2004 as Daily Driver & newbie questions.

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Bostonjoe

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Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
 

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Love my 05 anniversary red TBIRD! i‘m 68 live in AZ and the top stays down up until this week I put the hard top on it. Love the look.....I replaced coils with 47k on mine and flushed transmission even though my Bird ran great. I have a mechanic here that knows what he is doing on older cars so that makes my life easier.
I am sure you will enjoy your TBIRD no matter what year you get ..they are a fun ride....I has a 50th Vette and enjoy this car just as much. I never have taken my through a car wash but thats me with all my cars....enjoy shing them up myself while I can....
This is the by the best forum with a lot of great info from TBURD owners...I am sure they will answer all your questions that you have asked.
Hope you finsd a Merlot one and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU...Stay safe,Stay well,Stay smiling......
 
My daily ride Ive had it 10 years. Almost 90000. No problem. Did replace the coils. Cant answer rust. I live in Alabama. But my T birds finish still looks new. Waxed once a year.
i have never been through a car wash. Hand wash. Top doesnt leak in heavy downpour. My bird is torch res with a black interiors. I use seat covers in the summer. My interior rugs and seats look really good. The site is full of radio installations that has beendone successfully. Suspension is still good. I dont have cluster or whatever PCM problems.
love love love my babybird. Sports car handling with a great ride
 
 
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I would never take it to a drive-through car wash. Hike less, wash the car yourself. With the coils recommended on this site you will love the way it runs. The car is not without quirks, but is a blast to drive. I was at a 4-way stop 2 days ago. Porsche to my left, corvette to my right. As I passed through the intersection, both drivers were looking at my T-bird. I am 6'2", and wish it had a little more room, but I have figured out how to get in and out without hitting head very often. I hit the one year mark this week. I love it!
 
Bostonjoe said:
Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
Click to expand...

1. I am the original owner of my O5 and it has been my daily driver for the last three years. In 15 years my only repairs have been COP, replace air compressor and new brakes in 50,000 miles. Definitely change the COP. It was like driving a new car. These cars are a blast to drive and they are meant to be driven. Every day I take the bird our I have someone tell me what a beautiful car I have. I say drive it and enjoy. Originally I am from Michigan and take winter driving serious. So this means I want front wheel, 4 wheel or all wheel drive. The bird rear drive means that it is not the best in slow and ice can be scary. So I am parked on the worst winter days.
2. My top does not leak, but I mostly hand wash. It is fun keeping this car clean and shiny.
3. I agree. My next upgrade will be a radio with back up camera. I haven't picked it yet.
4. Merlot Red. with Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean? is a beautiful car. Leather seats are easy to keep clean. Be sure to use leather conditioner. Good luck and if you find your
 
I do ocaisionally take my Bird through a car wash. Doesn't seem to do any harm and I think the wax helps protect the top in between treatments. It does leak a little at the top front corners of the window, but nothing to be concerned about. I haven't had my hardtop on in 3 years, but the car is stored in a garage during the winter. I would not recommend driving in ice and snow, I think you would be doing a lot of slipping and sliding and the low ground clearance might be an issue on unplowed roads. Good luck! They are fun cars to drive. Mine is my daily driver April thru November.
 
Diane's '05 has 43k on the clock and still looks like new and runs like new. One new set of plugs and coils, one MAF, one thermosrtat housing , one sensor behind the dash for heat and A/C, one set of tires because of age not wear. One set of brake pads, three batteries since new. Oil changed every 3k or once a year, full synthetic. Anti-freeze changed at 30k.
We bought this car new in the summer of '05 in Florence Ky. No regrets, wonderful, powerful, good riding quiet beautiful car. 25 mpg on the road w/premium gas. We love it. Jack & Diane
 
I think all of the above replies answer most of your questions, but lets see what else you should be thinking about. I bought a 2002 with 67K miles this last spring from the 1st owner. There are no issues with suspension and it drives like new. However, the car was always stored in a heated garage, not driven in the winter and therefore did not experience the hot and cold cycles, hence my bushings look great. Also, my Goodyear tires are a belted with Kevlar and 17 years old, but look new everywhere. No rot, cracking, etc. Should I change them? They look new. All the seals on my car look and act like new, again from its easy climate controlled life. And no, the top does not leak. He did have brake pads and a new air conditioning compressor installed the day before I picked it up.
Pick a car from an area that does not salt/spray their roads, or one put in the garage in the winter to avoid the rust issues.
In saying this, how the car you buy was treated in the past makes a big difference on how the life items like bushings, seals, tires, will behave in the future. So look for a car that has been garage kept and with a good maintenance history, is spotless clean, even the engine bay and as low miles as you can afford to pay for. Good luck, and like the rest of these guys, my T-Bird is the best driving touring car I've ever owned!!
 
