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Comments
Thanks for your patience and understanding!
Dana Livingston
Manager, Community
Town Hall
Yes I do beliebe they have custom painted wheels.
To bad they are not painted yellow.
Yellow = more horses (Race boy theory)
So, would you believe, they did what I suggested 2 years ago. Replaced the poorly tempered spring that it came with, and added the second one. DUH!!! Works like a champ now.
The exhaust noise that my wife would hear from the outside of the car (I couldn't hear it with the stereo blasting) turned out to be the gasket between the header and the cat converter. Under warranty, no charge. I guess that the only parts of the exhaust system that aren't under warranty are from the converter back. Makes sense, as the converter is guaranteed for a lot longer due to federal regulation.
No luck on the bath though. :-( Maybe next time when I go back for the upholstery replacement.
By the way, the loaner was a Mazda Protoge' basic 4-dr. We're really spoiled by the cat's performance. What I take for granted and don't even think about, just don't happen when you stomp the gas on an econobox. The little thing sounded like it was really busting it's reproductive endocrine glands (think dual sphereoids), and nothing hapened. It's a good thing that I didn't try any mildly aggresive moves entering a traffic flow as all I would have been was a slow target.
Later,
Skip G.
Glad to hear someone is getting decent service. What is wrong with your upholstery?
This may have been a side effect of the lumbar repair I had done way back when things were new.
Skip
KarenS
Owner's Clubs host
I have the same problem. The dealer repaired this once, but it is happening again. I spoke to a plant rep at Cougar Fest who said it was a manufacturer defect and they were working on a correction. I'm going to take mine back to have it done over again sometime this month.
I think the blackout in Cali might have something to do with it. I hope he has a laptop with a long battery life. Say, Badulah, maybe we can have a CSG drive and collect batteries, candles and flashlights for MWS. ;>)
Right now your in his neck of the woods. Why don't you take a drive over to the Mercury building and see if he is okay?
Skip G
GOOD LUCK!!! MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
Looks like we've pioneered a trend here.
Skip G.
KarenS
Owner's Clubs host
I'm glad to hear they finally fixed the problem. I'm sorry you had to go through such nonsense before they got the job done.
My only other option was to give up my Jag and drive the truck...
He mentioned the Cougar and I started to check it out some. I have been reading your posts for awhile and I finally broke down and went for a test drive yesterday... I never thought I'd say this before but Mercury makes a damn fine car!!
I never considered Mercury. I have decided to go ahead and buy one, but one snag here. Is there going to be a Cougar S?
Anyone have any info on it or where I can find some? I would hate to get the regular V6 and 3 months later have a 200hp S roll up beside me at a stop light.
Ahh the only other problem I have now is I gotta convince my wife to let me have the Cougar and have her drive the Jag..
I took a corner at 50 MPH while my wife screaming and the sales rep turning from black to white and the car was glued to the road.
The only things I didnt like was that they had no stick to test drive and the steering was hard but it wasn't tight. It gave me a bit of a disconnected feeling.
You should be able to get a tremendous deal on a Cougar. I believe there are numerous rebates out that I would recommend you look into.
As far as the Jag goes, what year and model is it? Jags are no slouches. One thing I will say is the Cougar will probably be more reliable and cheaper to maintain that the Jag. Good luck and let us know if we can assist further.
The Cougar has much better suspension but its also 3000lbs lighter. You can fit 2 cougars in the weight of my Jag. Different class of cars you really can't compare them.
As far as a deal I get Ford A-plan which is 3% off invoice or there abouts plus the $1500 rebate. I priced out a loaded Cougar with leather and the works at a little over 18k, so the price is right.
The power is a little bit low though if they scrap the S I may need to go with a different car though I really like the Cougar. Ford really doesn't have anything else I want.
I couldn't bear the pain of sliding into a stang and being one of another billion owners all with swelled cranials. My favorite weeked activity is spotting a stang on the highway (they blow the Jag away off the line)and taking it from 80-120 before they can even blink. hehe The Jag is definitly more top-end for speed.
The Cougar reminds me of my VW Corrado before I totaled it. That was a sweet car, fast, cornered like a dream, and everywhere I drove no one knew what the hell it was...
If there were more mods for the Cougar I would just trick it out but there doesn't seem to be all that much out there that can push it up into the 215-220 HP range which would make the Cougar perfect for me...
I don't know if you're willing to drop a little change on the top of what you'd be paying for the Cougar, but as of now there are several options for pushing the Cat into the HP range you're looking for. I don't think I've come across any normally aspirated bolt-on mods that come close, but recently two Supercharger companies have released their products for the Cougar.
Paxton was the first to push the Cougar to it's HP limits, with a NOVI 2000-based supercharger that puts the HP up to about 265 ... (www.paxton.com)
Vortech just released a supercharger that puts the V6 Cat up to 212 at the wheels! (www.vortecheng.com)
I think that if you're looking for a little extra punch from the Cougar, you could look into either of these options for about $3000-$4000. I think they you'd be able to take the Mustangs off the line or at high-end AND take corners at 50 ...
Check 'em out. They've both been written up in articles in Sport Compact Car, the Vortech just this past February.
Take care, and of course if you're going to be "shopping" for a while, we'll be here to let you know when the S model has been decided upon, and with any questions you may have about the 99-00 or the 01/02 models. Take care!
Hello all, Happy Cougaring!
I see you have to move the battery to the trunk etc.
Has anyone installed one of these?
If so how does it perform? Do I need to make other modifications to insure I don't destroy my car?
And last dumb question
How hard is it to install this? Will I have to take it to a mechanic to get it done correctly?
