2000 Ford Puma Lux 1.7 petrol

Summary:

Car handles/goes well, but is very poor quality and dealer service is very poor

Faults:

It has the worst paint finish I have come across on a car, it has orange peel paint all across the bottom of all the wings.

Gear box needed replacing after 3000 miles, this is not a one off case, I know of five other Puma owners who have had to have their gearbox replaced/overhauled within 10,000 miles.

The dealer service is totally rubbish, once they have given you the car they don't want to know. Also the customer compliants department at Ford known as CAC (Customer Assistance Centre), is totally unprofessional, they only specialise in fobbing you off. CAC is a very good acronym for it.

One little fact Ford does not want you to know about, is that last year they recalled more cars than they sold. So if you are thinking about getting a Ford, forget about any chance of quality.

General Comments:

Don't buy one if you value your money.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th July, 2000

4th Jan 2001, 08:30

Interesting fact. Bear in mind the recalls of the Firestone tyres and cruise control problems.

11th Jul 2001, 08:10

I bought mine as an import from Germany, and the money I saved paid for an extended 4 year warranty with plenty left over (cost about 350 UKP). The warranty turns out to be better than the actual Ford warranty, which does not cover things such as catalyst/etc.

Worth bearing in mind for anyone considering an import vs. UK model.

(No difference in spec before you ask!)

16th Oct 2002, 18:44

Thanks to all the other reviewers, I thought that it was just me that was unimpressed with the paint work on the Puma. Stone chips are a nightmare, orange peel on lower sills (both sides).Very disappointed as I had saved for two years to buy my dream car. Also don't expect a lot of help from your dealer.

2000 Ford Puma 1.7

Summary:

Fastest point to point car available

Faults:

When the A/C is on, slight hesitation is felt. Noticable only at motorway cruising speeds. Contacted local dealer - they in turn contacted Ford and confirmed that this was normal and that a slight hesitation would be felt at cruising speeds and at idle with A/C on.

Water enters the boot when opened if it's been raining.

Sometime the automatic boot opener doesn't work if the boot hasn't been used for a few days.

General Comments:

Brilliant all round performer, superb stereo and build quality (as good if not better than my previous car).

Lotus Elise is the only car that comes close for handling and fun per mile.

Seats aren't overly comfortable over long journeys and it isn't that economical (if you bother to work out the mpg).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th July, 2000

12th Apr 2001, 07:13

The Elise doesn't handle as well as people make out, I went for a drive in an Impreza turbo with 2 friends - one in a new Toyota MR2 and another in an Elise, it was pretty wet and the Toyota kept up but the Elise got left WAY behind. The Puma is a good budget driver's car, but please don't compare it to genuine performance cars like the Impreza, Honda Integra Type-R, MR2 etc.

23rd Apr 2001, 14:49

Don't you think that could all come down to driver skill?

The car is merely a tool that works for the driver and all those cars handle well so it's what the guy behind the wheel does with it.

9th Jul 2003, 09:16

The Elise demands a lot of skill to drive quickly, unlike say the Impreza Turbo. Pushed hard, an Elise will initially understeer, but will snap into oversteer in response to a closed throttle. You can balance it in a gentle transition between the two, or even hold it tail-out, but it takes a lot of practice, and a lot of spins before you even get close.

A well driven Elise is more than a match for an Impreza, make no mistake about that. Obviously in the wet, the 4wd system, ABS equipped brakes and softer responses gives the Impreza a big advantage, especially in unskilled hands.

31st May 2004, 12:55

Give me an Elise anytime!! True drivers car.

19th Jun 2007, 16:36

Vx220 turbo anyone?