I’ve owned a 2004 PCR since 2007.
Have dealt with the coils and AC compressor, new tires and spare, plus routine maintenance
Car runs really well. Not a daily driver, only have about 45K miles on it, but I can’t get enough of it. Whenever I drive it I never want to head back to the barn, and pretty much always get compliments.
Neither hard nor soft top leak.
Very happy with it, and still get a thrill whenever I head back to it and see it in the parking lot
Find the right one and you’ll be happy
 
Bostonjoe said:
Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
Click to expand...
As a CT owner of a 2005 I would not be driving in the weather we have right now. (Blizzard of 2020) I never purposely drive it in snow unless absolutely necessary mostly because of potential accidents. I have had small RWD cars in the past that were daily cars and I always installed Air lifts and had 200 + lbs of sand in the trunk. Never had any leaks with either top. However I drive mine year round and have a second car. In New England there is always 6 ways to get anywhere and many of the ways are ideal TBird roads. I rarely drive it on the highways. It had 44k when I bought it in Jan 2009 and drove it home in between snow storms for my wife (passed in 2013) It now has 97 K. It has been up and down the East from ME to MM 0.0 in Key West multiple times. If I was to buy another one it would probably be the 2004 Merlot and I would absolutely recommend the Tan interior. It is a beautiful combination.
 
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean? :
The light sand interior is very nice and it is easy to clean the tan. The look under the sun of the merlot Tbird with the light sand tonneau is great.
Regards from France.
 
My sand/tan, in my 2004 looks like a fine leather glove and seems to hold it color. Easy as any leather to keep clean and is a lot cooler in summer with top off. My next addition santa.
2004 Thunderbird Tonneau.jpg
 
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Bought my 2004 Merlot/sand w/60k 2.5 years ago. In Maryland any vehicle purchase/title change requires a thorough safety and mechanical inspection. The only thing needing attention was the rubber boots on the suspension joints - joints were fine, just replaced all the boots. Later I changed the COPS and plugs one afternoon as a peace of mind/preventative measure. It is my daily driver. It makes me happy every day. (well every day before Covid anyway - now it mostly sits) LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DRIVE BORING CARS!
 
Stereo, I have the Alpine ILX-W650, I think it is pretty nice. I also like the Pioneer offerings. If you want the Apple Car Play or Android Auto, I would recommend getting a wireless compatible one if you want to spend the extra cash... I didn't so I have to plug the cable in every time I want to see the phone's nav system. No biggie but slightly annoying.
I am getting ready (or in the process) of ripping out every single speaker, adding better subs and amps.... I did not like the factory stereo, expecially with the top down.
 
I was going to conserve my 02 with its original 18,000 miles when I bought it two year ago but can't stop driving it on nice days. It has 30,000 miles on it now and I'm not gonna worry about it. I changed the FEM (dash light problem) and a $29 A/C sensor and added an aftermarket Kenwood radio. I gussied up the outside with new headlight plastic housings and T-Bird emblems to replace the faded parts and for about $150 it made the car look new.
 
Bostonjoe said:
Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
Click to expand...
I drive my 2005 Thunderbird 6000 miles per year. I have no problems at all .I've had it for 2 years.
 
Bostonjoe said:
Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
Click to expand...
Well to answer your first question, all cars are prone to rust if you don’t take care of them or drive them in an environment that can cause rust.
It’s not recommended to take the retro birds through a car wash. Many people have had issues since the hard top isn’t water sealed. I’ve always hand washed mine.
I haven’t changed the factory radio it’s the original but there are a lot of options out there.
Finally, the combo I’d recommend is the Merlot and light sand, that’s what I have. I think it a lot nicer than the Merlot and black.
I have the Merlot/ Light Sand, much better.

I am pondering selling mine but won’t decide until after the holidays. It has 29k miles, I’m the second owner, it is garaged during the winter months, I’ve done all the coil replacements andi Have the hardtop as well. If I decide to sell it, I’d be asking $21k for it. It’s in excellent condition, no body damage ever, all original, new General G-Max tires.
Hope this helps. By the way I live in NJ.
Happy Holidays
 
Bostonjoe said:
Hi, I drive 12K miles a year, even though I work 3 miles from home. In nice weather, I am constantly back-roading in New England, checking out antique stores or finding interesting places to hike.

I have a 1989 Celica convertible with 150K miles on it, a six speed that is fun to drive. I still love it, but would like to only drive it locally since it is getting up there in mileage. My current daily driver is a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, again with 150K miles. That car has been very reliable, and is being handled down to my 16 year old son, who is clamoring for his learners permit. If the Ford survives Henry, then another son 3 years younger can use it afterwards. My wife drives a Volvo SUV, that we can use for family trips, so a 2-seater is ok for me.

I have always admired the retro T-birds, and can now afford one. I'm also 55, and would like to drive a car daily that I would enjoy. I realize all cars need regular maintenance, and have read the postings in the forum about the ignition coils and dried suspension issues, as well as cluster and PCM problems.

So, is it a mistake to buy a low mileage (20-60K) 2004-2005 Tbird as a daily driver? Or are the majority of these cars fairly reliable, if the owner is willing to maintain it properly? Do the ignition coil issues give you some warning before failing?

