How good is a 1996 4.6 T-Bird

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Odmark
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 3:05 pm

How good is a 1996 4.6 T-Bird

Post by Odmark »

Hello guys!!

First of all, i apologize for any bad english.

Now:
Im looking to buy a new, more comfortable car with a bit more power since i have a new job further away from home.

And i got an offer to trade in my old saab for a 1996 Ford Thunderbird 4.6.

How good are these cars? Reliability, mpg, speed, comfort etc?

Is there enough room for lets say me driving (6'5" tall), a rear facing childrens seat in the passenger seat, my other child (7 years old, about 3'11" tall as well as my wife about 5'11") in the back seat to ride in decent comfort?

Now that would rarely happen, but if?

My boss who has worked with selling parts for american cars since the 1970s claims the 4.6 is a bulletproof engine, and this generation t-birds are good cars.

The only faults with the car is that the fuel gauge shows full until there is about 3 gallons left in the tank and then it drops.
And also the lambda light is on.

But i need more opinions, mostly because my wife is against it haha!

Thanks in advance!
Eagle_Eye96
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:24 am

Re: How good is a 1996 4.6 T-Bird

Post by Eagle_Eye96 »

Just like any second hand cars, its performance would depend on how the previous owner has maintained it. I was lucky to have bought mine in good condition.
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Wklink
Posts: 443
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2003 4:48 pm
Location: Olympia Washington

Re: How good is a 1996 4.6 T-Bird

Post by Wklink »

What Eagle Eye said.

Any 20 year old car is bound to have problems. I know the 4.6 had some issues with valve stem seals and burning of oil and some head gasket issues among other things but a lot of these things were related to maintenance (or lack thereof). The 4.6, especially as the years went on, was pretty robust. Any car that has been abused, even really reliable ones, will give you fits.
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