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Cougar Support Group - Chats On...

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Comments

  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    Hello again. I was just reading a recent article from Time magazine about getting bargains on new cars. The Cougar was one of the cars that was listed on the article because the model was being discontinued. According to the article you can get a new 2002 model for around $15K.

    I wonder how that affects the resale value of my 2000 Cougar. Maybe I should trade in my older Cat for a new one.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    According to the Dr., that'll be freedom day for me.

    The cast will come off, and I'll be able to drive again!!!!!

    My poor cat, though, will just be sitting, gathering dust, tree sap, and bird by-products. :-(

    Guess I'll find out if belted radials tires flat spot while standing.

    Enjoy the summer, everybody!!!!

    Skip G.
  • pcambelpcambel Member Posts: 2
    I just did that three weeks ago, traded in my 99 with a year and a half left on the loan for a 2002. My payments are lower for the new car than what I was paying for the old one.
  • pattepatte Member Posts: 35
    I just spent an hour catching up on the last six months. It was great to hear the updates and, quite frankly, a little sad to hear the swan songs. I filled out my little mercury card with invectives about car marketing leadership and will also try the 800 number. Thanks Gustafc.

    We still LOVE our cat (and the impreza wagon outback) and wouldn't trade either in for anything - as long as we get the following sorted out.

    The warranty period on our 2000 cat (only 6100 miles-there's really no place to GO in Nebraska) will be coming to an end of November and I'm wondering if anyone else can enlighten us.
    We had her in for an oil change several months ago and noticed a few drops leaking afterward. We told the dealership with our next oil change(since they are the only ones who have touched the car) and they said it has been a problem with cougars and they may have to take the whole engine out to fix it. They put in a dye, rechecked it after a couple days and said we need to drive it more until they can tell. This is the first I've heard of this kind of problem. Anyone else?
    I've complained about the chirping and the hiccup when the A/C is on twice. They don't seem to be able to re-enact it but a new guy did give me a this-is-normal explanation which could possibly made sense. Has everyone who has experienced the chirp/hiccup had a manuel? If so, I can buy his explanation, if there are automatics out there with the problem I will take the mechanic for a ride myself.
    Lastly, we have experienced a loud metallic dragging noise every twentieth time we open the sunroof when it's hot. This time the dealership actually heard it and ordered a new assembly under warranty. I also haven't heard anyone complain about sunroof problems. (???!)

    Oh, and our insurance company just raised our rate just on the cougar (not my 19 year old son's beater or the subaru) stating it had been rerated nationally. Is this another affect of Ford's decision or can we blame this one on burnsmr's two years of disasters?
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    ...thank you very much, Patte. :-(

    I'm not the only one with disasters associated with Cougar ownership. I'll admit that my car was just plain poorly put together as an early model. So don't pass off your insurance woes on me. ;-) Especially when you don't drive your car enough to ever see or hit anyone/anything anyway. ;-p

    Seriously, though, the car is being discontinued and will most likely cost more to repair in the future because parts will not be in as high demand/supply as they used to be. Your AC chirping is normal. Has happened on everyone's car at least once. Live with it.

    Might want to buy some sort of extended warranty before you get too far gone on the factory warranty, if you're planning on keeping the car. What do the rest of ya think? Worth the $900 - $1200 for 3 years or so of additional protection? On a car that's being discontinued?

    Later, and not having ANY disasters with my Subaru ;-P
    burnsmr4
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Fish8 -- Do you still have your Cougar? I thought you were getting rid of it for a family-mobile? -- burnsmr4
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Hey!! I did get rid of the Cougar for a SUV for my wife and I ended up driving her '98 Accord. the plan was to drive the Accord for a couple of years then I would get something I really wanted. It didn't work out that way!!! One month after I got rid of the Cougar the Accords transmission started leaking. I took it to the dealer and they siad the trans was shot and it needed to be replaced. To the tune of (get this) $5,100. Needless to say we traded that car in faster than you can say "peice of crap". I ended up getting a '02 Jetta. I will keep this for 3 years and then get what I really want. So thats my car story.

