I got to experience the "Snow Flake" this morning for the first time, the lady that I carpool with thought I was crazy, pointing and going oohh look it came on. I know it isn't that exciting for some of you 31 degrees is considered a heat wave, but I live in Central CALIF! It's not supposed to get this cold. Actually it is supposed to drop to 25 tonight. The house is actually looking like a house. I went by this weekend and I have walls and a front entry and a nice big garage for my kitty and my boat.
I had the oil changed for the first time this weekend and ordered the nice floor mats for my baby. The stock ones are junk. Especially living in the dirt right now, they are never clean. Well that is all for now. Happy Monday!
Oh..coolchick, Great Plates! mine say Y2KUGAR. I like yours better!
The snowflake is cool, but I'm a warm weather person, I have a hard time functioning in the cold. How cold is it there?
The boat is a 21ft Malibu Sunsetter LX, competition ski boat. It's my other baby. The cougar will be nice and comfy next to it in the new garage. It's blue and black. Luckily we had it when the house burnt, otherwise I would have lost it also. I think at that point they would have had to lock me in a looney bin. I've been pretty close anyway in the past 4 months. Living with the in-laws is ever so challenging! My car has become my great escape, I just go driving around to get out of the house.
My son hit one a few years ago with his Accord. Took out the bumper, grill, hood, fliped over the car and dished the roof as it went by.
One nearly totalled my budddies pickup in Wisconsin. He's still got the grill emblem with the fur imbedded as a trophy.
Guy I worked with several years ago decided to try to avoid one, went off the road and into the woods, totalled his car, with a stump coming through the floor between the seats, and cauded him some serious head injuries & concussion. Wasn't right again for a year.(This was pre-airbag days)
Moral to the last one: If you're gonna hit one, hold the car straight, brake as much as possible, and get your head down in case it comes through the windshield.
Malibu: Sounds like a nice boat. My Dad has a 22 Foot Bayliner with a 225hp Mercury outboard. It's mostly for fishing, but we do some tubing in the bay. I grew up salt water fishing with my Dad. I love to be on the water. unfortunately since I have moved to north Jersey I don't go as often as I would like.
The climate up here isn't to bad (yet). For the last few days it has been in the mid 50's, but it got cold today. Right now the temp is around 40, but it feels colder. Living on the NY state border can be a real bummer in the winter. I only moved 75 miles north, but the weather is much different up here. When it's raining in my old neighborhood, it is snowing up here. There is a mountain range very close to me that seems to capture weather patterns and hold them in this area. I like living in this area, but I wish the weather was better in the winter.
Remember me? Trying to change my oil for the first time ever? Well...I DID IT! Embarrassed as I am to proclaim this to you seasoned auto tuners and afficianados, I DID manage to change my oil in 40-degree weather last Friday evening.
You're right, whoever said so, that the oil is HOT after moving the car around. It was actually more like a "very warm cup of coffee" hot. The oil filter, actually, caused more mess than the oil pan and plug. I couldn't get to it with my oil filter wrench (using FRAM filter with GRIP next time), so when I unscrewed it by hand, it slipped and splattered oil everywhere. Oh, well.
Thanks for any and all help and suggestions. I'll only do this every OTHER oil change, simply because of the service schedule at my dealership.
Call from Cougar plant manager
I spoke with MWS250 a few weeks ago about my very problematic Cougar -- defective windshield, leaky windows, poorly seated glass, etc. He referred me to a Cougar plant manager a few weeks ago.
Sure enough, I've spoken TWICE with said plant manager, and he's spent a minimum of 30-45 minutes each time talking with me about the car. I was simply amazed. Definitely a boost to my impression of Ford Motor Company's service quality.
As of tonight, he's working with my local dealership to PERMANENTLY resolve the leaky windows and poor window fit problems. Ironically, I was getting ready to formally, by certified mail, request from Ford Motor Company that a final attempt be made to resolve my car's problems. This was going to be the first step in the very ARDUOUS lemon law process in Georgia.
Thank you, MWS250, for helping me here. You and the plant manager are very much appreciated. Thanks!
I finally got a chance this weekend to take Nimmue for a real drive. The past few months have been a bit frustrating with the neck problem and other health problems (these things always do come in three's of course)which have limited my driving altogether too much.
So, this past Sunday I decided to run away from home. It was a gorgeous day, sunny but cool (about 44 F)so I packed myself, Spook (the dog) and lunch in the Kitty and off we went.
Headed up to the Gatineau Hills and the road was so clear (of SUVs, Mini Vans and all other annoyances) that I had zoomed right past the cottage turn off before I knew it and was on the road to Poltimore (which Krnch may be familiar with).
The highway leading in to Poltimore is a bit difficult to describe but it consists of a sequence of short steep hills followed by sharp turns, all blind. On either side is forest interspersed with a few old small grave yards. Then, just before you enter the village, you arrive at the crest of a hill with a sweeping view of the valley below,in which the village is nestled, and which is utterly breathtaking on a sunny day. From there we passed through the village to the equally steep, winding climb out on the other side. Not far from the village is an old mining road (mica mines)which leads to the top of hill.
Unfortunately we had to leave Nimmue at the base of the road, and Spook and I hiked the rest of the way to the top where we sat, uninterrupted for an hour while we had our wine, cheese and pate for lunch.
All in all I had four glorious hours with no phone calls, no idiot drivers, and no-one who new where to find me. Best of all, three of the those hours were spent driving my Kitty.
