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Cougar Support Group - Chats On...

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Comments

  • 99sunfire9999sunfire99 Member Posts: 6
    Has anyone purchased a 2001 Cougar? I don't know anyone that has, so I was curious as to how they compare to earlier models. I looked at one at a local dealer a few days ago. I think it was $21,000! Seems a bit high to me.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    99Sunfire99:
    A loaded Cat will go for $21,000 (sticker), but you should be able to work them down a bit. When compared to other cars in its class, the Cougar is the best bang for the buck. Both the Celica GTS and Eclipse GT cost a few thousand more when equally equipped.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    All:
    I think my EVIL boss is going to let us leave a little bit early today, so I thought I would post this now.

    I hope all of you have a safe and wonderful new year. Hopefully your new year's eve will be filled with friends, family, and a good time in general. Mine will be filled with all of the above plus a lot of snow!! The forecast is calling for 10-16 inches of snow starting tomorrow morning around 7am. This is one of those times I really wish I had a garage for my Cat. After this storm is over I may be able to make a snow garage for her!!

    Have a Great New Year Everyone!!!

    Rob
    AKA "Badulah"
    CSG Caretaker and Certified Cougar Nut!!

    PS - I plan to post my views on merging with other clubs early next week. Anyone else have any views on this topic?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    As you know, I bought Pirelli P6000 Sport Veloce about 4 weeks ago. I really like these tires. Before these tires I had the infamous "vibration" in the steering wheel. When the new tires were installed the car was very smooth, no vibrations at all. Now, I think I am feeling some slight vibrations in the steering wheel at 65mph. I could be imagining this, but I don't think so. I have no idea how the vibrations came back. The vibrations are not that bad, but I still wonder if it is the car itself.

    My new Pirellis are a much better tire than the stock Firestones. What other Pirellis did you consider? Aren't the P4000 one step below my P6000's? I have heard that your P4000's have gotten great reviews by some magazines. After rebalancing your tires, are they wearing better?
  • camelardcamelard Member Posts: 171
    JDBishop

    Just out of curiosity, do you start your car and let it warm up for a few (2-10 mins) before you back it out of the garage.

    The groan you describe is one that I have experienced with just about every car I have owned. When it happens is typically in the winter, and when I warm the car up before driving. I believe this has more to do with the combination of a warm engine and cold drive train than any thing to do with the brakes. The same goes if you use a block heater (warm block, cold drive train). If this is the case then it is normal and nothing to worry about.
  • camelardcamelard Member Posts: 171
    Happy, healthy and hope filled new year.

    Badulah and Stageleft:

    Here's to more of the same great work

    Edmund's and Karen S.

    Dito

    Malibu:

    Hope you are loving the new house and Kitty

    Benisem:

    To the new job being all you hoped it would be.

    For me:

    Confessions and News Years resolutions under meet the members.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    I've been back in the Midwest for the past week and a half, and I notice that there are a LOT more Cougars here than in California... like 5 times more easily. During my daily commute in the San Fran Bay area, I'll see at most... maybe 2 Cougars. Here in Ohio, I'll see as many as 10 Cougars any given day. I chatted with a Mercury dealership dude about this and he said something about market demographics and domestics here vs. imports there etc etc blah blah..

    Just a random thought...

    Have a Happy New Year, all.
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    I agree there's no new Cougars in the San Francisco Bay area. Unfortunately, while there may be more cats in the midwest, there ain't enough to make it a viable product. This is, in my opinion, Mercury's fault 100%. The car is good, it's way above its competition at its price level, it's affordable and it's practical. With a half-competent marketing campaign, people would test drive it and buy it (when I walked into the L-M dealership and asked to drive a Cougar, the salesman gave me the keys and said "you're gonna like this". He was way right.) in respectable numbers in California as well as in less fortunate states.
  • jdbishopjdbishop Member Posts: 36
    Camelard:
    No, I do not warm up my car for 2 to 10 minutes. Being from Houston, it is rarely cold enough to even wear a jacket in the car. I start the car, fasten my seat belt, shift into reverse and slowly start out of the garage. I have now isolated the groan to either the power steering pump or the belt that drives the pump. The groan occurs whenever I turn the steering wheel, whether or not the car is moving. My initial thought that it was the brakes is because I do not turn the wheel until the car is moving. Saves wear on the tires. I will take my car into the dealer on Tuesday and have the power steering pump checked out. At least I know that it is not the brakes.

