Why can’t my Ford dealer get parts for my Thunderbird? – The truth may make you mad.
Has this happened to you? – You take your 2002-2005 Thunderbird to your Ford dealer for a routine repair. The service advisor tells you it will be ready tomorrow. Three days later you call to ask why your car isn’t ready and you’re told they’re waiting for parts. Two weeks later the dealer is still waiting for parts. He tells you they are on backorder, but can’t give you a date when they’ll be available.
Why can’t your Ford dealer get OEM replacement parts for your Thunderbird?
The last of the 2005 Ford Thunderbird rolled off the Wixom assembly line nearly 11 years ago. The first of the 2002 Thunderbird are now almost 15 years old. The 11th generation Thunderbird was a very low production car with only 68,095 built over four model years. Correspondingly, the number of OEM replacement parts was also low. And now remaining supplies of many parts are disappearing. Even worse, many OEM parts have already been discontinued and are no longer available for purchase anywhere!
How could this happen with modern production car?
Owners of older collectible cars like 1965 Mustangs or even 1955-1957 Thunderbirds can find almost any replacement part in the form of aftermarket reproductions. In fact, you can practically build a 1957 Thunderbird from the ‘ground up,’ with newly manufactured parts from a variety of specialty suppliers and retailers. But owners of the 2002-2005 Thunderbird are finding it much harder to find even relatively common parts for their cars.
Due to the relatively low demand, aftermarket companies have little financial incentive to tool up to manufacture OEM parts replacements. Aftermarket companies concentrate on larger production vehicles with bigger potential markets such as the Ford Mustang. That, combined with the fact that the 2002-2005 Thunderbirds are now at an age where original components and parts are wearing out and in need of replacement, has created a serious challenge for Thunderbird owners: How to find OEM replacement parts?
Checking with your local Ford dealer won’t be much help. They can check a nationwide computer database to locate parts, and if the parts needed to repair your Thunderbird were available you’d already be back on the road.
If OEM Ford parts aren’t available, you can try to find aftermarket replacements, but many 2002-2005 Thunderbird parts aren’t available as aftermarket parts either. Making matters worse; many parts for the 2002 Thunderbird and the 2003-2005 Thunderbird are different and are NOT interchangeable. For instance, replacement instrument clusters for the 2003-2005 Thunderbird are available, but if you need one for your 2002, you won’t find one.
Since 2002-2005 Thunderbirds are no longer under factory warranty, many owners turn to independent mechanics and repairs shops for needed repairs. Independent mechanics aren’t limited to using only Ford parts, but they have the same problems finding replacements and don’t have the benefit of Ford dealers’ parts locator database.
Another alternative is searching the internet. Some Ebay and Amazon sellers may have ‘new old stock’ OEM parts for sale, sometimes for less than Ford’s original list price. But not everyone likes to shop on Ebay and prefer to buy from an established retailer or in a ‘bricks and mortar’ store. And unless you have a part number or the correct Ford part number, you may not be able to find what you need or may end up getting an incorrect part. Unless the search words you enter match an online listing, it’s easy to miss the part you’re looking for.
The last option, and perhaps the least appealing, is to search salvage yards and auto dismantlers. This is a problematic alternative for a couple of reasons: First, most salvage yards sell parts by general description only. The Ford OEM part known as a ‘Glove Box Finish Trim Panel,’ may be called simply ‘interior trim’ by a dismantler. Another problem is that parts purchased from a salvage yard are used and in the case of mechanical or electrical parts, may or may not be working. Most salvage yards won’t guarantee used parts, and are sold on an ‘as-is, where-is’ basis.
So what do yo do if you can’t find the part you need either from a Ford dealer, online, or at a salvage yard?
Powersport/Thunderbird Specialties offers the largest selection of new OEM parts for the 2002-2005 Ford Thunderbird available anywhere. We offer a full line of discontinued, out-of-production and hard-to-find replacement parts including; coil springs, shocks/struts, headlight and tail light assemblies, A/C compressors, electronic modules including FEMs, PCMs, REMs and more, interior and exterior trim components including headrests, hood and trunk emblems, interior door panels, steering wheels, door trim panels, door handle assemblies, windshield trim, OEM Chrome alloy wheels and center caps, soft boot covers, chrome-plated hood scoop bezels, shifter knobs, OEM seat cover replacements, and much more.
If we don’t stock a part you’re looking for, chances are we can find it for you. We have access to a number of companies that specialize in obsolete and discontinued parts, as well as specialty manufacturers that reproduce 2002-2005 Thunderbird parts to Ford’s OEM factory specifications.
We also offer repair and rebuilding of electronic components like AM/FM radio CD Changers, Climate Control units, Electronic modules and instrument clusters through our Ford-authorized repair facility.
Accessories and OEM replacement parts for the 2002-2005 Ford Thunderbird is our ONLY business! Powersport/Thunderbird Specialties was the first, and is the largest company of its kind in the world, with nearly 300 unique products and replacement parts to choose from. Unlike big-volume retailers who put you on hold only to reach an inexperienced, uninformed ‘order taker’ who knows nothing about your Thunderbird, we provide our customers with the finest personal, one-on-one service and specific advice for the 2002-2005 Thunderbird available anywhere. As Thunderbird owners ourselves, we know what your needs are and provide you with the best insights, advice and product recommendations to address your individual issue.
Start your search here: https://www.thunderbirdspecialties.com/product-category/oem-part-replacements/
Can’t find what you need on our website? Call us! – 310-589-1000