All this to say, and my apologies for the rambling, that Nimmue was an absolute joy to drive in these conditions. She acquitted herself beautifully on all the hills and curves, picked up when she needed to and quietly coasted when given the chance.
(i.e. This was my Lake Placid drive which could only have been improved by the company of my CSG pals).
In October 1999 I took delivery of a 2000 Cougar, silver frost, V6 ATX with sport package. It now has a little over 6000 miles on it. Obviously I don't drive all that much (the Cougar is one of two cars owned by my wife and me, the other is a 1995 Mark VIII). And I don't race other cars, on the road or on the track. Only once did I do 100 mph--on an empty rural road, well-surfaced, with multi-mile visibility. To me a car is a piece of expensive equipment that deserves excellent care, not a love affair. My car doesn't even have a name; it's just "the Cougar." Despite or because of these peculiarities I thought it might be interesting to put down the expectations I had when buying the car and the extent to which these expectations have been met during the first year.
STYLE: we wanted a stylish 2-door with a large luggage capacity.
The initial impression of an unusual, striking design has held up well. It is far from a jellybean and yet it doesn't have any of the (in my view) exaggerated sheet-metal additions of dams, skirts and swooping spoilers seen on some other cars in its class. The Cougar spoiler is characteristic of the style: discrete but can't be missed.
The huge trunk space (well-hidden hatchback) has been invaluable. It once neatly held a 60"x30"x18" carton. We've had no problem in carrying lots of luggage on long trips, and could even put in all the odds and ends picked up on the way.
COMFORT: we wanted a comfortable ride on long drives.
On this score I'd have to say the Cougar is "adequate." It's an order of magnitude less comfortable than the Mark VIII (and many, many thousands less expensive) but still okay. The bucket seats are firm to a fault. The AM/FM cassette radio is fine for our needs (we don't drive the interstate with windows open, vibrating to booming bass), but we plan to replace it with a CD-receiver soon.
PERFORMANCE: we wanted to be nimble in city traffic, to have easy on-ramp access to the freeway (here 65 mph is the minimum slow-lane speed), to cruise easily on High Sierra grades, and to have enough power to go up the local steep hills at 30 mph (in my 1985 70-Hp I4 Topaz it was either 15 mph or 40+ mph).
The Cougar has certainly met these requirements but acceleration is nonetheless disappointing. Almost all Cougar owners in this forum have said they wanted 30-50 more horsepower, and I heartily concur. It is definitely a downer when the car doesn't accelerate the way it "looks" like it should.
MAINTENANCE: we hoped to have only routine maintenance during the warranty period.
So far all is well. The only warranty jobs have been fixing a small piece of lose exterior trim (the little triangle next to the driver's side mirror) and the 00S03 brake-system recall.
CONCLUSION: Definitely a good experience. If Cougars are still around in 5 years we'll take a look, particularly if the styling is as good and the performance is better.
Glad to hear that you're having such a good experience with your cat.
As to the comfort factor, I think that your impressions are skewed by switching back and forth between the cat and the Mk IIX. The Cougar would have to feel much firmer and harder by comparison, but, that's what it's supposed to be.
And, after 5 years, you'll only have 30Kmi. on her. Keep it for a few more, and get a good buck as a collectable ;-)
I've spent a lot of time in the Gatineau Park area and further to the north around Mont St. Marie. I don't think I know the road you mentioned though. I'll have to look for it!
Burnsmr4: Glad to hear you got your oil change done!! It's a messy job, but its gotta get done. The Fram "sure grip" filter is definitely worth the cash. It makes the job much easier. Did you use synthetic or standard oil?
I too have dealt with an engineer from the factory. He was very very helpful and interested in fixing the problem. It's ashame the local service departments do not have this outlook on things.
I was curious if anyone with contacts with ford, can ask them if they know the cause of the rattling sound that comes from an area near the glove box. It seems to be common to a lot of earlier cougars, and i was curious to see what the problem is. (and possible fix)
My route is on the other side of the Gatineau River up highway 307. This takes you through Cantley, Val de Mont, St. Pierre de Wakefield and is usually a bit quicker to Low and Kazabazua. Poltimore is about midway to Val de Bois. I only discovered the town after my cottage neighbours told me McLellans is the best lumber yard in the area and it happens to be right smack in the middle of Poltimore.
You can connect to 307 via Highway 50 and Rue Archimbald on through Tourraine de Gatineau or you can cut across from Wakefield on the 366 that runs past Eidelwiess.
More farm land and fewer rock faces, but all in all a lovely drive.
All:
As you can see we get quite the mix of English and French, with a little German thrown in for good measure.
Ptailor: While at cougarfest I spoke to the Squeak/Rattle Prevention Guy thats his title sans "Guy" but what he was 99 percent sure it was is the air ducting, he told me and showed me how/where to look since the Dealerships have Rattle Hearing Impaired Techs. I found that my Air duct was not completely in place, its in sections and one of the sections wasn't completely where it should be.
Basically if you feel in through your glove box(open it) and reach upward you'll feel the ducting and some wires, I felt around for awhile and made some adjustments(can't say for sure which caused the rattle but its gone now) I was initially afraid of disrupting the Airbag but he assured me I wouldn't disrupt it from below.