    Thanks for all the responses and have a Happy and Safe New Year!!!

    Jack
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    I've recently heard this as well. When I turn my steering wheel quickly back and forth at low speeds, I get a whining or groaning sound. I can feel a little tension in the wheel when it happens, but not enough to normally be noticeable.

    Steering wheel pump?!
  • 99sunfire9999sunfire99 Member Posts: 6
    I haven't had any groaning with my Cougar. It's still new though.

    Rob
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!!:
    I hope everyone had a great new years eve. The Saturday before New Years we received 18" of snow. Needless to say I spend most of the day digging out. The Cat performed wonderfully in the winter mess. The new tires are really holding up nicely. The investment was well worth it.
  • burnsmr4burnsmr4 Member Posts: 318
    Fish8 -- we have more in common with our Cougar problems than I'd like to admit.

    The Pirelli P4000 tires I purchased before Christmas, although balanced 3 times, are still causing a vibration through the steering wheel at interstate speeds. Anywhere from 65mph to 80mph (normal around Atlanta). Keep in mind the fact that I also had an alignment performed last week by Kauffman.

    The only thing that I could find wrong with the service I received from them was their tire inflation habits. At air temperature (we're talking 20s and 30s), the pressure was 32-36 psi! That's 2-4 psi more than Ford recommends on the door panel tire pressure sticker.

    Anyone have any suggestions for fish8 and myself? The folks we're using are pretty reliable and good about customer service. Bad tires, perhaps?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I think the vibration is caused by the car itself. Not the tires. I have heard many Cougar owners(with different brands of tires) have the same vibration problem. I am having my car serviced in about 2-3 weeks and I will have them research this problem, AGAIN!

    As far as the tire pressure goes, I personally asked Kauffman what the proper tire pressure for the P6000's were and they said it was 35psi. I then went to Pirelli's website to look for myself and they recommend 32psi. Kauffman probably puts 35psi in ALL the tires they sell. At least that is better than Big 10 Tires where I got my wife's tires. After going home and checking what pressure they put in her Michelins(should be 30psi), the pressures varied from 20psi in one tire to over 40 in another. Needless to say, I won't be going back there.
  • jdbishopjdbishop Member Posts: 36
    I took my moaning groaning humming howling cougar in to the Dealership this morning. Since the noise only lasts for a couple of minutes after the first cold start of the day, the Dealership wasn't able to duplicate. Needless to say, if they can't hear it, it doesn't exist. I left the car with them so hopefully they can hear it tomorrow morning. I'm sure glad the troubleshooting capabilities of the U.S. Navy flight program are better than the typical automobile dealership. Having flown off of aircraft carriers for twenty years, I developed a complete trust in the maintenance program of the Navy. Too bad the car dealerships can't learn from them.

    Jack
  • jdbishopjdbishop Member Posts: 36
    Does anyone know why all automobile dealership service departments consider all of their customers to be idiots? If I could ever find one that doesn't,I would stick with them like glue for the rest of my life even if they serviced GM products (God forbid!!)-(I haven't owned GM for the last 23years).
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I feel the problem with service departments is that they are generally over-worked, poorly staffed, and have no one working in a Quality Control position. When I had problems with a local service department (EAT ROCKS AND DIE KEN SMITH!!!!!), I had no one to turn to. The dealership manager wasn't accountable to anyone at FMC. Figure that out!! I know some dealerships have Zone Managers, but apparently this one and others do not.

    Selling cars is important, but keeping your current customers happy is just as important. It seems like Ford doesn't understand this, just like they don't understand how to advertise properly.

