johnwartjr
Registered User
I have a 95 SC. Automatic transmission. I've owned it for about 11 years now. The 95 SC was my dream car for a very long time.
My family has grown, my life has changed, I'm thinking it might be time to let it go.
The thing I'm really not sure of, though, is what it's worth. I know it has value, whether it be as a whole car or as parts, as it starts, it runs, it's driveable, and I've done a lot of maintenance to it just in the last year.
The things that I feel lessen the value would be the paint. While it's nice in areas (white pearl 2 stage), it's got a rust spot on the passenger side of the rear window, on the trunk lid, and on the back corner of the drivers side door (just on the inner edge where the skin 'crimps' over the edge of the door). The hood has some chips in the paint, and of course they are deep looking because of the 3 stage paint. The carpet has some stains, some of the dash parts are scraped up, a couple mounting tabs on the dash piece around the cluster is broken, etc. The car is generally dirty, as my kids make plenty of messes in there.
I could probably spend a day detailing it and get it looking a little better, but I don't want to deceive anyone as to what it is.
As far as 'good' things, the car has an aluminum radiator, last year I did motor mounts, plugs, wires, water pump, PS pump, all belts and hoses and idlers. The tires are good, but they aren't new. I think I put them on in 2008 or 2009. I did a new battery a few months ago. New rotors, pads and 1 reman caliper in the last 24 months. Blower motor and radiator fan motor in the past 24-36 months. Oil changed by me with Motorcraft filter and Motorcraft 5w30 Synthetic blend every 3 months.
I don't drive it a lot. My daily commute is less than 10 miles each way, and I probably take a trip of 2-300 miles once every month or two.
Odometer has been broken for years, I imagine it's probably in the 180-200k mile area.
Car leaks fluids. Not certain where the leaks are all coming from, there's no coolant in the oil, but there's definitely some coolant and/or power steering fluid leaking somewhere - I think it *may* be the oil cooler. The car has been parked for a couple months, other than pulling in and out of the driveway a couple times, waiting for warmer weather to troubleshoot, and I've kinda lost interest.
The windshield has a scratch in it. The trim around the back window is pretty ugly at this point, the black covering has pretty much all flaked off.
I love the 95 Thunderbird, I've owned a couple, but truth be told, if I were to get the SC bug again, I'd want something a little nicer. It doesn't have a sunroof, but it does have the folding rear seat.
I don't live in an area where I can part a car out.
I know pictures tell a thousand words, and when I get closer to selling it, I'll take some. Right now, we have 3 vehicles, and the SC is the 'spare' - I know I could drive it across town, or 100 miles and it'd get me there in one piece - but I know I couldn't drive it across the country! My wife is going to get upgraded to something newer than her 96 explorer, and the Explorer is going to be our 'spare' because it's more practical with our 3 kids.
Is the car worth anything? Am I better off donating it? Or sticking it on Craigslist and hoping some kid with a dream, more time, or moxie than I have might want to give it a chance?
My family has grown, my life has changed, I'm thinking it might be time to let it go.
The thing I'm really not sure of, though, is what it's worth. I know it has value, whether it be as a whole car or as parts, as it starts, it runs, it's driveable, and I've done a lot of maintenance to it just in the last year.
The things that I feel lessen the value would be the paint. While it's nice in areas (white pearl 2 stage), it's got a rust spot on the passenger side of the rear window, on the trunk lid, and on the back corner of the drivers side door (just on the inner edge where the skin 'crimps' over the edge of the door). The hood has some chips in the paint, and of course they are deep looking because of the 3 stage paint. The carpet has some stains, some of the dash parts are scraped up, a couple mounting tabs on the dash piece around the cluster is broken, etc. The car is generally dirty, as my kids make plenty of messes in there.
I could probably spend a day detailing it and get it looking a little better, but I don't want to deceive anyone as to what it is.
As far as 'good' things, the car has an aluminum radiator, last year I did motor mounts, plugs, wires, water pump, PS pump, all belts and hoses and idlers. The tires are good, but they aren't new. I think I put them on in 2008 or 2009. I did a new battery a few months ago. New rotors, pads and 1 reman caliper in the last 24 months. Blower motor and radiator fan motor in the past 24-36 months. Oil changed by me with Motorcraft filter and Motorcraft 5w30 Synthetic blend every 3 months.
I don't drive it a lot. My daily commute is less than 10 miles each way, and I probably take a trip of 2-300 miles once every month or two.
Odometer has been broken for years, I imagine it's probably in the 180-200k mile area.
Car leaks fluids. Not certain where the leaks are all coming from, there's no coolant in the oil, but there's definitely some coolant and/or power steering fluid leaking somewhere - I think it *may* be the oil cooler. The car has been parked for a couple months, other than pulling in and out of the driveway a couple times, waiting for warmer weather to troubleshoot, and I've kinda lost interest.
The windshield has a scratch in it. The trim around the back window is pretty ugly at this point, the black covering has pretty much all flaked off.
I love the 95 Thunderbird, I've owned a couple, but truth be told, if I were to get the SC bug again, I'd want something a little nicer. It doesn't have a sunroof, but it does have the folding rear seat.
I don't live in an area where I can part a car out.
I know pictures tell a thousand words, and when I get closer to selling it, I'll take some. Right now, we have 3 vehicles, and the SC is the 'spare' - I know I could drive it across town, or 100 miles and it'd get me there in one piece - but I know I couldn't drive it across the country! My wife is going to get upgraded to something newer than her 96 explorer, and the Explorer is going to be our 'spare' because it's more practical with our 3 kids.
Is the car worth anything? Am I better off donating it? Or sticking it on Craigslist and hoping some kid with a dream, more time, or moxie than I have might want to give it a chance?
.... few are going to give you any real money for it 