I'm still hearing that rattle as well, and it is very annoying. But I thought I heard it more from the drivers side than the passangers side, either way, when I took it to the dealer to have it checked it never made the darn rattle! I'll check the glove box and see if I can find anything there.
I also had a very hard time, locating where it was coming from, my rattle subsided when I placed my hand on the airbag cover(pass side) Basically my rattle was more evident when it was colder or I had the A/C on.
Burnsmr4: Great experience, eh? I'm glad all went well, and don't worry about it - even skilled mechanics spill oil now and then. I can remember the first oil change I ever performed on my first car. I also remember buying kitty litter and a "disposable" mop ... ;^)
Jimcal1: I'm delighted to hear that you're having a great experience with your Cougar! But in 4-5 years, you may unfortunately have to settle for something less refined (unless FMC decides to outdo itself in the future) because it is rumored our venerable Cougar is slated for dismissal from the Mercury Brand line.
(As stated, "Rumor" ... so no one go and post any thing as fact yet.)
But if more power and more comfort are what you're interested in, I know it's funny to think about with only 6k on the odometer, but look into the Cougar-S when it hits the streets (hopefully in January/February).
Rattles/Squeaks: I've been experiencing one, yes one, rattle when I'm driving on course roads. The silver trim where the headlight switch is seems to be a little loose, so my plan is to get some padded double-sided tape and put it between the trim piece and the dash. I'll let you know if that solves the problem.
Everyone: Take care, be safe, and Happy Cougaring!
I have tons of 'em. I did fix the rattle that was caused by the loose "duct work". But there are numerous others around the passenger airbag. I have no idea where they are coming from. I also have one around the climate control area. The noise is coming from where the plastic and soft dash meet near the right center air vent. If I push on this section while driving the rattle subsides. My car has been to the dealer about 5 times for a fix and they always put "insulation stripping around the seams. This fix usually lasts about 5 miles. I have almost given up. The rattles in my car are the only problems that cause me to not be 100% happy with my car.
These noises are literally driving me insane. I turn down the radio every 5 minutes to see if I hear more noises!!!!!
Fish8: YES YES.. I am getting the same rattle in that spot. (where the plastic and soft dash meet near the right center vent). It pissed me off so much today that I took my fist to it. Well after I laid the "smack down" on the dash it stopped.. haha (watch it come back on the way home tonight)
fredly: I've tried reseating the duct work that i can reach with my hand. Mine seems to be in very snug and tight. Purrt on the neco messageboard suggested that the rattle goes away when he puts the climate control setting to off (circle setting). I have yet to try this one. I'm thinking it's probably the flap that prevents outside air from coming in is rattling. (This rattle only starts when the car has been driven for about 20-30min. Must be a component that is expanding due to heat from the heater)
Although my Cat is so far rattle free, I remember frequently slapping the dash in my old Escort to stop an annoying rattle. Unfortunately it got to the point where I had to take a whack at it every 5 or 10 minutes.
Hmmmm! I guess I should watch what I say about slapping my escort. People might get the wrong impression
Ptailor, I usually drive with the climate setting set to off (the circle) and it still continues to produce that annoying rattle, so I just turn up the tunes so that I can't hear it anymore! And I also put the smack-down becase at times I"m talking to my passangers and that sounds just get louder and louder, gotta show the kitty who the Boss is!
fredly and fish8 -- I've had the same types of rattles you've described. They seem to be right up under the passenger side airbag. I will try the duct work option, but I think fish8 or someone else was on the money about the cold or A/C having something to do with the rattle.
Whenever the car is cold inside, the rattle goes on for about 20 minutes and then fades away. I noticed this morning, it was pretty cool outside and inside the car, but the rattle didn't start until I engaged the compressor with the Defrost setting.
Could there be a hose or something on the other side of the firewall that's causing the problem? At some point, someone here mentioned an A/C hose that was knocking around in their car. Just some thoughts.
Won't be satisfied with replacement headlamps
If you're picky like me about your car, this will bother you. A replacement headlamp assembly for the Cougar will not include the rubber gasket that makes a seal between the bottom of the assembly and the bumper. The gasket was for appearances only, and it was discontinued sometime in 1999.
I replaced my bulbs in my headlamp assemblies and had the gasket on the driver's side assembly fall off from wear or bad adhesive or something. Now, I'm left with a 1/4" gap between the assembly and the bumper. Gotta love Ford parts.
Cougar third/fourth doors in Autoweek
The latest issue of Autoweek features, in the news section, a spy photo of a Cougar with the Saturn-like third-door configuration for getting into the backseat. Rumors have it that there might even be a fourth door -- like extended cab pickup trucks.
Burnsmr: I got both of my head lamps replaced right before CougarFest. While at CF StageLeft pointed out that the wonderful service tech forgot to replace the rubber stripping under the lamps. I was planning to mention this to the Service Manager when I take her in the week after next. Although this is not a huge thing, it does bother me. Why would FMC choose to make the replacements different from the factory parts? What sense does this make? Normally my gripe is with the service department and not with FMC, but this time it is just the opposite.
Personally I think sport coupes should have two doors only. If you want a sedan, there are plenty to choose from. Also, one or two more doors may be be a source of additional rattles!
Although i'm not a fan of the third or fourth door, If it picked up sales, I would like to see it as an option. Although a commercial or two might help sales too!!
