58 Cashmere 50th Edition
11:25 Premium Vs Deluxe?
11:58 Gas Mileage
12:34 Reliability
13:26 Common Problems
18:28 Value Guide + Options
20:46 Verdict
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Retro Cars Forever / Brad Hansen on Instagram-
/ bradhansenmedia
SPECIAL THANKS
To Thunderbird Bob for fact-checking this video- thunderbirdbob.com/
To Athena Stamos for helping with filming- / athenastamos
To John Pingel for help with the hardtop- / jpthrice
And to Patrick Nolte for filming with his red Thunderbird!
#thunderbird #fordthunderbird #carreview - Авто та транспорт
The retrobird is definitely misunderstood. It’s for people that want that old school luxury coupe feel with a smooth V8 for cruising where style and comfort take precedence over performance and handling.
Absolutely! (And that's why I have the Corvette to go along with the TBird, if I ever want performance)
Supercharge that Jag V8 problem solved.
This was a premium presentation. I bought a 2002, Inspiration Yellow Thunderbird Premium in January 2002, it has 17,000 miles on it now. I must admit I have been having "dry-rot" issues. I've had replaced the A/C compressor, tires, and the suspension rubber bits. I love it. Thank you,
Thank you. Sorry to hear youre dealing with "dry rot" issues, that can happen with low mileage cars that werent exercised often enough (ideally 2 times a month for 45 minute drives each)
I love my 2004 retroBird!! Mine is a one owner that i bought in Florida. The biggest thrill was driving it back to Rhode Island without skipping a beat a year and a half ago. The car has been great and a real pleasure to drive.
Thats awesome to hear! Enjoy the drive.
WE HAVE A 2002 TRIPLE BLACK BOUGHT LAST YEAR, IT'S BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF, BECAUSE OF AGE WE HAD ALL THE SUSPENSION PARTS REPLACED, ALL FLUIDS AND COP'S. WE TOOK IT ON A 2000 MILE VACATION TO THE BLUERIDGE AND SKYLINE, SHE PREFORMED LIKE NEW FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY WEDDING TRIP, THAT WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER. LOVE THIS CAR...
I had an '05 Cashmere edition with all the options. The car was gorgeous, receiving positive comments literally everywhere we drove it. In fact, the first night we had the car we drove it through a Saturday night ricer meetup and every kid there knew what the car was and praised it yelling out "... cool T-Bird man!".
I spent about $3K on the suspension (all the rubber bushings were shot). My wife and I replaced all the ignition coils, spark plugs and valve cover gaskets ourselves. That service took us about 4 hours because the rear two cylinders are partially obscured by the firewall. Getting the valve covers off was such an unnecessary PITA that I almost nuked the car over that alone. I gave up on the car when I had the HVAC diverter valve replaced three times, each valve failing within two months of installation. That sounds trivial until you consider driving in a Houston summer with no AC and full HVAC heat. If it weren't for the HVAC issue, I'd probably still have the car.
I replaced the RetroBird with a British Racing Green '96 LT4 Vette convertible which was sold it when I relocated from Houston to south Florida. A pretty car that got it's share of compliments, but nothing like the praise the RetroBird got. The current toy car is a '14 Corvette Z-51 coupe with a plexiglass targa top. Insane performance, plenty of thumbs up, and a good GT ride but...
Every time my wife and I see a RetroBird going by we point it out to our spouse. Not many cars stay with you like that.
Awesome to hear! We had similar service history with our Tbird. Agreed that the engine space close to the firewall makes it a huge pain to service back there!
You might’ve seen other videos on my channel but our other car is a Corvette LT4. Nowhere near as comfy as our Tbird but way better performance, and generally easier to work on.
But Tbird gets way more compliments! The styling truly stands out. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the overall objective view of this car. I'm 72 and I own a 2003 T-Bird Deluxe and it's black on black. It isn't the most reliable, it isn't the fastest, nor is it the most economical car I've ever owned. There are things I don't like about it but for the most part I find this car to be a great little car to own. It's really quite fun to drive and I'll have to admit it gets a great deal of attention even from the young ladies!
Thank you, and agreed!
I have a 2002 T Bird, like new all service records and upgrades! 30,000 miles one owner . I love it😂
After driving a pickup most of my life, my 02' T-Bird feels like a bonafide sports car. 😎
You missed a couple tiny things in this otherwise excellent overview. The 6-CD changer has far above average sound for the era, and a DSP setting that improves stereo imaging for the driver when the roof is down. some reviewers make fun of the storage behind the cupholders, what they miss is that the cubbyhole is the EXACT size as six CD jewel boxes. I think these cars are brilliant in conception and very good in execution.