    Patte: I also had the chirping sound with the AC on. I had automatic Cougar. Though the chirping was the least of my worries. The worst thing about my AC was when it would stop working and couldn't be duplicated by the dealer. It is a good feeling that my Jetta's AC works flawlessly.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    BTW: we ended up getting my wife a '02 Chevy tahoe. So far it is a great vehicle.

    How is your car burnsmr4? Subaru right?
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    My '02 Subaru Forester S is fine (after 9000 miles), minus the dent I put in her the first month I had the keys. Been wary of trying Dent Wizard or Autodent Specialists (up in Gwinnett County) for fear that they would have to drill holes in passenger-side rear wheel well.

    I can live with it, 'specially after having my Cougar in the shop at least 3X as often in the first 9000 miles I owned that car. ;-) Mine's been in only for the minor fuel system issue I discovered in the first week.

    I do miss my 28mpg from the Cougar though. The Forester doesn't get nearly as good gas mileage with the boxer-4. Go figure.

    '02 VW Jetta is a nice car, 'specially if you go the 1.8T or VR6. Although I'd never buy GM, I hear anything based off the Silverado platform is a winning ride.

    Talk to y'all later!

    burnsmr4
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I also thought I would never buy GM. But, you know how it goes, if the wife wants a Tahoe.....wife gets a Tahoe. So far we have been really impressed with it and we got a really good deal with all the rebates and such.

    My Jetta gas mileage has averaged around 28-29mpg. But I only have 2250 miles on it.
  • fredlyfredly Member Posts: 201
    57,000 Miles I love my 99, even with its
    current exhaust leak.. (i'll take it in I swear)
  • didunkdidunk Member Posts: 3
    I know my husband thinks I've gone crazy, but yesterday I traded in my 2000 Cougar for a 2002. I really HAD some good reasons (at least, as far as I was concerned!) My old 2000 was fast approaching the end of its manufacturer's warranty period (with 34,000 miles), and was also in need of a set of new tires (and probably a brake job, too), and I had some tough decisions to make regarding purchasing an extended warranty, as well as the other upkeep items previously mentioned. Add to that a desire to have the last model year of a car I fell in love with (at least, in this incarnation). Well, to try to keep a long story short, I went to my friendly dealer to see just what it would take to get a similarly equipped 2002. When all was said and done, I wound up getting a V6 Sport Premium MTX with the machined aluminum 16" wheels and the sound syster with the 6 CD changer for less than I paid 2 years ago for the 2000, and about $10.00 less per month in payments to the bank. The only dissapointment was that I had to sacrifice driving my laser red (sometimes referred to as "arrest me red" by my spouse) kitty for a shadow grey one. But, I have to admit that the color is growing on me.

    I only have one concern with this 2002: When I shift through the gears, it feels "stiffer" than in my 2000, and I seem to hear more noise as I go through the gears. Is this just because the car is so new, and I've forgotten my early miles with my 2000, or is this something I should bring up with the dealer?
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Didunk:

    The shifting on my '99 was pretty stiff, especially when downshifting 3-2. But, after 30K miles, things have loosened up nicely.

    Skip G.
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    ...from Hyundai. Has anyone seen the new Tiburon? Pretty badass little car. With a great warranty too. I saw a silver one blow past me this morning on the freeway.

    Later,
    burnsmr4
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    burnsmr4:

    I think that Hyundai has gone a bit too far overboard with their bodywork. It's less outrageous than the last iteration, but still a bit strange.
  • aussyaussy Member Posts: 20
    I now have 15K on it...she is 9 months old and problem free....the cat is a 2002 XR with all the goodies...only [non-permissible content removed] I have is that I don't get any better than 22 mph.....
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Hi Gang:

    Finally got the cast off my leg Tuesday afternoon :-). 6 weeks without being able to drive will drive a person nuts. You don't realize how much freedom you take for granted until it's gone.

    Begging rides to work, store, etc...

    But, even after sitting all that time, kitty started right up, and off we went through a blinding rainstorm to dinner and a play. Didn't mind the weather too much, just too happy to be in motion again.