My husband filled the cougar with gas yesterday and decided to use the "automatic fill latch" on the handle while he washed the windshield. As he was finishing he heard someone scream and looked over to see that the latch hadn't shut off and gas was spraying all over the car and ground. He ran back and flipped the switch on the pump to stop it. But he thought there was a good 4 to 5 gallons all over the place.
The station manager covered the pump and spread kitty litter (!) on the ground. And my husband got to not only spend 20 minutes cleaning off the car, but when he balked at paying for more gas than the tank holds he was told since he charged the gas on his Phillips 66 card he had to pay the entire amount or he would be prosecuted for a drive-away theft. (Brilliant litigator that he is, he did hold his ground and made them pay him five bucks in cash...)
Morals of the story: 1. Don't use the automatic nozzle. 2. If in doubt, don't charge gas. 3. Never, EVER buy a piece of property that was previously a gas station.
Here in NJ we aren't allowed to pump our own gas, so I don't have to worry about this. Personally I would prefer to pump my own gas, but believe it or not, its illegal!!
Esto: I too get annoyed waiting for someone to do something I could do for myself. You sit there and wait and wait. Since I am a fanatic I usually get out of the car anyway and watch them do it.
The day I got my Camaro back from the paint shop I drove right from the shop to the gas station. I pulled up and told the attendant to fill-er-up. He proceeded to take the cap off and toss it on to the back lid of the car scratching the new paint. If you think I flipped out about Ken Smith damaging my window tint (for those of you that were around when that scene took place), that was nothing compared to the number I did on this guy!! Free tank of gas and paid for touch up job on the paint.
Wow! What is the reasoning behind Oregon and NJ making it illegal to pump yourself? We're paying between $1.50 and 1.60/gallon to freeze to the handle in artic temperatures in Nebraska. Is it a lot more to have someone do it for you? Do they still wash your windshield and check your oil?
Does anyone else remember when gas was 20 cents a gallon and the stations offered incentives - like free glasses, pitchers, dishes if you filled your tank?
I am not surprised that Ford would axe the Cougar in the U.K. The smaller Puma is a better seller over there as most small cars are. Having driven on many of the very narrow roads through the Yorkshire dales I must admit that if I lived there the Cougar wouldn't be my first choice. Mind you I have a brother in England who is sooooo envious of my Kitty he actually regrets having a job that comes with a company car. My Niece over there has her heart set on a Puma but can't afford the 15K pounds price.
There is no reason to assume that killing the Cougar in the U.K. = killing the Kitty in North America.
I'm sure you're right; a firm seat was what the designers wanted. I just wish they had wanted something a bit different. There have been many posts about the comfort of the Cougar, and if beauty is in the eye of the beholder than comfort is in the seat of the driver.
stageleft:
I'll probably take a look at the Cougar S, but I doubt the cost after trade-in will be attractive.
Why can't Ford make a profit from good cars like the Cougar and Mark VIII? Has the whole world gone SUV crazy?
I'm thinking of replacing the AM/FM Cassette radio in my 2000 Cougar with a Kenwood KDC215S CD-receiver which Crutchfield is offering at a $20 discount from the regular price of $169.
Has anyone had any experience with this particular radio?
I am re-thinking the snow tire thing. You had some good arguments in favour of, and I must admit the more I drive this car the more I want to drive this car. I can see myself making far more winter trips to the cottage this year than I have in the past. I just wondered, what make of snow tires do have and are you happy with them?
Do any of you guys/girls do any towing with your cougars?? I would like to purchase a waverunner this winter (the prices are much cheaper and i am a stingy little brat LOL) I am just wondering if i'll be able to tow it with my cougar.
Oh by the way my "reject" cougar is back in the shop again..... It failed NJ inspection (badulah we gotta do something about this goofy state!!) for suspension so i made an appointment to have it fixed on wednesday. And to make matters worse my sunroof decided to take a dump on friday night. it is stuck open. oh JOY!!! i must have pulled about seven fragmented parts and various scraps of metal out of the tracks. It seems to have just exploded. very odd... So we'll see what happens. I am hoping to join some of you at Cougarfest part 2 this summer...hopefully with a fully functional cougar and a working sunroof. i'm keeping my fingers crossed..
camelard: Last year at this time I was in England (actually one year ago today I was in London) and I know what you mean. The roads are very narrow, and the price of gas in sky high. If I lived in the UK, I wouls own a Puma. They are very stylish and handle great! They are also better on gas and cost a lot less. The Cougar is Ford's top of the line sports coupe in the UK. It sells for around $36,000 US Dollars and is considered to be an expensive car by UK standards.
jimcal1: I'm not a huge Kenwood fan, but for the price, the model you are considering seems to be a good deal. Personally I am a Clarion fan when it comes to head units. If you want more info on Clarion products, let me know. I would be happy to do some research for you.
Jimbo_G: What was wrong with the suspension on your Cat? I have never heard of a car failing for suspension. I agree, the new inspection here in NJ is a pain in the butt, but from what I understand several states have the same thing. I guess we are going to have to get used to it, or move out of state (and now I have no plans to move to NY state after their recent choice... 8-) )
Regarding your Moral #3, I agree with you that buying property that was formerly a gas station is a bad idea. Working for a environmental engineering consulting company, property transactions regarding former gas stations is a pretty good source of on-going work!