I have owned my '02 yellow top-trim for about 15 months now. It came to me with (aftermarket) aluminum trim panels up the center column and on the arm rests, mirrored Thunderbird-emblem inlays in the door sills and a fabulous sounding Borla exhaust system (which improved the horsepower as the engine can now breathe). My hard top has ZERO rattle on uneven pavement. The previous owner obviously babied this car.
I just purchased a 2002 retrobird. It looks showroom new, but it did sit in storage for several years. I will definitely drive it more frequently as it was meant to be driven.
Congrats! Make sure to replace all the fluids if they haven't already. Trans (drain not a flush), diff, oil, power steering, brake fluid...Those are decades old now and need to be replaced regardless of miles if they're the fluid that came from the factory.
My wife had the same model as yours. Absolutely LOVED it.
Nice! It’s a great model
Well done sir!... Very informative. Thank you!
I bought my 2002 new, have 290K miles on it. It is fun to drive!!!
That’s an amazing amount of miles! Any major issues during your time with it?
@@RetroCarsForever Usual maintenance (breaks, stuff like that), power steering pump and rack, and 1 transmission. Not a bad maintenance record for that many miles. And it is soooo much fun to drive, the car come alive t speeds over 100+ on the freeway.
@@nefcytom I figured the transmission wouldn't be able to make it that long, but overall that's a pretty trouble-free car for that many miles, congrats!
I have a 2002 thunderbird and I am super super happy with it. I have put in around 6k in upgrades and repairs in 1.5 years. If I could go back I would get an 03-05 for the different fan and the vvt option. It's a head turner, that's for sure! Good review, thanks for the info! 😊
Amazing Job! Love the quality of your videos!
Thanks so much!
Great informational video. Lots of aftermarket parts for these birds to customize them. I put a set of fins on my bird last year and they look great.
Great detailed video. Thank you, excellent job!
Thank YOU for watching!
incredibly detailed review, thank you so much!
Thank you!
You make great videos! Thank you for the very good work!
Thank you!
Absolutely the best review on those gorgeous cars! Congratulations!
Thank you!
Oh, so you know: My gripes below about this T-Bird era are totally apart from appreciation for the quality of your work!
Heh, thank you!
As usual, a great video, love it when you upload!
Thank you!
Very informative and well executed guide! As a car guy and someone who browses the listings for the retro bird, this video was very helpful. Thank you for the time and effort to put it together!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the comment.
Love this video extremely informative, learnt from this video regarding my 2002 Thunderbird.,😍
Thank you, glad this could help you get to know your Tbird better! Happy driving.
Love my Thunderbird, immaculate condition, turquois colour
Great video. All the info I was curious on. I really like the idea of a modern classic American cruiser. Yours looks nice.
Many thanks! If you like the idea, you should check one out, modern classic American cruiser is exactly how it feels and looks.
im glad you're back to uploading, Brad! your video style is ultra unique and because of you im a proud owner of a 1994 Corvette--ignoring the fact that the entire front of the engine bay is disassembled per the optispark problems. most risky but thrilling purchase of my life.
ive always loved this gen thunderbird, since i grew up with them when they were being produced. I saw one the other day and was having a blast watching it pass me
Thank you! This video took AGES to put together so glad it's finally out and that you enjoyed it!
Good luck on getting the C4 back together.
What a great thorough review. I've always liked these cars.
Thank you!
Good luck with finding parts unless you know a guy with a junkyard.
Most excellent Informative presentation
Thank you!
Great video! Always loved the looks of these, my mother too haha. Also nice Dale Duffel Bag 😁
Thanks! And Do It For Dale!
As always a great video even tho i don't really like the looks of the retrobird. Can't wait for your next C4 video 👍
Thanks! Next video will be about C4s.
Thanks for the great video and thorough evaluation of the Retro-Birds. I'm a huge fan of the early T-Birds and have always been curious about these models as well. Our current fun car is a 2002 Miata-LS. I was making mental comparisons as you went through all your points on the Birds. I see pros & cons between the '02-'05 Birds and the vehicle I already have. I am definitely drawn to the 'fun to drive' aspect, but it sounds like the Birds are just not performance oriented enough to satisfy me. Curiosity has been answered. Thanks!
Glad to help! I actually used to own a Miata similar to yours. They're very different cars...Miata is very fun, tight, and tossable (and simpler and more reliable). The Thunderbird is much more spacious and comfortable and luxurious, especially on long highway drives. All depends on what you want!
Thanks for adding a video that takes a positive view of these cars . I own two of them a 03 white and a 04 PCR. Definitely not tbat hard to work on mechanically, i replaced all of the suspension pieces on my 03 on my own with help of countless Thunderbird forums and You Tube videos. Quite reasonable ease in finding the parts and replacement costs.
Thanks, enjoy your Birds!
I would’ve fixed the suspension components myself but hard to without a garage and only basic hand tools.
