2002-05 Service better at Ford or Lincoln Dealer? | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models

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2002-05 Service better at Ford or Lincoln Dealer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter R.Louis
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R.Louis

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Thunderbird Year
2002
What is the consensus on where to have scheduled maintenance performed? Do owners use Ford or Lincoln dealership?
Drivetrain based on Lincoln LS design so where should it be serviced? Does it matter?
Recently purchased 2002 , due for 60000 service, in @ 2,000 miles.
Runs fine no issues, just near recommended service point. Thank you.

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You would think the dealership to be best. I think a little more research for a true good mechanic will yield a better result. I sometimes believe the dealership sees you coming and may take advantage of your lack of specific knowledge. These birds are not that hard to work on I just purchased a 2005, I am having a ball working on mine. Purchased the complete service manuals very good information. Long story short don’t settle on the dealership if a good mechanic somewhere else is available.
 
R.Louis said:
What is the consensus on where to have scheduled maintenance performed? Do owners use Ford or Lincoln dealership?
Drivetrain based on Lincoln LS design so where should it be serviced? Does it matter?
Recently purchased 2002 , due for 60000 service, in @ 2,000 miles.
Runs fine no issues, just near recommended service point. Thank you.
Click to expand...
It's a personal choice but I always have my Bird serviced at a Ford dealership. I trust my local dealer and they usually have the knowledge and parts, when available to take care of any issues.
 
That was just my opinion, no offense to anyone. Glad you have a quality dealer you believe in. Just remember those mechanic are paid on a specific time to repair, so if takes too long they lose money. Quality can suffer along with research on an issue.
 
I use a local garage that has a Ford Train guy that does all my work. Price is still close to Dealerships.
 
R.Louis said:
What is the consensus on where to have scheduled maintenance performed? Do owners use Ford or Lincoln dealership?
Drivetrain based on Lincoln LS design so where should it be serviced? Does it matter?
Recently purchased 2002 , due for 60000 service, in @ 2,000 miles.
Runs fine no issues, just near recommended service point. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Please follow the directions when posting. I've updated your subject from Sceduled maintenance service to 2002-05 Service better at Ford or Lincoln Dealer?
modelyear.jpg
 
I only used the dealer while the car was under warranty, sincere then I have used a local mechanic, with long time experience, to do all my repairs. Everything has been fixed with no issues, and certainly less expensive than going to Ford
 
the Ford dealer would have Thunder Bird Ford trained mechanics to work on your car. Only thing now is they may have all retired, the car is so old.
The TB is not a complicated car so most GOOD senior mechanics will be able to inspect them.
 
My Ford-trained local mech charged me $20 to empty the AC system, vac and recharge to Ford specs. What would a dealer charge? Just curious.
 
I would say neither. Find a good local mechanic you trust. The last one was produced 15 years ago. Chances are the techs at a dealership have never even seen one let alone worked on one.
 
R.Louis said:
What is the consensus on where to have scheduled maintenance performed? Do owners use Ford or Lincoln dealership?
Drivetrain based on Lincoln LS design so where should it be serviced? Does it matter?
Recently purchased 2002 , due for 60000 service, in @ 2,000 miles.
Runs fine no issues, just near recommended service point. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Bark624 said:
I would say neither. Find a good local mechanic you trust. The last one was produced 15 years ago. Chances are the techs at a dealership have never even seen one let alone worked on one.
Click to expand...
I agree completely with the above thread. I found a garage that works on foreign and vintage US cars and has mechanics dedicated to different brands. The mechanic who works on the '02-'05 Thunderbirds is also their Jaguar specialist. I knew I had found the best garage for my car when I saw a '53 Buick Skylark convertible waiting to be serviced. If that owner could trust this garage I knew I could too.
 
The Flash said:
the Ford dealer would have Thunder Bird Ford trained mechanics to work on your car. Only thing now is they may have all retired, the car is so old.
The TB is not a complicated car so most GOOD senior mechanics will be able to inspect them.
Click to expand...
A state inspection is about all a Ford trained mechanic could do on an '02-'05 Thunderbird. Taking your car to a mechanic who has never seen a T'bird, or worse has it confused with a Firebird, and you'll be paying through the nose for that mechanic to climb a very steep learning curve. As for our Retro T-Birds being uncomplicated, go look at a set of factory manuals. You'll see just how complicated these cars really are. They are packed to the gunnels with sensors and relays and that's for the drive train, not the power accessories. An uncomplicated T-bird would be one from '55-'57 series.
 
General Patton said:
A state inspection is about all a Ford trained mechanic could do on an '02-'05 Thunderbird. Taking your car to a mechanic who has never seen a T'bird, or worse has it confused with a Firebird, and you'll be paying through the nose for that mechanic to climb a very steep learning curve. As for our Retro T-Birds being uncomplicated, go look at a set of factory manuals. You'll see just how complicated these cars really are. They are packed to the gunnels with sensors and relays and that's for the drive train, not the power accessories. An uncomplicated T-bird would be one from '55-'57 series.
Click to expand...
well yes the 55 57 Birds are simple. But any 2017 plus car is more complicated than a simple re-tro bird.
 
I'll only say that service for my 2002 Thunderbird at my local Ford dealer has been abysmal.....they could diagnose a problem but their repair prices were moonshot estimates so I did the work myself.

Honestly, if I weren't technically inclined and the dealer was my only option I'd sell the car....
 
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