Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

General => General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion => Topic started by: Soul on January 25, 2012, 09:39:17 AM

Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Soul on January 25, 2012, 09:39:17 AM
So I need something that gets better milage and my Dad wants to get rid of his 96 bird. Its garage kept and has like 70k miles on it or less. Its in perfect shape mechanically. Let me know what you think it would be worth. I'll put his price below the pic so you can tell me nice price or try to haggle. Its v6 auto, all options -sun roof if they did them this year. Has Sandle wood or floral or some other fruity sounding interior (its brown with pink and blue swirls in it).


(http://i40.tinypic.com/mll9mt.jpg)





$2500, which seems fair.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: daminc on January 25, 2012, 10:02:22 AM
why doesn't he just give it to you?
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Soul on January 25, 2012, 10:32:12 AM
Yaaa.... Dad doesn't work that way.

I asked him about what he wanted hoping he'd be like, oh well have it fairly cheap, didn't happen.

Can't say Dad has ever "given" me anything. Which is fine makes your appreciate stuff more if you pay for it. So long and short good buy or should I look for something else. I really miss my old bird that was this exact color but had a 4.6 in it.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: cougarcragar on January 25, 2012, 05:48:23 PM
I've had my MN12 for eight years and I still love it. I would prefer the 4.6 if I were in your shoes.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: vinnietbird on January 25, 2012, 06:08:29 PM
Buy it.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Chrome on January 25, 2012, 06:19:48 PM
Looks like a bargin to me.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: vinnietbird on January 25, 2012, 06:22:02 PM
Agreed, and you're at an advantage because you actually know the car's history, not just hearsay from a previous owner. Great deal for it.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Beau on January 26, 2012, 01:57:27 AM
Well, I tend to agree with Vinnie's point...be a decent car, as long as you don't intend to do any stoplight Grand Prix events with it lol.

I don't care much for the MN12's myself, but I find myself longing for a '97 V8 'Bird for some reason.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Chrome on January 26, 2012, 02:10:11 AM
MN12's look good and ride good. 4.6 vs 3.8 I would rather have the 3.8. Sure you may have to replace head gaskets a few times, but 4.6 will start to burn oil after 150,000 miles. Taking heads off of a 4.6 is not my idea of fun either. Overhead cam makes it a PITA. Time it wrong and it will chew up its own valves.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Soul on January 26, 2012, 08:54:24 AM
Cool thanks for all the replies. I was thinking it'd be worth it but wanted second and third opinions.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: thunderjet302 on January 27, 2012, 01:21:40 PM
Quote from: Chrome;378873
MN12's look good and ride good. 4.6 vs 3.8 I would rather have the 3.8. Sure you may have to replace head gaskets a few times, but 4.6 will start to burn oil after 150,000 miles. Taking heads off of a 4.6 is not my idea of fun either. Overhead cam makes it a PITA. Time it wrong and it will chew up its own valves.


I had a 95 3.8 T-bird. It was slow. I would have rather dealt with the oil burning 4.6....
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Haystack on January 27, 2012, 02:34:07 PM
The 4.6 in a mn-12 is about the same speed as a 5.0 s.o. in a 86-88 cougar. I'd much rather have a 86-88 for the same money.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: cougarcragar on January 27, 2012, 05:46:56 PM
Actually, the '96 and '97 4.6 had 215 hp stock. My car has a Traction-Lok 3.27 rear end from the factory. After adding a tune and exhaust, my '96 would have blown the doors off my '88 XR7 with the 5.0.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: lakenheath24 on January 29, 2012, 05:55:13 PM
Sorry, but it hate those things.  Big tubs of lard they are and plain ugly. You could find a nice fox body bird for sale on this board for MUCH less.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: Haystack on January 29, 2012, 10:32:39 PM
Quote from: cougarcragar;379035
Actually, the '96 and '97 4.6 had 215 hp stock. My car has a Traction-Lok 3.27 rear end from the factory. After adding a tune and exhaust, my '96 would have blown the doors off my '88 XR7 with the 5.0.

Put the same money into an 88xr7 as your tune and exhaust, and it would blow the doors off yours. The 4.6 just isn't matched good for such a heavy car. My 88 crown vic wagon keeps up with a 2001 gt till 30mph. There's just sit there until they get moving. Not bad when they do get going though. Its funny watching my station wagon bark the tires and pull right along with a mustang. Once you hit 30mph, the mustang takes off though.
Title: Buying a Bird, let me know if you think its worth it.
Post by: cougarcragar on January 30, 2012, 05:59:49 PM
Well, you're certainly correct about the way these engines run through the range of RPM; you can see it on a HP/Torque map when compared to a pushrod V8.
Mine may be slow off the line, but with the tuned computer and the modified transmission accumulator piston, it spins the tires when it shifts into 2nd gear. I've surprised a lot of people with that.

To the person who started the thread: buy what you want. Each platform has its pros and cons.