Great video…thank you!!!
Thank you for watching!
I always get excited to click on a fresh video of yours! I've noticed we both like birds and Corvettes. Although, my birds of a feather are Firebirds and yours are Thunderbirds. You should make a video capturing the cars, fashion, and culture of a Radwood show! I have always wanted to attend one but I don't think any take place on the east coast. Anyway, great video as always!!
Thank ya! I love Firebirds too, test driven a few of them but never found the right one with the options I wanted whenever i was in the market for a fun car. They are rowdy fun, and I love the TTops!
As for Radwood, maybe I'll film something more this year. I do have several albums from each year on my Instagram (instagram.com/bradhansenmedia/)
And I did film about half of this Pop Up video at the event, you can see the vibe surrounding the cars-
ua-cam.com/video/1ZZ05PPJMzQ/v-deo.html
My favorite car show in any case!
@@RetroCarsForever I have owned three different Firebirds now (at one point I had them all at once!) and will forever keep the 1984 Trans Am which has always been my dream car. My first car was a '95 V6 and I bought my wife a 1992 V8 Firebird for her first car (she was my girlfriend at the time). Both the '84 and '92 have t-tops. The '84 that I still have is a 5 speed with the H.O. L69 motor. My Corvette is a '90 ZR-1 six speed. Maybe I need to try to put on a Radwood show of my own! - Out of curiosity, what kind of Firebird would you like?
@@FirebirdDude Oh man I'd REALLY love a ZR-1!
My personal favorite Firebird is the Formula from the mid 90s. Love that smooth aero look.
Amazing review!! I have this exact same car!
Many thanks! Enjoy your Bird.
Thanks for the great video and review. I too own a ‘02 in Thunderbird Blue. I would note the hard top was not secured correctly. The back latch noticeably was up, down is locked. No wonder it was rattling!
Thanks! I’ve triple checked the latch (with the owners manual and the Ford instructional video) and mine is indeed latched. Also, when latch is loose, it actually covers the portal window.
Great review with loads of good information. Just bought an 02 Torch Red Premium edition and look forward to owning it. It’s a great combination of retro styling but with all the safety features you need. Love the 60’s classics but not as safe. Your pricing/ value was right on the money but will probably go up as these get harder to find. You hardly ever see these on the road……they must be snugly tucked away in garages. Thanks.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video and hope it was helpful. Enjoy the new ride!
Great video! No other like on the web re: the Retro-Bird. Living my dream of finally owning one ($40,000 when new made it seem impossible) Everything was spot on in your video, from the compliments from strangers to the convertible latches to me completly rebuilding both the front and rear end suspensions but so worth it! Can't put into words how much I love cruising in my 2002 the same color as the host's wife's car (it was that color or bust as that was the one I always wanted!)
Thanks so much! Glad to hear you’re enjoying your Tbird to the fullest.
Great video. I bought a 2002 tbird with 7800 miles on it. It was owned by NASCAR race car driver Dale Jarret. His signature is on dash plus he gave me his NASCAR jacket autographed. It’s a real head turner with no blemishes. It’s done really well at car shows.
Thank you. I LOVE Dale Jarrett! That is super awesome. I'm curious, what color was his Tbird? And which jacket did he give you? (Was it from his Motorcraft or UPS days?)
I have a 2003 I love it. Overheating problems on and off. In the shop now getting water pump, auxiliary water pump. Good video!
That’s interesting car has two water pumps? I read about the cooling issues.
@@rolandthethompsongunner64 yes two water pumps. Ridiculous.
I would agree with all the points you made. These cars are fun, but not thrilling, to drive. And preventive maintenance is important. Great review and objective analysis.
Thank you! Well said.
Great video! I love my 2003 Mountain Shadow Grey with Saddle Tan interior. If the car seems sluggish when accelerating, try running a good fuel injector cleaner. Doing that was a game changer for my acceleration.
Thanks! I put in fuel injector cleaner a few times a year. I think our Bird is running as it should, the video times out to 0-60mph in 8 seconds, just a second off instrumented testing. My run was in a higher altitude without much brake standing so that seems about right.
I thought I would hate it. but now I like it.
Cashmere owner who's been very pleased.
It's been a great car for open air cruising in the country, going to music outings.
Great to hear! Sounds like you’re doing exactly what this Tbird was designed to do best.
Loved this review of the tbird. I have a 2005 Inca gold. Love it but do not get to enjoy it as much as I would like. Being 74 years old. 39000 miles on it but only get it out to drive maybe once every three months. So might have to sell it. But when I do get it out really enjoy it.
That’s a long time for the car to be sitting, ideally cars this old should be driven up to temp once every few weeks. It might be a good idea to sell it…maybe a family member wants it so you could still drive it occasionally?
