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Topic: I think I just made a mistake..... (Read 4163 times) previous topic - next topic

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #15 –
I might just be poisoned from my experience owning an MN12. Maybe mine was a Friday car, and yes, it did have the V6, but some of the more major mechanical problems I had with my '91 T-Bird were:

  • Both front upper ball joint/control arms went bad at about 40k miles, cost $300 EACH back then for new ones
  • Both front stabilizer end links went bad causing very annoying rattle at about 45k miles - $60/apiece for new ones
  • Head gasket failure at about 50k miles, left me stranded on very cold December evening on my way to work Christmas party, cost approximately $500 including tow but not labour (I did the work myself)
  • Ignition switch fire at about 55k miles, left me stranded 700 miles from home (this was before the recall - in fact my car played a key role in the recall), insurance paid for repair but I paid for night in hotel room, $150 not counting the day's work I lost
  • #4 rod bearing failure at 60k miles, required new crank. I rebuilt the whole engine at this point, cost for new crank, rod, rings and gasket set was $1400 (I did the labour myself)
  • Alternator failed on very cold, rainy early spring day leaving my pregnant sister, who had borrowed the car to visit her doctor, stranded
  • Strut rod bushings failed, both almost at once and quite suddenly, like within a day of each other, causing some pretty funky handling
Non-mechanical:
  • Clearcoat peeled on every horizontal surface when car was three years old
  • Rocker panels and both door bottoms rotted completely off by time car was 6 years old
  • power seat stopped working at three years old
  • headlight switch failed, causing me to drive about 15 miles in the dark to get home (luckily there was a full moon and I was on a familiar road)
After that car I swore I'd never own another Ford 3.8 or MN12 again (even though Id like to build a twin turbo SPI four-eye some day). I even turned my nose up at a very cheap '90 XR7 5-speed about two years ago as memories of that nightmare of a car I had kept flooding in...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #16 –
Thanks alot for the info Chris, I will be going to look at it sometime this week, (hopefully tomorrow)

I will let you guys know.  I found a REALLY nice '98 3.8L T-bird that I am considering too though,


Selling as is. Car is in near new condition. MUST SELL NOW! All reasonable offers will be considered. 3.8L V6,auto,pw,pl,climate control,remote start,security,new tires,new starter. 140,000 km. $1,500

(dominator is right, with what I am after though, and the problems with MN12's as my coug had the same body rot problems)

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #17 –
hey that thing should have the 8.8" Rear in it right?

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #18 –
RJ, if i were you i'd be on that white XR7 like fly on shiznit.. that thing is nice!

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #19 –
Quote from: 1WLD BRD;147047
  I found a REALLY nice '98 3.8L T-bird 



???

Unless they puppiesed off all the extras north of the border..the last MN-12 Tbird was in '97.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #20 –
There are 7 different 95-97 4.6 Birds with less then 100K miles for less then $2000 in my county. They can't give MN12's away around here.

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #21 –
Getting interior,underneith,engine and frame rail pics for ya tonight ron.
Stay away from that 3.8L bird ron,no more 3.8L's

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #22 –
haha Thanks Chris.  And yeah that was a typo Chuck, I meant '93.  dont know how the hell I typed 98 :confused:

I already decided that I am buying that XR7, thanks to those pics, just waiting on the kid to come over tonight with the rest of the cashfor the bird.  Then I am going to head up there and get it.

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #23 –
Well,ron it does look nice but lets see the interior and underneith pics before ya go and blow 2000grand lol.
Said he's gonna send em tonight after work.
I gotta go to niagra falls new york after work to pic up a set of
T- bird toys so i won't be back until around 8-9pm muhahahaha.

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #24 –
True.  Hell where is this rust spot he says it has?  Knowing my luck, it has a rotted through frame rail or something.  So um....  What are your tbird toys?

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #25 –
Seems the 93 up cars don't tend to rust as much as the earlier ones.
One 88

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #26 –
Well ron here's the money pics you've waited for,if you don't snap this clean example of an xr7 up you deserve a punch in the:punchballs: lol.

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #27 –
More pics,dam this thing is clean for the mileage.
Go get her and drive her home ron:cougarsmily: .

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #28 –
Quote from: dominator;147221
Well ron here's the money pics you've waited for,if you don't snap this clean example of an xr7 up you deserve a punch in the:punchballs: lol.


oh you will do it yourself after you buy something else. that thing is clean
1986 Cougar LS

I think I just made a mistake.....

Reply #29 –
Nah my rides even cleaner with lower mileage muhahahaha.