    Now, if the foot sprain will just heal up, I'd be 100% again.

    But, something is better than nothing.

    Going to take a couple weeks vacation starting this wekend, so I'll be out of touch for a while.

    Keep enjoying your cats.

    Skip G.
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Aussy -- how hard are you driving your Cougar? I had the 1999 Cougar V-6 with manual tranny and NEVER got less than 25mpg, even with crazy driving in scary-[non-permissible content removed] Atlanta traffic. I used unleaded regular fuel too -- no mid-grade or premium.
  • ksuwildcat001ksuwildcat001 Member Posts: 97
    I generally get 25 to 28 in town and easily get 33 - 35 on the highways with my 2001 V6 auto. I generally drive between 70 and 75 on the highway and still get that good of mileage.

    David
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    My 1999 V-6 5-speed averages about 22 around town. Except this summer, with lots of use of the A/C, I've been down in the 18 to 19 mpg range. My best LONG road trip averaged about 29 mpg at 70 mph.
  • crazy4kaoscrazy4kaos Member Posts: 2
    Hey guys-
    I'm interested in buying a used cougar...probably a 2000...are there any persistent or serious problems that u guys have had with this car?!? If so, pleaseee tell me..i could use all the help i can get!!
    Thanks so much!
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    I've got a 2000 V6 A/T and average about 22 mpg city and 28-31 highway.

    Of course, I'm in constant stop-and-stop-and-stop-and-go-and-stop-again traffic :-/

    Right at 33K now and doing great. Desperately in need of a good cleaning inside and out, but have to put in a lot of work this weekend. Hoping to take some time off Tuesday and revel in shining my kitty up!
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    If you look through the posts on this group, you'll see whatever problems the cars have had. Early Cougars apparently couldn't get their trunks open; I have a '99 and haven't seen this problem. I do have the radio problem, which is that I often don't get sound out of all the speakers. There are a lot of problems related to general sloppiness in assembly. My car had some, but I have a good dealer (Sunnyvale Lincoln Mercury, as good a reason to buy a Lincoln as there is) who fixed them.

    While not strictly a problem, it is generally admitted that automatic transmission Cougars are slow.
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    I am planning on getting a 2002 Cougar tomorrow. I was wanting to get a Jeep Wrangler but I'm in graduate school and that's way outta my price range. The sticker price was 19,470...I test drove it telling the salesman that I wasn't planning on dealing tonight...he came back and said he'd give me the same sale price of the manual. The price quote was 14970. It has a sunroof, all power, rear spoiler, 6 disc CD changer. I think that's a good deal for my situation, so the Jeep ownership will have to wait for another time...my fellow Jeep Wrangler chat room friends may not be too happy, but considering my situation (grad. school and other bills)I want the most options for the best deal and I think this is it.

    I hope to have time to come and chat with you all if my schedule allows it.

    Hopefully a Cougar owner by Saturday evening :)

    dwrangler...may change to dcougar ;)
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Dude,

    If you're thinking of getting a 1999 Cougar, just read my posts and consider yourself warned. I'm the jinxed Cougar owner that won't go away in this forum. ;-)

    Later,
    burnsmr4
  • phelpsmphelpsm Member Posts: 21
    I have a 2000 Cougar and recently I have been having a problem with the trunk latch. The trunk closes all the way, but the light on the inside of the car says that it's still open (the light that says if your door or trunk is open). I have taken it to the dealer about 5 times where they adjust something and it works for about 1-2 days and then start happening all over again. Has anyone else had a similar problem and have you fixed it???

    Thanks
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    phelpsm:

    The trunk latch concerns that have typically occurred have been with the lid not staying open enough to lift it after releasing the latch. The problem is due to the two short (approximately 2" long) coil springs on both sides of the latch. They should be replaced with stiffer ones under warranty if necessary.

    Your problem is probably different. It sound like a misaligned light switch in the hatch area. If your dealer's staff can't make the simple warranty adjustment try another dealership.
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    That's a pretty disparate pair of vehicles. The Cougar won't make it over stream beds but the Wrangler will pound you on the road.

