Faults:

Well for starters, when I bought the car it had a blown head gasket.

It has a dent in the passenger side quarter panel.

The driver side door panel is broke, but the electric power still works.

Head liners a little torn, and the dash has a piece missing.

The drivers seat has got a tear in it.

General Comments:

This car hugs the road just like a sports car. Even though it has the 3.8L V6, it is pretty quick for a car this size. The ride this car gives is just phenomenal.

Faults:

#1 RUST-this problem finally caused me to end ownership of this car.

#2 BRAKES-the rotors kept warping on this car no matter what I did...

#3 MISC-plenty of rattles, little things going, slippery transmission sometimes.

General Comments:

While this car had its share of problems it truly was a great driving experience. Unique looks, personality, and rear wheel drive all combine seamlessly into a car that flat out rides better then most newer cars.

The engine is slow on this car; it pines for the V8. However, to get around this somewhat you can; get a performance intake, never drive with overdrive below 50 mph or up steep hills, and do not expect quick off-the-line performance (unless you keep it in gear 1). The transmission is also slow, but it is not meant for performance shifting. The engine is durable and generally outlives the V8 offered.

The handling on this car is superb-it is almost necessary for you to take turns fast. While the body rolls, etc. none of this is felt at all by the driver. This is one of this cars best feature's.

The interior is laid out nicely and very comfortable. Most 93 cougars have all power everything with leather. The instrument controls are easy to see, stylish, and a nice green color at night (I hate the ones with plain yellow lighting!). Somebody had mangled my door trims, but interior is still great.

The stying is elegant and graceful, especially the front end. This car says something when you see it heading towards you. All around styling everywhere is quite good, with the low point being the odd looking and too small rear window.

Personality is the most ambiguous trait for a car and is solely in the mind of the driver. This car for me has more personality than most all. Too many cars of today feel like they are pieces from the same tired jigsaw puzzle, uninspiring cars that do their jobs effectively, completely, and forgettably. This car forever retains it's own identity.

Faults:

Purchased car for $2000, with the following defects:

Bad passenger window electric motor (64$)

Cracked windshield ($166)

Broken headlight knob ($20)

Broken brake light switch ($10)

Bad brake pads and rotors ($115)

Missing jack and lug wrench ($30)

Recently blew head gasket on passenger side bank (V6).

Machine shop recommended pulling driver’s side bank. Sure enough, head gasket on driver’s side was just about to blow in the exact same spot as the passenger’s side head. Machinist said that this is a common problem with the ford 3.8 liter engines. Mill both heads, upper gasket set ($260).

While I have the engine down to the block, I’m also replacing:

Water Pump ($60)

O2 sensors (2 x $50 = $100)

Power steering pump ($65)

Got fuel injectors reconditioned ($85)

Hoses and belts (approx $100)

General Comments:

Car had a fair amount of sun wear when I got it (oxidized paint, discolored trim pieces, yellowed head light lenses). Amazingly enough, it cleaned up really well and looks really decent now. The interior leather trim on the seats only shows a little wear on the driver’s seat, but it’s not too bad. The interior had several stains and was overall pretty grubby when I got it, but again, it cleaned up really well. Replacing the remote key-less entry system was a little bit challenging, but I was able to get all the original functionality back with an aftermarket remote system.

Car drives and handles well. Pickup is a little sluggish for a 3.8, but it may have had the blown head gasket since I got the car and that may have contributed to the lackluster power.

The car is actually fairly easy to work on. It looks like the Mercury engineers did a pretty good job of designing the car for serviceability.

Overall I’d say the car has been pretty consistent with what I’d expect for a cheap car. If I wasn’t able to do the work myself though, it would probably be cost prohibitive to repair.