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Cougar Support Group - Bigger & Better
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Comments
This past Sunday I was pulling out of my driveway to go to work and when I hit the "Open" button for the sunroof nothing happened. I could hear the motor running, but it wouldn't open. Normally I would be pissed, but I had an appointment the next day to bring her in for some warranty work (left over from my dear friend Ken Smith [eat rocks and DIE KEN SMITH!!!]). I dropped her off Monday morning at 7:30am. I received a call from the technician at 3:00pm, he told me they were really backloged, and he wanted to know if it was okay to keep the car overnight. I said it was fine as long as they locked it inside for the night (which they did cause I drove by and checked). I borrowed my girlfriend's car for the night, so there was no problem.
Yesterday I got a 2nd call from the tech, he then informed me that the light lenses they received were defective and they had to order another set. To make things worse he also told me that the sunroof was now stuck in the open position. So they had to keep her overnight again. Last night Kate needed her car back, so I had to get a loner car. The Ford dealer actually delivered the car to my job because I didn't have a ride to pick it up. When I met the guy from the dealership in the lobby I said "So what did I get, a Taurus, a Focus, or maybe a Mustang? He just grinned and said, "Sorry man, I don't pick them out, I just deliver 'em".
When I walked out in to the parking lot my jaw hit the ground. Sitting there was a purple Kia Sephia!! Purple, PURPLE I TELL YOU!!. When I got in the first thing I noticed was the nasty musty smell, the second thing was the extra cheesy interior. She started right up, but when I hit the gas I heard a pretty bad engine knock. As I pulled out of the spot I heard the front end creak and groan. Next came the annoying rattle in the headliner right between the front seats. This car has the handling performance of a John Deer farm tractor, the speed and grace of a snapping turtle, and the style of a Yugo GV. As I drove down the highway I was actually embarrassed to be seen in side of it. I have never felt that way in my entire life.
Why did FMC get involved with this brand of car?? This thing makes my girlfriend's '98 Civic Ex look and feel like a luxury car. The worst part is, I don't know if I will get the Cat back today. I have to leave early to go to my friends Police Academy graduation down in south Jersey. So this means I will be driving around NJ in this Grape Apemobile for the next 32 hours or so. I MISS MY KITTY!!!!
camelard:
Congrats and welcome to the owners club!!
Although I personally like the stock spoiler, there are those that feel it interups the lines, and looks out of place.
The fact is, a rear spoiler is functionally useless at speeds under 133mph (or there about). Since the Cat is front wheel drive, I doubt it would serve any function no matter what speed you travel at. I got it because I think it looks good. To each their own!!
burnsmr4:|
Good to hear from you!
Catscratch:
Congrats and welcome to the owners club!
Trade your Kitty for an SUV? Are you feeling okay?
All:
Thanks for all the URL suggestions! Please keep the votes coming!!
Don't feel bad. The first loaner I got was a Villager. Felt like a soccer mom
Most loaners are either beaters from the used car lot, or the cheapest thing that a local rent-a-wreck has as a special deal with the service dept. (Was that actually a sentance?)
Good luck on getting your baby back!
Skip G
Might be a bit cheesy, but not too bad. Hey badulah, when my previous kitty was in the shop (very often) they used to give me the Sable as a loaner all the time. Not bad in power, but uuuuuuugly!
But like I said, I'd then trade in, straight up for the Cougar S. Maybe I'd even make a few $$ on the deal. heh
How about www.cougargroup.com or www.csgrules.com!?!
On a different topic, I checked out the NECO website to see the MWS bashing, but I couldn't find it. However, I found something better. They had a screensaver with a picture of the Cougar that you could download.
It had a Silver Frost Cougar (my color) and 2 Cougar heads moving around the screen. The only thing I didn't like was that it had NECO on it too.
Badulah and Stageleft, how about creating our very own screensaver for CSG?!? I want one with CSG's logo rather than NECO. But I'll keep the NECO for now until we have our own.
Cougar and CSG Rules!!!
Great idea!!! Does anyone know how to make a screensaver? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?