Excellent comprehensive review! I’ve own an ‘04 platinum silver w/black interior, platinum hardtop since 2006. She has 86k on the odometer and has been reliable overall but I have spent significant $’s on redoing suspension items, a trans rebuild etc., no deferred maintenance ever but it’s been well worth it. No regrets. Plus, top up or down..hard top on or off..no squeaks or rattles! I’ve looked for an alternative convertible to buy but none out there turn me on enough to sell, especially with today’s prices! And I still get compliments and thumbs up nearly every time I take it out. I mean, a comfortable two seater, with a v8, rear wheel drive, and a hard top for the winter. She’ll happily cruise all day..when you punch it, passing is a breeze, and when the weather’s good..the top goes down. What more do you want? (Although the CD player ate my tunes and the wipers have a mind of their own 😊)
Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying your car. I agree, for the money, there’s really nothing else quite like it.
nice cars hope thet continue to do well
Great video, Brad
Thank ya very much!
That teal interior is sweet! Got to find one for my wife now...
Thanks! That teal interior was what REALLY sold my wife on the car. Really cool how these cars give you such fun interior color options vs the standard black/grey/tan of the era.
OUTSTANDING video full of information! Always love the TB! The Retro Bird! Awesome 2 seater, sexy boulevard cruiser, and Classic Car! Makes me want to look on line right now! Thanks again!👍!
Thank you! And there are always tempting mint condition examples of these cars online.
was justgifted a 2004 merlot with tan interior for my fiftieth birthday. Car is in great almost perfect shap. it has sat though so i hope to get her out more. Any parts companies would be helpful. Thanks and great video.
Congrats! I personally like RockAuto for best deal on car parts, but Ebay is another good resource.
Any parts that are unique to the Tbird and not shared with the Jag Stype or Lincoln LS that are hard to source, check out ThunderbirdBob.com
I am about to buy one of these for my grandma for Christmas. This was helpful. I think I have found a good 2004
Glad to help, hope she enjoys it, thats an AWESOME Christmas present!
@@RetroCarsForever she’s always been a big tbird fan. She gave me her 1994 as my first vehicle in high school, and so I figure now I am going to return her the favor
@@scarfacetj2795 That's awesome! As it turns out my SECOND vehicle was very similar to yours...
ua-cam.com/video/gsbLbB9P6m8/v-deo.html
So pretty!
Great video I love my 2002
Thanks, glad to hear you enjoy your 2002 as well!
I have a 2003 with 9000 miles on her. She's beautiful and I love her. Gets many looks too. That top should not be creaking that way....are you sure it's on correctly? I studied your video before purchasing mine. I had them put it on a lift and checked as much as you said with my flashlight. Thank you very much for posting this great information.
Glad to hear this video was a helpful guide in your search! I think our top creaks more than most because of the wonky parking ramp angle we have to use every single day. We have honestly gotten used to it, but figured it was worth mentioning as its a hot topic amongst many Retrobird owners.
I have the same one as yours. Same reason. Wife loves the color. I installed a 2005 electric fan (slight trimming on the housing and it goes right in place of the hydraulic unit) and adjustable temp controller. Just connect the pressure and return lines together and leave the rest of the old system in the car. Also, I have no issue with noise from the hard top like yours. Perhaps there is an adjustment to make it clamp down a little tighter?
Great tip if we ever have major cooling issues with our funky fan.
I think our hardtop creaks worse than others because we have a severe ramp that we have to use every day in our apartment garage (as you see in the video). Even when we adjust the top to quiet it down, it just goes right back to creaking with the ramp. We just learned to live with it!
Well done analyses of the 2002-2005 Thunderbirds without hype and hinder. One item I noticed -- at about 8 minutes
the discussion about the hardtop rattling. Driving into the garage, the lockdown lever is in the forward position. It should be in the rear, locked position. Move both leavers rearward and 99% of the rattles should go away.
Thank you!
As for the hardtop locking lever, you have it backwards. Forward is tight, back is loose. When it's back, the lever will even cover the portal window.
I verified this from the instructional CD that came with the car, you can see that uploaded here (cued up)- ua-cam.com/video/E_gHCSxzF6w/v-deo.html
@@RetroCarsForever
Yes indeed. You can infer how many times I've used my hardtop! My boo-boo and retro-memory.
There are remedies to reset the locking characteristics. When I drove with my hardtop on (and locked), I had no problems with rattles, but as with anything mechanical, it takes a bit of finagling sometimes.
@@joniehiggins1344 I've tried everything to help with the rattles, and I mean EVERYTHING! And nothing cures it entirely.
Granted, having to go up and down that steep ramp everyday probably does it no favors.
