First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

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First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #15 – May 24, 2006, 10:58:25 PM

Aw you guys are a bunch of poopers :p

I'll admit that sometimes I wish I could have new-car reliability, but I still love my car. It's a great cruiser, it's comfortable (I drove for 4 1/2 hours in one stretch coming home from st. louis, I could never do that in my Mustang). Plus, although it's not quite the same, I did go from driving a '94 Tempo to this thing and I have to say it's an improvement all around (except for the gas mileage).

But I love my car because it's old, it's cool, you don't see decent Thunderbirds anymore, it's pretty quick for what little I have invested in it (about $3000 total including the price of the car), and I like the fact it's simple and easy to work on.

I look forward to when I can really go through the suspension on my car and get it repainted, and get the body all fixed up.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #16 – May 24, 2006, 11:03:46 PM

Propably right about that, but I think there is a little extra something about the way the 87' & 88' XR7's are set up in the rear that makes a bit of a difference. I think there is an extra little spring set up in the rear that I never hear about on the board. I'm not a mechanic, so I'm not one to explain.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #17 – May 24, 2006, 11:15:02 PM

I've definitely always felt a car is more than the sum of its parts. You've got to believe after 15-20 years, cars have evolved to better cater to commuters, even though it doesn't show up on the spec sheets...

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #18 – May 24, 2006, 11:49:14 PM

Quote

I've definitely always felt a car is more than the sum of its parts. You've got to believe after 15-20 years, cars have evolved to better cater to commuters, even though it doesn't show up on the spec sheets...

Exactly, Andrew. And I found that out firsthand.

Y'all have to remember something, too. My first Cougar was bought in May 1987. That's 19 years ago. I don't know if there's anyone else on this board that has stuck with these cars that long (maybe Tom...?). So that's all I've known for two decades. Now I know that same car, but from a different point of view.

I'm thinking that in the fall, when I revamp COOL CATS slightly, that the direction is going to shift toward restoration and preservation, rather than continuous modification. Not that there's anything wrong with that...hell, I'm Guilty Party #1 LOL...but I'm getting e-mail from a lot of people that are looking to restore and preserve. Even my own parts collection has a signficant amount of NOS items. My personal feeling is that the time is correct to start advocating preservation and restoration to the general public.

It's like I have a new set of eyes. I'm seeing things invertedly. My gut says I'm right...and it hasn't failed me yet. I found all you guys because my gut told me to start a website. Things happen for a reason...

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #19 – May 24, 2006, 11:50:05 PM

I took my Tbird out of storage April 1st and I realized how much I missed it. The 5.0 makes the car feel stronger than it really is. After replacing the shocks and struts with new Monroe Sensatracs and adding poly bushings the car feels really tight. It rides nice and firm and corners pretty well for a car with out the handling suspension.

I can tell the car has a much different feel compaired to newer cars. After driving newer cars all winter I can tell how far cars have come from the 80s. New cars (98 Honda Accord 03 Saturn Vue) have much better utility than my Tbird. They have folding seats, better ergonomics and get much better gas mileage. Newer cars have so much better laid out interiors than these cars it's amazing. Other cars feel so much more roomy than my Tbird. I get in a newer car and I feel like I have so much room. When I sit in the Tbird it feels like I'm much more conected with the car because of how much tighter the interior feels. When I sit in the drivers seat the windshield is close to my head and the drive shaft hump separates me into my own pen 15pit like area. These cars are rather large but have bad packaging. For there size they are a little cramped.

Now I totally agree with the preservation idea. My Tbird only comes out in the summer and durring sunny weather. Most of the time when it comes out it's only to go to a show or go for a drive. It hasen't even seen rain in over 2 years and I only wash it once every two months. The rest of the time I just dust it. Will I ever get rid of this car? If I can help it probably not. Is it perfect? No it has a few dings and chips but it looks almost like new. I just love the look of the car and how it runs. I plan to repaint the car in factory colors and rebuild the 5.0 with a HO cam and a nice set of heads and intake. These cars have something cars now don't have: style. Sure compaired to new cars they are dated but as Eric said the newest ones are 18 years old. Cars have evolved, which is a good thing.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #20 – May 25, 2006, 12:21:34 AM

I really dont get the whole tight fit thing in my box birds, I didnt think the design changed that much but I feel like i'm standing in a field from the drivers seat of my cars I was only in my 86 tc long enough to tow it down the road so I cant really compare. I know that my tbird will never be a daily driver again and it will never drive a winter for as long as I own it. It wont drive/handle like a new car but thats part of the experience to me, to feel what it was like 'back in the day' cruising in your classy new tbird. Personally I wouldnt want it to be like a new car..

