Did you recently rush to buy a new vehicle before tariff-related price hikes? A reporter is looking to speak with shoppers who felt pressure to act quickly due to expected cost increases; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com for more details by 4/24.
Well, I have to apologize, I suppose. I did just get to a computer again and visited the CSG chat, but it was 7:45pm ... sorry about that. The new chat software Edmunds.com has setup is much nicer than the other chat room. It's all in the browser window, and you enter automatically based on your edmunds.com login name. You can send private messages, it looks like, and have sounds to alert you when someone has come online or left. Maybe we'll get to take advantage of that next week, eh?
Anyway, I hope everyone had a nice, safe, relaxing evening.
The chat went well, was the Edmunds people, Coolchick and myself. Talked about a variety of subjects, snow, gardening, basketball Limerock, oh yea, even Cougars. Kinda quiet though, the new software is nice though. Does not help my typing or spelling, gonna have to talk to someone about that. =^..^=
Well, I have my cat back from the dealers. They apparently found an open circuit in the wiring harness to the interlock switch. Anyway, it starts but I'm suspicious.
Morning all!! Hope everyone is doing well today. I was doing fine until I looked out the window and saw the snow falling. WILL IT EVER END!!!?
Recently I have been hanging out in the "Road Side Cafe" forum. All of you should check it out when you get a chance. It is listed at the bottom of the CSG Forum Topic listing (the Edmunds page where the CSG logo is posted). Hope to see all of you there!!
I had my first opportunity to experience Ford's Road Side Assistance this past week. I arrived at my car after work on Tuesday to find a well and truly flat tire.
So I grabbed my RSA card, went into the Church Rectory where I park and made the call. Answered a bunch of questions (street address, make and model of car, etc) and then the nice lady asked me for my Zip Code. At this point I mention that I am calling from Canada and am informed that I have the wrong number for Canada(problem #1).
The nice lady gives me the correct number to call for assistance in Canada and I am greeted with a voice mail system advising me that service is available in three languages, Cantonese, French and English (only in Canada eh!). I finally get through to another nice lady who asks a bunch of questions including the VIN for my car (like I know of the top of my head).
So I go out to the car, get the VIN, call back, choose the appropriate language (which, by the way, one must do twice each call)and get a nice gentleman who asks for pretty much everything, BUT, the VIN. He points out that he doesn't need it, he only needs the plate number of the car (problem #2).
The nice gentleman indicates that help will arrive within 30 minutes max. Which it does, in the form of C.A.A (Canadian version of triple A). (problem #3).
All of which begs the question - why, oh why, when I bought my car, did they not just give me the phone number for C.A.A. and a member card.
Sorry all. Needed to rant a bit.
P.S. Took the car to Frisby Tire Co. the next day and they couldn't find anything wrong aside from the missing valve cover. Hmmmmm!
I always manage to get the lemon off the lot every time I trade cars. I couldn't wait to get my new 2001 cougar it looks so sharp. I have had it 1 week and it has a terrible leak. My floor board on the passenger side is flooded. I think the leak is around the windshied.It is suppose to rain all weekend so I have it parked in the shed until the rain stops. I also have a slight vibration in the car they say it could be the tires are out of balance. Any ways all I want to do is drive it. It is the most enjoyable car I have ever to drive.anyone elsh had these problems?
Sorry to hear about your problems. I have a '99 and have not experienced the water leakage. But, I have experienced and am currently experiencing the vibration. The vibration in my car is in the steering wheel. After 22,000 miles, the dealer is unable to find the problem. Actually, my dealer says there isn't a problem. They tell me "everything with your car is normal, it must be an anomoly or something"(wink, wink). I have had my tires rotated, balanced and aligned NUMEROUS times. Getting new tires didn't hely either. I am at a loss.
I had vibration in my car. I noticed it after I got new tires in September.After driving my car for a while I realized that it wasn't the car, it was the roads I was driving on. Some NC roads really suck!