Camelard:
I have Yokohama Guardex 600 winter tires (P205 60R 15). I mounted them on 15" steel rims. They provide much enhanced traction on hard-packed and icy surfaces. Also, they appear to be quite durable, compared to some other winter tires. If I were buying winter tires again for the Cougar I probably would not buy these tires, however. While traction and durability are good, performance is terrible. The sidewalls are very soft making lane changes on the Queensway feel so spongy that you swear the rims are going to hit the asphalt. The tread blocks also 'squirm' consideralby under moderate to hard braking or acceleration causing noticeable vibration.
I think Yokohama have a more sport-oriented winter tire out now. I'd probably investigate this and other more 'sporty' models. I would, however, definitely recommend some sort of winter tire for treks into the Gatineaus.
For several reasons I decided to get an all season tire as opposed to changing to snow tires in the winter. I chose the Dunlop SP5000's. From what I have read, they seem to be the most aggressive all seasons on the market. Their wet and dry traction is very impressive. I'm hoping their snow traction is just as good.
I have the Firestone Firehawk and am wanting to get new tires. I have 18,300 miles on mine and they are waering OK. My front tires are wearing on the inside pretty bad. I will probably use that as an excuse to get new tires this spring. What is the normal length of time for the firehawks to last. From what I have heard they are crap tires.
Fish8: I got 38,500 miles out of the stock Firestones, but the front two tires were really shot. They were truly the worst tires I have ever owned. Putting new tires on your Cat will improve your performance tremendously. Assuming you go with a quality tire.
This Saturday I went to a friends for a dinner party, she lives in a pretty fancy part of town, has a 5 car garage and 6 bdrm house. I pull up in my little red cougar and lined up in the driveway are 3 firebirds: my best friend drives a pewter one, the homeowner drives a red one and one of the guests drives a black one. I had no choice but to park my kitty right in the middle of all those birds....she looked really good, stood out just enough, but definately held her own in the looks dept. And to think if this was 6 months ago I would have been embarrased to park the old 4-runner there! I LOVE MY CAR!!! By the way..all three cars belong to women and are 6 cyl. Atx.
Well I have finally made a decision. I am going to go with the snow tires for a few reasons: 1. Like Krnch indicated in an earlier post they will save my sport wheels from all that salt; 2. With the coming amalgamation of 11 municipalities into one super-city I am afraid road clearing quality will go down to the lowest common denominator. Nepean has always done a good job of road clearing whereas Ottawa has always pretty much sucked at it; and 3. Our problem more often than not is ice rather than snow.
With more tires now carrying the Mountain/Snow flake symbol there is certainly a lot more choice though, which makes the second decision a bit more difficult. So far I have narrowed it down to the Michelin Winter Alpin and the Goodyear Ultra Grip/Ice. The Goodyear, from what I have heard may be a bit out of my price range but I will let you know what I end up with.
P.S. Consumer Reports was no help at all. Last year they rated the Yokohama Guardex 600's 8th out of 10. The year before they rated the same tires 1st out of 10 against pretty much the same competition.
This is my first real complaint about the Cougar but I think it is possible to overdo it with the warning lights. When I was driving to work this morning we started out with the red snowflake, then the yellow snowflake, then red, then yellow, red, yellow, red, yellow, you get the picture. While this was going on the air bag light started flashing, then stopped, then started, then stopped which of course led to me looking from dash to ceiling to dash to ceiling. This was all a tad distracting. Although I can see some value in the snow flake warning lights, this is Ottawa. The weather is the number one topic for small talk in this city any time of year so we always know when it is going to be cold and just how cold. Does anyone know if it is possible to have some of the warning lights selectively dis-abled or would it have to be all or nothing.
Comments
I had the oil changed for the first time this weekend and ordered the nice floor mats for my baby. The stock ones are junk. Especially living in the dirt right now, they are never clean. Well that is all for now. Happy Monday!
Oh..coolchick, Great Plates! mine say Y2KUGAR. I like yours better!
My snow flake came on a few weeks back for the first time.
Glad to hear your house is coming along nicely. What kind of boat do you have?
The boat is a 21ft Malibu Sunsetter LX, competition ski boat. It's my other baby. The cougar will be nice and comfy next to it in the new garage. It's blue and black. Luckily we had it when the house burnt, otherwise I would have lost it also. I think at that point they would have had to lock me in a looney bin. I've been pretty close anyway in the past 4 months. Living with the in-laws is ever so challenging! My car has become my great escape, I just go driving around to get out of the house.
One nearly totalled my budddies pickup in Wisconsin. He's still got the grill emblem with the fur imbedded as a trophy.
Guy I worked with several years ago decided to try to avoid one, went off the road and into the woods, totalled his car, with a stump coming through the floor between the seats, and cauded him some serious head injuries & concussion. Wasn't right again for a year.(This was pre-airbag days)
Moral to the last one: If you're gonna hit one, hold the car straight, brake as much as possible, and get your head down in case it comes through the windshield.
Skip G.
Sounds like a nice boat. My Dad has a 22 Foot Bayliner with a 225hp Mercury outboard. It's mostly for fishing, but we do some tubing in the bay. I grew up salt water fishing with my Dad. I love to be on the water. unfortunately since I have moved to north Jersey I don't go as often as I would like.
The climate up here isn't to bad (yet). For the last few days it has been in the mid 50's, but it got cold today. Right now the temp is around 40, but it feels colder. Living on the NY state border can be a real bummer in the winter. I only moved 75 miles north, but the weather is much different up here. When it's raining in my old neighborhood, it is snowing up here. There is a mountain range very close to me that seems to capture weather patterns and hold them in this area. I like living in this area, but I wish the weather was better in the winter.
