1997 Thunderbird - The End of the Line

Background
I have owned a 1997 Ford Thunderbird LX with the 4.6L V8 engine for almost two years now. I purchased it in January 2002. During that time, I have had the opportunity to put on almost 40,000 miles on the vehicle. I have sincerely enjoyed driving the vehicle and hope to continue driving it for a couple more years.

Engines and other Specifications
Ford provided two engines to choose from for this model year. There is the 3.8L V6, which produces quite an under-powered 145 horsepower, and the 4.6L V8, which produces 205 horsepower.
There is only one transmission available for this car and it is a four-speed automatic.
One other item of note is the sport-suspension package that is available as an option on some of the vehicles. This option considerably enhances the handling of the vehicle.

Styling and Operable Controls Layout
As you may already have realized, this was the last year of the particular body style Thunderbird that Ford had produced from 1989 - 1997. While Ford did make subtle changes to the vehicle from its inception, the exterior definitely is beginning to look outdated. The interior on the other hand was exceptionally done. The dash and the trim options on the door are tastefully done. The controls are all situated within easy reach of the driver and the door locks and windows are also easily accessible.

Power and Handling
The Thunderbird that I purchased only has 205 horsepower, but it sure feels like a lot more. The car is rear-wheel drive and is geared quite well. If you step on the accelerator from a stop you can spin the tires with extreme ease and you can get the car sideways quite easily around turns if you hit the accelerator hard. I have driven vehicles that have been rated 25-50 horsepower more than this vehicle and just do not have the same level of power.

My car has the optional sport suspension package. It takes up extra space under the motor and makes the oil difficult to change, but really assists the car in all around handling. The car remains low with little body roll even in very tight turns. After working at a car rental place and having the opportunity to drive over thirty different models of vehicles I would have to consider this one of the best handling vehicles out there, especially for the price.

Comfort Level
The Thunderbird comes with cloth interior standard and Leather as an option. I have the leather on my vehicle, and while it is a tad cold in the winter and a little warm at times in the summer, the seats are very comfortable. I have been on a number of long trips consisting of three hours or more and there have been no complaints by the passengers or me of soreness or tightness. I definitely would not recommend this vehicle for long trips with more than three passengers though, the back seat room is minimal and would cause more than slight discomfort for anyone who is relegated to the back seat for too long.

Braking
The vehicle comes with four wheel anti-lock disc brakes. These have come in handy through many of the worst days during Wisconsin’s past winters. As for the ability to stop quickly, the vehicle does not seem to come to a stop any more quickly than an average car with four wheel disc brakes. This is definitely one area where Ford could have improved upon quite easily.

Fuel Economy
The Thunderbird comes standard with an 18 gallon gas tank. I have averaged anywhere from 21-26 miles a gallon per tank. The EPA expected fuel economy for the V6 is 18/26 per gallon and the V8 is 17/25. I think that estimate is very close considering the amount of time that I have driven on the freeway. 25-26 miles per gallon on the freeway is definitely not bad for a V8.

Maintenance
This car has been a reliable vehicle for me, but there has been some work done to the vehicle. Two months after I purchased the car, in March 2003, I had to have the starter changed. Three months after the starter was changed, the alternator needed to be replaced. I have not had any problems since and generally the car is in really great mechanical shape. The cost to fix the starter with parts and labor was $222. I would have changed it myself but it was impossible to get at with the tools that I own. A brand new alternator runs close to $120, but I was fortunate enough to pick one up at a salvage yard for $20.

Overall
This is a great car for every driving experience, whether you want to take the car to work every day or you need to take the car cross-country for a week. I am very happy with the car in general and it is a pleasure to drive. Definitely the worst aspect of the car is changing the oil. It is a pain because of the location of the oil filter in relation to the suspension, but the oil can be changed without taking the vehicle to a Quicklube place if you turn your wheels all the way to the left and have a little patience as you squeeze the filter between the power steering components. With the price of a used Thunderbird with under 100,000 miles running close to $5,000, I would recommend this car to anyone who does not have to haul passengers in the backseat too frequently.