Should I be cautious?

5o4SHO

Registered User
I was looking at a 1993 Ford Thunderbird with a 5.0 and auto tranny. The car has over 250,000 on it!!:eek: Well anyway he said the car needs and alternator and battery and it should be good to go. The OD is out on the tranny, but he said other than that, it doesnt slip any...(should i be worried about that?) Also he says (quote) "it probably needs a tune up and it needs to heat to running temp. or it stalls(i think this indicates dirty fuel injectors," (end quote) Is that statement true? He says to his knowledge it has never been rebuilt or replaced, but i find that hard to believe as i havent seen many trannies go 250k. Im not sure about the motor, but how long can 5.0s last? Any past 250k? Sorry for the long post, but if you guys could help me out a bit, i would really appreciate it!

Thanks ~Eric
 
My $0.02

I guess it depends on what the asking price is for the car, and how mechanically oriented you are. The tranny needs to be pulled and rebuilt (250K miles and no OD). At this mileage the engine probably needs a major overhaul. If the exterior is perfect and the interior is in good shape, I wouldn't offer more than $500 for the car. Your going to have to invest several thousand $$$ in engine and tranny work (not to mention suspension) to have a good dependable ride. (This may not be what you are wanting to hear)
That being said, you are probably better off looking at a well maintained TBird with lower mileage somewhere in the $3K to $5K range.

The key to getting a bird that you will be happy to own is shop, shop, shop... Don't jump on the first purdy birdy that comes along...
 
shooot...imma play devils advocate man, but a 93 5.0 for $500...thats my kind of deal:) ! But yeah, it depends on the overall condition of the car. Those 5.0's are (weather we like it or not) in many aspects more reliable than our 3.8's, so take the milage with a grain of salt. Also, if ur mechanically inclined, doing a trans swap is not that big deal. I can get a decent trans from my junk yard for about 90 bux, and i've done all the work on my sc's so i wouldnt be afraid to do a trans swap my self.

In any case, hope u get it...and if not pass the word on the deal ;) :p . There's some of us hogging those d@mned tbird things :D .
 
I have a 92 5.0 with 240,000 miles on it. I bought it with 174,000 miles on it 3 years ago and it has the orig. engine and trans. I am also a mechanic and do all of my own work. I would figure out how much you would be willing and able to spend on fixing it and then do some calculations to see if it is going to be worth it to YOU. I dont think that anyone here can answer that question for YOU. Just my .02 cents.
 
I put more stock into a good body and interior than mechanicals neccesarily, but that's just me. My '92 T-Bird has 260k on the original trans and engine. OD is flaky, but it still runs good. You will more than likely need to rebuild the suspension including bushings assuming they haven't been done recently. If it's in good shape and the rockers and floor aren't rusted out then I'd go for it. Just be prepared to have to fix/replace some things that are just going to wear out after that many miles.
 
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