    Just my $0.02
  • ciaraciara Member Posts: 9
    I go to Bayway Lincoln Mercury on the Gulf Freeway and except for 1 idiot that didn't know that all Cougars came with a cabin air filter(my regular service advisor was off that day), their service has been excellent I purchased the car from Texan but Bayway is much closer to home.I highly recommend them. I also got that groaning when I backed out of my carport, only happened when the temps were real cold and immediately went away after braking once.

    I can finally sympathize with all you folks north of here, got a red snowflake for the first time this morning. Pretty darn cold for us foks in Houston!!!!!
  • steve6264steve6264 Member Posts: 3
    From the recent postings, it appears that the first-year bugs have all been worked out. Any comments?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Steve:That's a good bet!

    badulah:I don't think Ford is the only company that is lacking is customer service. I experienced the same disappointing service from Chrysler when I owned a Jeep. Your statement on keeping customers happy is right on! It has been my experience as a whole(all industries) that customer service has declined big time!! Just my $.02
  • camelardcamelard Member Posts: 171
    I have been very lucky with my current dealership/service department but I must admit it took awhile to find one I was happy with. Years ago when I worked at a dealership I would take my there for service and was always unhappy with the results. One thing I learned from the experience though was to always arrange service through the dealer manager or sales manager, not the service manager. The dealer and sales manager's livelihood depends on repeat sales. The service manager's doesn't.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Where is everyone?
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I'm here. I'm always here (well, when the boss isn't looking i'm here).

    >;-)
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    Happy new year to all.

    Andy.
  • dgeminidgemini Member Posts: 161
    When I put my aftermarket 225/50/16 tires on my Cougar I also noticed more vibration than I had before.

    I believe it may have something to do with the wider tires since I only notice it on certain roads, in particular certain stretches of I-95.

    Anyone else have any idea on what may be causing this?
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    I went back yesterday to Kauffman to have them rebalance my new tires and it seemed to have helped a little. They said that one tire was slightly out of balance. Kauffman balances them for free so it was no money out of my pocket ;-)
  • mws0520mws0520 Member Posts: 45
    All - hope you had great holidays. I took a well deserved rest. Enjoyed the 80 degree weather that we have been having here in southern California. Shame that the northeast got over a foot of snow...

    Fastback2 - "flamed" is not the word. Neco killed me. Thanks for the thought.

    Badulah - you should increase your rate from two cents to three. (see comments above where you have given your two cents).

    Cougar popularity in California - this is definitely an import market. It does not just affect the small specialty segment but all segments. Californians love their imports.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I have never experienced a vibration in my Cougar. Even with the wider tires the ride is smooth and quiet.

    Lately I have noticed that my gas mileage has dropped noticeably. Right now I am getting an average of 22mpg city and 26mpg highway. I used to get an average of 26mpg city and 31mpg highway. I did switch from 93 octane fuel to 90 octane, but I really don't think this switch should cause that big of a drop in fuel consumption. Anyone have any ideas?
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    All:
    On Tuesday January 9, 2001 at 4-5pmPT/7-8pmET we will be holding our first official CSG chat session here in Edmunds. I'm hoping to see all of you there!! We will post the link to the chat area in the near future. Please let us know if you plan on attending the session!!
  • jdbishopjdbishop Member Posts: 36
    I may have "Bad Mouthed" my dealership prematurely. I received a call at 9:30 yesterday morning saying that they had isolated the problem and that they had to order a new Air Control Valve. Of course, the valve is not in stock anywhere in the country and is on National Back Order. The best guess as to when the part will become available is "several weeks". At any rate, the dealership did find the problem the first time around, which is unusual at best. Now, if FMC lives up to its reputation, the part should be in perhaps sometime this year. More to follow as the story unfolds.
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Special formulation for the season. Reduces your mileage, but soposedly starts more reliably.

    Skip G
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Skip:
    Glad to see your back on line with us!!!

