Ford Cougar (1998 - 2002) 2.5 V6 24V 3d Auto (2000/W) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
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Summary
What does this car say about you?
What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?
Would you buy this car again and why?
I may buy this car again, but the best I can get is 32mpg with very careful control, with journeys consisting of motorway driving. Presently I do few miles, so the consumption is not of concern. Insurance is reasonably high, and a negative on the costs of ownership. But, it is a lovely car, which may be picked up for around £1,000, and so that off-sets the negatives.
What are you likely to buy next?
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Buying experience
Type of dealer you bought from?
Didn't buy from a dealer
Did you buy this car new?
No
What price did you pay?
£1,000
When did you buy the car?
October 2013
Did you get a good deal and why?
Is there any special reason why you bought this car?
I had a T plate Cougar previously, which I wrote off, and was passing a vicarage where my current car was advertised for sale. The car is spacious inside the cabin and the boot is cavernous and looks great for a car that design wise must be more than 15 years old. Furthermore, the engine never failed to start, and this current model has the same levels of reliability, but has the additional benefit of a full leather interior.
What was the dealer like?
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Driving it
What's it like to drive?
The Cougar is a big car, but it has a big engine and so glides effortlessly and smoothly along motorways, yet has a reassuring level of grip and poise around the corners. Driving this car is always a pleasure.
What's it like to park?
This is the worse aspect of Cougar ownership, as the view out of the rear is particularly difficult, and it is the reason my wife is disinclined to drive it.
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Living with it
Have you had any problems with the car?
Has required replacement of the small halogen sidelights, and this was a problem with my previous car. From a Ford dealer these can be at a substantial cost of approximately £11 each, but a small garage I use for servicing etc, charged me just £2 per bulb and no fitting charge. When I brought the car the brakes were a little suspect and they cost £300 to correct, and the air conditioning has not worked and I have been told that I need to take it to a specialist to have a look at it as the gas is full. But as this global warning bit more and more, and the summers seem to be getting cooler and wetter, then I'm in no hurry to fix a problem that is hardly likely to be fully utilised, if at all. Apart from the above, the car is wholly reliable and satisfying to drive.
What's most practical about your car?
The car is sporty looking, but it sports a huge boot and folding rear seats, and the hatch means that the car can easily carry long loads, if not the bulk of estate cars. The boot swallows and carries huge amounts of luggage, and because of the 2.5 ltr V6, this extra weight has little impact on the Cougar's ability to power up hills or overtake.
Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
The Cougar has both a 6 CD changer in the boot, and the ability to play old fashioned cassettes, and the radio, so there is always penty of your favourate music on tap, even though, of course, the modern iplayer would out perform this combination of the cassette and CD arrangement, but as an alternative is perhaps the best that was around at the time.
