Faults:

Intake manifold replaced 3 times before 50K (2009). Twice by Ford dealer; last time by local mechanic with after market parts.

Sway bar links replaced at 40K, front and back.

Paint on hood and trunk starred and dulled in three years. Car kept out of elements and had 20K. Two local Ford dealers refused to help. Lincoln dealership had recently consolidated, and was the only one to offer help and repaint the car for $250. The car is starting to dull again 12 years later.

No other problems with the car.

General Comments:

My fourth MN12 Thunderbird. Other 3 are Super Coupes.

Great handling. Good ride. Fairly durable over time. Drive it on a 300 mile trip at least once a month. Seats are still very comfortable for its age.

It has enough horsepower to merge, pass and outrun: econo boxes, minivans and pseudo sports cars.

Faults:

Bought the car used with broken brake system (had to replace all 4 units).

Water pump at about 147,000 miles.

General Comments:

It's the most reliable car I have ever had, even though it had its issues when I bought it.

I bought the car used. It came with a bad transmission (won't go into reverse when it's cold) and had some smaller issues with the brake system. I had to replace rotor discs and brake pads on all four wheels. Other than that, it's been excellent!

This car drives like it has gorilla glue on the wheels when driving curves. It can take hwy curves at 60+ mph without problems. If I have a "tail chaser", a curve is all that I need to put some distance.

Installed a cold air filter to improve performance and gas savings. The motor thunders if I press the gas hard, this is a V6 engine BTW.

I normally get about 24/26mpg on hwy at 60/70mph.

I have no complaints about the car, I am very satisfied and content with it, and would definitely buy another T-Bird.

Faults:

Replaced air intake regulator.

Replaced driver side door handle (it fell off).

Replaced suspension (all coil springs, tie rods, ball joints, rear stabilizer).

General Comments:

This car has been basically indestructible. Other than regular maintenance (tires, brakes, belts, A/C recharged), I had an air intake regulator go bad and the door handle fell off.

Last summer the suspension was replaced.

All four coil springs were broken, which effected tie rods and ball joints, which were also replaced. I guess this is common with this year. The mechanic told me Ford purchased faulty coil springs from a manufacturer, and rather than throw them away, after they changed manufacturers, they just used the bad ones up. Those were only two times she has been in the shop. All the other stuff I have done myself.

A little rust around the wheel wells, but from what I've seen, that's pretty common in this model.

With over 205K miles, she still starts, runs and handles like the day I bought her. I used her to train both my teenager sons to drive, and she got me back and forth on a 60 mile commute each way to work for almost three years.