    If you live in snow country or drive on dirt roads, the Wrangler makes sense. Otherwise it's an image situation, and the Wrangler has a manlier image than the Cougar.

    As far as driving on roads, there's no contest. The Cougar is a smooth, comfortable coupe that's a pleasure to drive for long distances. Jeeps are Jeeps.
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    Well, I drove a 2002 cougar this past Friday, not planning on liking it....WOW! I was impressed! And since this is the last year for this model/body style, and the fact that the dealer quoted me a price of 14,970; the sticker price was 19,470...(I said I wasn't ready to talk numbers at this point)...he came back and offered me that price. After I run some numbers(insurance, credit check, and loan rates), and get one more paycheck, I may see if I can get it for 14,000 or a little over. I wanna try to get 200 to 225 a month with about $3000 down. I hope to announce the arrival of my new baby ;).

    Oh by the way I live in Missouri...we get from one extreme to the other. You know what they say about our weather...wait 10 minutes it'll change.

    As for the Wrangler...well that is what I'd like to have, but I'm in graduate school and I just can't swing that high priced of a vehicle at this point...so that will have to wait a while longer. Neither car is for "image" I just like the way they look and the way they drive. I don't plan on doing alot of 4wheeling when I eventually do get one...just want the security in knowing that I can get myself out of a rough situation when needed. But like I said to the guys in the itsajeep.org chat room, "you gotta do what you can afford" and right now the Cougar is my best option. Anyway, I'll have to think of a new name after I get the Cougar. :)

    dwrangler
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Hey all: Got busy, I guess. Sorry it's been a few weeks. I had some business travel and otherwise general busy-ness at work.

    Dwrangler: We knew you'd like the Cougar. For the extreme weather, does the Cat you're looking at have the traction control? That's a tremendous price, btw, and if you can afford it go for it! Welcome to the club.

    Phelpsm: I agree. If one dealership is not able to completely fix the trunk-ajar light, then try another. Heck, even try a Ford dealer. They may be able to fix it better than the Mercury folks (I know this from experience). Anyhow, good luck with that, and let us know if you find out what the problem is.

    Gustafsc: Glad to hear you're back on your foot! I bet that first drive was worth it. Take care of yourself and we'll talk to you soon.

    Enjoy everyone! Happy Cougaring!
  • ksuwildcat001ksuwildcat001 Member Posts: 97
    I'm in NE Kansas and my Cougar does GREAT in the snow and ice. I haven't had any problems getting around in the winter.

    I think you will be extremely happy with your Cougar. I know I am with mine. VERY nice car for roadtrips or a fun time on a nice winding road.

    Welcome to the Cougar family!
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    As I understand it, the actual furry cougars with long tails get around very well in the snow and can kill elks and stuff like that. I live in California and my Cougar has never seen snow or, for that matter, killed an elk.

    I have, however, considerable experience with driving rear-wheel, front-wheel and four wheel drive vehicles in snow because I used to live in New Hampshire.

    Rear-wheel drive doesn't work.

    Four-wheel drive is the best, especially on poor surfaces at high speed.

    Front-wheel drive has enough traction for anything but snow higher than your bumper.

    The Cougar may have problems because of the limited tire selection. I put Semperit alpine tires on my Scirocco in the winter and those things never let go. I suspect that the wide, shallow-treaded BF Goodrich tires on my Cougar would get a bit squirrelly on loose surfaces.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    lmigliore: You'd probably be surprised, then, by the Cougar's agility in the snow. I found (with traction control) that I couldn't break it loose. I was fully in control of course, not doing anything squirrely with the car, but did attempt on many occassion to get into a slide to see how it would handle it. Nothing. No slide, just point-and-shoot. Braking is different, and like all cars with ABS it does shake the pedal pretty hard. Other than that, if you give it enough space and time, combined with lower speed and all that other stuff you're supposed to do while driving in the snow, the Cougar shines. I say, "If the snow is over the bumper, take a day off." Besides, it's rough trying to keep up with the SUV's that plague our landscape. I think that's why the Subaru's are so appealing to folks out there. Is it a car? Is it a truck? Is it a SUC? (Sport Utility Car - thanks Mouse!)

