1999 Mercury Cougar

Summary:

The 99 Cougar convinced me to never buy American again. Ever

Faults:

The alternator died 3 times.

The brakes make a sound when in reverse.

The check engine light won't turn off.

General Comments:

I bought this car when it was new to the market.

Although it's been troublesome, I think I've been lucky in comparison with others.

The repeated failure of the alternator was probably the scariest thing to deal with, since it would happen anywhere.

Since it's not worth anything and the check engine light won't turn off, I think I will donate it to charity.

I hope I can donate it before something else breaks.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st November, 2006

21st Nov 2006, 22:00

That's nice, but guess what it's not an American car.

22nd Nov 2006, 15:41

I don't see what the problem is. The brakes make a noise? Why don't you get them checked, they are probably worn out on a nearly 8-year-old car. You can buy new pads for $25. The check engine light comes on? So does every car nowadays, if nothing else to tell you to take it in for its service. Three alternators? Then you have some other problem, but keep replacing the alternators without figuring out what is really wrong. Lots of people assume they need to replace the alternator when in fact the battery is worn out, or the voltage regulator is shot. If these three minor to nonexistent issues made you swear off American cars forever, then you'll never be satisfied with any piece of machinery made by anyone, including the Japanese or Germans.

22nd Nov 2006, 15:53

It's not American?? just because it has a Ford Mondeo platform it doesn't make it American??? Well Ford designed this piece of junk along with the contour/Mystique and all these cars are complete junk and its all because of ford's inept engineering skills. I too will never buy american thanks to Ford.

1999 Mercury Cougar V6 2.5

Summary:

Awesome to drive, awesome to see

Faults:

Changed the Transmission after 210,000KMs. Had to replace the alternator at 260,000KMs - but it was the original stock alternator. Sunroof stopped working properly in the 4th year.

General Comments:

Love the styling - still do. Needs more power and better sunroof. All wheel drive ore rear wheel drive would have been better!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th November, 2006

1999 Mercury Cougar V6

Summary:

I blame it on Ford = Found On Road Dead

Faults:

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 O2 sensor replaced.

Replaced a few gaskets.

Alternator = $400.

Tires = expensive.

New exhaust = $300.

Air bag module = $100.

Check engine light = $150.

O2 sensor = $100.

Parts = $1,000.

Labor = $700.

General Comments:

Most of the problems I have had with this car are 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 you're 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 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 inspection. 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.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th October, 2006

6th Mar 2007, 09:55

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

6th Mar 2007, 12:06

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.

6th Mar 2007, 15:10

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.

29th Mar 2010, 23:16

You guys blame Ford for the bad service you received at the dealer. Maybe it's not Ford. but the dealer themselves. That makes all the difference. I would take it to a different dealer.

Same story here; one dealer wouldn't do warranty on our F-250 cause we didn't buy it there. One, that is not Ford's fault but the dealers, and two it's against the law. We called Ford and they gladly took care of the problem. The dealer is now on probation and we take our cars elsewhere. Sucks to travel more, but it's not Ford's fault.