Faults:

The brakes need constant attention, as there are no dust seals, and so are prone to seizing.

The paintwork is a nightmare for stone-chips.

The steering wheel wears very easily, and is expensive to replace.

General Comments:

This car was a serious step up the ladder for me. From going from a fiat seicento sporting to this was a dream. I had seen a racing puma before at a show, and from that day have always wanted one. If I had to design a car then this is what I would come up with. An incredible car to drive, look at and own.

This car attracts serious attention from passers by. It looks fantastic and has tons of rally appeal. The noise from the exhaust is superb, especially when you back off, crackle and popping can be heard. People have even come up to me at petrol stations and asked about it, fantastic!

Its not the quickest of cars in a straight line, but that's not where the fun is to be had. Put this thing onto a country road, and you will not be able to stop laughing. The grip is tremendous, especially in the dry. It's screaming at you to go faster and faster, what fun.

The interior is absolutely gorgeous, and the seats are so supportive. Its oozing rally appeal.

I could go on and on about this car, I just love it that much. I never want to sell it!

Marc. FRP no.354.

Faults:

Slight misfire -maybe fuel grade problem.

Headlights weak on dipped beam.

There was a damp musty smell coming from the heater unit, which now appears to have gone after some weeks of use.

Problems other owners have had do not seem to affect this puma

i.e. headlights misting, boot filling with rainwater, rear parcel shelf falling down.

The previous owner I guess may well have sorted them. If you're thinking of buying one then do check for these known problems.

Otherwise nothing to report.

General Comments:

Power delivery is smooth through the gears although it does waver slightly from 1st however this is only a very slight niggle for me.

Fuel consumption is far better than I hoped for and hovers if driven reasonably well around the 35-mpg area. Push the car hard though and this will of course drop to the mid 20's.

The rear view is a bit odd a first due to the narrow screen, but this is soon got used to although reversing into a restricted space requires some practice. As with the baby ford the distance needed is deceptive until you get used to it.

Rear seat space is very limited so if you think you'll ever me driving more than two people around think again and opt for a bigger model. The boot is quite roomy though and has a good load space once the rear seats are down.

The front cabin is well laid out and looks pretty cool as well, nice white instrument dials, silver effect dash trims and a nice looking, but very uncomfortable gear knob. This can get very hot or cold depending on the time of year. I got over this problem by purchasing a leather bound one with a silver effect top to it from my local ford dealer, cost £30.Problem solved.

The Puma comes with an immobilizer and deadlocks, which is all very well as you'll need them. The car is very attractive to thieves and boy racers so make sure you get a good quality device to stop it being driven away while you sleep.

Overall a very nice machine, well worth the money now prices are falling a bit, insurance is a group 12 for the 1.7 version.

It won't be long before they start to get abused by boy racers so have a good look around before you buy one and don't pay too much.