Morning All: I hope everyone had a decent weekend. Mine was uneventful. Currently we are awaiting the huge snow storm that was supposed to start yesterday. This morning I woke up expecting to find 2 feet of snow and only found 2 inches. That sounds like a good deal, but they are still calling for a ton of snow tonight.
Anyway...........
Camelard: Sorry you had problems getting road side assistance. Although I have never had that problem, I do understand how frustrating it mush have been for you.
genaj: Sorry your having problems with your Cat. I haven't heard of any one having a leak, so hopefully the Service Department will solve this problem quickly. As far as the vibration is concerned, I have not had this problem, but as you can see a few other CSG members have. Definitely have the Service Department address both issues ASAP before they get out of hand.
To be fair, the service was quick and efficient once dispatched. It was the process that infuriated me. If I developed a similarly convoluted process for network or application support where I work, the users would string me up by my toenails.
Where the heck is everyone? This place has been a ghost town for the past few days. Is everyone doing okay?
Today we are finally getting the predicted snow. I'm currently at work, but will be leaving shortly. I will however be hosting the chat session tonight from 7-8pm. I hope to see all of you there!!!
My Kitty turned one last week. It was not a happy birthday. She was violated for the fourth time in her short life. I came back from a meeting in downtown Toronto to find her windows smashed and door cracked. sniff. I should be used to this, it's one of four vandalisms to my baby. I blame Toronto's high crime rate. On the positive side she has never had any mechanical problems she runs like a dream, but somehow people just love doing damage to an otherwise perrrfect car.
Taxes, Badulah. Some of us are doing taxes. 1040s. 1099s. W-2s. 1116s. Schedules C, D and SE. Argh! My treat on completion will be a long drive with loud music on ice/snow-free streets in my cougar.
Sorry to hear about your Kitty. I didn't realize vandalism was that bad in Toronto. I've experienced a few acts of vandalism too living here in New York City. That's why I keep my Cat in a garage. It costs me an arm and a leg, but I know she's safe.
Happy Belated Birthday to your Kitty. My Cat will be a year old next week (Wow, has it been a year already!!!).
Patte:
The rest of us are waiting 'til April 14 to file their taxes.
Taxes BITE!!! No matter what I do, I always seem to owe money. In Cougar land everyone will get money back at the end of the year, even if they didn't pay any during the year.
sorry about your kats birthday thats awful. I have a fear of mine even getting a scratch on it. when I go shopping I park as far away from the buildings as possible because I have found that some people seem to enjoy banging there car door into your vehicle who knows why. My last car was a grand am and that happened to me right before I traded it. Anyways I hope your kat is feeling better soon.
Sorry I have not been here in awhile, but I have been out of town on business the last few days. It looks like this place has been pretty quiet.
I went to the Auto Show yesterday and it was pretty cool. I did see two Cougars at the show. They were the limited edition's. One was yellow(I think ZN) and another(not sure what it was). Here the sad part: I didn't see on person interested or looking at these vehicles. The Mercury area was dead. Also, the only Mercury attendant I saw was a 65 year old gentleman that was falling asleep behind the Mercury booth. Even if I were interested in buying one of these Cats(or any other Mercury car) this guy was TOTALLY uninterested in informing me about their lineup. This all falls into line why the Cougar is on a decline. The Celica and Eclipse sections were packed w/ Teens and twentysomethings all wanting to sit in the drivers seat. Very sad!!!!
Fish8: You have no idea how much that angers me. That's so typical of Mercury to have piss poor representation, and no enthusiasm what-so-ever with anything in their line up. Sometimes I feel like the CSG sells more cars than the local dealership down the street.
Everyone in here knows the problems I have had with my hatch release. It has been in the shop no less than 5 times to get the hatch to open by using the remote or inside button. They finally replaced the entire hatch assembly. It worked for about 2 monthes. Well, this morning I hit the hatch release button inside the car and guess what......the darn thing doesn't work. It is catching again. I have a call into the dealer to see what my next step is. I can't believe this!!!
