|
|
This auction is for a 1994 Ford Thunderbird LX with the 4.6L V8 engine. This was purchased in October 2005 with about 135,000 miles.Before I purchased, I looked at the vehicle's history online. I am the 3rd owner. It seems to me that a previous owner did a lot of highway driving, based on miles driven per year. It was in generally good condition at purchase. I do not have any maintenance records prior to my ownership.But it looked well taken care of. There were some problems:
1) Defective horn. Original horn did not work. Looked at fuses, relays. No luck. I went to a car stereo shop and had them install an aftermarket horn. This was required to pass registration/inspection. This has stopped working recently.I left the button in case you want to try fixing, or tracing the wires to put in new horn.
2) Cruise control not working. I did not want to spend money on this.Maybe it's related to bad horn.
3) A burnt out bulb was replaced. No big deal.
4) The car's paint was faded from the sun. I got it painted the original factory color, Jewel Green.It looks very nice and shiny. There are no dents,but a few tiny dings, and very minor surface rust on a portion of the rocker panel.The black rubber moldings around the back window were peeling, so I scraped it off. The paint shop painted this trim black.It's not perfect, but a huge improvement. One of the parking lights has a tiny chip near the hood. It's not very noticeable-no major cracking or breakage, and this lens passed inspection.There has been no accident under my ownership, and the VIN check I did revealed no accidents before that would indicate structural damage.
5) Tires were slightly worn. All 4 were replaced recently. The purchase priced included free rotations, so I do that with oil changes.The compact spare's rim is cracked in several places and should not be used. Go to a junkyard
and get a full size tire with rim.
I also got a free AAA inspection, done to promote AAA memberships. They checked 20 or so key areas.By no means is it a comprehensive evaluation from bumper to bumper, but they gave it a good score overall. Also, when I get oil changes, the mechanics do courtesy checks.
The car is powerful and runs well. It has given me no problems driving long distances to Philly and back.The transmission shifts smoothly. The trans fluid and filter were changed, and the bands were tightened by Ford. Also, they did a firmware(software) update to the computer to improve shifting patterns.The OD button does not work, so you can not manually shift out of OD mode to 3rd gear with the button. Nor can you prevent shifting from 3rd to OD. A trans shop estimated repair cost at $200 for new handle with spring. The estimator advised against it. Anyway, I would leave it in Overdrive mode anyway. I don't tow trailers, and there really are no hills in Delaware.Plus it helps mpg. This car is fast enough around town and is very powerful for highway passing and merging.The shop says the trans works fine.
This T-bird has power locks, windows, seats, ABS, and moonroof, plus leather seating.The AC blows cold air and the heater is effective on those cold winter days.There is a digital thermostat/outside temp.Also automatic headlight control (on/off) is very convenient.You can also turn headlights on, manually. The headlamps on warning bell works.The battery starts up the first time.There is no corrosion on the terminals. It looks to be in good condition, and I have not had to change it. No issues with the starting/charging system.
I originally bought this car to get around, since my other car had a bad trans. Now it's fixed, and I want to drive it again. Plus I want to park inside the garage in winter. I do not wish to have the TBird sit outside and rust with the snow and ice.And there's no point in paying insurance for something I don't drive.As mentioned, the tires are in great shape, except for the spare.
Oil has been changed regularly. Recently there has been a consumption problem. Every few months I add a quart. There are no spots on the driveway and I have not seen dark smoke in the exhaust. I check the dipstick frequently and keep a few quarts with me.
Another way is to look at the oil level gauge.It will go to zero when making a sharp turn, and then return to normal.The oil warning light comes on for a second.Air filters,spark plugs and wires, and PCV were changed. I am not sure about fuel filter and 02 sensor. Mechanics did not mention them during checkups/repair.I changed the stock headlights to the bright white lamps (not HID).Last summer I installed a wide-view aftermarket rear view mirror. The 90 degree heat melted the glue holding the mounting plate to the original mirror.I recently washed the car and cleaned the carpet. It looks and smells very nice.
Once a year, I get a low coolant warning.No leaks on floor, so the fluid evaporates while driving. First time, the shop said dirty fluid.
They replaced antifreeze, problem went away. A year later, shop discovered tiny pin-sized hole in radiator. I have not had to add the green stuff yet, but I am prepared.
The car drives really nicely.You will need to replace a ball joint in the steering assembly to totally eliminate the up/down rattle.It's not very noticeable.I had one replaced, but did not do the other side. The mechanic has assured me that it is safe to drive, otherwise I wouldn't.Also, the 02 sensor may need replacement. The check engine light has never come on for me while driving. The brakes work really well and the light has never come on for me. I topped off the brake fluid a few months ago.The ABS light has come on recently, but have noticed no loss in braking ability. Again, I suspect a bad clockspring has caused this.
The car's odometer stopped working 9 months ago at 151,854 miles. Based on my typical driving, I estimate the actual mileage to be around 154,000. The trip odometer had been reset, and is also stuck at 0000. This could be a broken cable, or a bad gauge.
I didn't want to have the whole dash taken apart. The car's title would be marked with "odometer discrepancy" due to malfunction.
The air bag light has started coming on recently. I think that a worn out clockspring is causing this, as well as the horn and cruise control problems.The part itself is not expensive and can probably be purchased on this site. But you need special tools and the desire to open the steering assembly.
There is no headliner. A junkyard may have the cardboard insert, on which you install fabric.Also, you would need the assembly holding the moonroof shade. It may be a good idea to put in longer screws for the visors too.The driver's seat has heavy cosmetic damage from use.A junkyard would have this, and there are vinyl sprays to dye the seat if you can't get a color match. The front passenger seat is not too bad.The back bench seat looks new.The driver's seatbelt buckle is worn out and doesn't latch on.I am using the passenger side buckle, since I don't have passengers.There are no floormats.The vinyl covering on the center console/cupholder has come off. I tried reattaching it without luck.The Pioneer DEHP-4700 cd player works, but needs a faceplate, also available on this site. I also have the harness that allows you to bypass the factory amp and add your own.The antenna is broken too. The emblems were removed for painting. I will TRY to reinstall them if I have time, otherwise I will include them separately.
These are all the problems I am aware of. I have represented this to the best of my knowledge. Since this is an older car with high miles, I can not offer any guarantee whatsoever.I have enjoyed it and believe it will work well for you too. However, the car is being sold AS IS, completely at your own risk.You should expect imperfections and the potential for major repairs. There is absolutely no return policy or negotiation concerning making repairs or price adjustments. This would be a nice project car to restore, or use for parts.Please ask me any questions before bidding, as it is an obligation to buy if you win. Please do not assume anything not specifically written. I will require a good faith deposit of $200 via Paypal, with the balance paid by money order, certified/cashiers check, or cash if in person. This vehicle is for PICKUP ONLY, no shipping.
On Oct-14-08 at 16:57:35 PDT, seller added the following information:
Correction:"The ABS light has come on recently, but have noticed no loss in braking ability". I meant to say that the AIR BAG
LIGHT comes on. The brakes work fine!
On Oct-14-08 at 17:01:05 PDT, seller added the following information:
CORRECTION: "The ABS light has come on recently, but have noticed no loss in braking ability"
I meant to write: The AIRBAG light has come on recently.
NO ISSUES WITH BRAKING. STOPS CAR FINE!
|