I get my Cougar 2k from 65 to 90 in about three seconds with a deft push of the accerator. Too bad there are not many places I can take advantage of this ability, but it's there if you need it.
Cheers!
Rick
WELCOME TO THE CSG!!!
As StageLeft said, there are several superchargers available for the Cougar, but you might want to do a few simpler mods. Such as a Borla exhaust, KKM Tru-Rev intake, an under drive pulley, superchip, headers, and 73mm MAF. There are also a few great suspension mods that really push the Cougar's handling over the top, such as Eibach springs, energy suspension, and upgrading the tires to a 225 series.
Bolt-on mods DO NOT void your warranty. If a problem occurs with your vehicle, the dealership has to prove the problem was a direct result of the mod you performed. All of the mods I mentioned are street legal in all 50 states and have been used by Cougar owners from all over the country for the past 2 years with no problems. I have the chip and intake, and I am going to get the exhaust and springs in the early spring. Stageleft and a few others have the Borla exhaust and love it. I don't think you will be disappointed with these mods.
O and by the way, make sure you test drive a manual transmission. It's much different than the automatic.
For the money, your not going to get a better deal.
I hope the dealer gets back to me with good news... I'm not holding my breath no one at the dealership even knew what the hell I was talking about.
I'll keep you all posted.
My contacts at FMC (Cougar Team Brand Manager & sidekicks) have stated that the Cougar-S is not available at this time. They also will not say if it will ever be available. If your dealership says anything other than that, I would question it. Generally speaking, dealerships are the last to know.
But I expect that the websites will be the very very last to update their info, even later than the dealers. I hope blueovalnews is wrong.
I haven't seen a single cougar in about 3 weeks. (Yup, back in Cali...) Although to me, that is sorta a good thing... I like exclusive cars that aren't a dime a dozen. (though not as "exclusive" as say... a Pontiac Aztec)
While I may not post all of the time, I do read and listen to what you say. Thanks for the feedback.
In the past, when a customer's issue came up, I would do my best to get it resolved. I would work with the local dealer, the plant, the engineers, whomever could help. Well, unfortunately, one of the people that we were working with did not like the timeliness of the work that was being done. The person did not appreciate the fact that we were doing everything possible to help them. The person felt it necessary to post things on this site and other sites which I take offense to. The people I ask to get involved do so as a favor to me. It is not part of their normal responsibilities. They enjoy customer contact as much as I do. I won't put them in these situations again.
I have been advised that I must now refer all service questions to the Mercury Customer Assistance at 1-800-392-3673. They will handle all service related issues. Then, everyone will be treated fairly and equal.
I regret that this action must take place. I will continue to monitor the site and provide general information.
Go Cougar!
MAN THAT STINKS!!!!! Why is there always one person who has to go and ruin it for everyone?
I'm sorry this person caused you any trouble, but I want to thank you for all the help you have given us in the past. It is a shame that this had to take place.
The only problem that we have now is the poor quality of information and assistance that the national customer assistance provides. It seems to be nothing but a bunch of clerks sitting in a gopher farm, answering the phones. No real knowledge, and especially, no power to get things done.
When I was suffering through my 5mo wait for my Cougar, talking to the Customer Assistance was about as efffective as spitting into the wind. (Upwind at that)
Again, our apologies. One idiot spoils the deal for the whole bunch (and a big bunch it is, too).
Skip G
"Gopher farm"..... LOL!!!
Ever play "Bop the Gopher" at an arcade? Stupid game, but thats what came to mind when I read your post..... LOL!
I too, feel it's sad that one can spoil the water for everyone. I thank you for all that you've done for our members and appreciate you being on the owner's side in so many instances. I'd like to also say that we appreciate you monitoring our group, and anytime you feel like posting, you know you're more than welcome. Thank you for all time and effort you've put in with the Cougar project and with the Cougar Support Group. May the years of Cougar production outlast the rumors.
Go Cougar!
For those of you interested in the Lime Rock Park trip, please check out the information posted on the event page listed on the CSG web site. Time is running out to reserve a room!!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
I could be wrong, but I don't think any Edmunds policies were violated. I think someone just got impatient, jumped the gun, and in the process stepped on a number of toes. Because of this, the rest of the group with suffer.
MWS0520:
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thanks again, MWS0520, for all your help.
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Tues., Jan. 30th, 5-6pm PT/8-9pm ET
Special Event Chat with Ed Hellwig
Ed Hellwig - Associate Editor, Edmunds.com.
Associate editor Ed Hellwig came to Edmunds with a diverse automotive background that included stints as a gas station grease monkey, automotive spy photographer, and ice rink Zamboni driver. Ed spent five years making sure he hated cold weather at the University of Colorado in Boulder where he somehow earned a degree in American history between beer runs and football games. Upon returning, he proclaimed "snow sucks" and forever pledged his allegiance to the Southern California sunshine. Prior to joining Edmunds, Ed toiled under the iron fist of Tom Lindamood at A&M Specialists, a press vehicle logistics company, as a road-tester and delivery driver. While tooling around in Bentleys and Porsches was less than grueling, Ed just couldn't shake the editorial urge and jumped at the chance to join the Edmunds team. He's now responsible for writing road tests, editing our "Future Telling" column, and assisting in performance testing.
KarenS
Host
Owner's Club
All: I have doors! I went by the house last night and the walls are painted, doors are hung and the cabinets go in next week. Yeah! Also, not to brag or anything...but my husband put a special hose bib in front of the garage that has soft water, just for me to wash my car! For my birthday he bought me my very own hose...how romantic! Badulah I've played that gopher game..it's awesome, the only arcade game I can actually win at. Happy Tuesday!