Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Topic: Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver? (Read 2813 times) previous topic - next topic

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

April 16, 2007, 12:28:10 AM

My brother will be driving to school next year so I'm giving him my 93 Buick Century to drive. I'm going to pick up another daily driver because I'm NOT using my 88 LX as a daily driver. I've been thinking about what I'd like to get and I'd really like to get another FOX body. If any of you still use yours as a daily how is it? I have some reservations about doing that though. For one the newest cars will be 20 years old by next year. Also I'm afriad I'd be doing something horrible by exposing one of these cars to salt and winter ravages. Any opinions on this?

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #1 – April 16, 2007, 12:36:23 AM

Get a loaded V6 car and drive the wheels off of it. When it rots out, strip it and repeat.

Honestly though, if winters are harsh and they salt the roads, get a Nissan pickup. Older 4x4 one. They last FOREVER and just do not break.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #2 – April 16, 2007, 02:40:31 AM

Here in NC, the winters are too bad. The roads are only salted once or twice a year. I drive my Tbird daily and I love every minute of it.

What I dont love is having to put it in parking lots. For example, last semester, I was sitting in my car eating lunch when some moron pulls into the spot in front of me and HITS MY CAR. Acting like nothing happened, the idiot just leisurely got her stuff and was about to leave when I popped out and said "Excuse me, you hit my car. Could you back up please?" I had to restrain myself a lot and luckily no damage was done, but thats exactly why I hate leaving my car in parking lots. Nothing has happened yet, but I want to get a real DD whenever I have a good enough job.

Other than the parking lot deal, the car itself is a pleasure to drive every day. The only problem for you may be the winters since they're worse there than they are here in NC. But 1 or 2 winters should not affect the car too badly (look how clean mine is). If you have any more questions, feel free to ask :) .

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #3 – April 16, 2007, 07:07:02 AM

I drive mine everyday.We don't have salted roads ever,so,no worries there.My car,19 yearsold,is still comfortable,gets great mileage on the highway when I set the cruise and keep my foot out of it,and other than needing paint,which I'm getting ready for,looks great.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #4 – April 16, 2007, 07:38:46 AM

Buy a MN12. Cheap and plentiful.
I picked up mine for $3500 96 with 120K and a 4.6

You can most likely find them even cheaper up there around Chitown.
Try looking here for a car. http://www.chitownracing.com/forums/index.php They seem to have stuff for sale all the time. Like this one. http://www.chitownracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71732

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #5 – April 16, 2007, 08:07:20 AM

The 83 is my daily.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #6 – April 16, 2007, 08:14:54 AM

I'd have no issues with a Fox as a daily if the salt wasn't roaded around here every winter (yes..I know what I said....it's that bad)...

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #7 – April 16, 2007, 08:59:41 AM

I drive mine as my commuter. I'm just really careful as to where I park. Work isn't an issue as most everyone knows the car and how attached I am to it so they are careful and respectful.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #8 – April 16, 2007, 09:29:19 AM

Go with a V-6 car. If you go with the 5.0, you will feel the itch to modify.
Plus you don't want to take a chance on wrecking a good 5.0 car in the winter.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #9 – April 16, 2007, 09:48:23 AM

My heart sinks every time I see a Fox car out in the winter now. Good replacement parts (fenders, hoods, bumpers, lights, etc.) are getting pretty scarce in a lot of parts. As much as I love these cars, my tone has changed and I'm now advocating that people get themselves a different daily driver, and keep the Foxes in winter storage, if at all possible. Or, if you can find a Fox that's pretty beat up already, at least you won't have a lot of guilt. I quit driving a Fox daily about a year and a half ago, and haven't looked back...I miss driving one daily, but if something happens to the truck, I won't be nearly as upset. I guess it all depends on your level of attachment to the car, and also where you live. Do the best you can with the situation you're presented.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #10 – April 16, 2007, 09:49:45 AM

$3500 for a 4.6 MN12? Wow! Around here they are lucky to get $2000 for a cherry one. I have no idea why the market is dead up here, but it's DEAD. I pass on great MN12's everyday.
/offtopic

Anyways, if the winters aren't bad, by all means drive a fox Bird/Cat. I daily drove Layla for 2 years, even with the mods, and she's still my full-time summer car. I like having fully-optioned cars though, so my 88 Cougar LS 5.0 moonroof was ideal as a DD (in-town) for me. It snorted gas like an addict though, so I still used the TC as the highway car. In fact, with the .63 T3, Layla got 30MPG on my trip to Lake Tahoe and back in Christmas of 05 on the straight highway sections, about 28MPG in the hills, and 23MPG on the mountains. 5-Speeds and 4-cylinders are great for economy when you keep your foot out of it (8MPG in town while driving spiritidly).

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #11 – April 16, 2007, 09:52:20 AM

I don't live to far south from him and even down here when the roads are clear it looks like they have snow on them. The roads in IL look white in the winter from the amount of salt they use.

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;140438

$3500 for a 4.6 MN12? Wow! Around here they are lucky to get $2000 for a cherry one. I have no idea why the market is dead up here, but it's DEAD. I pass on great MN12's everyday.
/offtopic

I looked at some that were cheaper but there is nothing like this one. Its show room condition, completely clean inside and out. Its moon light blue with grey interior. I was told it was the rarest color becasue it was only used in 96-97 and very few got that color. But I can't find any numbers to confirm that.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #12 – April 16, 2007, 11:00:11 AM

I am daily driving my bird right now, but I plan to find a cheap beater 'stang as a daily driver for next winter.

I had/have no issues with the car, just keep washing it and keep the salt off it.

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #13 – April 16, 2007, 11:11:21 AM

That's is another reason why I am keeping my truck. They don't salt all that much up here. but the under body has a lot of surface rust. That and I still don't know what is all wrong with it. Still wishing to win the lotto though. lol

Fox T-bird/Cougar as a daily driver?

Reply #14 – April 16, 2007, 11:21:20 AM

theres a bunch of rust bubbling up underneath the frontmost corner of my pass. side lower quarter panel. and a couple tiny bits elsewhere that cant really be seen but thats enough for me to stop using it in the winter. i used it all last winter senior year of hs, wased it as much as possible, and even though this year its been out very little since im in college now, ive seen that area get worse and it breaks my heart. i LOVE driving this thing so much, and last year i thought id find a cheap beater. never got around to looking. this time its either i find one or i dont drive in the winter next year. simple as that. even when theres no snow up here, in the winter the roads are WHITE all the time.

its so excessive.

dont let my signature picture fool you. the driver's door bottom edge is getting rusty too. cant stand to look at that. door definitely doesnt need to be replaced, just a wire brush and some new paint. but i gotta get on it sooner than later. fortunately in the 7 years my dad drove it he almost never used it in the winter, because it was rwd and he didnt want to wreck it going back and forth to work so he borrowed my grandparents monstrosity 1990 chevy conversion van

it was just funny seeing him drive around in that.

mom doesnt really want m having another car around the house, though, so i gotta see what i can work out...

yeah its a great daily driver but as we all know these things just dont hold up to salt too well. (although this is really funny--my drivers side quarter panel is FINE. whats it got the other one doesnt got? the exhaust pipe. makes me wonder what it would be like if the car originally had dual exhausts!)