Has anyone taken their Cat in for that 3,000 mile check-up? What exactly do they do besides change the oil?? I wasn't happy with my dealer's service to begin with, so I'm avoiding them if at all possible.
Halo_1, I went to your dealer, Courtesy Park, to order the front mask/bra. It cost $100, and I should be getting it in 10 days. Hope they have better service than Park L/M which have now moved to Mahopac, NJ (is that anywhere near you, Badulah?).
Also I'm getting my car tinted tomorrow. I have a Silver Frost. What's a good color tint besides smoke? Does anyone have pictures of a tinted Silver Frost Cougar?? Please post it. Thanks.
I guess I'll make a visit to Barnes & Nobles and see if they have one of those "Idiot's Guide to Screensavers." This might be an interesting project (if I could find the time to do it). Hey, Stageleft, do you know anything about making screensavers? C'mon, man, you're a computer wiz--throw me a bone, here!!! Give me a hint or something, so I can get started.
Burnsmr4: As I got in my new cougar to leave the dealership a girl was leaving to test drive the LS, I told the salesman I would be back in 5 years (when I turn 40) to get my LS...he just laughed, they are sweet cars! my initials are LS so my plate will say LS for LS!
Blane: I know the cover can be our enemy! I try to dust off the car before putting it on each time, it is very light weight, I park under a tree and the little berries are sticky. Not to mention my cat is black and it has been over 100 degrees out. I have a friend with a body shop and he said if I get swirl marks or little scratches he will buff the car out for me. I just have to be careful.
Badulah: Sorry to hear about your baby! I've driven John Deere Tractors before, they are probably better than that purple thing! Go buy a dark pair of shades and a hat and you'll make it through this! Good luck!
I've trained a gal I work with to spot Cougars on the road. She said that in Fairfax City today, she saw one belonging to a Vikings fan that had a special purple paint job. Apparently the license plate had something to do with the Vikings, which was the give-away. She said the color looked pretty cool.....but then we know the Cougar looks cool in every color.
It was funny to hear that from her and then check in here to see Bad's lament on the Grapemobile.
A.
Think she's safe enough?
Drive safe...see ya!
As for those dreadful SUSs - die SUVs die.
Lastly, I don't know if I'm a member but I read and sometimes post and am a proud owner - so I vote for the www.cougarsupport.com because this group has been a great source of support when I needed to know that I'm not the only one sufferng from obsessive compulsive disorder over my kitty.
There is a god. He's the same guy that employed the devil to assign Badulah to a Kia. A purple one at that. Help -- I've fallen over laughing, wet my pants in hysteria, and I can't get up!
Seriously, though, I don't know where you people are going to for service. My dealership is pretty stupid sometimes when it comes to putting things back together, but they're the best aronud when loaners are involved.
My dealership's loaners -- all 1998-1999 Mercury Sables -- are $12/day if you call soon enough for a service appointment, and free except for taxes if you're having to come back for a second try at a repair. They eat the cost of the rental in that second case.
If you own a Lincoln LS, then you get a Lincoln LS loaner. Period. Nothing but taxes. I'm still trying to pretend that I'm driving the LS when I come in for service. Haven't tricked 'em yet.
When they run out of loaners, you're SOL. Or so I thought. I set an appointment a week early last week, and I was told no loaners available for the day I'd set. When I came in, I was in a perdicament -- just back from week long trip out-o-town, doctor's appointment, mail to pick up, bills to pay. I needed a car.
Upon request, I was given a salesperson's loaner (get to know the general sales manager, if he's not a greaser) -- brand new, teal 2000 Mercury Sable with the 24-valve V-6. Only needed it through lunchtime, and the guy encouraged me to listen to his Garth Brooks CDs. All I asked for was a demo. That 24-valve engine should be in EVERY Cougar -- it moved, even with the auto tranny.
Poor Badulah -- stuck in his purple Kia... ;-)
Regards,
burnsmr4
P.S. -- Thanks for the TSB notice.
Re: Screensaver, I'll check with some of my Silicon Valley North friends (they like to prove they've earned the rep)and one or two of them owe me favours.