    I wasn't sure if they changed the formula in the winter or summer months. I knew the different formula changed the mileage, but I didn't think it would effect it this much.
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    I got the Borla information in the mail today...took them long enough! I'm hoping to be able to read through it while on the bike at the gym tonight...just an excuse not to run! Since my birthday is a couple of weeks I'm going to hint around to my hubby thats what I want. Chances are slim, but theres always my overtime from tax season. Also my kitty got her first ticket...and it wasn't me! Mike was driving last Sat. as we went to Ojai. Highway 150...(MWS I'm sure your familiar with it) It's an awesome windy road for the Cougar! Well this little MG like convertable was riding our tails and finally Mike had enough, he took off (this car handles unbelivably) and right as we headed into a straignt away around the last corner a CHP was sitting with his radar. 73 in a 55, a few seconds earlier and it would have been 80 in a 45! I was laughing so hard! the officer was really nice and we told him about the red mg. He laughed and said "if you would have pulled over and let him go by I would have gotten him" DUH...he told Mike he should probably give the car back to me!
    Mike agreed. He hasn't had a ticket in 15 years, so he was due. I just hope I'm not next.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Malibu:
    I know how he feels. On the way back from Cougar Fest I got nailed by an Ohio State Troop who wasn't so nice. The only good thing is that since I got it out of the tri-state area I won't be getting any points on my license and it will not show up on a DMV background check.

    If I got that ticket in this area, the fine would have been double and I would have gotten 4 points.
  • daexpertdaexpert Member Posts: 140
    Been a while since I posted anything so I hope all Cougar lovers here are doing fine. For those interested on how my Pacesetter is holding up, it is doing just fine, and I can never get tired of hearing that rumble above 3K rpms! Hopefully the exhaust-system won't show any rusting over winter, we shall see I guess.

    I have a questions for you guys now. A few days ago, I was on my way to work when I noticed this crack/scratch on my windshield that starts from where the roof of the car ends (where the windshield begins) to where the rearview mirror is placed; so it's a pretty long crack. The problem is that I can't really see where a rock could have hit it because I cannot find where the crack is "chipped" where a rock or somethign might have hit it. I ran my finger along it and I can't really feel it from inside the car and barely from the outside, it's almost as if it was located inbetween the glass. Does this make sense to any of you guys? Any of you guys have seen this before? Sorry about the long post, it's just a bit tough to explain. I don't to call my dealer and seem like a fool if I start blaming them for something that it's not possible!
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Badulah & Gustafsc:

    In addition to the "oxygenation" process to rid the fuel of more contaminants over the winter months when the sun isn't producing enough heat in the atmosphere to burn off the exhaust vapors like in the summertime, the switch to 90 octane is probably as much a culprit of your poor gas mileage. I found that when I ran 93, I was getting pretty good mpg (around 21/26), but when I switched down to only 89 octane, I'm getting around 18.5/21 (OUCH!). With the fuel switch until February, I'm only getting around 17.5! Out of an "economical" V6 ... but then again I have the Borla Dual and a heavier foot - I too like the grumble of my aftermarket exhaust. :^)

    MWS:

    Keep bragging about your 80 degree weather and you might find yourself with a few housemates! I'm ready to drive out there just so I can wash my Cat. It's been almost a month of either rain, snow, or freezing temperatures and my poor Cat really needs a bath and a fresh coat of wax. My kingdom for a garage! You're right also, Californian's do love their imports. But I think we should be trying to break them of this nasty habit - LOL!

    Tickets:

    Don't feel so bad about tickets either, it seems like police officers want to get a close up view of the Cougar - just like everyone else. Right after I got back from CougarFEST, I got nailed in a school zone.

