Trunk capacity 04/05 Thunderbird

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mikec

Click here to upgrade
Last seen
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Hi there

Hoping someone can help me! Myself and a friend have booked a Thunderbird for a 5 day car rental for our vacation in Miami. I believe it will be an 05 model, but should be no older than 04. However we never considered the trunk capacity when booking it (kinda dumb really!). Looking at facts and figures, it doesn't look big at all on paper, so we're now concerned we won't get our luggage in.

Wondered if anyone could tell me in real terms what you will fit in the trunk of a Thunderbird? Trying to work it out from a photo or a capacity figure is hard!

We were going to bring smallish pull along hard suitcases but I realise that 2 of them are unlikely to fit. How about 2 roller holdalls, like this:

5495166.jpg


Appreciate any help as we may have to change our rental choice quickly if we wouldn't get more than 2 rucksacks in there!

Michael
 

This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

Thanks for the link - the thread doesn't help me too much though because the car isn't mine, so taking a spare out isn't really an option. Plus as we're flying in long haul, there's no option of packing everything into lots of small bags to make it fit better - we would really need to pack 1 check in luggage piece each, so I'm just trying to work out exactly what would fit and figured those roller holdalls might because they can be compressed and squashed about more than a conventional hard case.

Appreciate the reply!
Michael.
 
mikec said:
Thanks for the link - the thread doesn't help me too much though because the car isn't mine, so taking a spare out isn't really an option. Plus as we're flying in long haul, there's no option of packing everything into lots of small bags to make it fit better - we would really need to pack 1 check in luggage piece each, so I'm just trying to work out exactly what would fit and figured those roller holdalls might because they can be compressed and squashed about more than a conventional hard case.

Appreciate the reply!
Michael.
Click to expand...

Yeah it helps a lot because you can't take the spare out, so you are really in trouble.
 
mikec said:
Hi there

Hoping someone can help me! Myself and a friend have booked a Thunderbird for a 5 day car rental for our vacation in Miami. I believe it will be an 05 model, but should be no older than 04. However we never considered the trunk capacity when booking it (kinda dumb really!). Looking at facts and figures, it doesn't look big at all on paper, so we're now concerned we won't get our luggage in.

Wondered if anyone could tell me in real terms what you will fit in the trunk of a Thunderbird? Trying to work it out from a photo or a capacity figure is hard!

We were going to bring smallish pull along hard suitcases but I realise that 2 of them are unlikely to fit. How about 2 roller holdalls, like this:

5495166.jpg


Appreciate any help as we may have to change our rental choice quickly if we wouldn't get more than 2 rucksacks in there!

Michael
Click to expand...

Its hard to tell if it would fit or not but explain to the rental Co. and maybe ask for a Mustang convertible for a back up just in case. As soon as you get there do the trunk test. Soft luggage like yours has a much better chance of fitting and if it works you'll really glad to be driving the Thunderbird.
 
......if there is some squashability to those bags it might work.....The X brace on the inside of the trunk lid hampers a lot of objects......I'd probably opt for a Mustang G.T. 'Vert.....
 
Space

My wife and I have carried enough stuff for a week in the trunk. can also get things behind the seats, and in the top well if the hard top is not installed, and the soft top is up.. carry soft side bags and store stuff "around" to bring the size down if closing the trunk will be a problem. Might check the local Ford dealers to see if they have a T-Bird to look at ... if it will work... don't dare trade off a t-Bird for a Mustang... I have both ... mustangs on every corner ... go in style...drive a bird...
Jim
 
I agree Jim....Go for the experience. :cool: I'm sure they'll be able to make it fit. :D and have fun doing it
 
Trunk Capacity

My wife and I have made several long trips of a week or so since we got the bird.
We pack stuff in small bags that allow you to squish stuff around. You might try this and if you're flying, pack it all in a big suitcase, check this bag, then pack the bird and leave the big suitcase at the car rental place to hold for your return.
Best of all possible worlds.
Jimbo
 
Trunk Space

I have taken several long trips with my 03 and found out that the best type of luggage for the Bird is soft sided. Even a small roller bag like shown in one of the previous posts makes it hard to fit into the car. The frames don't allow the bags to bend. Two very large gym bags fit well and you can use the wells on each side of the for small items packed in soft sided bags. I use the area behind each seat for jackets etc. and even have a smaller cooler shaped like a golf bag that fits perfect between the seats.

Creativity is what it takes. Remember, a soft side bag with roller wheels and frame just wont cut it.

Happy traveling

Ticket Ted
03 Whisper White/White top/red/black interior
 
Thanks for all the extra replies - I hadn't checked back recently

We're rolling with the roller holdalls (despite their hard underside) in the hope that a bit of squashability will help.

I emailed the rental company and they were very helpful. They said that similar vehicles they could offer would be like Nissan 350Z, Merc SLK320 etc, but they checked them all out for me and he reckons the T-Bird is probably the same or marginally bigger than the others (and the figures back that up with 350Z being 0.1 cu ft less than T-Bird).