Now I'm just waiting for the remote release to stop working.
Fish, I've had the same problem with my hatch, although haven't had it back to the dealer, yet. Once I do, I'll post my results.
I'll be going to our Auto Show (Columbus) this next week...wouldn't be surprised to see the same thing. Funny how people swoon over the looks of our cats, but as soon as you tell them it's a Merc, well, you all know the response....
All: I will be away on vacation from Saturday March 10 - Monday March 19th. The CSG mail account has been forwarded to "StageLeft". If you have anything you want to send specifically to me, send it to: Badulah@worldnet.att.net and I will respond to it as soon as I get back. Obviously I will not be attending next Tuesday's chat session, but I will be attending the session on the 20th.
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and a great week. I'll talk to all of you when I return.
-Rob AKA "Badulah"
PUERTO RICO HERE I COME!!!!!!!! someone get me a margherita
Since you've been to your dealership no less than 3 times for a on-safety related repair, you're entitled to benefits under the Georgia State Lemon Law!
I seriously think you should get started on the paper work. I'm starting tonight -- my windows leaked AGAIN today in a high-pressure touchless car wash. Shot streams of water in from both sides near the A-pillar and the little black plastic triangle on the door.
8+ repairs for windows problems (the most recent took 3 weeks!) and the car still leaks like a toddler in training pants. Why?! Why in the heck can a manufacturer not build a car capable of surviving...a car wash? Pathetic.
Fish8, if you are interested in starting what can be an arduous process, post your interest or send personal -email. I'll give you as much information as I can.
What is my saftey related issue? The rear hatch? It is a pain in the raer, but a saftey issue....I'm not sure. Actually, the hatch was agin working over the weekend. It's very odd. Thursday it wasn't working and Fri through Sunday it was working fine. I have no idea why. Regarding the window issue, mine leaks one or two drops when I wash my car. Nothing to worry about. When it rains, my car is completely dry.
Also, I have 22,400 miles on my car and it is 22 monthes old. I think my car is not a candidate for the lemon Law.
One thing I am worried about is my vacation we have planned the first week of Apr. The last time I took my Cougar to Florida, the AC basically stopped working. I brought it into the dealer and they could not duplicate the problem. That was actually the third time it happened. The first two they found "something" wrong and supposedly fixed it. They said it was the seals or something. I guess I will just use the AC as normal and if it acts up again I will bring it back in to get looked at. It is still under warranty so it won't cost me anything.
Other than that, my car is running great. (knock on wood)
You can qualify for the GA Lemon Law on three levels:
more than (1) repair attempt for braking or steering safety problems
more than (2) repair attempts for other safety problems
more than (3) repair attempts for other defects or conditions
The first repair for any of the three categories must occur within the first 12,000 miles/12 months of ownership on a new vehicle. Repeat repair attempts refer to repairs for the same problem. In your case, you've been in for 5 repairs on your hatch and fall within the third category. In my case, I've been in for 8-10 repairs for windows problems and also fall into the third category. For the most part, if you've had more than three repair attempts within 24,000 miles/24 months, you're golden.
Here's the real kicker -- if your car has been in for repairs more than 30 days for one or more defects within the first 24,000 miles/24 months, you automatically qualify for the GA Lemon Law process.
Now, either of us can send notice to FMC (with complete repair documentation) that they have ONE LAST CHANCE to repair the said defect. If they fail to respond in 7 days or fail to adequately repair the defect within 30 days of this notice, then you ask them to replace or repurchase the vehicle. If FMC fails to honor this request within 30 days, you go into informal dispute arbitration with the company to solve the problem. After this step, you might end up going into state-controlled arbitration to either force a replacement or repurchase of the vehicle.
Does this make sense now? I had a typo in my last post which may have made it confusing. Let me know what you end up doing.
