MN12 T-Bird and Cougar

[Eric91Z]

OK, looking for some input of current or past owners of MN12 ('89-'97, I think) T-Birds or Cougars. Preferably ones with the 4.6 SOHC motor. How did you like it? How is the highway ride? How is the HVAC? Any major issues with the car?

I have found a number of good sites for these cars with what seems to be some good people on there, but thought I would ask here, too, since I value the collectives opinion on this site.

I am thinking something like this:

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=88845

Clean, maintained, I like the Cobra R wheels on it and it has the stock wheels with winter tires. This is just an idea of what I am talking about.

Any and all input appreciated as always.

[fastblackmerc]

I have a '97 Bird but it has the 3.8l V-6. Good car, still running strong w/ almost 100,000 miles.

[ctrlraven]

Man that red T-bird is purty. I had a 95 Cougar XR7 with the 3.8L besides the headgasket blowing I loved the car. If you need to get any performance parts or want to see whats ava. go to www.supercoupeperformance.com (http://www.supercoupeperformance.com) I bought all my stuff there and so have my local friends with other MN-12's.

[cbala]

I bought new, a 96 Cougar 4.6 V8 with the sport package..., (16in wheels, upgraded suspension, bigger brakes). It was well worth it, turned a sloppy riding standard model into a decent handeling car. Came with the Goodyear GT+4 tires which I didn't care for but lived with, they rode hard. 4.6 was peppy but with a little tuning can open up.

-chris

[Eric91Z]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies guys. So far, I am thinking a '96 or '97 with the Sport package is the way to go and might be a little more enjoyable daily commute, especially with the IRS, than a Panther car.

How was interior noise and overall ride with the car? How about driver seat comfort?

Also, those that have had the 3.8L V6, how was the performance and gas mileage? Any major problems with that motor? I know to watch for the plastic intakes on the 4.6L V8 and would hope it has either been replaced already or look at something like the Bullet intake as a replacement.

[jim geary]

Wouldn't even have to think about it. I'ed have already sent him the money.
Sight unseen. Nice car.

[jerrym3]

I have a 94 TBird LX Sport with the 4.6 motor, 3:27 rear end ratio. Car has over 133,000 miles. Uses a quart of oil every 1,500 miles. I personally haved changed the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. (Using car ramps, the oil filter can be an SOB to get to without making a mess.)

Very little engine work been done, but the cars are noted for bad trans and lousy front rotors.

I think it's a great riding car (IRS), and, IMHO, has one of the best styled dashboards ever (1994 and up). (I wish my 2003 TBird dashboard was as nice.)

Mine's black, sand interior, factory wing. I used to run 16" TSW Imola wheels, but since the tires needed replacing and I was in no mood to buy another set of 16" tires for that car, the stock 15" wheels are back on and the Imolas are sitting in my garage gathering dust, waiting for a buyer.

I have pictures of my in my gallery (with the TSW wheels) along with my 58 and 2003 TBirds.

Car is peppy, but not fast, in stock form. I average about 20 mpg, and get about 26 on straight highway trips.

After 12 years, I still enjoy driving, washing, and waxing it. That's the best testimony I can give about a car.

[RR|Suki]

My 96 cougar has somwhere around 130,000mi and it runs great. IRS is actually not all it's cracked up to be, it makes the rear end hop alot from the go. I love the car, rides nice, gets pretty good milage and so on. The only issue I have has is I had to change the starter... If I had 4k I would of bought that car without any thought;)

[Macon Marauder]

I still miss mine! It was an LX LE exactly like the one in the link - except I had the stock wheels. Plenty of power! It was comfortable and quiet. I should have kept it.

PS: I think he's selling it too cheap. If I wasn't already looking to replace my wife's mini-van...

[Dennis Reinhart]

OK, looking for some input of current or past owners of MN12 ('89-'97, I think) T-Birds or Cougars. Preferably ones with the 4.6 SOHC motor. How did you like it? How is the highway ride? How is the HVAC? Any major issues with the car?

I have found a number of good sites for these cars with what seems to be some good people on there, but thought I would ask here, too, since I value the collectives opinion on this site.

I am thinking something like this:

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=88845

Clean, maintained, I like the Cobra R wheels on it and it has the stock wheels with winter tires. This is just an idea of what I am talking about.

Any and all input appreciated as always.

I bought a brand new 96 and loved the car, it had ice cold air and all the toys. I also bought a 96 Cobra motor, to install in the car unfortunately the car was totaled thats when I bought my first Mark 8

[fastblackmerc]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies guys. So far, I am thinking a '96 or '97 with the Sport package is the way to go and might be a little more enjoyable daily commute, especially with the IRS, than a Panther car.

How was interior noise and overall ride with the car? How about driver seat comfort?

Also, those that have had the 3.8L V6, how was the performance and gas mileage? Any major problems with that motor? I know to watch for the plastic intakes on the 4.6L V8 and would hope it has either been replaced already or look at something like the Bullet intake as a replacement.

Interior noise - mine is relatively quiet - to me.
Drivers seat comfort - I like the seating in mine. Many highway miles traveled.
V6 performance & gas mileage - not bad performance for a V6, I used mine as a highway cruiser so once you got up to speed it's OK. Get around 21 - 24mpg on the highway w/ the A/C & cruise on.
Motor issues - None. I've replaced the battery twice, oil & filter changed every 5K, replace plug wires after 90,000 miles, added a tranny cooler, K&N filter panel (there is a mod for the airbox), spark plugs every 40- 50K, flush cooling and tranny every 30K, just replaced the fan relay (fan wouldn't shut off). Never had any other major under the hood components fail.