@@RetroCarsForever
Many recommend that you check the cross-members under the car to make sure the bolts are torqued to specs. They tend to loosen and cause the body flex that might be affecting your hardtop rattle.
@@doriwebb2515 I've heard about that, will give it a check next time I'm under there. The owner of the red car in the video said he tried that but found his bolts were still on tight, so I suspect mine might be as well, but still worth checking. Thanks!
I purchased my 2004 Thunderbird from a California dealer as a trade-in car. It was a one-owner when I got it. I have had it for 9 years. So far I have had to replace the front suspension and rebuilt the air conditioning compressor. The CD player went out so I replaced it with a Kenwood. The faint on the hood started to crack and only got worse over the years so I repainted the car and changed the color from black to Maroon. At 82K miles she still drives great.
Nice! We also had to have our AC compressor replaced around 70k miles or so, not sure if that is a common issue because we were driving through 105 degree heat when it went!
Cool video man thanks for having a honest review on this car. Seems too many people want to jump on the bad wing and hate it without knowing too much about it. It's a car with its faults One thing you didn't point out is transmissions can be an issue on this car I got mine for a really cheap price cuz the guy just didn't want to put more money into his and his transmission was starting to go. But they can be really fun cars I really love mine and I've had it now for almost 5 years. I have an '04 Merlot That there was a premium he had gotten rid of the hardtop along the way so it would only came as a soft top another reason it was cheap. I fixed stuff on it probably put six $7,000 in repair so far a big ticket item was that transmission I also did some upgrades and put a borla exhaust to get that more classic rumble V8 sound and I added a cold air intake and did a custom tune on the car that really woke it up and adds more power. It throws you back in the seats now a little bit. Just a fun ride and I love having a convertible in Southern California and something that's just different from the miatas and BMW you see everywhere out here.
Thank you, glad to hear your enjoying your Bird and making it your own!
I'm curious how many miles your car had before the trans went out. I did mention in this video that there's a certain mileage point where you can expect big ticket repairs like that, and thats why I recommend cars in a lower mileage bracket.
@@RetroCarsForever sorry I must have missed that. My car was higher mileage it was around $97,000 mi when I bought it. Like I said I knew a little bit about these cars when I bought it and knew there had to be something wrong because it was selling for $3,500. Think with fees and taxes and everything I ended up walking away with it like $4200. Luckily where I lived at the time I had an excellent mechanic that worked with these really great transmission specialist down the block from them so got recommended there so got to it was the original transmission They fix it but then they actually made improvements that were no one faults for that transmission so I had that done a while ago and I've had no issues with transmission and have a feeling that's not going to be a problem for a long time.
@@minnesota_fats7344 At the end of the day, you still didnt have to spend that much for your Tbird! Great to hear.
@@RetroCarsForever ain't that the god on its truth and that's why I love that car It's cost about what I thought with it and I've got to make it a little more performance-oriented than what it is naturally and I just I love my retrobird. Actually I signed up for a Thunderbird forum as well when I got it just to get extra tips and someone posted a 67 Thunderbird w/rear suicide doors. She's a real beauty too and was in really good shape 85 on the body and 90 on the interior. Got those hideaway headlights too which are really cool and boy does that car get the looks, people have to comment on it, sameish color as your retro bird too, I believe it was called Tahoe turquoise back then. The 67 through 69 birds were nicknamed the Glamor birds.
What are the rubber pieces called on suspension. Need to get new ones and order. Thank you for telling me about them.
Bushings (or sometimes ball joints).
Only some of the suspension pieces will allow you to "repress" the rubber bushings, you might have to get all new components for some of the suspension parts.
I love my 02 thunderbird and want to buy another one
Great video. So many missed the point of this car. If they had made it too high performance, it would have competed with the Mustang. I bought one new in 2004 and still have it. One of the issues when it was new was that dealers marked the price up to astronomical levels. In southeast Florida, some of the markups exceeded 30k. I found mine (new) in Valley Stream NY for under list price. Flew up to buy it and drove it to DC and took the autotrain back to FL. I do wish they had used the Ford 4.6L V-8. The Jaguar engine, while very smooth, has been problematic. The cooling system issues have been numerous over the years. The A/C blender doors have also been a problem. I have a 94 T-Bird with 500k miles that has never required as much in maintenance. Anyway, I love my 2004 and wouldn't part with it, but like Jaguar owners, I feel like I need a backup vehicle.