Remember me? Trying to change my oil for the first time ever? Well...I DID IT! Embarrassed as I am to proclaim this to you seasoned auto tuners and afficianados, I DID manage to change my oil in 40-degree weather last Friday evening.
You're right, whoever said so, that the oil is HOT after moving the car around. It was actually more like a "very warm cup of coffee" hot. The oil filter, actually, caused more mess than the oil pan and plug. I couldn't get to it with my oil filter wrench (using FRAM filter with GRIP next time), so when I unscrewed it by hand, it slipped and splattered oil everywhere. Oh, well.
Thanks for any and all help and suggestions. I'll only do this every OTHER oil change, simply because of the service schedule at my dealership.
Call from Cougar plant manager
I spoke with MWS250 a few weeks ago about my very problematic Cougar -- defective windshield, leaky windows, poorly seated glass, etc. He referred me to a Cougar plant manager a few weeks ago.
Sure enough, I've spoken TWICE with said plant manager, and he's spent a minimum of 30-45 minutes each time talking with me about the car. I was simply amazed. Definitely a boost to my impression of Ford Motor Company's service quality.
As of tonight, he's working with my local dealership to PERMANENTLY resolve the leaky windows and poor window fit problems. Ironically, I was getting ready to formally, by certified mail, request from Ford Motor Company that a final attempt be made to resolve my car's problems. This was going to be the first step in the very ARDUOUS lemon law process in Georgia.
Thank you, MWS250, for helping me here. You and the plant manager are very much appreciated. Thanks!
Sincerely,
burnsmr
So, this past Sunday I decided to run away from home. It was a gorgeous day, sunny but cool (about 44 F)so I packed myself, Spook (the dog) and lunch in the Kitty and off we went.
Headed up to the Gatineau Hills and the road was so clear (of SUVs, Mini Vans and all other annoyances) that I had zoomed right past the cottage turn off before I knew it and was on the road to Poltimore (which Krnch may be familiar with).
The highway leading in to Poltimore is a bit difficult to describe but it consists of a sequence of short steep hills followed by sharp turns, all blind. On either side is forest interspersed with a few old small grave yards. Then, just before you enter the village, you arrive at the crest of a hill with a sweeping view of the valley below,in which the village is nestled, and which is utterly breathtaking on a sunny day. From there we passed through the village to the equally steep, winding climb out on the other side. Not far from the village is an old mining road (mica mines)which leads to the top of hill.
Unfortunately we had to leave Nimmue at the base of the road, and Spook and I hiked the rest of the way to the top where we sat, uninterrupted for an hour while we had our wine, cheese and pate for lunch.
All in all I had four glorious hours with no phone calls, no idiot drivers, and no-one who new where to find me. Best of all, three of the those hours were spent driving my Kitty.
All this to say, and my apologies for the rambling, that Nimmue was an absolute joy to drive in these conditions. She acquitted herself beautifully on all the hills and curves, picked up when she needed to and quietly coasted when given the chance.
(i.e. This was my Lake Placid drive which could only have been improved by the company of my CSG pals).
STYLE: we wanted a stylish 2-door with a large luggage capacity.
The initial impression of an unusual, striking design has held up well. It is far from a jellybean and yet it doesn't have any of the (in my view) exaggerated sheet-metal additions of dams, skirts and swooping spoilers seen on some other cars in its class. The Cougar spoiler is characteristic of the style: discrete but can't be missed.
The huge trunk space (well-hidden hatchback) has been invaluable. It once neatly held a 60"x30"x18" carton. We've had no problem in carrying lots of luggage on long trips, and could even put in all the odds and ends picked up on the way.
COMFORT: we wanted a comfortable ride on long drives.
On this score I'd have to say the Cougar is "adequate." It's an order of magnitude less comfortable than the Mark VIII (and many, many thousands less expensive) but still okay. The bucket seats are firm to a fault. The AM/FM cassette radio is fine for our needs (we don't drive the interstate with windows open, vibrating to booming bass), but we plan to replace it with a CD-receiver soon.
PERFORMANCE: we wanted to be nimble in city traffic, to have easy on-ramp access to the freeway (here 65 mph is the minimum slow-lane speed), to cruise easily on High Sierra grades, and to have enough power to go up the local steep hills at 30 mph (in my 1985 70-Hp I4 Topaz it was either 15 mph or 40+ mph).
The Cougar has certainly met these requirements but acceleration is nonetheless disappointing. Almost all Cougar owners in this forum have said they wanted 30-50 more horsepower, and I heartily concur. It is definitely a downer when the car doesn't accelerate the way it "looks" like it should.
MAINTENANCE: we hoped to have only routine maintenance during the warranty period.
So far all is well. The only warranty jobs have been fixing a small piece of lose exterior trim (the little triangle next to the driver's side mirror) and the 00S03 brake-system recall.
CONCLUSION: Definitely a good experience. If Cougars are still around in 5 years we'll take a look, particularly if the styling is as good and the performance is better.
As to the comfort factor, I think that your impressions are skewed by switching back and forth between the cat and the Mk IIX. The Cougar would have to feel much firmer and harder by comparison, but, that's what it's supposed to be.
And, after 5 years, you'll only have 30Kmi. on her. Keep it for a few more, and get a good buck as a collectable ;-)
Skip G.