Here's my problem.......My car acts up(AC issues and hatch) when I'm driving and when I bring it to the dealer either the problem has "disappeared" or they can't "duplicate" it. Therefore it would be very difficult to prove my problems. I really don't think my car is a Lemon, but it is a pain in the %&$.
What do you plan on doing? How many miles do you have on your car?
Fish8 -- I understand your dilemma now. I guess it does make it hard to document what your dealership refuses to recognize.
However, if you've brought your car in and had it actually repaired or in for a repair visit, it still counts. You found a problem with it and the dealership either repaired it or failed to repair it. I may be wrong on this one, so you might want to call the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs to be sure. They're VERY helpful.
I am going to work on organizing all of my documentation tonight for the window leaks (both rain AND car wash) and window fit issues. The paperwork has to be immaculate, so I'll be spending a few days on it.
I have just over 24K miles on my car -- pathetic, given the fact that I bought this car because I wanted a sweet ride for road trips. Instead, I've spent a majority of my ownership time getting it fixed and driving another Mercury product -- the Sable.
Did anyone happen to see the new Consumer Reports Car issue? The '99 and '00 Cougar got the worst reliability rating possible. Not Good!!!! Though I'm not surprised.
Yea, supposedly the production for Cougar S got canned for this year.
But was the Cougar S ever available to consumers? ie in 1999 or 2000?
I had thought that the S never ever made it to showrooms for any year. But every now and then I read reviews posted by people who claim to have testdriven or even OWN an S. For example, check out Carpoint's consumer reviews for the 2001 Cougar.
And of course there are those dealers that also claim to have sold S models.
As for the Consumer Reports thing, yea I saw that new reliability rating a few months ago when I first entered the CSG. Dissapointing. Last year, CR gave the cougar a rating of average for reliablity.
According to our reliable source, which is none other than the esteemed MWS, the Cougar S is dead. So I would go by what he says rather than any magazine source and especially what the dealer says. Unfortunately, the dealer often is the least informed and they'll say anything rather than say I don't know.
I've contacted my dealer and expressed interest in acquiring a Cougar S. He tells me he'll have to order it and it would take 6-8 weeks. I told him that I thought it was cancelled. He had no idea. He is going to call his Mercury representative to find out what's up and he'll let me know to tomorrow. I'll let yas know what I find out.
Most salespeople at Mercury dealers don't even know what a Cougar S is or was, he/she probably thinks it's just a regular Cougar with a body kit on it, I'd be careful if I were you. As far as I know, it was never available, nor will it be available, but you never know.
Now we all know why the Cougar's sales have diminished.....the Mercury sales people have no clue about their own product. It's pretty sad when the consumer knows more about the Mercury line of cars. Though, I bet the sales folks know all about the Grand Marquis.
Here is one of the "reviews" by a supposed Cougar S owner:
Pros: Great handling, MPG, excaust notice, so so Ride. an OK car
Cons: Not quiet big diferrents than The V6 model , the 24 more horse (196) dont help that Much, and then , I wish I had bought that 1997 ford probe GT with 25,000 milles, which still Under my Opinion WAY better looking, and again Under my Opinion , car of the year 2001::"DODGE STRATUS R/T COUPE"
Overall Review: Buy the S model only if U wanna Be Like "" WELL I GOT THE *S*"" worthless... I wish I can return it back and buy the Stratus R/T which is BY FAR ___THE ULTIMATE CAR___ :-)
--------------------
It might have just been a bitter Dodge salseman trying to flame the cougar. Either that or a dealer stuck an "S" on the back of a normal V6 cougar with elmer's glue, and then this poor sucker paid an extra 2 grand for it.
The person that wrote that review "wishes they could return it?" Return what, a Cougar S? They're probably upset because some salesperson fooled them into believing that they were purchasing a Cougar S when in fact it was a 4cyl Cougar! = ) I smelled plenty of BS in that review.
This is kind of off-topic but what do you guys think of the new WRX? I saw a new one today, and well, they don't look bad at all, I think they look better in person that in pics. Performance has to be pretty darn good too, it'd be nice if it looked like a Cougar.