Totally agreed! Ive owned a Mustang of this era with the 4.6L V8 and I cant see any advantage to the 3.9L they used in the Tbird except a tad more smoothness. The 4.6 was easy to work on, sounded better, had more power, and was tough as nails.
we just purchased on a 2002 black on black with only 18500 miles yes i had to havet and rear bushing and trailing arms rear and frt , $3500 worth of work ,, for a low miles car so i say yes its being looked at for sure,, new michelin tires to beat,, love the v8 i dont need 700 hp it will get you in trouble lol ,, with the independent suspension car rides like a dream,, i just retired from ford i was a tool grinder tradesman
I wish there was more after market engine parts for this car. I have the 2002 thunderbird model. So I can't find much. They no. Longer sell tuners for this model due to California laws. I put a magnaflow exhaust, performance coils and plugs, I found a cold air intake that was made for a lincoln LS of the same year. It's a long polished tube, to replace the stock sir box (I've been told the original air filter box and tube should be left stock, since there are so many chambers it is designed for ultimate air flow and performance) so changing to after mark (I first tried the cheap Chinese ones off ebay and Amazon but removed it cuz it was cheap junk) so I think it helped but maybe I lost a few HP with our knowing. When I switched to the cone k and n filter, it really really makes a big difference with the sound on the motor when I give it gas. It sounds like a performance car! But every mechanic (jaguar or after market custom classic shop) has said no turbo, no super charger, no performance header since it is a shorty exhaust manifold will help. The cost vs benefit isn't there. I've looked into a different upgraded motor, but with the computer and fmu or pcm (I don't recall which one) won't be compatible with any upgrade and would be a headache. It would be 20k$ to do. There's pics of guys back in the day swapping motors out for their retro birds but it's complete fabrication and custom work they did. I have been told just buy a new car. Or mount the tbird body on another cars frame. So I have accepted that the motor can be visually dressed up but not to much performance parts.. . Does anyone have any input? Or ideas? i don't want to go to a shop and spend 700 to try to get it tuned at a custom dynotune shop and then mess up something since it is my daily driver. If anyone has direct expirence. I do not post a lot about my after market mods because most ppl that are into tbird say leave it as is. Thanks for such a great video!
I'm in several Retrobird Facebook groups and I have heard similar tales to yours. There's just not much there when it comes to speed mods for these cars. It's just not a big market, and I think they figure anyone who wanted a retro-looking fast convertible would've just bought a V8 Mustang from the era by now (which has a HUGE aftermarket for mods).
love mine 2003 36,000 miles black on black with Crome rims it’s a sweet looken ride lots of compliments don’t drive it as much as i’d like trying to keep the miles down
Driving the car is good for it! Enjoy it!
I love my retrobird! Your review is excellent. Spot on except I think handling is superb. Not a race car, but on twisties, I can keep up with minis and miatas!
Thank you! I drive on canyon roads all the time, and I find the TBird isn't AWFUL, it's just not as precise or as quick as, say, my Corvette.
It actually moves through the twisties at a decent speed, it's just not as controlled/tidy in its body motions as a pure sports car. Still a fun car to cruise on canyon roads, especially with the top down!
I'd like to see a C5 corvette video, I've really liked the C4 videos
Noted! I'd love to videos with C5s. Currently theyve only appeared in my "first car" video here...
ua-cam.com/video/dyF5eHPf5sw/v-deo.html
@@RetroCarsForever much appreciated love your videos, hope to see a c5 sometime in the future
The last year of the thunderbird its my dream car from 1994 1995 to 2003 my dad and myself driving one 2003 and was Amazing and sadly miss the thunderbird and cougar name from ford
There are rumors that Ford would bring the Thunderbird back, perhaps as a stylish EV.
Awesome and totally comprehensive overview! I had a triple red 2003 for about a year and a half; fully loaded and even modified a bit under my ownership. Unfortunately, dropping the car 1.5” on coilovers and new performance cats & exhaust was about all I could do with it.
So I made the decision to sell it in 2021 and moved up to a red 1957 Thunderbird that satisfies my sportscar desire. A manual transmission and far less electronics that hinder beefing up performance.
Thanks! Not too many owners mod their TBirds for performance, so I'm curious how your car rode and drove with those modifications.
@@RetroCarsForever In total I did about 5 things to it. Borla exhaust kit, magnaflow cats, D2 Racing adjustable coilovers (marketed for the Jag S Type), the K&N CAI kit, and a pocket tuner to read OBD codes and adjust the ECU for the new intake.
The exhaust parts definitely made the car sound so much better. Nice and burbley, not obnoxiously loud, and something all Retrobird owners should do IMO.
The suspension really stiffened the car up and handled better in the corners. Not to mention a lower profile and better fitment of the wheels in the wheel well. I did also spring for a set of Vouge Tyre whitewalls as well.
Overall, butt dyno wants to estimate I was somewhere around 300-310 horsepower but that only gets you so far in a near two ton roadster. I’ll need to time some launches but the ‘57 feels quicker to take off with the 245hp 312 and ~3,100lb curb weight.
@@tuckersbaby Nice! Sounds like you had one of the most hot-rodded Retrobirds out there.