    Dgemini:

    If, in fact, that is a crack in your windshield, it is entirely possible that the cold weather we're getting in the DC area found the weak point in the glass. Sometimes with even just the small amount of body flex we experience from cornering in our nimble Cats can torque the glass all around the greenhouse and if there's a weak spot near the edge of any window it may cause a hairline to appear. In VA, you'll most likely have to do one of two things before your next safety inspection: 1) pray the dude doesn't see it. 2) get the windshield replaced. I'm pretty sure it's not a warranty item, but you could try that angle with your dealership. Otherwise, your insurance agent can probably help you with getting it fixed. Remember that if you have to get it replaced to only use the original Carlite glass equipped on all new Cougars to replace it or you probably won't be happy with it in the long run. Check out evisteon.com to learn more about the clear stuff. (sorry about the cheap plug ... gotta keep relations up!)

    Take care everyone and Happy Cougaring!
  • gustafscgustafsc Member Posts: 361
    Good to be back!!!

    Lefty, I know what you mean about needing a bath. We've had more crap falling from the sky than anybody except Buffalo, NY.

    Still have to go through fits to get into the conference though. As I write this, the navigator is still telling me that it's contacting the host.

    Only site in any of my bookmarks that does this, so I don't think that it's my server or computer.

    Oh well, I'll just muddle along, and keep in touch.

    Skip
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    Daexpert:

    Windshields are actually comprised of two layers of glass with a plastic sheet sandwiched between them. This is done in an attempt to prevent shattering (you've probably seen smashed windshields that still 'hold together'). It's likely that only one of the glass layers is cracked (probably the outside layer). I don't know what the laws are like in your area, but in Ontario, if a crack doesn't enter the driver's view area, it's okay. Unfortunately a crack such as the one you described will probably continue to progress slowly. My first car had much less structural rigidity than the Cougar. I had three windshields crack in that car; none of which were initiated by rock chips.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    In the wheels section of our local newspaper(Atlanta Journal Constitution) the title read "Tracking what Women want". Guess what picture was below the title.....a Cougar. The article stated that 53.1% of the people buying the Cougar are Women. I always thought women have good taste. But does this mean I drive a chick car? Below is the link. I hope it works!!

    http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/friday/wheels_a355b31fb5ce014e00c5.html
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    "At a Michigan gathering recently, men needed little prodding to name cars they associate with women drivers. Most tended to cite the Pontiac Sunfire, Mercury Cougar"?

    My Cat has been called a lot of things, but never before has it been called a chick car.

    I hope none of my friends see this article, ill never hear the end of it!!
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    LOL! I agree!
  • dasaint1dasaint1 Member Posts: 230
    MWS:

    You're definitely right about Californians loving their imports. Maybe you can revise the Cougar a little bit with a different front and rear end, and then rebadge it as a Mazda--say, a Mazda RX8 or something like that. Mazda did used to sell a version of the Ford Probe called the MX6 (if I recall it correctly). I think the Cougar would be a nice fit to replace that car in their lineup. And that in turn would be a nice alternative to a Honda Civic coupe.

    Daxpert:

    Have you tried bringing in the car to your dealer. Maybe you can convince them it's a defect and get a free replacement.

    Fish8:

    There's really no reason to think or be offended if the Cougar was a "chick car." You don't hear women complain when a guy drives a minivan. And 53% is not an overwhelming number. Gore got that much people to vote for him, and he still lost. If it was 67% or more, then that's something else.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    "'I'm sure there's nothing wrong with (the Neon), but it's just too small and girly for me,' said Ron Jeffries, who said he drives a Chevrolet Silverado pickup. 'It's not the statement I want to make.'" (from the article)

    HEY! I drive a Neon! It's a sweet ride; it's fun to drive and has decent power. (Granted, it WAS a hand-me-down from my sister...)

    I have heard the Cougar referred to as a chick car more than once. However, keep in mind that just about EVERY car that has attractive, sleek, unique styling has at one point or another been accused of being a chick car.

    I've heard all of the following be "accused" of being chick cars : cougar, eclipse (old and new), mustang, beetle, neon, camaro, firebird, focus, integra, PT Cruiser...

    The only TRUE man car, it seems, is one that has great performance, but is also butt-ugly. The Impreza RS might be considered a man car. Or the old Mustang from about two or three generations ago. It was just a boxy, lumpy thing with wheels and a big engine.

