Ford Cougars

[25v6turbo]

I was following one of these today and it hit me what a stunning looking car this is,i know the sum of sod all about them but the look cracking and very stylish(well i think so!)there seems to be plenty about for sale.

I like this onehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Y-FORD-COUGAR-2-5-V6-24v-X-PACK-SUPERB-CONDITION-THROUGHOUT-/141415890436?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item20ed0b3e04

O.K most are silver but this does look like a clean example,but are they crap???/

[srad34]

I think they are pretty underrated cars, that's a decent spec too.

 

They seemed to be pretty slow sellers when they came out, shame as they are imho a good car but no sales=short life

[New POD]

The Ford PROBE (Penis) and the Ford Cougar (Fanny) failed to see because a) 90% the name and 10% the car.

 

 

Imagine if they'd used the name capri ?

[robinmasters]

The Ford PROBE (Penis) and the Ford Cougar (Fanny) failed to see because a) 90% the name and 10% the car.Imagine if they'd used the name capri ?

I'd be more likely to buy a Cougar if it was called a Ford Fanny.

[CortinaDave]

They're good. I had one for 18 months and enjoyed it. Much better all round than the probe.

 

Basically a mk2 Mondeo in a posh frock.

[Micrashed]

Shexy

Attractively priced

Big boot

Seats five

 

Whats not to like? Is the 2.0 version a less fast varient or is it less reliable too?

 

Edit: road tax perhaps....

6 Month rate £156.75 12 Month rate £285.00

[CortinaDave]

2.0 is what I had. Zetec engine so pretty bulletproof and quick enough for me to get done for speeding in twice.

[andy18s]

My last was a v6. Quick enough without feeling "fast"

Mpg not that bad either

Plenty out there with all the toys Inc climate control etc

Priced alongside BMW 3 series when new so didn't get the sales it deserved really

Engines are the usual ford product.reliable with too many dramas

Cars are old enough to start rotting now . rear of the sills and rear subframe 's are the prime spots.

Anti roll bar links usually have a hard time and start knocking

Front suspension is shared with the mondeo st and therefore wishbones are expensive to find once the start knocking.Genuine parts only.....

Biggest killer of the v6 is the abs block.it also houses the traction control and is nla from Ford

They are a cracking car tho.

Spend the time to get 1 that's been looked after and it shouldn't be any more of a drag than a mondy

Owners club is your typical clichey group of fanatics who scream and stamp feet if you dare oppose The Wat Of Doing Things........

[twosmoke300]

These seem to be a subject that comes up every 2 or 3 months.

[Micrashed]

I suppose it will be one that will attract the OSF tax in another 5 to 10 years.

If you can afford a nice one and keep it maintained it probably wont lose any value.

 

I think I would probably be more inclined towards the 2.0 Zetec rather than the V6, but thats just me.

[Timewaster]

Somebody once pointed out that the bonnet looked like it had been ironed on a to hot setting.

Haven't been able to look at anything else about them ever since.

[Cavcraft]

Just cannot like them. They look horrible (just like the Probe) and they never seemed to last too long either.

[Station]

I don't really like them either, it's a bit too American overall, but they're probably decent enough.

Wasn't this meant to the Probe mk3?

[DVee8]

I put this in the ebay tat thread 2 days ago

 

Posted 21 September 2014 - 08:05 PM

1999 ford cougar 2.5 v6 24v part service history tax till next month the 18 tax till end of november part service history cracking car leather seats 6 cd changer very clean car for its age only 70k on the clock offers or swaps thanks.

£500

Tippex number plates

[Micrashed]

Tippex number plates

 

Not a proper Ford Tippex though

[Partridge]

I like them. The V6 lump is pretty tough by most accounts and they seem more rust resistant than most Fords of this vintage. Why the hell not?

[alfetta]

They're US built and have fairly tacky interiors.

 

I had v6 xpack and it was shit, but I suppose that's what you get for 300 quid...everthing broke, except the aircon!

 

I think they're quite popular for banger racing.

[Lord Sterling]

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I repeat my comment from about 18 months ago.

Hague, innit?!

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/13126-talk-to-me-about-ford-cougars/?p=402356

 

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/58676000/jpg/_58676790_haguepa.jpg

[beko1987]

From what I've read the cougar is for wafty comfy coupeness, and from owning one a puma is for fast hoonage!