I think ANY old car feels quicker than newer ones, just because it's a louder/more raw driving experience (and usually cars are smaller and lighter)
@@RetroCarsForever Definitely more than the typical platinum haired clientele that are associated with the 11th gens, but I guess that comes with being a young 20-something instead of a retiree. I like the style of these cars, down to the Lincoln LS+ interior, I just wish Ford spent more time rebirthing the Thunderbird instead of playing on nostalgia.
@@tuckersbaby Yeah, the Eleventh Gen TBird was definitely all about the retro nostalgia, for better or for worse.
I loved my 2002 Thunderbird. It was white with a two tone red and black interior. Unfortunately it also had a steel timing chain and an aluminum block. When the timing chain broke it destroyed the block.
Make sure you change your timing change before the manuals recommendation. It could save your engine.
That being said, I miss my Thunder chicken.
Dang, that's awful! I haven't heard too much about timing chain failures in these cars, or if they did that it would destroy the engine. How many miles did your Tbird have when it happened?
Love the '02. Question . . . Did you restore the color in the seats? And if so, how did you do it?
Thanks! I picked a car that had the color in good condition already, so no restoration was needed. I've just been really good about putting leather cleaner/restoring product on it at least twice a year to keep it that way. We also rarely have the top off, so that helps keep it in good condition.
It's tricky restoring the insert colors as its a difficult color to match. Your best bet might be a new seat cover (check out ThunderbirdBob.net or Ebay for replacements)
I wasnt the market for these cars when they released. I i was in college but i fell in love with the styling. They arent fast, who cares when they look so damn good.
Same here…but I always thought they looked cool, and happy to finally own one!
I’m actually one of the lucky ones who owns a Pacific Coast Roadster 🤙🏽 78k and strong. #149/1000
Awesome! My personal fave special edition, such beautiful cars.
Great video! I have a 04 platinum silver base with the matching hardtop. I’ve had it about 6 years with 48k at purchase and 64k today. Just got an engine light with a rough idle thinking it’s the coil packs! Anybody know where I can get a new spare?
Thanks!
My advise...If you have a check engine light, it's vital to get an OBD2 Code Reader connected to tell you EXACTLY what is wrong with the car, otherwise you're just blindly guessing.
Nice!
These are great cars that people didn't understand when they were released
Agreed! And a lot of people STILL don’t understand them!
This is like an American Mercedes sl
I have a 2003 ford thunderbird, it didn’t come with the hard top. IF I buy one off eBay. My question is that if it will latch/Fit properly at ALL mounting spots? I know that there are 2 securing points at the back of the hard top. I NEED to know! Please and THANK YOU!
Check out ThunderBirdBob's website to verify, but I'm almost certain that all years are interchangeable.
I would love a prowler and ssr review
Two cars that I'd love to drive sometime! We did feature a nice Prowler in our "Retro Design Car" video here- ua-cam.com/video/Sczc9aQbtKY/v-deo.html
Great video, but as far as the hard top noise from the videos, it looks like you don’t have the plastic rubber protection that’s supposed to be on there. I had mine for 10 years, took the top on it off and never got anywhere near the noise is yours dead you may not like the looks of it but it’s that clear plastic film type stuff like you put on the front of the vehicle but it should go around where the rubber seals that would help out a lot.
Thank you. I’ve heard of the plastic strips, they were even offered from the factory. We actually have the chrome strips that are supposed to the same thing. Helped a bit but didn’t totally eliminate the noise.
At this point we have just gotten used to it, and it only makes noise on really rough roads or on steep inclines.
wht a good review. better than the san diago guy
You mean Doug Demuro? Thanks! I’m a fan of his but he totally missed the appeal of the color options.
I would love to see a 1999-2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo buyers guide aswell
Great suggestion! I used to own one of those (2004 Supercharged Intimidator) so I'll consider it.
My dad passed recently and I'm trying to figure out how to go about selling his 2004 T-Bird. His is black with a hardtop with only 9,500 miles on it. Hard to find a buyer for such a niche car though. I was thinking of asking 20K. What do you think about values of like new ultra low mile examples?
I’m sorry for your loss. That’s a super low mileage example, in theory it would be worth a grand or two more than the top end of my pricing guide here.
However, if it has sat dormant and not driven for a few years, then that actually decreases the value a bit as it will need an expensive refreshing to get back to driving duty.
20k sound perfectly reasonable off hand, but use the price guide or this video to really zero in what it’s worth.
The best place to sell would be on Thunderbird Facebook groups there are several. Also Craigslist and Facebook marketplace.