    Talk to you all later, and Happy Cougaring!
  • harbachjharbachj Member Posts: 51
    I have a condo in Vermont and make a number of trips from Long Island each winter for skiing. My 99 Cougar (with traction control and ABS) is a good winter car, but I found the BFG VR4s to be marginal in anything more than an inch or two of snow. Last fall I bought a set of mounted snows (Dunlop Sport M2s) from Tirerack and was very pleased with the improved snow traction. The Dunlops are also have surprisingly good handling characteristics on dry roads as they are "H" rated. I would strongly recommended dedicated snow tires to anyone who must drive when the snow flies. All season tires just don't make it.

    Jim H.
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    I was going to get it Saturday or no later than Tuesday, but I wanted to do a credit check and try to see what my credit rating is(not to mention I've had to work some overtime, this is our busiest time of the year at the printshop...and I went on a job interview for a teacher's aide position)...cause since I'm in graduate school getting my master's degree so I can get a teaching job. I am wondering which would be better or should I say easier on the wallet...monthly payments on a 5yr loan or lease it for a couple of years and then buy? I may wind up buying it though and hoping that I can get a teaching job in 2 to 2 1/2 years :)

    Anyway, thanks for the nice welcome. I hope the activity picks up a bit here...I normally visit the itsajeep.org website (not a money making venture by any means, just people that like Jeeps whether they own one or not). We normally chat for 2-3 hours or more just about every night. Do you all have a chat room somewhere?

    Again, thanks for the advice and the welcome.

    Hey, how about smedcougar? Sounds good doesn't it? ;)

    dwrangler...for now.
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    As I mentioned before when I drove the Cougar last Saturday, the "salesman" came back with his card stapled to the brochure with an quote of $14,970. Well, I went back last night to "finish" the deal...and guess what? I got low-balled.

    The salesman to me into his cubicle and sat me down to talk about the car. I said that I came back down 35 to 40 minutes because of the "quote" they gave me. His reply was that he got up to "go check the stock number of the car" and returned (after stopping off to check with his manager) to say that I must have driven another model and that the actual price was (the "sale" price) $15,670.

    I looked at him with an astonished expression on my face and said, "I drove the Cougar with the sunroof, spoiler and the 6 disc CD changer less than a week ago...I know what car I drove and I know the offer of $14,970 was the quote you gave me on Saturday...ONE WEEK AGO!!!" "I don't know, nor do I care whose mistake it was, but it surely wasn't mine. I liked this car, it's the one I drove, it's the one you gave me this offer on and it's why I drove ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE TO PURCHASE IT!!!"

    I couldn't believe my ears! They (both the salesman and the salesmanager...he came in eventually too) were trying to convince of how great of a deal it was...YEAH RIGHT!!! I told both of them that this IS the car I drove and that WAS the price that the salesman wrote on the card (like I'm some dumb broad that would be too stupid to catch that trick). I agree that $4000 off the sticker price IS a great deal, but number one I don't think I could afford higher payments because of the increase...it's just that they lied to me and tried to put the "mistake" on my part...I know they have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, but please give me SOME credit for having intellegence.

    I don't know now what kind of car I'm gonna get or when I'm gonna get it (Cougar or Wrangler) but if I do and it may not be from that dealership...when I do get a vehicle...I'm gonna drive back to that dealer, ask to speak to both the salesman and the manager....and tell them..."Whether I paid more for this vehicle or not just think...this sale could have been yours...but no, you had to low-ball me and imply that I drove a car that had less options...YOUR LOSS!...And then drive away laughing.

    I'm 39 years old and have owned four cars and sold them on my own...I'm not some idiot that will say, "Oooo, that's such a nice car...oh ok I'll pay any price that you say to get this car." OH PLEASE! Who do they think they're kidding. Well thanks for letting me vent...I'll let you know what happens.