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #21 – May 25, 2006, 01:37:39 AM

With gas prices being so high and the fuel mileage on these cars being so low (especially for the power since I have the 5.0 SO), I've considered replacing my tbird with another car, but I just can't. My parents recently bought an 05 Grand Am and I was sold the first time I drove this car. It handles great, rides really well, stops good, and has great power, while getting over 26mpg. Comparing that to my Thunderbird, which gets around 18mpg, it kills me to see this car outperform mine while also being more efficient. It almost makes me switch.

But then I think about how I'd really feel about driving any other car, and realize there's no way I could drive anything else. First off is all of the work I've put into it so far. Just thinking about all I've invested into this car makes me think that I'd just be throwing it away. I also think about how everybody else views me with this car. All of my friends know me as driving the Thunderchicken It's one of the things I'm known by so I'd be giving that up just so I could get better gas mileage. Not very often do I see any fox bodies in my area, let alone 87-88 Thunderbirds. Any that I do see are never nearly as clean or modded as mine so that is another plus, being one of the few Thunderbirds in my area.

Another point to bring up is how easy these cars are to work on. A buddy of mine bought an 05 Colorado a while back, and there was nothing that could be done to this truck without having a computer involved. With new vehicles, everything is run by a computer anymore, there is hardly any raw mechanics involved. If you ever want to add performance to a new car you are looking at big bucks. With my buddy's Colorado it cost $100 for a simple wiring harness to hook up an aftermarket headunit. Hell, in my thunderbird I was able to rewire the whole stereo without having to worry about messing up anything. I'd like to see that done as easy in a newer vehicle. In my opinion, these cars fall right in the middle of old and new technology. They cars are new enough that you can still get parts if you need them, but they are old enough that you're not spending big $$$ for parts which you need to hire a mechanic to install. You're also able to easily fabricate something to work on these cars, rather than being forced to buy parts that are car specific. These cars are perfect for the do-it-yourselfer who still doesnt want to get their hands too full.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #22 – May 25, 2006, 09:26:42 AM

Very well said BIgmeat. I loved ur post.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #23 – May 25, 2006, 09:54:46 AM

I suppose I could chime into this discussion.
I've been in an MN12 for the past two years. Before that I had an '88 XR7, and an '86 GS before that. I've been driving Cougars for nearly eight years now.
While my '96 has all of the cool options, I'm tired of driving it. Plain and simple. The interior is much too wide (as Jim pointed out to me before), the exterior looks do almost nothing for me, and I'm certainly limited in what I can do for it.
Driving the '96 has its good and bad parts: It's much, much faster than the other Cougars I've had, and I love hanging the tail-end out around turns. However, it's nothing like driving a Fox car (besides better brakes). I hate driving the '96 on the interstate because it has that stupid "speed-sensitive" steering option. Steering the car on the interstate is like turning a ship propeller in a bucket of dirt... with your hands.
I never used to get irritated when I was driving my Fox Cougars. In fact, I would get excited every time I unlocked the door and keyed the 5.0 into life. I never got tired of that.
Now, however, with the purchase of a certain '86 XR-7 5-speed, I'll be back in the Fox game and loving every minute of it.
I've had fun with my MN12, though. It's been dead reliable and pulls its own weight. It just doesn't "tickle my pickle" like the Fox cars do.

Anybody interested in a '96 Cougar?

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #24 – May 25, 2006, 10:19:41 AM

My parents bought a 1985 Cougar in 1990. Mom wrecked the Bonneville and they needed a car fast. The guy that owned the Cougar went to church with us and he offered to sell it to them whatever the insurance company gave them for the Pontiac.

So they ended up getting a five year old Cougar for $976. And, six years and a long story later, that Cougar became my first car. Since then I've driven three other Cougars, including a mint 20th anniversary and a supercharged XR7. Are these cars "dated?" You bet your ass they are. But, then again, I think they are less dated than other cars their age. They've held up well over the years.

I wish I could afford to do all the things I want to do to the Cougar and keep it parked most of the time. Right now, though, I can't. So I drive it every single day. I've had it since October of '02 and it has never left me stranded and starts every time. It's probably the most reliable Cougar I've ever owned. So every time I find myself thinking about getting something else, I remember how well the car has treated me and that it deserves to be restored. It has earned its keep, as such. So one day the Cougar will take its rightful place in the garage and only come out on nice days or on the drive to Cat Jam. But until that day comes, I know she'll keep plunking along faithfully day-in and day-out. That's what she was built for anyway, isn't it? It will be a bittersweet occasion when I have to retire her to the garage for occasional excursion service when the weather is sunny.

So there's my two cents. These cars are good for daily driving, but excellent candidates for restoration and preservation as well.