Best of luck to you.
bro the thumbnail got me thinking this was a gta video lmao epic vid tho
Heh thanks
I'm 64 yrs old. I'm too young to remember the original but old enough to remember the behemoths that followed. I was excited for the retros of the early 2000s. I liked the styling, but something kept me at-bay, and I'm glad it did. I'm fairly mechanically inclined but have no appetite for a timing chain failure. Rumors abound about a 2025 Thunderbird. My guess is Ford will flub it up. IMO any new Thunderbird should pick up from the 2000s using the Mustang platform and mechanicals.
I havent heard about too many timing chain issues on these cars, it could happen but the other common issues I go over in this video are much more prevalent. I do think that the Mustang GT Convertible from this era is a much simpler car to work on, and has superior performance (but doesn't look as good and isn't as refined).
I almost traded my 02 LS for an 04 T-Bird. I wished I had.
It's not too late to bick up a TBird! Plenty of nice ones out there for sale.
I have an 2003 for thunderbird red. Can anyone tell me how many thermostats do they have??
Unless I'm totally off with this...I thought they only have 1 engine thermostat (as do just about all cars)
I have a problem when i turn on my car when its cold it does not leak, as soon as it warms up it starts leaking, i believe the tank expands then it starts leaking. I just replaced the tank at a ford dealer, they test drove it before i pick it up they called me and said it overheating. It did not have this issue before ? What could it be ? Its. 2002 bird
Not sure I follow...If the car is at the dealer, and they didn't fix the leak even though they replaced the coolant tank, why do you need to figure out what's wrong...Shouldn't THEY have to figure that out?
In any case, I would suspect the thermostat is to blame for overheating. But I would have a professional check for certain (and as I mention at the end of this video...Ford dealers have very little knowledge of these cars any more, and yet they're the most expensive place to go for service).
What everyone forgets to mention., it was the 2002 Motor Trend car of the year
Yes! I should've mentioned that in this review (I have the magazine)
I have a 2002 love it however it has lost power wont go past 60 i have not had it looked at yet.
Any check engine light? If so get a code reader (or someone who has one) and see what's up!
@@RetroCarsForever no check engine light on car was running perfect then started shuddering one Day I pulled off the road it cut off then I let it sit restarted it and drove it back home.
So funny...
My wives thunderbird 2004 is red..
My 1967 bird coupe is grey..
😂❤😂
The premium only fuel is kinda a deal breaker. If I’m having to put premium in it might as well buy a used Mustang. Especially considering how much in repairs I would have to have performed on a used Bird.
Honestly, a Mustang convertible from this time period might make a lot more sense to most people (Ive owned a few of those as well). They have better performance, are cheaper to buy, and are way cheaper and easier to fix. And yes, most dont require premium fuel.
The only real advantage to the Tbird is they are more comfortable, luxurious, and have a more unique look.
How much would one with 180k miles worth of
Significantly less than the values I quoted. At that point these cars tend to fall apart. Probably worth 5ish grand unless it has complete service records showing the owner has changed a LOT of parts by that point (including the trans and full cooling system)
Thunderbird Blue was my childhood dream car, imagine how shocked when my dream came true @ 61 🎂🚙 Loving driving my beautiful Gypsy Bird 🐦 💙 True Happiness 💘🛣️🍀🎯
Congrats, enjoy the ride!
Have a friend who has a 2002 Retro Bird , LOW Miles , he thinks its the " Cats Meow " ! !
I have a 94 and I personally would only buy going down the years . I just don’t find the last Gen body physically attractive . Also they have are rare to see in 2024. I cannot remember even seeing one in the last 2 years
I do think the MN12 Thunderbird appeal to a totally different audience than these Retrobirds (I like both, personally). Both are rare to see these days!
@@RetroCarsForeveryou’re video was outstanding and very well presented .
I can’t even remember seeing my Gen T-Bird on the road . Both are getting rare and it’s quite sad to see where all the manufactures are going . The only thing we can do is hold on to our cars and hopefully pass them down to friends and family who can keep them running
Just coat the hardtop seal with some Krytox and that will make all the difference...
Never heard of that, will look into it. Thanks!
Recently, you see alot of them in salvage yards, the electrical repairs outweigh the value of the car.
I think these cars are finally starting to get driven, and as I mention in the video, a lot starts going wrong once you get to the 150k mile mark. I bet you the ones in salvage yards are mostly higher miles like that.
18:30 ...I'd by that for a dollar!
🤣 😆 I'm sorry, but it cost us slightly MORE than one dollar!
@@RetroCarsForever HAHA! Oh drat!
I have made a trapeze above the T-Bird parking spot. I attach the hard top and crank it up to the ceiling. For the hot Phoenix summer months I crank it down into place, release my trapeze contraption and off she goes for lunch with the ladies. One person, happy wife. Car is twenty years old and is perfect in every respect. Happy wife.
Awesome sounding contraption you've made! Glad you hear you and your wife are enjoying your Bird no matter the season.