Glad to hear you got your oil change done!! It's a messy job, but its gotta get done. The Fram "sure grip" filter is definitely worth the cash. It makes the job much easier. Did you use synthetic or standard oil?
I too have dealt with an engineer from the factory. He was very very helpful and interested in fixing the problem. It's ashame the local service departments do not have this outlook on things.
I was curious if anyone with contacts with ford, can ask them if they know the cause of the rattling sound that comes from an area near the glove box. It seems to be common to a lot of earlier cougars, and i was curious to see what the problem is. (and possible fix)
thnx
Pritesh
You can connect to 307 via Highway 50 and Rue Archimbald on through Tourraine de Gatineau or you can cut across from Wakefield on the 366 that runs past Eidelwiess.
More farm land and fewer rock faces, but all in all a lovely drive.
All:
As you can see we get quite the mix of English and French, with a little German thrown in for good measure.
While at cougarfest I spoke to the Squeak/Rattle Prevention Guy thats his title sans "Guy"
but what he was 99 percent sure it was is the air ducting, he told me and showed me how/where to look since the Dealerships have Rattle Hearing Impaired Techs. I found that my Air duct was not completely in place, its in sections and one of the sections wasn't completely where it should be.
Basically if you feel in through your glove box(open it) and reach upward you'll feel the ducting and some wires, I felt around for awhile and made some adjustments(can't say for sure which caused the rattle but its gone now) I was initially afraid of disrupting the Airbag
but he assured me I wouldn't disrupt it from below.
when I placed my hand on the airbag cover(pass side) Basically my rattle was more evident
when it was colder or I had the A/C on.
Andy.
Jimcal1: I'm delighted to hear that you're having a great experience with your Cougar! But in 4-5 years, you may unfortunately have to settle for something less refined (unless FMC decides to outdo itself in the future) because it is rumored our venerable Cougar is slated for dismissal from the Mercury Brand line.
(As stated, "Rumor" ... so no one go and post any thing as fact yet.)
But if more power and more comfort are what you're interested in, I know it's funny to think about with only 6k on the odometer, but look into the Cougar-S when it hits the streets (hopefully in January/February).
Rattles/Squeaks: I've been experiencing one, yes one, rattle when I'm driving on course roads. The silver trim where the headlight switch is seems to be a little loose, so my plan is to get some padded double-sided tape and put it between the trim piece and the dash. I'll let you know if that solves the problem.
Everyone: Take care, be safe, and Happy Cougaring!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
These noises are literally driving me insane. I turn down the radio every 5 minutes to see if I hear more noises!!!!!
YES YES.. I am getting the same rattle in that spot. (where the plastic and soft dash meet near the right center vent). It pissed me off so much today that I took my fist to it. Well after I laid the "smack down" on the dash it stopped.. haha (watch it come back on the way home tonight)
fredly:
I've tried reseating the duct work that i can reach with my hand. Mine seems to be in very snug and tight. Purrt on the neco messageboard suggested that the rattle goes away when he puts the climate control setting to off (circle setting). I have yet to try this one. I'm thinking it's probably the flap that prevents outside air from coming in is rattling. (This rattle only starts when the car has been driven for about 20-30min. Must be a component that is expanding due to heat from the heater)
Hmmmm! I guess I should watch what I say about slapping my escort. People might get the wrong impression
fredly and fish8 -- I've had the same types of rattles you've described. They seem to be right up under the passenger side airbag. I will try the duct work option, but I think fish8 or someone else was on the money about the cold or A/C having something to do with the rattle.
Whenever the car is cold inside, the rattle goes on for about 20 minutes and then fades away. I noticed this morning, it was pretty cool outside and inside the car, but the rattle didn't start until I engaged the compressor with the Defrost setting.
Could there be a hose or something on the other side of the firewall that's causing the problem? At some point, someone here mentioned an A/C hose that was knocking around in their car. Just some thoughts.
Won't be satisfied with replacement headlamps
If you're picky like me about your car, this will bother you. A replacement headlamp assembly for the Cougar will not include the rubber gasket that makes a seal between the bottom of the assembly and the bumper. The gasket was for appearances only, and it was discontinued sometime in 1999.
I replaced my bulbs in my headlamp assemblies and had the gasket on the driver's side assembly fall off from wear or bad adhesive or something. Now, I'm left with a 1/4" gap between the assembly and the bumper. Gotta love Ford parts.
Cougar third/fourth doors in Autoweek
The latest issue of Autoweek features, in the news section, a spy photo of a Cougar with the Saturn-like third-door configuration for getting into the backseat. Rumors have it that there might even be a fourth door -- like extended cab pickup trucks.
Whaddya think of that?
Later,
burnsmr
I got both of my head lamps replaced right before CougarFest. While at CF StageLeft pointed out that the wonderful service tech forgot to replace the rubber stripping under the lamps. I was planning to mention this to the Service Manager when I take her in the week after next. Although this is not a huge thing, it does bother me. Why would FMC choose to make the replacements different from the factory parts? What sense does this make? Normally my gripe is with the service department and not with FMC, but this time it is just the opposite.
Personally I think sport coupes should have two doors only. If you want a sedan, there are plenty to choose from. Also, one or two more doors may be be a source of additional rattles!
My 2 cents.
A.
