About to buy a '99 2.5 v6 Cougar.......any info ??

lennonfan

lennonfan

Forum user
Jul 3, 2012
41
0
Lincoln
hi folks - newbie here.

i'm just about to buy an S plate 2.5 v6 met blue cougar, hopefully for around £600!
it has mot till next march - tax till this sept, and some service history.
i'm hoping its a bargain, the seller has noted it will need new front suspension bushes though (around £70 total repair, plus tracking).
are there any other glaring tell tale signs to look out for on a car of this age?

here's some pics:
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any info would be greatly appreciated.

thxs for looking.
 
Hi and welcome. Suspension bushes a £70 fix doesn't sound right. If its ARB bushes they're about £12 and drop links are around £30 a pair. If its the lower suspension arms aka the wishbones then try £250 - £300 for the repair as you cannot change the bushes, you have to replace the whole arm and it's wise to change the bolts too.
 
Hi mate and welcome to the home of the Cougar. As kully says, suspension bushes can not be changed. it's the whole suspension arm that needs doing. I would clarify with the seller as it is an expensive job to have done. Even doing it yourself it would still cost you around 300 quid.
 
Welcome mate. I echo the comments on suspension, I had the anti roll bar bushes and wishbones done on mine. My father in law is in the trade and he could only get the wishbones for about 120 quid each. Other things to look at are the alternator. But when you drive the car you tend to forget the expense 'cos it's a super drive . . .
 
kittylover said:
Welcome mate. I echo the comments on suspension, I had the anti roll bar bushes and wishbones done on mine. My father in law is in the trade and he could only get the wishbones for about 120 quid each. Other things to look at are the alternator. But when you drive the car you tend to forget the expense 'cos it's a super drive . . .
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YOUR NOT WRONG!! lol
Fantastic drive, i had to keep checking it was running when stopping for the lights.
Seems to be an awful knocking from the back, the seller said it could be the plastic holder/tensioner for the exhaust?
Other than that for an S plate with 112k on the clock it drives superb and got him down to £550 yes £550!
Sweet.
 
As scunny says, it is more likely to be the ARB bushes or the ARB Drop Links that are causing the rear end knocking. Sellers will tell you anything just to get the sale. Paynes of Hinckley are selling new ARB Buishes and brackets for around 10 quid on eBay and a set of Drop Links will cost you between 7 quid and 20 quid depending on what you go for. IMHO it sounds like none of the bushes, drop links or wishbones have ever been changed in it's 112K miles.
 
Also check that the rear end knocking is not due to the ARB mount shearing off the sub frame as mine has just done!!
 
Still unsure as to the problem so gonna take it down local garage this aft.

Thxs for all your quick responses to.

Got upto 'a quick speed' in it last night on local bypass (just to make sure i wasn't in limp mode)........

Let me tell you >>>>>>>>> i'm not lol.

Couple more questions though.

2 lights are lit near the courtesy light.

a 'spanner' and a 'book with exclamation mark'.

Are they a bad sign ?

It had a mini service for last mot only 3k ago.

Cheers and thxs for looking.
 
If your car has been serviced recently, the mechanic just forgot to reset the light. There is info somewhere on the forum that shows you how to do it. You have to press and hold two buttons at the same time on the round switch on the HVAC panel. Your brake light may just be low fluid in the reservoir.
 
Don't look at mine much tbh - spanner means the service light wasn't reset after the mini service and the book thing I can only guess is the washer bottle empty!
 
Should be down on the left hand side somewhere who h takes you to options of subs. Month by month or yearly. If you can't find it, shoot Bobster1982 or Cougarfella a pm ;)
 
lennonfan said:
Couple more questions though.

2 lights are lit near the courtesy light.

a 'spanner' and a 'book with exclamation mark'.

Are they a bad sign ?

It had a mini service for last mot only 3k ago.

Cheers and thxs for looking.
Click to expand...

The spanner light as has been said is the service light. I'm sure it says in the handbook how to reset it, and you can find out what the other light means in the handbook. If you don't have the handbook it can be downloaded on the web.

Cheers
 
Cheers, i re-set the service light as it was only done 3k ago.
[hold select/units for 5 secs on the tripometer]

The other symbol lit is the brake warning light, so i'll look into that.

btw. there's some great info over at
www.v6cougar.com
 
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