1999 Ford Cougar from North America - Comments

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.

I suppose I would have to ask if you purchased the car new? if you did, how did you treat it? I ask these questions because I own a 2001 cougar C2, bought it new it now has 187,00 miles on it. I have never had any tire problems past regular wear, never had any problems with the electrical system, been a great car and even with the high mileage I still get a average mpg of 23. Fast... lol fast doesn't cover it, this car screams if you heavy foot it, I must say that when it comes to a ford product... following the regular maint. schedual is even more important than any other vechial.

I feel for you haveing all the problems with yours. One word of advice... treating the techs at your ford dealer with screaming in the parking lot is nothing, but dumb.. Either learn some respect toward them... or learn to fix your car yourself, can't blame them for not wanting to deal with you again. OH guess I should tell you I'm ase master certified and have been a service tech. for the past 23 years. I must admit.. lol I have replaced the struts two times, but I blame that on the crappy pennsylvania roads.. best of wishes to you.

The reviewer bought it in 2001 with 50K miles on it, so did not get it new.

Exactly why should the poster treat the mechanics with respect when they DAMAGED his car after he took it in to be fixed?

Yes, yelling gets you nowhere, but your advice to bow down to these mechanics is typical of American car dealers - "Yes, sir, may I have another".

Sorry, but when the dealership won't stand behind its own brand of cars and the mechanics are obviously incompetent, it's time to switch brands.

I know. I had a Ford Festiva that was two years old. Great car, but I took it into the Ford dealer for an oil change and asked about the rattles. FIRST thing out of the mechanic's mouth, FIRST THING, was "that is not covered under warranty" (Ford has this bizarre 12 month/12K warranty for rattles yet the car had a 3 year/36K warranty). The mechanic IMMEDIATELY started being confrontational when I simply asked. So I am supposed to respect this person when he's getting angry at me for asking him to do his job???

Thank God my Festiva was utterly reliable, otherwise I would have been at the mercy of these awful mechanics.

Ford treats its customers with contempt, unlike the Subaru dealer I now have that treats me with respect and dignity.

I agree, screaming at the service techs is not really the appropriate way to "win friends and influence people." I don't blame them for not wanting to work on your car. Probably lucky the manager didn't call the police and have you escorted off the property.

It's clear that you're madder than h*ll that you bought an old car, that hadn't even been on the road, but surely you've heard the saying "you get what you pay for." It was obviously an abused basket case, and you have no idea what the techs were going through in trying to fix it. Try to show a little appreciation. When it comes to cars, a person has three choices: 1) drive an old car and fix it yourself; 2) drive an old car and pay someone else to fix it; 3) buy a new car (and possibly pay someone else to fix it).

I agree with the ase tech -- I think my vehicle will be meeting a premature demise after being continually pounded to death by the crappy, pot-holed, guttered, seamed roads of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

This vehicle is faulty due to poor engineering and terrible service. I had a Ford Contour and the mechanics at Ford could not fix my car at all (whether that was because of Ford or the mechanics I do not know) and when I found out that the 98-02 cougars were nothing more than a Ford Contour with 2 doors I started to shake my head at the incompetence of Ford. Thank god I do not buy any of their vehicles anymore as they are the absolute worst.

I bought a 1999 ford cougar 2.0 litre about 1 year ago and have never had any problems at all, I love the car it looks good,goes great and is economical.2 weeks after purchasing the car we took it on a one thousand 500 mile trip around France and the car behaved perfectly. Now a year later we are about to do a similar trip in the same car that has 47,000 miles on the clock. The only parts I've changed have been the brake discs and pads which you would expect to change after 40,000 miles anyway, tyre wear has been normal although The car is not driven slowly so there are no problems there. I personally would recommend the U. K Ford Cougars to anyone,mine has been a joy to drive and very reliable.