2002 Ford Thunderbird

Still fabulous 10 years later

By 03BirdFan (FL) on Saturday, May 11, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 58,000

Pros: "Great style, comfort/handling, low ownership costs"

Cons: "Memory seats/mirrors would have been nice"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

In front of a B-17 at the AF Armament Museum at Eglin AFB FL

"This car has been everything I hoped for when I bought it new. Even though I drive it every day, it still drives and looks showroom new. It still turns heads and I get compliments from school kids ands adults. It's the perfect car for date nights and weekend getaways, which my wife and I use it for often. Ownership costs for upkeep and insurance have been much lower than I expected, since this is my first convertible and first premium car. I plan to drive it as long as I can find replacement parts."

2 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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Very nice car.

By HJM (MS) on Monday, April 22, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 15,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Fun car to own, lots of curb appeal, it's a head turner. Unpractical for family car. Handles very well, performance is excellent."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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one of the best cars i have ever owned

By yezot (SC) on Wednesday, April 17, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 80,000

Cons: "could use a little bigger trunk"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I have owned more cars than I can remember, foreign and domestic. This car is extremely fast for such a small V8 3.9L. It rides as smooth as any Caddie I have ever owned and corners in the mountain roads like a Miata. I have owned it for 2 years and have had no problems at all with it."

4 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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Classic, sleek sophisticated

By Mina (IL) on Monday, April 08, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 44,500

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"The Thunderbird still holds the sophistication intended when it was released in 2003. While the black and white T-birds have their style, the all black, leather and chrome T-Bird is the ultimate car with sleek stellar styling with a V-8 under the hood that is a sure engine to provide the driver with the zoom-zoom-zoom of more than a tiger under the hood. At the time of purchase [at 24,000 miles] in September, 2009 [one-owner] and an excellently maintained engine and leather interior, Kelley Blue rated the vehicle at $21,700. For me that was just dandy because the price paid at the dealership was $17,500. It's not often that one drives off the lot with more than a couple of thousand in equity! For a limited edition, what a great find! This convertible has a rag top that has withstood the test of time even though it wasn't consistently garaged. And, the hard top can no longer be ordered from Ford. While this deluxe 2 door sports car is not for the family, there is limited trunk space as well as seating space, it's a great car for the individual who wants to be free to drive the road accompanied by a great stereo system and multiple CD rack. As to handling, I once had a 1968 Pontiac GTO, 450 engine. Talk about power-- that car could go from 0 to 60 in a nanosecond. However, it was not as neat in handling as this 2003 Thunderbird. One of the things that makes the T-Bird cool in the steering column is that the steering wheel automatically moves right where I have set it to be the minute I turn on the key. The setting was determined by the automatic setting for the driver's seat. Change the seat, and the steering column adapts. Automatic heaven in that regard. With that done, actually driving the car is a snap. I wasn't sure I was still capable of remembering how to turn a vehicle on a dime; but, just yesterday [my third week with the car] I discovered how easy it is to do that and still feel grounded to the road and more importantly, safe. Secondly, the GTO was like a tank compared to the T-Bird when maneuvering in and out of traffic on an Interstate as well as those cute little curvy rural roads. But then again, the GTO was a muscle car and sometimes it could act like a Zamboni machine in its heaviness in the steering of it. On the other hand, I feel safer and more grounded in the T-Bird than I did in the 1983 Mazda RX-7. The Mazda was nifty alright, I loved the sound of that rotary engine winding up; but, it was a lightweight when it came to curves and the like. The Mazda was more like a skater in how it slid over the road. All in all I almost feel like Goldilocks when I compare the GTO and the Mazda to the T-Bird; the 2003 Thunderbird is more than 'just right.' That Fairy Tale feel of the Thunderbird still hangs in the air of my ownership. First off I recently found and purchased the hardtop for the vehicle. That was one long drawn out process. While these are advertised sometimes on E Bay, most sellers want the purchaser to come look at the hard top and then take care of getting the hard top to the purchaser's home. So if a hard top is in CA and I am in IL, I have to travel to CA to look at and purchase it. The economics of such a deal far overwhelm the purchaser's ability to make a reasonable deal on purchasing the hard top. I was lucky! A local T-bird owner was willing to part with his hard top! This was a good deal given I already had all of the other pieces to have the hard top installed by my local Ford dealer when convertible weather ends it season before the first of the year. Why would anyone go thru this effort to purchase the hard top? First, I don't have a garage or carport to protect my bird's rag top from the ravages of weather. So hard top seemed to be the only answer. Secondly, owning the hard top also increases the value of the car. So that was a definite plus. Since I plan to keep this car forever, it is always a good thing to maintain the value of the vehicle. In addition to increasing the bird's value with the addition of the hardtop, I plan to hit up T bird outlets for the chrome that belongs on the hood exhaust vent, and the two headlights and the rear tail lights. these items will also increase the car's value. So, this Thunderbird Gal plans on upgrading my ride until there is nothing else to do but maintain a classic car that provides thrills to drive and lets me stay younger than my biological years. My advice, even now in 2012, is buy the car of your dreams and enjoy the ride! In the summer of 2012, I finally found the hard top that goes with the 2003 T Bird! Luckily, it was right here in my area. Why is that important? Most of the the hard tops I cased out on sites like E Bay seemed to be on the west or east coast. Secondarily, the sellers required the potential buyer to come see the hard top in person and then take care of the shipping. That alone could add another thousand to the cost. And, given I live in the middle of the country, just visiting a hard top I might buy would add even more to the total cost. When convertible weather moved out in to the winter months, the Ford dealer only charged $50 to but that top on. I have to say, the top makes the car much easier to keep warm in those chilly temperatures. This is the first car I have never lost money on! Now that it is 2013, I am looking for some of the chrome pieces and the real Thunderbird mats. By the start of the next convertible season in a few months, we are going to be ready to go cruising! Bottom line- trading in my much loved 2005 Vibe for this Luxury convertible is more than a middle age crisis type event; it was a free experience to put down that motorized top with a push of the button and enjoy the vestiges of Fall. Definitely a stress reliever!"

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Bought car from origional owner with 17000 miles

By Bob (FL) on Thursday, April 04, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 25,000

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Purchased a year ago and a 1/2 ago. Car had never been rained on and was in perfect shape. Car now has 25000 miles and been from Indiana to Florida All origional car never wrecked and has Ford Car cover. I drive it on nice days. Woul like to sell."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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drives great, corners above normal, rides great

By hambone on Sunday, March 24, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 66,000

Pros: "very rare, fun to drive, lots of scoot"

Cons: "no mp3 hook up, small back window, no aftermarket"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"car excellrates great for a 3.9 liter v8. corners like it's on rails very neutral steering. extreamly smooth ride for a relatively small car. fit and finsh could be a little tighter. mpg about 25 road 19/20 city the best thing about this car is it will make you look good and it turns heads not very many made."

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