1999 Ford Cougar review from North America

New alternator at 70,000 miles

Replaced tires every 3 months (for 2 years)

New exhaust at 112000 (exhaust line)

New air bag module

New tires

New 02 sensor replaced

Replaced a few gaskets.

Alternator= $400

Tires= expensive

New exhaust=$300

Air bag module= $100

Check engine light= $150

02 Sensor=$100.

Parts = $1,000

Labor= $700.

Most of the problems I have had with this car is due to the Diagnostics System. The entire car is one big computer and we all know how easy computers break. This car is like a death trap. Don't get me wrong it has a SOLID body, but it has underlying issues and major safety concerns with the interior of the car. The lights are faulty I mean there isn't even a problem with the car they just come on and your entire dash board is lit up like christmas. So when I'm with my friends they ask me "what is wrong with your car man" and I have to feel like a moron because my car is a piece. I have replaced many tires with this car so my suggestion is get them rotated a few thousand miles before your actually supposed to. I haven't had any transmission problems, but it needs to be flushed soon. My worst problem was when I took this car to the dealership and had $1600 worth of work done on it. The car was off of the road so we had a mechanic from the dealer come and put dealer plates on the car and drive it to the shop. Well, the radio was working fine when they picked it up and the first time I picked the car up the radio amp was blown. Gee, I wonder how that happened? So, I drove a few miles down the road from the dealer and my signal lights stopped working and my check engine light came back on; also, they did not inspect the car like we had asked when we brought the car in and paid $1300 for the work. So, we returned the car to ford. I was mad of course so I was yelling in the parking lot of ford because my radio was busted and because I was frustrated with the service of the dealer. So the next time I returned to find out what they could do to get my car to pass inspection the service consultant told me to "shut my mouth" and that he heard what I was yelling about the last time I came to pick up my car and that "his" mechanics didn't want to work on my car. He went on to add into this mess that he drives an 86 mercury and that he understands what it is like to have to replace things and then gave us a sob story about how he drives 60 miles to work everyday and all of this stuff. Mind you, I own the car and he is telling me to shut my mouth! The reason he told me to shut my mouth is because when I brought the car in all I asked to be done was the lights to be off and to do what they needed to do for the car to pass inspectiion. He was mad because I asked "well if we didn't know why the car was having problems why did we go and replace things that didn't need to be replaced for the car to pass inspection" his response was I dunno. Then, he told us how he has hundreds of other people coming in with the same problem and that he is the only one there. Moral of the story. Don't buy a ford. I have nothing good to say about this car. It still has the Traction control light on, the Emergency brake light stuck on and the ABS light stuck on, not to mention it needs Weather Stripping replaced and a new amp thanks to Ford.