I was contemplating changing my V6 for a 2.0 to get some better mpg. Im averaging around 27 mpg and the book states the 2.0 will give me 5-10mpg better. The problem is the 2.0's are more money than the V6's. You would imagine people would want the top of the range car but it doesnt seem to be that way. Im now looking at fitting an LPG kit and changing the wheels to skinnier Mondeo alloys. I dont drive fast and am looking at ways of keeping a Cougar without it costing a fortune.
Cougar V6 cheaper than 2.0
- Thread starter darrel
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27 average isn't great, assuming you're not driving everywhere like Stirling Moss?
Also did you do a lot of town driving as this will have a big impact.
When did the car last have a good service, a bad lambda sensor will also bring your MPG down a lot.
Also did you do a lot of town driving as this will have a big impact.
When did the car last have a good service, a bad lambda sensor will also bring your MPG down a lot.
I've got a V6 auto that's better on fuel than a BMW. 318 se that I runaround between Cougars I put 20 quid a week in mine and use her everyday
It won't. How much money are you looking to save over what period? If you can be specific I'll tell you what needs to change to realise this saving.
I get 30+ out of my v6 with quite a bit of town driving on stock wheels and 225 tyres, although I drive pretty gently most of the time.
I wouldn't expect significantly more with the 2 litre. If you're not doing a lot of miles you won't save what you spent extra. And an LPG kit ain't cheap to fit either.
I wouldn't expect significantly more with the 2 litre. If you're not doing a lot of miles you won't save what you spent extra. And an LPG kit ain't cheap to fit either.
From a V6 i'd personally be happy at 27mpg. Don't beleive the books, they are usually quoted from the oem road test sessions iirc and not real world. I can get 40+mpg over a long motorway session but this is keeping within motorway speed limits, if i drive as normal say 80+ then that figure tumbles to 30 ishmpg. One simple reason for my mpg figure is the adjustable fuel return pressure regulator (power boost valve) i fitted and tickled the pressure from the oem figure of 3.8bar to 4.0 bar. Apart from that, my engine did undergo quite a bit of fettling a while back 
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Standard trade off imo: you will notice a big drop off in power (torgue) with the standard untuned zetec and of course the v6 growl. Top end tbh is rarely reached in real life anyway.
.Standard trade off imo: you will notice a big drop off in power (torgue) with the standard untuned zetec and of course the v6 growl. Top end tbh is rarely reached in real life anyway.
I own one of each. Both well-serviced and smack bang in the middle of the allowable ranges on the MOT. I can tell you now that unless you do a lot of motorway driving, there really isn't a great deal in it.
On comparible motorway runs at similar speeds (around 80mph), my Zetec will return 34-35 to the gallon and my V6 will return 30-32.
Even around town ("town" being Milton Keynes, so make of that what you will) the difference isn't too much greater: 24-25MPG in the Zetec, 18-20MPG in the V6 with what you might call "spirited driving".
My personal view is that if you like the Cougar and you currently own a V6, swapping it for a Zetec will leave you disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's still an excellent car with a good turn of speed (as Steve Morris will tell you...) but that change in torque curve is a killer.
On comparible motorway runs at similar speeds (around 80mph), my Zetec will return 34-35 to the gallon and my V6 will return 30-32.
Even around town ("town" being Milton Keynes, so make of that what you will) the difference isn't too much greater: 24-25MPG in the Zetec, 18-20MPG in the V6 with what you might call "spirited driving".
My personal view is that if you like the Cougar and you currently own a V6, swapping it for a Zetec will leave you disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's still an excellent car with a good turn of speed (as Steve Morris will tell you...) but that change in torque curve is a killer.
That's kinda my point there Chris. If you drive from London to Aberdeen in both of your cars the Zetec will use about a tenner less in fuel. Hardly the sort of step change that someone needs to see a meaningful difference to their pocket. It's certainly not worth changing a car for!
I agree with you entirely, Jamie.
I do love my Zetec, but my V6 isn't really much more costly (though it's harder to work on!). Don't want to come across badly, but my opinion is that if MPG is your primary concern, it's time to get a Diesel. Trading down in the Cougar family won't cut it, and you'll have a car that disappoints compared to what you had before.
I do love my Zetec, but my V6 isn't really much more costly (though it's harder to work on!). Don't want to come across badly, but my opinion is that if MPG is your primary concern, it's time to get a Diesel. Trading down in the Cougar family won't cut it, and you'll have a car that disappoints compared to what you had before.