The station manager covered the pump and spread kitty litter (!) on the ground. And my husband got to not only spend 20 minutes cleaning off the car, but when he balked at paying for more gas than the tank holds he was told since he charged the gas on his Phillips 66 card he had to pay the entire amount or he would be prosecuted for a drive-away theft. (Brilliant litigator that he is, he did hold his ground and made them pay him five bucks in cash...)
Morals of the story:
1. Don't use the automatic nozzle.
2. If in doubt, don't charge gas.
3. Never, EVER buy a piece of property that was
previously a gas station.
pump my own; I get frustrated waiting and waiting for the attendant.
I too get annoyed waiting for someone to do something I could do for myself. You sit there and wait and wait. Since I am a fanatic I usually get out of the car anyway and watch them do it.
The day I got my Camaro back from the paint shop I drove right from the shop to the gas station. I pulled up and told the attendant to fill-er-up. He proceeded to take the cap off and toss it on to the back lid of the car scratching the new paint. If you think I flipped out about Ken Smith damaging my window tint (for those of you that were around when that scene took place), that was nothing compared to the number I did on this guy!! Free tank of gas and paid for touch up job on the paint.
http://www.hoot-uk.com/index2.html
Does anyone else remember when gas was 20 cents a gallon and the stations offered incentives - like free glasses, pitchers, dishes if you filled your tank?
There is no reason to assume that killing the Cougar in the U.K. = killing the Kitty in North America.
I'm sure you're right; a firm seat was what the designers wanted. I just wish they had wanted something a bit different. There have been many posts about the comfort of the Cougar, and if beauty is in the eye of the beholder than comfort is in the seat of the driver.
stageleft:
I'll probably take a look at the Cougar S, but I doubt the cost after trade-in will be attractive.
Why can't Ford make a profit from good cars like the Cougar and Mark VIII? Has the whole world gone SUV crazy?
Has anyone had any experience with this particular radio?
Any suggestions for a different choice?
I am re-thinking the snow tire thing. You had some good arguments in favour of, and I must admit the more I drive this car the more I want to drive this car. I can see myself making far more winter trips to the cottage this year than I have in the past. I just wondered, what make of snow tires do have and are you happy with them?
Oh by the way my "reject" cougar is back in the shop again..... It failed NJ inspection (badulah we gotta do something about this goofy state!!) for suspension so i made an appointment to have it fixed on wednesday. And to make matters worse my sunroof decided to take a dump on friday night. it is stuck open. oh JOY!!! i must have pulled about seven fragmented parts and various scraps of metal out of the tracks. It seems to have just exploded. very odd... So we'll see what happens. I am hoping to join some of you at Cougarfest part 2 this summer...hopefully with a fully functional cougar and a working sunroof. i'm keeping my fingers crossed..
Jimbo_G
Last year at this time I was in England (actually one year ago today I was in London) and I know what you mean. The roads are very narrow, and the price of gas in sky high. If I lived in the UK, I wouls own a Puma. They are very stylish and handle great! They are also better on gas and cost a lot less. The Cougar is Ford's top of the line sports coupe in the UK. It sells for around $36,000 US Dollars and is considered to be an expensive car by UK standards.
jimcal1:
I'm not a huge Kenwood fan, but for the price, the model you are considering seems to be a good deal. Personally I am a Clarion fan when it comes to head units. If you want more info on Clarion products, let me know. I would be happy to do some research for you.
Jimbo_G:
What was wrong with the suspension on your Cat? I have never heard of a car failing for suspension. I agree, the new inspection here in NJ is a pain in the butt, but from what I understand several states have the same thing. I guess we are going to have to get used to it, or move out of state (and now I have no plans to move to NY state after their recent choice...
8-) )
Regarding your Moral #3, I agree with you that buying property that was formerly a gas station is a bad idea. Working for a environmental engineering consulting company, property transactions regarding former gas stations is a pretty good source of on-going work!
Camelard:
I have Yokohama Guardex 600 winter tires (P205 60R 15). I mounted them on 15" steel rims. They provide much enhanced traction on hard-packed and icy surfaces. Also, they appear to be quite durable, compared to some other winter tires. If I were buying winter tires again for the Cougar I probably would not buy these tires, however. While traction and durability are good, performance is terrible. The sidewalls are very soft making lane changes on the Queensway feel so spongy that you swear the rims are going to hit the asphalt. The tread blocks also 'squirm' consideralby under moderate to hard braking or acceleration causing noticeable vibration.
I think Yokohama have a more sport-oriented winter tire out now. I'd probably investigate this and other more 'sporty' models. I would, however, definitely recommend some sort of winter tire for treks into the Gatineaus.
Hope this helps
Andy.
I meant that the whole car is a lot taughter than the Lincoln as well a being much lighter & more responsive.
Skip G.
I got 38,500 miles out of the stock Firestones, but the front two tires were really shot. They were truly the worst tires I have ever owned. Putting new tires on your Cat will improve your performance tremendously. Assuming you go with a quality tire.
With more tires now carrying the Mountain/Snow flake symbol there is certainly a lot more choice though, which makes the second decision a bit more difficult. So far I have narrowed it down to the Michelin Winter Alpin and the Goodyear Ultra Grip/Ice. The Goodyear, from what I have heard may be a bit out of my price range but I will let you know what I end up with.
P.S. Consumer Reports was no help at all. Last year they rated the Yokohama Guardex 600's 8th out of 10. The year before they rated the same tires 1st out of 10 against pretty much the same competition.