Previous owner needed for info before buying please

L

libby46

Forum user
Oct 11, 2013
17
1
lincoln
V353WRP Limited edition Cougar . Hi my husband is doing a deal to get me a beautiful Cougar . It has your club sticker in the window and I was hopingto get some info from the previous owner . Its a blue car with Cougar heads instead of Ford badges .
Any info would be much appreciated . Cheers Libby
 
Thanks . Is there anything I should look out for ?. I have read the front lower bushes need checking may I ask how to do that quickly whilst checking the car before buying . I desperately want another Cougar and am hoping this is the one . Thankyou
 
As a rule of thumb: turn the wheels on to full lock and then using your foot push hard on the flat face of the exposed tyres, if there is obvious lateral movement then the lower wishbone bushes are not as good as they should be.
 
That probably equals wishbones. Depending on how badly a garage wants your business/their desire to rip you off - that can cost you the thick end of £400
 
Thank you . I have told the seller I will do the deal if he puts a fresh MOT on it . If he does then all is good and if he refuses I know its dodgy . The car of mine he wants is immaculate and I put a new MOT on it so I think its a fair request . Regarding the bushes . Do I need to jack it up ? I appreciate your kind help . Libby x
 
Personally that seems fair enough to me!

If you check it on the ground, movement in the tyres might mask what the wishbone is doing. But if you do it in the air, the suspension will be at full travel meaning that you'll be pushing the wishbone at an angle. My solution is to do both.
 
Now I feel awful . The guy took it for an MOT straight from work and it failed on front lower wishbone just like someone said it would . Rear tie bar bent . Tyre . Anti roll bar . And headlights too low
 
You shouldn't feel bad - you did exactly the right thing as far as I can tell.

None of those jobs is anything scary, (and by anti roll bar did they mean the front or rear? The bar itself, the mounts, or the drop links?). But a bent rear tie-bar? Sounds like that car has been crashed.

If you knew someone who could track and jig it cheaply, I'd say you should see if anything else is out of whack. Like the chassis...

But if not, I'd walk away I'm afraid.
 
I want to know what the heck happened to that car to bend a rear tie-bar. I mean, that's a very substantial piece of metal. You'd think whatever did it probably destroyed the connected wheel and tyre too.

Obviously we'll never know, but I'd want to measure centre-to-centre on the wheel stations, and have a very close look at the subframe and tracking.

I know there's no point, I just find it very interesting. :geek:
 
^ definitely walk away!

That's a nasty old list there, few hundred for the wishbones on their own before you start getting into the rest of it
Guess we know now why its kept changing hands.

Find another one.

Mako said:
I want to know what the heck happened to that car to bend a rear tie-bar. I mean, that's a very substantial piece of metal. You'd think whatever did it probably destroyed the connected wheel and tyre too.

Obviously we'll never know, but I'd want to measure centre-to-centre on the wheel stations, and have a very close look at the subframe and tracking.

I know there's no point, I just find it very interesting. :geek:
Click to expand...

Chris, might not be as bad as it sounds, depends what the MOT man has called a tie bar, radius or trailing arm perhaps?
 
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spjmorris said:
Chris, might not be as bad as it sounds, depends what the MOT man has called a tie bar, radius or trailing arm perhaps?
Click to expand...

I assumed s/he meant the one that goes forward from the knuckle to the chassis, next to the stand point. Largely because of the wording; 'bar' vs. 'arm', but I take your point that it's open to interpretation.

:Edit: Wait - even so, if any of those components were bent, I'd be asking some very pointed questions about its history.
 
couldn't agree more Buddy, sad to say that unless this car falls into the hands of the right person she'll end up as a breaker, to correct the work listed above a garage would surely charge as much as the car is worth?
 
The bent one is the one that goes from the front of the rear wheel arch to the suspension . The owner is a real gent and has said he will have all parts replaced asap and swap with a full mot . I am so happy I get a Cougar back . We kept the inlet manifold etc off my old car along with my wheel etc so I am over the moon . Thanks for your kind help
 
Well, I for one am impressed you're going for it. Just...don't buy into something that's going to be a headache just because the seller is nice or a friend.

If you're determined to do this, I strongly advise getting her up on ramps for an inspection and laser alignment as soon as you can.
 
Well done Libby, that just saved you the thick end of 500 quid ;-) as for feeling bad, dont! lol its your money and only fair they should MOT it, as for the trailing arm i'll lay odds on some muppet jacking it, seen it before, and its nowhere near strong enough in that direction, but well done and happy Cougaring ;-)
 
The tie bar could have been bent through being jacked up by a complete doughnut!

Welcome abroad the madness Libby, sounds like you've a plan happening in your favour :) I'd maybe ask for the receipts for them wishbones etc to log in its service history. Gives you some reassurance that new and proper parts have been used :)
 
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