WRX: Incredible performance, but I'm not too keen on Suburu styling. It really sounds like a great bang for the buck. They'll probably sell like hot cakes as well.
My dealer left me a message yesterday. He said I was right and that the S is cancelled by Mercury. He told me of the C2 and Zn models. What's the deal with these? They look like they are just like the V6 with the sport group options and extra detailing. Plus the C2 (in french blue) only comes in an automatic.
Yup, unfortunately the two models don't offer any performance upgrade, but they do look pretty good. Their interior trim is upgraded, with some special stitching or something and the blue one has blue-faced gages. There's more to them than that, but that's the gist - more show, no more go. But that's a slightly bitter topic. I really wanted the S to come out. Really, really. :-)
All: I have returned from my INCREDIBLE vacation!! Unfortunately I have to return to work in the morning, which I am NOT looking forward to.
StageLeft: I just want to thank you for taking care of things while I was gone!!
All: The Cougar-S was NEVER sent to mass production. The reviews and other rumors floating around are completely bogus. Miss informed dealerships and uninformed consumers have no clue what they are talking about. If the "S" was ever produced, you can bet you ascot I would be driving one.
okay, the C2 looks good but does it only come in an automatic? mercuryvehicles.com doesn't let me select as a stick (which is what I prefer). That may be the only thing holding me back from a C2. Otherwise, I may go for the green or dark-grey metallic V6 with the sport and convenience groups slapped onto it.
Comments
Anyway, I hope everyone had a nice, safe, relaxing evening.
Happy Cougaring!
=^..^=
I'm glad they found something. Let's just hope the problem is fixed.
Recently I have been hanging out in the "Road Side Cafe" forum. All of you should check it out when you get a chance. It is listed at the bottom of the CSG Forum Topic listing (the Edmunds page where the CSG logo is posted). Hope to see all of you there!!
Sorry!
So I grabbed my RSA card, went into the Church Rectory where I park and made the call. Answered a bunch of questions (street address, make and model of car, etc) and then the nice lady asked me for my Zip Code. At this point I mention that I am calling from Canada and am informed that I have the wrong number for Canada(problem #1).
The nice lady gives me the correct number to call for assistance in Canada and I am greeted with a voice mail system advising me that service is available in three languages, Cantonese, French and English (only in Canada eh!). I finally get through to another nice lady who asks a bunch of questions including the VIN for my car (like I know of the top of my head).
So I go out to the car, get the VIN, call back, choose the appropriate language (which, by the way, one must do twice each call)and get a nice gentleman who asks for pretty much everything, BUT, the VIN. He points out that he doesn't need it, he only needs the plate number of the car (problem #2).
The nice gentleman indicates that help will arrive within 30 minutes max. Which it does, in the form of C.A.A (Canadian version of triple A). (problem #3).
All of which begs the question - why, oh why, when I bought my car, did they not just give me the phone number for C.A.A. and a member card.
Sorry all. Needed to rant a bit.
P.S. Took the car to Frisby Tire Co. the next day and they couldn't find anything wrong aside from the missing valve cover. Hmmmmm!
Good luck with your car and enjoy drviving it!!!
I hope everyone had a decent weekend. Mine was uneventful. Currently we are awaiting the huge snow storm that was supposed to start yesterday. This morning I woke up expecting to find 2 feet of snow and only found 2 inches. That sounds like a good deal, but they are still calling for a ton of snow tonight.
Anyway...........
Camelard:
Sorry you had problems getting road side assistance. Although I have never had that problem, I do understand how frustrating it mush have been for you.
genaj:
Sorry your having problems with your Cat. I haven't heard of any one having a leak, so hopefully the Service Department will solve this problem quickly. As far as the vibration is concerned, I have not had this problem, but as you can see a few other CSG members have. Definitely have the Service Department address both issues ASAP before they get out of hand.
How's your snowstorm doing?
Skip G.
This place has been a ghost town for the past few days. Is everyone doing okay?
Today we are finally getting the predicted snow. I'm currently at work, but will be leaving shortly. I will however be hosting the chat session tonight from 7-8pm. I hope to see all of you there!!!
PS - I' SICK OF SNOW!!!
Sorry to hear about your Kitty. I didn't realize vandalism was that bad in Toronto. I've experienced a few acts of vandalism too living here in New York City. That's why I keep my Cat in a garage. It costs me an arm and a leg, but I know she's safe.
Happy Belated Birthday to your Kitty. My Cat will be a year old next week (Wow, has it been a year already!!!).
Patte:
The rest of us are waiting 'til April 14 to file their taxes.
I went to the Auto Show yesterday and it was pretty cool. I did see two Cougars at the show. They were the limited edition's. One was yellow(I think ZN) and another(not sure what it was). Here the sad part: I didn't see on person interested or looking at these vehicles. The Mercury area was dead. Also, the only Mercury attendant I saw was a 65 year old gentleman that was falling asleep behind the Mercury booth. Even if I were interested in buying one of these Cats(or any other Mercury car) this guy was TOTALLY uninterested in informing me about their lineup. This all falls into line why the Cougar is on a decline. The Celica and Eclipse sections were packed w/ Teens and twentysomethings all wanting to sit in the drivers seat. Very sad!!!!
You have no idea how much that angers me. That's so typical of Mercury to have piss poor representation, and no enthusiasm what-so-ever with anything in their line up. Sometimes I feel like the CSG sells more cars than the local dealership down the street.
Now I'm just waiting for the remote release to stop working.
I'll be going to our Auto Show (Columbus) this next week...wouldn't be surprised to see the same thing. Funny how people swoon over the looks of our cats, but as soon as you tell them it's a Merc, well, you all know the response....
I will be away on vacation from Saturday March 10 - Monday March 19th. The CSG mail account has been forwarded to "StageLeft". If you have anything you want to send specifically to me, send it to: Badulah@worldnet.att.net and I will respond to it as soon as I get back. Obviously I will not be attending next Tuesday's chat session, but I will be attending the session on the 20th.
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and a great week. I'll talk to all of you when I return.
-Rob
AKA "Badulah"
PUERTO RICO HERE I COME!!!!!!!!
someone get me a margherita
KarenS
Mom/Host
Owner's Clubs
Since you've been to your dealership no less than 3 times for a on-safety related repair, you're entitled to benefits under the Georgia State Lemon Law!
I seriously think you should get started on the paper work. I'm starting tonight -- my windows leaked AGAIN today in a high-pressure touchless car wash. Shot streams of water in from both sides near the A-pillar and the little black plastic triangle on the door.
8+ repairs for windows problems (the most recent took 3 weeks!) and the car still leaks like a toddler in training pants. Why?! Why in the heck can a manufacturer not build a car capable of surviving...a car wash? Pathetic.
Fish8, if you are interested in starting what can be an arduous process, post your interest or send personal -email. I'll give you as much information as I can.
Later, folks...
Also, I have 22,400 miles on my car and it is 22 monthes old. I think my car is not a candidate for the lemon Law.
One thing I am worried about is my vacation we have planned the first week of Apr. The last time I took my Cougar to Florida, the AC basically stopped working. I brought it into the dealer and they could not duplicate the problem. That was actually the third time it happened. The first two they found "something" wrong and supposedly fixed it. They said it was the seals or something. I guess I will just use the AC as normal and if it acts up again I will bring it back in to get looked at. It is still under warranty so it won't cost me anything.
Other than that, my car is running great. (knock on wood)
You can qualify for the GA Lemon Law on three levels:
- more than (1) repair attempt for braking or steering safety problems
- more than (2) repair attempts for other safety problems
- more than (3) repair attempts for other defects or conditions
The first repair for any of the three categories must occur within the first 12,000 miles/12 months of ownership on a new vehicle. Repeat repair attempts refer to repairs for the same problem. In your case, you've been in for 5 repairs on your hatch and fall within the third category. In my case, I've been in for 8-10 repairs for windows problems and also fall into the third category. For the most part, if you've had more than three repair attempts within 24,000 miles/24 months, you're golden.Here's the real kicker -- if your car has been in for repairs more than 30 days for one or more defects within the first 24,000 miles/24 months, you automatically qualify for the GA Lemon Law process.
Now, either of us can send notice to FMC (with complete repair documentation) that they have ONE LAST CHANCE to repair the said defect. If they fail to respond in 7 days or fail to adequately repair the defect within 30 days of this notice, then you ask them to replace or repurchase the vehicle. If FMC fails to honor this request within 30 days, you go into informal dispute arbitration with the company to solve the problem. After this step, you might end up going into state-controlled arbitration to either force a replacement or repurchase of the vehicle.
Does this make sense now? I had a typo in my last post which may have made it confusing. Let me know what you end up doing.
What do you plan on doing? How many miles do you have on your car?
However, if you've brought your car in and had it actually repaired or in for a repair visit, it still counts. You found a problem with it and the dealership either repaired it or failed to repair it. I may be wrong on this one, so you might want to call the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs to be sure. They're VERY helpful.
I am going to work on organizing all of my documentation tonight for the window leaks (both rain AND car wash) and window fit issues. The paperwork has to be immaculate, so I'll be spending a few days on it.
I have just over 24K miles on my car -- pathetic, given the fact that I bought this car because I wanted a sweet ride for road trips. Instead, I've spent a majority of my ownership time getting it fixed and driving another Mercury product -- the Sable.
Anyone home?????
Did anyone happen to see the new Consumer Reports Car issue? The '99 and '00 Cougar got the worst reliability rating possible. Not Good!!!! Though I'm not surprised.
But was the Cougar S ever available to consumers? ie in 1999 or 2000?
I had thought that the S never ever made it to showrooms for any year. But every now and then I read reviews posted by people who claim to have testdriven or even OWN an S. For example, check out Carpoint's consumer reviews for the 2001 Cougar.
And of course there are those dealers that also claim to have sold S models.
As for the Consumer Reports thing, yea I saw that new reliability rating a few months ago when I first entered the CSG. Dissapointing. Last year, CR gave the cougar a rating of average for reliablity.
smc7
Pros: Great handling, MPG, excaust notice, so so Ride. an OK car
Cons: Not quiet big diferrents than The V6 model , the 24 more horse (196) dont help that Much, and then , I wish I had bought that 1997 ford probe GT with 25,000 milles, which still Under my Opinion WAY better looking, and again Under my Opinion , car of the year 2001::"DODGE STRATUS R/T COUPE"
Overall Review: Buy the S model only if U wanna Be Like "" WELL I GOT THE *S*"" worthless... I wish I can return it back and buy the Stratus R/T which is BY FAR ___THE ULTIMATE CAR___ :-)
--------------------
It might have just been a bitter Dodge salseman trying to flame the cougar. Either that or a dealer stuck an "S" on the back of a normal V6 cougar with elmer's glue, and then this poor sucker paid an extra 2 grand for it.
Mercury has said that the "S" was cancelled and NEVER went into production.
This is kind of off-topic but what do you guys think of the new WRX? I saw a new one today, and well, they don't look bad at all, I think they look better in person that in pics. Performance has to be pretty darn good too, it'd be nice if it looked like a Cougar.
smc7
I have returned from my INCREDIBLE vacation!! Unfortunately I have to return to work in the morning, which I am NOT looking forward to.
StageLeft:
I just want to thank you for taking care of things while I was gone!!
All:
The Cougar-S was NEVER sent to mass production. The reviews and other rumors floating around are completely bogus. Miss informed dealerships and uninformed consumers have no clue what they are talking about. If the "S" was ever produced, you can bet you ascot I would be driving one.