cougar advice please

[shreks friend]

Hello everyone, I am going to look at a cougar wed night its a low millage v6 with full history, what do i need to check / look at ? Any advice would be recived greatfully, Am no stranger to the pistonheads website and had loads of help when looking for a tvr, but know nothing about the cougar, thanks in advance for any suggestions. Paul

[MrMoonyMan]

Don't. HTH

Edited to say - unless it's very very cheap, clean, looked after and you want a work car.

Edited by MrMoonyMan on Tuesday 19th June 18:37

[Podie]

TBH the Cougar isn't great. At least in V6 trim it has reasonable poke, and is a proven unit capable of 100,000 miles.

How much is it, and how low is the mileage..?

For the money I'd stick to the Mondeo V6. Same basic car, for less money and greater practicality.

Edited by Podie on Tuesday 19th June 18:57

[shreks friend]

hi the car is 2k and its got 65000 on the clock,

[Podie]

shreks friend said:

hi the car is 2k and its got 65000 on the clock,

Price seems slightly cheap... why is it a bit below market pricing? (given things in the PH classifieds). Consider the fact I paid £3600 for a 51,000 mile ST200...

Edited by Podie on Tuesday 19th June 19:46

[dern]

Assuming it's the same as the mondeo check if it's had a clutch. Ours needed one at that mileage and it was more than 500 quid at most places. Check the coolant and the temperature, the waterpumps can fail (impellor spins on the shaft). Also check the alternator light isn't on as it's a bastard to change. Front wishbones fail (bushes and/or balljoints) regularly but they're cheap.

[Podie]

dern said:

Assuming it's the same as the mondeo check if it's had a clutch. Ours needed one at that mileage and it was more than 500 quid at most places. Check the coolant and the temperature, the waterpumps can fail (impellor spins on the shaft). Also check the alternator light isn't on as it's a bastard to change. Front wishbones fail (bushes and/or balljoints) regularly but they're cheap.

Alternator cost me £300... starter was about £170.

[shreks friend]

ok thanks for the info, i will let you know how i get on tommorrow.

[neiljohnson]

Have differant lower arms to mondeo (same as st200) that dont really have problems seen a couple with power steering fluid leaks from the cooler at the front and rear shocks dont seem to live long apart from that same as the v6 mondeo in genral not a bad car at all

[ANDY280702]

I WOULD CHECK THE WATER PUMP FOR LEAKS AND GET ENGINE WARM AND CHECK FOR OVER HEATING , FORD V6 24V ENGINES WERE ALWAYS PRONE FOR WATER PUMP IMPELLERS BREAKING UP AND CAUSING ENGINE TO OVER HEAT , FORD RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM BY UPDATING WATERPUMPS WITH METAL IMPELLAR WHEEL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC SO IT COULD BE HANDY TO KNOW IF IT HAS EVER HAD A WATER PUMP , I WOULD ALSO CHECK BRAKES AS THESE CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE AND TYRES AS THESE WERE A UNIQUE SIZE AND AROUND £100 EACH TO REPLACE

[Podie]

ANDY280702 said:

I WOULD CHECK THE WATER PUMP FOR LEAKS AND GET ENGINE WARM AND CHECK FOR OVER HEATING , FORD V6 24V ENGINES WERE ALWAYS PRONE FOR WATER PUMP IMPELLERS BREAKING UP AND CAUSING ENGINE TO OVER HEAT , FORD RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM BY UPDATING WATERPUMPS WITH METAL IMPELLAR WHEEL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC SO IT COULD BE HANDY TO KNOW IF IT HAS EVER HAD A WATER PUMP , I WOULD ALSO CHECK BRAKES AS THESE CAN BE QUITE EXPENSIVE AND TYRES AS THESE WERE A UNIQUE SIZE AND AROUND £100 EACH TO REPLACE

I would turn Caps Lock off...

[Dave_ST220]

And Ford NEVER fitted a metal pump-this is an aftermarket part. Ford still use a plastic pump, albeit a different design.