Hey Zach, how much you want for that '96? ;-)

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #25 – May 25, 2006, 10:25:30 AM

$4,200
She has only 62k on the clock. Hell, I'll throw in some wiper fluid for free!

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #26 – May 25, 2006, 10:43:37 AM

My opinion is that you have to be really stuborn to own one of these cars. All the reasons not to are very obvious day to day, but you drive it anyway, because you want to.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #27 – May 25, 2006, 10:47:47 AM

As many of you know, back in February of last year, I retired my Cougar from daily driving duties. I purchased my new Tiburon and I must say it is a decision that I'm happy with and regret at the same time. The Tib is a younger sportier car (flame me if you see fit). It is both quick and agile making it fun to drive especially on back country roads. The car gets excellent gas mileage and it's nice that it is reliable and has working AC for those really hot days.

Now I've had that car for a year and 3 months and I've put 28,000 miles on it compared to about 3,000 on the Cougar. I get in and drive the Cougar from time to time and I must admit that it sometimes scares me. I can't believe I used to drive that car every day and especially drive it hard on back roads. The car doesn't handle that well, although it's better than my dad's Ram, it's not nearly as good as my mom's old '99 Malibu.

I recently drove it for a few days while the Tib was in the shop and although it was fun, I quickly realized that I had to be nuts driving it every day. I will certainly never ever go back to a fox car to drive daily. I'm not so worried about the availability of parts for it as I am it's reliability and practicality. Plus its nice to go somewhere every now and then and not smell like the exhaust.

Now am I saying that the Tib is the perfect car and is worlds better than the Cougar? Not quite. Although it handles, brakes and rides better as well as being more reliable and efficient, it is not nearly as comfortable. The seats in that car are fine for short trips but long trips are a different story. Last summer I took it down to the Outer Banks and after about 150 miles or so of driving my arse was killing me. The pedal location for the gas is also a bit awkward. I have to bend my foot around to the right as my heel is planted slightly to the left of the brake pedal. This wore on my knees after a while.

The Tib is slightly small for me. Unfortunately I didn't pick up on that when I purchased it. It is fine untile I drive the Cougar and climb back into the Tib. At that point I realize how cramped the Tib really is. The Cougar has the most comfortable interior of any car I've ever driven. The Leather 6way power seat and lumbar supports make any distance drive a pleasure. The pedals are located in perfect spots and never cause any fatigue on my legs.

So how did I decide on getting a new car? Well, I was much in the same postition Claude is in now. I got a good job, had money coming in and I could afford it. I looked at the Cougar deteriorating from its daily use and the breaking point was when it left me stranded twice in 1 week. At that point I wanted to do nothing more with it than crush it and get something new. After all, I sunk a lot of money into it and it still broke and only ran good when it wanted to. Well, I did one of those things in getting something new, however I couldn't bear to part with it. The Cougar holds so much sentimental value to me that I can't see getting rid of it for anything. The styling of the car and it's shear power always bring me back.

For instance I was so mad with the Cougar after I got my new car that I parked it in the driveway and didn't start it for a little over two weeks. One day backing down the driveway, the backup lights caught the headlights on the Cougar. I looked in my rear view and thought, man that car looks as mean as hell. I pulled the Tib aside and began staring at the Cougar. It had been months since I looked at this car like this as it looked no less than awesome. I ran into the house, grabbed my keys and she fired up on the first crank. I walked around the car listening to it idle and instantly fell in love with it again. At that point I almost wish I never bought the Tib. I wondered how I could leave the Cougar just sit and I soon realized that I made the right decision as I took the cat out for a quick spin. That five minute drive was a lot of fun but naturally that was due in part to flogging the car which is not what the typical daily drive involves. Driving it normally, I realized how clunky it was and how poor the brakes and suspension are in comparison to the Tib. I'm sure with the quality of Karl's cars, he has a bit of a different story but the 228,000 the Cougar has on it has taken it's toll.

So what am I saying here? New cars are essential for those who rack up miles and need something reliable and efficient for daily driving. Cars like the Cougar atleast for me will be reserved for fun and occasional transportation to work and such. It is in driving this car occasionally that it will be preserved plus it allows me to restore and modify without the constraints of "is it going to be back together for monday". I love my Cougar and I'm certain that I'm going to buy atleast one more but am certainly sure it will not be for daily driving and I can't even say I will have the attachment to it that I have with this one. Afterall, I have a lot of memories and both good and bad experiences in the Cougar. I'm sure there won't be any more now that it only goes out for fun because although it was a pain, driving it daily is what made me a part of this car and the car a part of me.

Sorry for the book

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #28 – May 25, 2006, 10:55:39 AM

I have to agree with Eric.