[jimlam56]

I've had two, one unfortunately for a very short time...:bigcry:
They are great cars. As someone else said, the best designed dash I've seen on a Ford...the red one is pretty, and the price is good.

[Eric91Z]

I like what I am hearing. I do like the interior of these cars and they appeal more to me than the CV/GM do (but not more than my MM). And that is almost as important to me as exterior styling and reliability since I will spend about 2 hours per day in there on my daily round trip commute.

It does seem that you can get a fair amount of car for the money with these, although they are getting to be that 9-10 year old range (for the last models) and will need some work done to them. And, yes, I wish I was ready now as that one I posted the link to would be everything I want and already has the wheels/tires on it, MAC CAI, etc. I think they are shapr cars, especially in those pictures he has.

[ctrlraven]

I would say overall the ride is pretty good but it can always be made better in any car by getting better tires, shocks/struts and such. From what I remember the interior noise a lot less than what the Marauder makes thats for sure lol. The 3.8L is well known for being a headgasket eating machine, mine only blew once during its 190,xxx life span, I replaced the head gasket with a copper gasket, ported the intake/exhaust/coolant ports and replaced the stock manifolds with kooks long tube headers. The 3.8 exhaust system is just asking for problems, the manifolds connect to the cats at a 90 degree bend which we will know bottles everything up. After I replaced my parts mine ran like a champ, it was like a whole other vehicle. If you were to get one I would say get the 4.6 sohc mn12 or hey even go with a mark viii with the dohc :D but don't mess with the 3.8 cause unless its already had the head gasket change before it hit 100K miles its going to blow very soon and its just a pain to deal with all that.

[cbala]

I liked the 96 better than the 97 for 1 reason, the dash cluster. The 96 had the speedo and the tach (same size) on the opposite sides with 2 gauges in the middle of the cluster and 2 on the far sides..., the 97 had a big speedo in the middle and tach on one side and other gauges on the other.

Mine also had traction control part of that Sport Package FWIW...

The rear deck after 20somethingK started to rattle like a tin can, could never figure out what it was. Other than that, I sold it before 3yr/36k, it never was at the dealer for any mechanical problems.

I still miss that car..., it replaced and 88 Cougar XR7 that I miss more.

-chris

[michael ward]

OK, looking for some input of current or past owners of MN12 ('89-'97, I think) T-Birds or Cougars. Preferably ones with the 4.6 SOHC motor. How did you like it? How is the highway ride? How is the HVAC? Any major issues with the car?

I have found a number of good sites for these cars with what seems to be some good people on there, but thought I would ask here, too, since I value the collectives opinion on this site.

I am thinking something like this:

http://forums.tccoa.com/showthread.php?t=88845

Clean, maintained, I like the Cobra R wheels on it and it has the stock wheels with winter tires. This is just an idea of what I am talking about.

Any and all input appreciated as always.these are very good cars I had a new 96 and a 97 w/9,000 miles in 2000 and I just bought a loaded 97 today for work and winter from the service manager at rizza ford his own personal car it's super duper clean and does not need a thing but love.he took real good care of the car and lots of good maintance and has the 4.6 and sport option package

[ctrlraven]

I still would like to pick up a super coupe one day......

[MM03MOK]

I still would like to pick up a super coupe one day......I have a '94 SC that's looking for a good home....

[jerrym3]

These cars are not the greatest in the snow.

I prefer the 94/5 over the 96/7. I wasn't in favor of the body side cladding on the newer years. Too much Pontiac, but I do prefer the front facia of the newer cars.

There's a picture of my 94 with the Imola wheels (along with my two other Birds, although the 58's been sold) in my gallery.

I still have a few like new sales catalogs of the 94/5 and 96.

[Eric91Z]

these are very good cars I had a new 96 and a 97 w/9,000 miles in 2000 and I just bought a loaded 97 today for work and winter from the service manager at rizza ford his own personal car it's super duper clean and does not need a thing but love.he took real good care of the car and lots of good maintance and has the 4.6 and sport option package

I noticed the other day that Rizza had a couple up on AutoTrader.

[VNMUS]

That's a really nice looking car. Good luck.

[Eric91Z]

That's a really nice looking car. Good luck.

I do wish we were ready financially right now to get a car as I would be all over that one. It is a really nice looking car and already has upgrades I would do and don't have to pay to have them done. Oh well, like the Marauder, the right one will come along when the time comes.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

I had a 92 cougar xr7. Loved that car, till my neighbor's tree crushed it. That when i bought a Mark VIII.

[Bruce Wayne]

these are great cars my'89 t-bird has 350,000 km on it and still running strong, midnite blue in and out and has the same dot matrix on the dash as the Marauder, just picked up a '93 black on black XR7 for a song, these cars are for the men who appreciate a cool ride!

[crouse]

Bought a 96 Cougar brand new, 4.6 V8, black with the sport package which included 7 spoke 16" wheels, rear spoiler, 3.25 gears and larger front rotors. Loved that car. Wish I still had it. Traded it in on a 2000 Mustang GT.

[JamesHecker]

I love my 97 Cougar XR7 w/ 4.6 V8. It was immaculate when I gave it to my son with 97,000 miles on it. It now has about 120,000 on it and it looks like crap. Makes me cry when I look at what he has done to it!

It is a great car and other than the plastic manifold, I have never had any trouble with it.