    I'll keep looking but I go back to college for the fall semester Monday so it may limit my shopping time...and the more time will allow me to put back more money for the downpayment.

    see ya later

    dwrangler
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    Well, that's one dealer you can scratch off your list. I can't imagine that they ever get away with this one. Folks know what car they drove and what the salesman said it would cost!
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    It's too bad really. They're service department has a really good reputation for getting the job done and not messing with customers. I'm gonna write the owner a very long and nasty letter to vent my frustration...at least to make myself feel better and I let them know what my experience was and how insulted I was by their tactics. Some of my Jeep chat buddies are giving me a hard time...some of them understand my situation and are supportive. Those that don't will just have to learn to understand. Thanks again for the words of encouragement.

    dwrangler
  • didunkdidunk Member Posts: 3
    Just thought I'd report back on my shifting problem with my 02 Cougar. After driving it 1K, the noise I was hearing and the stiffness with the shifting was still really bothering me, so I took it in to be checked out, and it turned out that the shift linkage did need to be readjusted (of course, under warranty!). Now things are the way they ought to be, and I'm much happier!

    Dwrangler: It's too bad you had to deal with a sales department like that, but some salesmen are still a bit Neanderthal when dealing with female customers. I would take my business elsewhere, but I do agree with your idea of contacting the dealership (and especially the owner!) that treated you so badly to let them know that they lost a sale. There are always other dealerships to go to. I do hope that you do eventually wind up with a Cougar--you will enjoy it.
  • aussyaussy Member Posts: 20
    I have a question for the XR owners or anyone with the bolt on fake scoup on the hood......about 3 weeks ago...around the edges i noticed the paint was rubbing off....when i took it in for the 15K checkup...i pointed it out to the dealer....they are not quite sure what to do about it....has anybody else had this problem??...what did your dealer do about it??
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    ...to demonstrate how poorly FMC manages customer relationships at the sales level with its franchise dealerships.

    A local news station in Atlanta recently reported that a south Atlanta Ford dealership ripped off a slightly mentally handicapped man (who has a job as a grocery bagger) on a new Ford F-150. It was horrible! They financed him a new Ford F-150 at a 28.85% interest rate -- DELIBERATELY!

    A local fireman and friend of the man found out about the $18,000+ interest the guy would be paying and called local news stations. One of 'em picked up the story and made fools of the dealership/salesmen. The dealership canceled the loan and the fireman raised enough money for the man locally to pay for the truck in full without financing.

    Speaking about the lowballing -- I had it happen to me, and I challenged the dealership on it. I was just about to agree to a NEW 1999 Cougar for like $14,000 when the "lady next to my cubicle" backed out of the deal on the car I was originally interested in -- a used 1999 Cougar with lots more features, selling for around $16,000. As soon as "the lady" left, they tried to switch me back to that car, knowing that I was ready to buy. I walked out and called back 20 minutes later to speak with the sales manager. I explained that I knew what had happened and that I expected to return in 20 minutes to buy my Cougar.

    In hindsight, I should've taken the experience as a sign and ran when I had the chance. :-)

    Later,
    burnsmr4
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Hi gang!

    As you know, I got my foot back on the 13th and was finally able to drive again (6wks).

    So, while happily driving home from work on the 15th, I got sideswiped by a hit and run idiot. BUT, I got his plate #, so I hope the police do thier job and nail him.

    Baby goes to the shop for the 3rd time on Tuesday, and I'll be back in a rental for at least a week.

    By the time we're through, the only original body left will be the hood, roof, front fenders, and the passenger's door.

    I think I'll name my cat "Bullseye", 'cause its been hit so often.