Re: The new cup holders. I got one in mine and I haven't tried yet but I think they snap out and can be tossed in the dishwasher for cleaning. They are a little awkward.
The only way I know how to get the radio on without the key in is to turn it off, then back on again, and it turns on.
Fastback2:
Thanks for the links, I'll check them out and work with Dasaint on getting something put together so we can represent the CSG when we are away from our computers.
Dasaint:
I've got to check a few things out, but I'll get back with you on building that screensaver. Thanks for the idea, and the offer.
Barhender:
"Stir of Echoes"! Sounds like a bad Toyota commercial now that I think about it! LOL! Thanks for sparking that thought.
Katlvr:
You're a member. No need for clarification, you own a Cougar, you contribute here, what more is there? Glad to have you aboard!
All:
Glad to have you all here! Everyday I check the posts, and everyday it seems we support each other more and more. Badulah and I should have more information very soon on the status of the CSG and the URL, I like all the suggestions that have come in so far, keep 'em coming!
Take care, and Happy Cougaring!
a. Turn off radio, shut off car and remove key, push radio button...nothing.
b. Shut off car with radio on. Remove key. Push power button...nothing.
c. Shut off car, leave key in acc position. Turn off radio. Remove key. Press power button...nothing.
d. Leave radio on. Shut off car and remove key. Push power button...nothing.
Well, you get the idea. Is this a feature that can be disabled in the radio like the internal clock? Maybe the dealer disabled it.
MWS is on vacation, probably sitting in the lap of luxury, having drinks brought to him by someone wearing a lei ... Ah the life!
On that radio note, if it should be doing it but it's not, then as anything, add it to your list for repair the next time you visit your dealer. Sorry I couldn't help with the obvious methods. Good luck, and let us know what you find out. :^)
The software costs vary, depending on the number of screensavers you plan on creating. If you pay the full price for some of the software packages, you can make unlimited screensavers.
I do Flash development, and I would be happy to put together some photography and logos to create a Flash animation. Someone will have to fork up the moolah for the conversion software, though.
For more information about CINEMAC, take a look at:
http://www.macsourcery.com/
Sincerely,
burnsmr4
http://www.team.net/www/ktud/trabi.html
It's even better than you thought: the bodies were made of resin and wool.
Leave the radio on, turn the car off and take the key out. Push the radio button. Then push it again. It should be on. Remember: Push the radio button TWICE after taking key out.
bobschm - I have a 1999 V-6 with the in-dash CD player. Just push the power button. My radio has always worked that way. According to the manual (I think), the radio will automatically turn itself off after an hour without the engine running.
I don't think that's the a/c by itself making that noise. Every once in a while when I'm cruizin' at highway speeds, I hear what sounds like a nose whistle, but it's not a rattling body part or a loose weather strip. It sounds like it's coming from the vents. I had my dealer check that out because I thought it might be the climate control fan running on in intervals, but they couldn't find any problem with it. I suggest using your noise dampening unit to control the level at which you can hear the tweet (turn the radio up). :^)
Star Date: 0616.2000
Captain's Personal Log:
I grow tired of cruising around in the grape cool aid mobile. The past two days have been a hellish nightmare. While in route to the neutral zone two days ago I was confronted by a female klingon driving a yellow Haundai Scoup. I attempted to out maneuver her, but the grape ape-mobile is only equipped with impulse engines. I believe Yellow Scoupes have a maximum speed of warp one. I was clearly out classed. Today I will submit my formal complaint to Star Fleet. I am requesting a transfer to a REAL ship
And Roger is thinking: Gosh. Six months.
And Elaine is thinking: But hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of a relationship. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily toward I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we headed to marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together?v Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?
And Roger is thinking: so that means it was let's see February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer which means lemme check the odometer Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.
And Elaine is thinking: He's upset. I can see it in his face Maybe he's reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy,more commitment; maybe he has sensed---even before I sensed it--- that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.
And Roger is thinking: I'm gonna have them look at that transmission again. I don't care what those morons say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees out there and this thing is shifting like an old garbage truck and I paid those incompetent thieves$600.
And Elaine is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry too. God I feel so guilty, putting him through this but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.