He said that we can arrive there, try the luggage and if after a lot of effort it's just not working, we can go back with them and choose another vehicle. Seems fair enough to me.

Fingers crossed the T-Bird takes it as we were really looking forward to getting one

Thanks again
Michael.
 
Mike:
I think that's great they are being so cooperative. I really hope you have a chance to drive the Bird!! Good Luck :cool:
 
What I would recommend is that you pack everything into small organizing bags (such as what backpackers use to organize things in their backpacks) and then pack all of these into a single duffle bag which is soft on all sides and preferably made of thin material (such as a cheap nylon bag, as opposed to a thicker canvas bag). The trunk can accomodate two such bags, and if in some areas the bag is too thick to allow the trunk to close, you can remove some of the organizing bags and stuff them into the nooks and crannies around the duffle bags, or behind the seats or in the convertible top well (if the hard top is not on - have the rental car company take the hardtop off anyway so that you can drive it with the top down) or on the floor by the passenger's seat. You could do the same with larger clothing items, such as jeckets or sweaters. Any luggage with any kind of a solid frame will probably not work.
 
mikec said:
Hi there

Hoping someone can help me! Myself and a friend have booked a Thunderbird for a 5 day car rental for our vacation in Miami. I believe it will be an 05 model, but should be no older than 04. However we never considered the trunk capacity when booking it (kinda dumb really!). Looking at facts and figures, it doesn't look big at all on paper, so we're now concerned we won't get our luggage in.

Wondered if anyone could tell me in real terms what you will fit in the trunk of a Thunderbird? Trying to work it out from a photo or a capacity figure is hard!

We were going to bring smallish pull along hard suitcases but I realise that 2 of them are unlikely to fit. How about 2 roller holdalls, like this:

5495166.jpg


Appreciate any help as we may have to change our rental choice quickly if we wouldn't get more than 2 rucksacks in there!

Michael
Click to expand...

Mike,

My brother and I take the T-bird golfing every weekend. We can get two full size golf bag in the trunk. It's a tight fit but doable.
 
mikec said:
Hi there

Hoping someone can help me! Myself and a friend have booked a Thunderbird for a 5 day car rental for our vacation in Miami. I believe it will be an 05 model, but should be no older than 04. However we never considered the trunk capacity when booking it (kinda dumb really!). Looking at facts and figures, it doesn't look big at all on paper, so we're now concerned we won't get our luggage in.

Wondered if anyone could tell me in real terms what you will fit in the trunk of a Thunderbird? Trying to work it out from a photo or a capacity figure is hard!

We were going to bring smallish pull along hard suitcases but I realise that 2 of them are unlikely to fit. How about 2 roller holdalls, like this:

5495166.jpg


Appreciate any help as we may have to change our rental choice quickly if we wouldn't get more than 2 rucksacks in there!

Michael
Click to expand...
My wife and I havè taken week long trips with no problem in my 05. Use soft luggage. Duffle or weekends bags. You will be amazed how much you can pack.
 
CBBIRD said:
My wife and I havè taken week long trips with no problem in my 05. Use soft luggage. Duffle or weekends bags. You will be amazed how much you can pack.
Click to expand...
Remove the spare tire cover and gain a few more cubic inches. The rental co should be willing to keep that in their office, I would think. They want you to be happy and so do we. Bon voyage! :)
 
Think like a long distance motorcyclist.


1 pack 2 or at most 3 days worth and simply do laundry one evening.

2 remember that every place in the USA is close to Walmart,.. if you cant find laundry, ditch the dirty clothing and get a pack of t shirts and $12 wranglers at the store.

3 travel to and from with no luggage, mail your clothes there and back so you can use multiple small soft bags .....

Etc....
 
I can put two sets of golf cluns in my trunk.. The bags and clubs are not tournament size bags but they are not small Sunday / weekend bags.. They are two "normal" size cart bags and that leaves us with just the little cutout towards the back of the trunk.. The golf bags take up nearly 99% of the trunk minus the cut out.. It's not a easy smooth close of the lid either.. It does close with no problem but no gap between the trunk lid and the bags.. So soft sided duffels bags or backpacks are the way to go.. Have fun and stay Corona Safe!
 
mikec said:
Hi there

Hoping someone can help me! Myself and a friend have booked a Thunderbird for a 5 day car rental for our vacation in Miami. I believe it will be an 05 model, but should be no older than 04. However we never considered the trunk capacity when booking it (kinda dumb really!). Looking at facts and figures, it doesn't look big at all on paper, so we're now concerned we won't get our luggage in.

Wondered if anyone could tell me in real terms what you will fit in the trunk of a Thunderbird? Trying to work it out from a photo or a capacity figure is hard!

We were going to bring smallish pull along hard suitcases but I realise that 2 of them are unlikely to fit. How about 2 roller holdalls, like this:

5495166.jpg


Appreciate any help as we may have to change our rental choice quickly if we wouldn't get more than 2 rucksacks in there!

Michael
Click to expand...
late to the party, but you probably figured out you can't get much of anything in that trunk. I have to take driver and fairway woods out of my golf bag just to get my golf bag to fit. Hope you worked it out.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top