Other questions on my mind are:

1. This car would be driven in Winter, are they anymore prone to rust than any other car driven in the same conditions?
2. If taken through a car wash (I work at one and get free washes), are the hardtop or soft top prone to leaks? (Yes, the Celica does leak, the rubber stripping has dried over the years, but I deal with it).
3. I would likely replace the factory CD/radio with a unit with bluetooth capability. Recommendations?
4. Lastly, my preferred color combo is the Merlot Red. I am torn between getting a Black interior versus the Sand/Tan one. Is the Sand/Tan difficult to keep clean?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading this posting!
Click to expand...
Hello. I know you've already gotten most of the inf you asked about, but thought I would share a bit. We're about the same age and when I bought my 2004 in 2016 just after my 50th birthday I joked with friends and family that it was my mid-life crisis on a budget since the one-owner car with only 22K miles was only about $17K including tax title and license. I've had a silver with black leather 1960 Thunderbird since 1992, and while I love it, was time to let it go as just too much to maintain, and no AC not a continued option for Texas. The 2004 is silver with black interior and became the 1960's successor.

Can't speak to rust, since we don't see any here in the Dallas area. I've seen a few videos on YT about how to mitigate rust (Scotty Kilmer and such) so there may be steps you can take. Your best option may be to buy a southern car, if that's a possibility, although so many people stored these cars all winter that there are no doubt some in your area that have had little exposure to snow and salt.

The first owner of my car didn't use the soft top much so it looked nearly new, and I must confess to having been lazy and driving it through car washed a few times, and the top never leaked at all. I'm not going to press my luck so will hand wash going forward unless the hard top is installed (it also does not leak).

As noted, coils were an ongoing issue. After two years, my car started suddenly running rough when started now and again, but if turned off would restart and run normally. Then one day the dreaded warning lamp lit, and I knew it was likely coils. The Carmax at time of purchase showed coils replaced, but after watching a few YT videos (some for the Lincoln LS) and reading info here on the forum, I decided to tackle the coils myself. I bought a set on Amazon and had no difficulty installing, along with new spark plugs. I found that only some coils had been replaced, so in my opinion I would just replace all eight, along with plugs, unless you are certain the car you buy has already been done. There can be an issue with water leaking through the cowl, which I fear may be my car's problem, so that's next on the list.

The Carmax also showed a new AC compressor having been installed, and thus far no issues and AC has worked wonderfully during the 8 month each year we need it in Texas. Hopefully you can find a car that has also had that issue remedied.

I haven't updated the radio since it and the CD changer work just fine, but like you I may do so as I now work from home and no longer need my 2017 Fusion and may sell it and make the t-bird my only car since I drive so little now. Looks like there are a few options for radio upgrades but I would likely have a radio store install for me, unless Crutchfield is still around and has something.

I have silver with all black interior and actually prefer the solid color interior to the two tone, but Merlot Red is a stunning color, so can't go wrong there.

Good luck with your car search. It's enjoyable driving something that isn't so common, and for the most part I've found the car to be fine for routine driving, with the exception of when the soft top is up as there are terrible blind spots when backing or trying to merge in certain circumstances (not exactly ideal with the hard top either but at least the port holes provide some help). I do miss the backup camera that I have in the Fusion! Of course with the top down, no visibility issues whatsoever.

Only other option I had was ABS light coming on, but I read some posts and found that brake dust can cause problems, so when washing the car I spray the wheels each time and thus far the light hasn't come back on.

Let us know what you decide to do. BTW the first car I bought in high school in 1983 (after a hand-me-down AMC from my mother) was a 1978 Celica GT that I owned for 18 years until it started to rust away. Had 70K miles when I bought it and nearly 280K when I had to let it go. I loved that car! Was looking for an older Celica a few years ago and couldn't find very many so you're wise to keep yours.
 
medurham said:
I think all of the above replies answer most of your questions, but lets see what else you should be thinking about. I bought a 2002 with 67K miles this last spring from the 1st owner. There are no issues with suspension and it drives like new. However, the car was always stored in a heated garage, not driven in the winter and therefore did not experience the hot and cold cycles, hence my bushings look great. Also, my Goodyear tires are a belted with Kevlar and 17 years old, but look new everywhere. No rot, cracking, etc. Should I change them? They look new. All the seals on my car look and act like new, again from its easy climate controlled life. And no, the top does not leak. He did have brake pads and a new air conditioning compressor installed the day before I picked it up.
Pick a car from an area that does not salt/spray their roads, or one put in the garage in the winter to avoid the rust issues.
In saying this, how the car you buy was treated in the past makes a big difference on how the life items like bushings, seals, tires, will behave in the future. So look for a car that has been garage kept and with a good maintenance history, is spotless clean, even the engine bay and as low miles as you can afford to pay for. Good luck, and like the rest of these guys, my T-Bird is the best driving touring car I've ever owned!!
Click to expand...

Agree with all of your points, but those 17 year old tires have got to be getting a little brittle, regardless of the climate they are stored in. Think of a rubber band sitting in your climate controlled desk drawer for 17 years ... it won’t be very lithe.

I find it advantageous to look for cars that are summer ’toys’ from areas with harsh winters. They tend to be stored for the winter months and often have significantly lower mileage.
 
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