And Roger is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty. That's exactly what they're gonna say the scumballs.
And Elaine is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.
And Roger is thinking : Warranty? They have a warranty? I'll give them a freaking warranty. I'll take their warranty and stick it right up their
"Roger!" Elaine says out loud.
"What?" says Roger.
"I'm such a fool." Elaine sobs. " I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly and there's no horse.
"There's no horse?" says Roger.
"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" Elaine says.
" No!" says Roger; glad to finally know the correct answer.
"It's just that it's that I need some time. " Elaine says.
( There is a 15-second pause while Roger, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work.)
" Yes" he says.
( Elaine, deeply moved, touches his hand.)
"Oh Roger do you really feel that way?"
"What way?" says Roger.
" That way about time?"
"Oh " says Roger. "Yes"
( Elaine turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she may say next. At last she speaks.
"Thank you, Roger"
"Thank you" says Roger.
Then he takes her home and she lies on her bed- a conflicted, tortured soul and weeps until dawn. Roger gets back to his place- he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV and immediately becomes involved in a rerun of a tennis match between two Czechoslovakians he never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand that and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it. ( This is also Roger's policy regarding world hunger.)
The next day Elaine will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In Painstaking detail they will analyze everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, expression and gesture for the slightest nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification. They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months , never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it either.
Meanwhile, Roger, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Elaine's'; will pause just before serving frown and say " Norm, did Elaine ever own a horse?"
I passed that one along to a bunch of folks and I'm sure that they'll enjoy it too.
Skip G.
YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!!!!!
My girlfriend is driving me crazy for the last few days!! I feel like Roger.
Coolchick:
Did you ever own a horse? :^)
Barhender:
I and my back thank you. I now have the lumbar support set just right and find the seat very comfy.
bobschm:
I tried the radio thing with my car (single in dash CD) and it doesn't make any difference whether it is on or off when I remove the key. One touch and it comes on with a 1 hr indicator.
Coolchick:
Great story. That good old same world, different planets thing.
Have a great weekend all. I am taking Monday off to spend quality time with the Cat.
It brings to mind my mother, the artist, and her attempts to sell her work. For years she would try to sell paintings that cost $90.00 to frame for $125.00. Never mind the 20 - 30 hrs she spent painting them. No one bought them.
After years of my persistent badgering she finally raised her price to $400.00 a piece for the same paintings and they suddenly flew off the walls, literally.
And what does this have to do with the Cougar. Everything. Under the current plan FMC loses US$1600 on every Cougar they produce. Why?
When I started car shopping I had pretty simple needs: Two (2) door; front wheel drive; V6; manual transmission; and, decent trunk space.
When I searched on chariots.com (I am sure there are US equivalents) I found only three (3) cars that met my requirements: Mercury Cougar; Toyota Solara; and Volkswagon GTI. And why, I wondered, were the other two worth 50% more than the Cougar.
The short answer is, they're not. In today's market price alone makes the Cougar look like a cheap alternative. (I hear kitty hisses but..............)
There is no question this car is a work of art and should be priced accordingly.
So, the answer for both FMC and Ford Canada is not more advertising, it's price. Jack it up by $10K and you've got a winner.
But if the Cougar had cost an extra $10K when I bought it, I'd be driving the New Beetle or 3-door Saturn SC2 instead.
I'll tell you what I'd really like to see on the Cougar--the 4.6 liter V8 that Ford uses on the Mustang. Hey, why not? Cougar was originally a luxury Mustang back in 1967. And since Mustangs will no longer have any competition with the demise of the Camaro/Firebird, I'd like to see them put a V8 on the Cougar.
This way, Ford will be king of the traditional rear-wheel drive muscle car with the Mustang. Then they'll also be king of the front-wheel drive sporty coupe segment. Mitsubishi doesn't have a V8 to put on the Eclipse and the Celica's too small for one.
Now that Cougar would be worth the extra $10K.
I went to my dealer this past weak, and one the managers/salesperson there was actually helping me find an exhaust for my car through a catalog dealers get! I was surprised at how friendly they were being, maybe their trying to make up for the hassles they cause me before?