As many of you know, back in February of last year, I retired my Cougar from daily driving duties. I purchased my new Tiburon and I must say it is a decision that I'm happy with and regret at the same time. The Tib is a younger sportier car (flame me if you see fit). It is both quick and agile making it fun to drive especially on back country roads. The car gets excellent gas mileage and it's nice that it is reliable and has working AC for those really hot days.

Now I've had that car for a year and 3 months and I've put 28,000 miles on it compared to about 3,000 on the Cougar. I get in and drive the Cougar from time to time and I must admit that it sometimes scares me. I can't believe I used to drive that car every day and especially drive it hard on back roads. The car doesn't handle that well, although it's better than my dad's Ram, it's not nearly as good as my mom's old '99 Malibu.

I recently drove it for a few days while the Tib was in the shop and although it was fun, I quickly realized that I had to be nuts driving it every day. I will certainly never ever go back to a fox car to drive daily. I'm not so worried about the availability of parts for it as I am it's reliability and practicality. Plus its nice to go somewhere every now and then and not smell like the exhaust.

Now am I saying that the Tib is the perfect car and is worlds better than the Cougar? Not quite. Although it handles, brakes and rides better as well as being more reliable and efficient, it is not nearly as comfortable. The seats in that car are fine for short trips but long trips are a different story. Last summer I took it down to the Outer Banks and after about 150 miles or so of driving my arse was killing me. The pedal location for the gas is also a bit awkward. I have to bend my foot around to the right as my heel is planted slightly to the left of the brake pedal. This wore on my knees after a while.

The Tib is slightly small for me. Unfortunately I didn't pick up on that when I purchased it. It is fine untile I drive the Cougar and climb back into the Tib. At that point I realize how cramped the Tib really is. The Cougar has the most comfortable interior of any car I've ever driven. The Leather 6way power seat and lumbar supports make any distance drive a pleasure. The pedals are located in perfect spots and never cause any fatigue on my legs.

So how did I decide on getting a new car? Well, I was much in the same postition Claude is in now. I got a good job, had money coming in and I could afford it. I looked at the Cougar deteriorating from its daily use and the breaking point was when it left me stranded twice in 1 week. At that point I wanted to do nothing more with it than crush it and get something new. After all, I sunk a lot of money into it and it still broke and only ran good when it wanted to. Well, I did one of those things in getting something new, however I couldn't bear to part with it. The Cougar holds so much sentimental value to me that I can't see getting rid of it for anything. The styling of the car and it's shear power always bring me back.

For instance I was so mad with the Cougar after I got my new car that I parked it in the driveway and didn't start it for a little over two weeks. One day backing down the driveway, the backup lights caught the headlights on the Cougar. I looked in my rear view and thought, man that car looks as mean as hell. I pulled the Tib aside and began staring at the Cougar. It had been months since I looked at this car like this as it looked no less than awesome. I ran into the house, grabbed my keys and she fired up on the first crank. I walked around the car listening to it idle and instantly fell in love with it again. At that point I almost wish I never bought the Tib. I wondered how I could leave the Cougar just sit and I soon realized that I made the right decision as I took the cat out for a quick spin. That five minute drive was a lot of fun but naturally that was due in part to flogging the car which is not what the typical daily drive involves. Driving it normally, I realized how clunky it was and how poor the brakes and suspension are in comparison to the Tib. I'm sure with the quality of Karl's cars, he has a bit of a different story but the 228,000 the Cougar has on it has taken it's toll.

So what am I saying here? New cars are essential for those who rack up miles and need something reliable and efficient for daily driving. Cars like the Cougar atleast for me will be reserved for fun and occasional transportation to work and such. It is in driving this car occasionally that it will be preserved plus it allows me to restore and modify without the constraints of "is it going to be back together for monday". I love my Cougar and I'm certain that I'm going to buy atleast one more but am certainly sure it will not be for daily driving and I can't even say I will have the attachment to it that I have with this one. Afterall, I have a lot of memories and both good and bad experiences in the Cougar. I'm sure there won't be any more now that it only goes out for fun because although it was a pain, driving it daily is what made me a part of this car and the car a part of me.

First Drive of the Year - And Thoughts

Reply #29 – May 25, 2006, 11:15:19 AM

Quote from: 5.0willgo

One day backing down the driveway, the backup lights caught the headlights on the Cougar. I looked in my rear view and thought, man that car looks as mean as hell. I pulled the Tib aside and began staring at the Cougar. It had been months since I looked at this car like this as it looked no less than awesome. I ran into the house, grabbed my keys and she fired up on the first crank. I walked around the car listening to it idle and instantly fell in love with it again.

Right on, man. Right on.
I used to get the EXACT same feeling with my '88 XR7. There's just something about its design.
Well said.