    Later,

    Skip G.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I saw the same story about the mentally challeged guy and his Ford F150. Very sad. The funny part was the Sales Manager actually got on TV and swore up and down the deal was legit. It apparently turned out good for the F150 owner.
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    I'd like to get a couple of good ol' boys and do a little "wheelin' and dealin'" on his [non-permissible content removed], if you know what I mean. Disgusting behavior, and yet another blemish on the FMC product -- from the sale to the quality of the vehicle. :-(
  • prosepheusprosepheus Member Posts: 1
    I'm the owner of a 2001 Cougar and love the car except after the car warms up and you start driving it, it feels almost like the clutch is slipping in 1st and 2nd gears but the other gears work fine. I took it back to mercury to have them check it out and they drove it around for a little while (wasting about a quarter tank of gas) and told me that there was nothing wrong with it. So i took the car back and am still having problems with it. Does anybody else have this problem?
  • aussyaussy Member Posts: 20
    ok...I took my cougar in for the 15K mile service. Thought everything was gonna be ok(this occurred at the same time I was having the hood repainted where the fake scoup was vibrating paint off). THey had it for 3 days......When i got it back I drove it about a half mile and then heard a ticking noise coming from the engine. I took it back to them and they thought it might be a timing chain noise. Well, I called in today to find out that they had to order a new engine. Any comments???
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    Well folks, I'm gonna try it again. I'm going to go back to the dealership where I got low-balled. I got a phone call from the President of the dealership last week :-) (guess it pays to write an angry letter to the top dog). He said he had read the letter and felt that he needed to contact me personally to get my side of the incident. I repeated my anger when both the salesman and the Sales Manager stated that I must have driven another car. I told him that it may have only been $500-600 difference in the "rookie's" quote and the "true" sales price but I didn't care for his tactics or the sales manager for that matter. My Dad got an invitation from the dealership for an invitation only sale(I know it's probably another game but I can still walk away) and I called to make sure that I could use the invitation. The message on my answering machine said that I could and I hope things work out this time.

    After all, I need a car that rides better and gets a heck of alot better gas mileage than my Dad's truck :)

    Oh, I almost forgot. I need some quick opinions..in other words please reply asap (before Friday night)...does anyone know of someone in your circle of friends and co-workers that has used People First.com for a car loan? I was thinking about trying them but I haven't heard of anybody that has used it. I've heard they reply within a couple of hours or so. If I had some reassurances I'd look into it closer.

    Well, keep me in mind Saturday...I'm gonna try to get there early in the morning to check the inventory out.

    Deb
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Check out this discussion on the FWI board:


    Finance thru PeopleFirst.com?


    Hope this helps. Good luck! :-)

  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    dwrangler:

    I just made my last payment to PeopleFirst on my three year loan on my Cougar. It was a pleasure dealing with them. Their rate was better than Ford's, my credit union's and local banks' at the time of my deal. Of course their best rate is for the "most qualified" borrowers, for the shorter terms (of years) and if you permit them to debit your checking or savings account monthly instead of writing checks.

    By the way, you may want to illustrate the power of the Internet to your dealership's president. Let him know that your dissatisfaction has now been made known worldwide on Edmunds Townhall. Tell him that you will let everyone know it if he does right by you.
  • dwranglerdwrangler Member Posts: 127
    I called the credit union where my brother has an account while at work this afternoon. Boy was I nervous. I figured that with my credit card debt ($8000 on one card and $600 on another), not to mention my college loans(I've gone back to grad school to get certified to teach art and get my masters). Anyway, I answered her questions and tensely waited for the decision. Five or so minutes later...she asked how much I needed the loan to be...I said that the sticker price was $20,120 and I wasn't sure how much I'd be getting in rebates so I said $15 to $17 thousand, just to be safe (and hopeful). She can back a couple of minutes later and said I was approved. The rate is 5.65% for 5years with auto payment. This is the first time that I have ever tried this so I'll really have to watch my account balance.

    Anyway, I'm going to get up and try to get out of the house and be there by the opening of the "private sale" (by invitation only) which is around 9am CDT so I hope I don't over sleep as I need to get the deal done asap so I can make the appointment at the bank to close on the loan. I hope I can get the deal I want...I've been patient but I'd better not get low-balled...after all, I've got connections here ;)

    Well I'll let ya know what happens...hopefully I'll have a big smile in my next post.

    dwrangler...dcougar or dcat...any suggestions for a name change? ;)
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