[Vince70]

I've had two and must say the Cougar is a real bargain of a car.

The main points to look for are front wishbones and make sure the secondary's open up above 3500 rpm.

 

I found that 30mpg is achievable quite easily and both were 2.5 V6 manuals also it's quite weird as the cougar just doesn't rot like most of the Ford new edge design stuff and just seems it's screwed together better than the average Ford.

 

Also the leather in the Cougar is really good quality not like most leather which is found in cars of that era.

 

The only downer with the Cougar is image as I think it all went downhill for the Cougar after William Hague bought one.

[Stanky]

I believe* that in the states this was badged Mercury, and was meant to 'evoke' the spirit of the original Mercury Cougar muscle car.

 

I think it lost a lot in translation, I agree that as a more well known European name like Capri would have helped no end here in Blighty.

 

Would.

[Negative Creep]

Do they have the rock hard seats in common with many Fords of the era? Since I've now got a thing for big fwd coupes I do fancy one, but is the turning circle less than the Ark Royal?

[Pete-M]

The leather seats are made by Lear - as in the those who make Lear jets. They're comfy but very strange.

 

I had a 2.5 V6 X facelift earlier this year. Tidy car, straight, drove well.

 

When I bought my Focus to replace the Cougar it was nigh on impossible to sell the Cougar. It's the only time I've ever known scrap yards refuse a fully working taxed and tested car. They just didn't want it. Eventually one place offered £175 for it and a friend decided to stop it getting weighed in by offering £200. He likes it and has done 7000 trouble tree miles in it since March. It has averaged 31 mpg because his daily commute is 22 miles each way - 17 of which are on the motorway.

 

I liked it but it couldn't stay as I had bad memories associated with it (which weren't anything to do with the car itself). It handled rather well was remarkably quiet and comfy. Decent stereo and powerful air con.

[Uncle Jimmy]

W-W-William Hague owned a Cougar? Did he wear his base ball cap driving it? Buy an MX6, same V6 engine, better built and marginally more interesting badge on the bonnet.

[Uncle Jimmy]

More to the point had he drunk his usual 10 pints at lunchtime before getting behind the wheel.

[Pete-M]

MX6 doesn't have anything mechanical in common with the Cougar at all. Nothing.

 

The Probe was an MX6, Cougar is basically a Mondeo Coupé. Engine is not related to the MX6 one, but it is related to the Aston Martin V12 and Jag V6 (although the Jaaag engine has a thicker engine casting, different heads, injection system and VVC).

 

The Cougar V6 was used in one of the Mazda SUVs in the US. That thing Dexter drove was one I think.

[Uncle Jimmy]

I stand corrected - your knowledge of Ford is noted.

[Madman Of The People]

I don't really like them either, it's a bit too American overall, but they're probably decent enough.

Wasn't this meant to the Probe mk3?

 

 

Yes, it was.

 

Ford killed the barge-like rear-drive Thunderbird and its Mercury Cougar sibling in 1997.  Ford then announced it was going to launch a retro-styled two-seat Thunderbird inspired by the 1955-57 original.  Lincoln-Mercury dealers felt they were getting short shrift and complained loudly to the mothership in Dearborn.  So, at the last minute, Ford decided to throw them a bone and re-brand the soon-to-be-released Probe Mk III as a Mercury Cougar.

 

Despite some generally positive reviews, Cougar traditionalists balked at a front-drive Toyota Celica clone wearing their precious cat badge and shunned the car, leading to it's early demise.

[Formula Autos]

 

Shexy

Attractively priced

Big boot

Seats five

 

Whats not to like? Is the 2.0 version a less fast varient or is it less reliable too?

 

Edit: road tax perhaps....

6 Month rate £156.75 12 Month rate £285.00

 

Seats four I'm afraid - two bucket seats in the back, with a cupholder between them.

 

Think of it as like a junior XJ-S; not really a sports car, but quick and smooth.

 

I've had one for years, and plan to never sell it. In no way a good car really, by all sensible points of measurement, but it all hangs together quite well somehow.

 

On paper, a bit of a parts bin lash-up. In practice, quite good.