Got to agree with Mako here, if you want ecomomy buy a diesel, if you cain the zetec it will drink just as well as the V6 would, i've got the zetec currently and have seen figures ranging from 24-38mpg from caining the back roads to driving like miss daisy on my 50 mile round trip daily commute which is mostly dual carriageways, pottering at 50-60, which i find very hard to do...
Edit:
having said that, I didn't buy it with economy in mind.....
It would have been a big, fat FAIL if that was your attempt at economy
Skinny wheels off a Mondeo? Enjoy that drive in a heavier and longer car one thing Cougars aren't is greatly economical. No big engined petrol car of that age really is. If your economy is more important than the car you drive then get rid and buy a light little diesel. My wagon has the same Duratec V6 in it and is even less friendly on the fuel than Cougars because its heavier than a Cougar. I'll swap ya!
one thing Cougars aren't is greatly economical. No big engined petrol car of that age really is. If your economy is more important than the car you drive then get rid and buy a light little diesel. My wagon has the same Duratec V6 in it and is even less friendly on the fuel than Cougars because its heavier than a Cougar. I'll swap ya!
Only buy a diesel if you do a lot of motorway miles - diesels hate town-driving even more than petrol engines.
After two oil-changes, new plugs and some seriously hard driving to de-gunge the engine, my 'new' Cougar is now getting close to what my old one was getting on the motorway - about 35mpg on runs over an hour (against a personal best of 37mpg in the old one).
Around town it's significantly less of course, but from what I hear, the 2.0 is a gutless pile of poo at the best of times - which sounds harsh, considering the V6 isn't that pokey either: a new 1.8 S-Max will thrash the socks off a Cougar any day of the week (my mother-in-law has one for running the dogs around and I gave it a quick 'spirited drive' the other day - far, far better than the Cougar in all respects - apart from looks, obviously).
You have to accept the trade-off for owning a 13-year old car (with an almost 20 year old engine design): it's not as quick and it's not as efficient as anything on the market today in the same range.
After two oil-changes, new plugs and some seriously hard driving to de-gunge the engine, my 'new' Cougar is now getting close to what my old one was getting on the motorway - about 35mpg on runs over an hour (against a personal best of 37mpg in the old one).
Around town it's significantly less of course, but from what I hear, the 2.0 is a gutless pile of poo at the best of times - which sounds harsh, considering the V6 isn't that pokey either: a new 1.8 S-Max will thrash the socks off a Cougar any day of the week (my mother-in-law has one for running the dogs around and I gave it a quick 'spirited drive' the other day - far, far better than the Cougar in all respects - apart from looks, obviously).
You have to accept the trade-off for owning a 13-year old car (with an almost 20 year old engine design): it's not as quick and it's not as efficient as anything on the market today in the same range.
Hi thanks for the replies. I supposed its as I thought. Ive had Mondeo estates before that were heavier and cheaper to run and comfier due to the wheels and I suppose the non tuned engine. They were great for towing my boat but they looked very boring. I do love the looks of the Cougar so have now decided to keep the V6 and have just won on ebay a little focus diesel for day to day duties to leave the Cougar as my weekend toy.
I find it hard to believe that a 1.8 S-Max would outgun a Cougar! I know there's a 13 year gap and things move on, but the V6 isn't that slow. A quick look on Parkers and it suggests the 1.8 S-Max does 0-60 in over 10 or 11 seconds (depending on the model). Efficiency however, that's a different story.
The torque curve is what counts below 60mph and the torque curve on the Cougar is nothing to write home about - almost everything on the road sold today will 'outgun' a stock Cougar away from the lights these days.
It's also worth remembering that the stock V6 was only putting out 170bhp when new - allegedly - so maybe you'll be getting 150bhp now if you're really lucky.
Driving in Germany where a lot of the motorway network is still unrestricted, a lot of what you'd think are crap cars routinely used to fly past me while I was struggling to get to 130mph (and the engine really doesn't like it - once you get past 100mph, every extra bit of speed has to be dragged out of the engine, kicking and screaming).
So much so that eventually, I gave up and now stick to around 85-90mph on the Autobahns where I can still get reasonably decent fuel economy as well...
Also the car starts to feel a bit 'light' at that speed and I don't have the confidence to push it much further, unlike my mate's Audi RS4 which still feels solid and 'planted' at 190mph.
My 'new' Cougar pulls a bit faster then the old one did as there are fewer miles under the hood, but there's not that much in it to be honest.