    In light of this, being called a "chick car" might not be so bad.
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    You an the gang are all welcome to drive on over and use my garage (when it's finished!) The only problem is while you drive home it will probably get dirty again. I give you all alot of credit for living in the states where you have real weather...I admit I'm a wimp and probably couldn't handle it.

    Badulah: I looked through the Borla catalog last night, the Powerset comes with the exhaust and the air filter, it's $852. Is that what you have? Is it very loud? We have dual exhaust, flowmasters on the GTO and it'll wake the dead! I understand it's a much bigger engine but I don't want the cougar that loud, just a nice rumble. Aso it that price about right? Thanks.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    What can I say? I am a numbers guy:

    Sales year-to-date for Sporty cars
    2000 1999

    1 Ford Mustang 163,541 156,181
    2 Mitsu Eclipse 66,572 56,528
    3 Toyota Celica 49,826 12,462
    4 Chevrolet Camaro 39,361 37,767
    5 Mercury Cougar 38,562 54,170
    6 Pontiac Firebird 29,209 31,466
    7 Acura Integra 24,436 24,337
    8 Mazda Miata 17,283 16,799
    9 Hyundai Tiburon 14,269 9,106
    10 VW Cabriolet 13,280 10,731
    Honda Prelude 9,035 10,726
    Toyota MR2 Spyder 6,755 0
    Honda S2000 6,229 2,801
    Dodge Avenger 5,454 16,871

    For the sake of comparison:

    1 Ford F-Series(Lt Duty) 803,350 800,400
    2 Chevrolet Silverado 583,441 565,711
    3 Ford Explorer 417,455 391,636
    4 Toyota Camry 386,150 418,130
    5 Honda Accord 370,582 372,617
    6 Ford Taurus 356,612 338,824
    7 Dodge Ram Lt Duty Pckup 353,197 395,065
    8 Ford Ranger 312,582 328,941
    9 Honda Civic 304,038 295,902
    10Dodge Caravan 271,483 269,133

    Source: J.D. Power and Associates
    This all goes to prove ... well, nothing, I guess... I just thought it might be interesting.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Malibu:
    I don't have an after market exhaust system...... yet. StageLeft has the Borla, so he is the expert.

    I have ridden in his Cat several times and I really like the sound of it. It is quiet when cruising down the road, but it growls quite nicely when you nail it. The price they gave you seems a bit high though. Does that include installation?
  • malibumalibu Member Posts: 155
    Oops...I thought you had the exhaust. I did notice you said YET! The brochure was pretty vague about what the price included, I need to call them. It seemed a little high to me also, especially since I can buy it and pick it up directly from them. When I get a chance to look into it further I'll let you know what I find out.
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    stageleft:

    Go to the Amoco at the corner of Braddock and Backlick roads. Their carwash is a water-only no-brushes/cloths style, so you don't have to worry about the carwash scratching the paint to bits.

    Granted, I waited in line for over an HOUR last week, but I got through and my kitty is so much happier now. Not nearly as good a job as I could do with my bucket and hose, but at 38 degrees, it's certainly acceptable.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Malibu:
    When I get my ground effects installed in the spring I plan to get the Borla and springs.

    All:
    Since it is snowing rather hard out, I'm leaving a little bit early. I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!! I'll talk with you on Monday.

    Rob

    PS - Don't forget about our first chat session next Tuesday night!!!!
  • pattepatte Member Posts: 35
    Click and Clack (syndicated columnists etc.) had a piece on "girl cars" a couple weeks ago. Their survey listed the five top girl cars as the Beetle, VW Cabrio, Miata, Neon and some other car listed as "cute". The top MANLY cars (why isn't it boy-cars I wonder) listed and promptly forgotten were abominations like the F-150 pickup, probably the Dodge pickup that can tear a house off it's foundation and a couple of muscle cars. I think judging from the list it's based on "cuteness" versus size and power. Boy, where is Freud when you need him on really important issues.
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