The Ford Cougar - second-hand buy of the decade? (picture enclosed)

[Psychic Cookie]

I've already said on these forums tonight that I usually only consider buying cars new but there are always exceptions and here's one of them!

Two years ago Ford introduced the Cougar which replaced the Probe in their line up (a car I never liked)

From the first time I ever saw a Cougar in the showrooms I thought what a handsome beast it was and still do but it looks like i'm in the minority with this thought because two years on Ford have pulled the plug on the Cougar because of a desperatly low volume of sales.

A few days ago I was browsing through the local paper and couldnt believe what I saw.
A 99 'T' reg Cougar 2.5 V6 in silver, all the goodies including Air Con and black leather seats, full service history, 1 owner from new and only 15,000 miles.

The price? £9995 :eek:
This is for car which set that original owner back £22,000 just two years ago!!!

I dare say that with a big of haggling the dealer could be knocked down to £9500. Now that's a bargain in my book but it's not the only one. The classifieds are full of these things for sale at silly money although that was the cheapest I have ever seen.

http://www.ford.co.uk/firefly/SPG/images/FF1AFW1_1065_28_0_1.jpg

[Dead Man]

Thats a Ford Cougar if I am not mistaken.


What do you mean wrong thread :)


Not a car I would go for always struck me as for the more 'mature' driver. However as I have never driven one I can hardly comment...

I like the looks of the celica, and found it quite fun to drive.
http://www.toyota.co.uk/bv/virtual_showroom/images/CE305_g0.gif

[-reaper-]

If the car's lost over half it's value in two years, imagine how much you'd lose on it when you come to sell it! It's just not worth it, m8, it's worth will keep dropping. A two year old car that originally cost £22,000 should really be around £15,000, but that's dropped to a price more suited to a five year old car.

And as for the new Celica - EUGH! Those headlights look like they've been designed by a student who dropped out of design class coz he was no good at it! The rear end just cuts down abruptly with no hint of styling. The arches are non-existent and the whole thing is just screaming out for a bosy kit and needs to be lowered before it can even approach the style the last Celica had. Toyota seem to have just given up with their D&R division and have plumped for the "roughly cut from a breeze block" approach instead.

[TheSpaceCowboy]

I got to play with a v6 one of these for a bit and was quite impressed !

The engine makes a fantastic noise and it really was good fun to drive but it really could do with a lot more power as it is rather slow u can get a 1.6 civic that can out pace it !

Its also a ford, and with that comes faults ! I had it for a week and several things broke ! Most annoying was the glove box that smashed the passengers on the knees when ever I hammered it from a standstill ! Not major faults, stuff u could live with !

As for the cars value £10k is a steal but give it 2 years and 6K maybe wishful thinking !

[Psychic Cookie]

Well to be honest I was thinking more of my parents when I was looking at those Cougar's for sale. They are looking to trade in their Fiesta for something a bit more ritzy and are looking around the £10k mark. Like I've already said though I really like the cars looks myself (saw a silver one on the way home tonight - still looks good!) and I just though 'wow, all that for just £10k'

reaper/cowboy, in all fairness yes if you bought that £10k car today you probably would lose a good £4k+ over the next couple of years but wouldn't that be the case with most cars of this type?

I think when I've got a spare hour or two I might just tootle down to the local Ford garage and try one out :)

I've got to agree with Dead Man about the latest Celica, I think it looks supurb. Really sharp no-nonsence styling. One of my favourite looking cars of the last couple of years. In actual fact I've got some brochures of it here and the local Toyota dealer rang me a couple on weeks ago to say that the new '190' is now available for test drive so I think I might pay him a visit too shortly! :D

It's funny how we all like different designs. I really disliked the outgoing Celica model and always have done. It's just sooooo bland and unadventerous to my eyes.

[Swany]

Cook, the reason Cougars never sold well was because the drive like wheelbarrows, and everyone knows it. I wouldnt touch one with a bargo pole m8.

As for the new Celica. Eurgh. Even my brother wouldnt touch one and hes owned 4 Celicas in the past 9 yrs ( all 3 past styles ), he reckons they look like bricks, and so do I. Horrible. :(

[Iron Jaw]

i love the look of the Cougar, and i think i will get one when the pices come down and the insurance for me is lower.

a guy at my work drives, what i think its a speical sports version.
the cars been lowered, its jet black and has a giant spoiler and sounds nice too.
me want :cheese: