Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

[007Cruiser]

Just saw the 2010 Buyers Guide from Consumer Reports. They've listed the 2002 TBird as a vehicle to avoid for being unreliable and worse than average for the model year. I don't buy this based on our experiences reported here, but perhaps the COP problem is coming into play.

[5bird7]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

CR has been down on the car from the beginning (it only holds 2 people) so this doesn't really surprise me.

[04birdman]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

dont know about consumer reports,but do know from reading this site that the guy with the biggest smile is the guy selling all the extended warr,s............and you just cant get around the cops issue and the way it is handled.

[RustyFrye]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

(it only holds 2 people)

Really?! Does that mean I was dreaming that summer evening a few years ago when two of the lovely blonde neighborhood wives and I went out dancing at the boardwalk and a few other places then came back and cruised the neighborhood at 2:00 AM with them doing a queenly wave? Funny, they had the same dream at the same time....

[5bird7]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

Were they belted in with you, RustyFrye?

[JAB02LHS]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

Were they belted in with you, RustyFrye?

I think they had more than a few belts.

[fums6]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

Consumer Reports is no longer a relavent critic of household goods and automobiles. I know we talk a lot about cops on this website and that makes us more aware of the problem, vis-a-vis Ford Thunderbirds. And I'm aware of the contradiction of Ford's solution with the 02's and the 03's and up. But my neighbor has had the same problem with his BMW and his mechanic has told him that it is a common problem.

[tbird6t4]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

It figures, opinions are like bums!


We all have one, but rely on others opinions to tell us what ours looks like.


Too bad, because they really don't know what they are missing.


So we can put this one behind us where it belongs, also like a bum.


We all see the reactions of others who would dearly like to have what we possess.......and we all have a bum, but we don't all have a RetroBird.


Heck some have two or more! (RetroBird's that is!)

[AZTB]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

Consumer Reports is no longer a relavent critic of household goods and automobiles. I know we talk a lot about cops on this website and that makes us more aware of the problem, vis-a-vis Ford Thunderbirds. And I'm aware of the contradiction of Ford's solution with the 02's and the 03's and up. But my neighbor has had the same problem with his BMW and his mechanic has told him that it is a common problem.

My wife's 330i has had a chronic problem with the power windows for over 8 years...it's heat related and BMW tells us it only happens in Florida & Arizona...evidently the same vendor makes them for MB, VW & Audi...we've replaced the clips on some of these windows THREE times and it's $300 EACH TIME...you never hear about that from BMW or CR, do you?

[NotU]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

I gave up listening to CR many years ago. (30 maybe?)
They absolutely slammed a car I had recently purchased new stating that it should never have been built. I liked that car a lot! I had it almost 12 years, that includes winter driving. The only problem I ever had with it was a clogged catalytic converter and the battery died after 9 years. It was reluctantly sold because of rust. It was still running well.
As far as I'm concerned, CR is irrelevent.
Randy Mattson

[Ski]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

It is preaching to the choir but years ago, when I was young and working in high-end electronics, the knocks by CR on some of the products cost them all credibility in my mind. As a result I pay zero attention to it. We're intelligent enough to make up our own minds. Now I look at customer reviews of products, that's a lot more telling to me. Real people using a product in the real world.

BTW I'm very happy with my 02.

[My Raven]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

I guess if we look at the facts we really should not be surprised ...
.

• 2 Seater
• V8 Engine
• Mediocre Gas Mileage by CR Standards;
• Factory Standard Spec Premium Fuel and Synthetic Oil;
• Limited Trunk and Cargo Space;
• Higher Insurance Premiums for Some Drivers;
• COPs and E Code Problems in 02s & 03s.

.
But to *#&*#& With Consumer Reports ...
.
I LOVE MINE!

[tbird6t4]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

Here is how Kelly Blue Book consumers reported on the 2002 to 05 RetroBird:

Based on 146 Ratings for the 2002 - 2005 Ford Thunderbird models.

Overall Rating 4.9 out of 5
Value:
4.7 out of 5
Reliability:
4.8 out of 5
Quality:
4.7 out of 5
Performance:
4.8 out of 5
Styling:
4.9 out of 5
Comfort:
4.6 out of 5

[Skip]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

IMHO, CR is not unbiased regarding their evaluations, especially regarding vehicles, and more specifically American vehicles. I have seen too many circumstances where they bashed an American car in favor of an Asian make, and when you looked at the actual comparison data, there was little or no difference. When folks ask my opinion, I suggest that they disregard CR, or at the very least, look at as many other reference sources as they can find.

[bwlewis]

Re: Consumer Reports Knocks the '02

I know that the cops issue has been beaten to death and it seems very few others will "own up to" having problems with their particular make/model, etc. The fleet mechanic who works for tha same gov't entity I do says, "If you look hard enough and long enough you will find a problem with any vehicle that has cops. It just that some don't report it as much as others." He tells me that Crown Victorias from '01 to present usually require replacing #4 at about 60K miles. The one I drive has 145K miles. Yes it spits, sputters and acts up when it wants to, but has never thrown a code. He says the next time we get some real junk in the shop he'll put a used coil on this one, just to prove he's right. No one seems to complain about these cars, they just fix them and keep going, but if you ask around they will tell about the problems. Maybe they don't complain because someone else is paying for it!