The end of an era, and a new beginning!

FlamencoAssassin

FlamencoAssassin

Well-known user
Sep 9, 2004
4,283
991
Cambridgeshire
Last Wednesday and Thursday was an emotional couple of days for both Mo and me as we spent our final hours with our beloved and trustworthy C1. For thirteen years and nearly a couple of months we've shared many happy memories with this car. It's brought us into this amazing club where we've made many lasting friendships and enjoyed some fabulous times at shows and meets. And of course there's the sheer pleasure of sitting behind the wheel on the open road in control of a car you've fallen in love with.

So on Wednesday evening we packed an overnight bag before setting off do deliver T818JEG to her new owner.
I couldn't resist taking a few last shots at home on the driveway.

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The driveway wont be quite the same without two Cougars parked up

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A couple of last poses with the car.

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And off we went to none other than Uncle Al's. No he wasn't buying it, Al and Vonny's was just a bit closer to our final destination and they kindly put us up for the night. As ever, the C1 took the 100-odd mile journey in its stride and we even managed over 33mpg.
Special thanks to Vonny for the roast dinner and egg and bacon butties for breakfast.

Here she is parked outside the legendary 'Pid Cave'. Al was kind enough to give me the guided tour and show off his new rocker and cambelt covers.

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Just a few miles further and she arrived at her new home.

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Last check of the odo reading. I think I must have done about 115,000 of those miles, with Mo doing the rest.
A bit more than the 12 miles she was showing when I first drove her.

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New owner Sam was a bit camera shy.

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This could be the last time I see a V5 in my name with this many owners on it.

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Thanks to a faulty hard disk, I thought I'd nearly lost these next pictures but thankfully they've been saved.
Digital cameras weren't very common or very good back in 1999 but I borrowed one from work and took these pics as soon as the dealer had her prepped for delivery. After taking these pics and putting my tongue away, all I had to do was wait a long week for the 1st March 1999 for T registrations to be released.

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Farewell old girl! :(

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The next leg of this journey was in the back of Sam's cat with a very slippy clutch.
Mo cried all the way and I sat with her, cuddling and cosoling her whilst I was feeling quite emotional myself.

So 'what's the replacement?', I hear you ask.
This....

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I found this on the internet and after realising how close it was to Al, I immediately got in touch and asked he could take a look.
With that mileage, it was obvious there was going to be plenty of interest in it. Fortunately, we got in there first.
It really is a very clean and tidy car.

And here it is at home.

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And why the estate?
Well soon there will be a baby seat in the back and a buggy in the boot.
Yes Mo's pregnant! Yippee!!! :)
 
Good luck Manos even though I hate diesel engines I will forgive you Mark is very nice name for boy.
 
An emotional and heart warming story with a wonderful punchline. many congratulations and good luck.
if i may say, the car looked as good as it did when new.
best wishes.
 
well written post Manos, I even felt the pain of getting rid of the old car, and right at the end bought a smile to my face, Congratulations and we wish you all the best. (y) :)
 
A great story of Cougar ownership captured in photos. It's a sad day when a car goes - particularly when you've owned it for so long as it comes with so many memories and experiences. I had a similar experience with my old Mk2 Mongy - bought it when it was about a year old and it was in great nick, owned it for 6 years and drove almost 100k miles of trouble free motoring. She was taken from me cruelly when a daft bint parked her 4x4 into the side of it :cry:

But....onwards and upwards - it led to a Mk3 Mongy then onto the Cougars. Having owned a Mk3 Mongy they're solid cars, good to drive and easy to maintain (plenty of modding potential too!). The beginning of a new chapter with a new motor - and it could have been worse, it could have been your C2 off to a new home! :LOL:
 
Great post Manos.
Mo's car looks to be in as good a condition now as when you bought it; a real credit to the pair of you.
The replacement isn't half bad either but I'm sure you'll after sourcing the strut-top covers that appear to be missing. :eek::eek: ;);)
 
Congratulations as with others, already said, lol, i too was sad to see your C1 leave, having done a fair few hours underneath the car, the arches and the bonnet lol, but as said, it has served you well.
Guys i've seen this Mongy diseasel and all i'll say is, its almost as new as the Cougar was when they first picked that up, it's obviously been garaged for the whole 7 years of its life (and probably in a showroom for the first 12 months ) even the rear subby and splash pans are still as new, i'm sure M&M will have just as many happy memories in this one as they have in the C1, nice one guys, and all the best for the future loads that will be packed into the Mongy lol
 
Exellent post Manos.
Having been privy to this for some time, it actually turned out to be quite emotional. It felt like Manos and Mo were parting with an old friend, and i was part of the scenario. I'm just glad that i could play my part in helping you get the replacement you need. I had a very nice test drive, and i knew everything had to be "just right" for Manos, as well as Mo who will be the main driver as i understand, so there was no pressure :eek:.
Looking at the photos of the car as new, apart from the wheels and the fried eggs, there's not a lot of difference to the latest photos, a credit to you both.
Both Vonny and myself were only too happy to have you stay over at the Pid household, only next time can you make it a little bit earlier please as i was absolutely starving by the time you arrived :LOL:
Said it before, but to add to this thread and the great news, Congratulations to you both, from both of us.
 
Congratulations to you both Manos.....very very pleased for you both - two of the nicest people you could ever meet.

Excellent story, brilliant pictures and nice choice of replacement.

I miss not having two (usable) cougars on my drive. But don't regret for one minute having devil's fuel car to compliment the fourby.


My 'main' car for mileage purposes is a diesel VW Bora, which I love.

All the best mate
 
Congratulations Mo & Manos on the new baby, and the new car is very smart too :)

Some people obviously do persist with babies and 2 door coupes but really it's the last thing Mo needs when she's tired, sore and it's chucking it down with rain! Best keep the memories of what I remember being a very tidy Cougar :)

When's the due date?
 
Thanks for the comments guys.

Our little miracle is due in September.

charliecd001 said:
Spawn the devil It's not even petrol
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My first choice would have been an ST220 version with Recaros but thanks to Gordon Brown changing how cars are taxed and the shameless price fixing by the cartel of oil companies, I went for the sensible option.

TopCat1127 said:
even the rear subby and splash pans are still as new
Click to expand...
When Alan told me it was clean underneath, I wasn't expecting this clean.
If it wasn't for the fresh coating of waxoil, you could eat your dinner off the underside.

Quicksilver said:
...but I'm sure you'll after sourcing the strut-top covers that appear to be missing. :eek::eek: ;);)
Click to expand...
Probably Ford cutting costs to make room for the extra kit packed into the later models.
The heated and cooled seats are brilliant!

I've already got a couple of small mods on order. Thankfully, this facelift model came without fried eggs.
 
Very nice car Manos and congratulations for a second time :) the mondeo looks cracking I had one of a customers for four weeks and they are a very nice drive very close actually to feeling like a cougar just heavier and more solid.

JJ
 
Congratulations Manos and Mo on the news about your forthcoming addition to the family. Mo will have to spend a bit of time liquidising that Goat Curry so she can get it into a bottle to feed the little one though.
Nice replacement car also, a bit more realistic for a family woman. As you said it's a lot easier with a baby seat and a buggy to move around. Seriously though, I feel your pain in having to let the old Cougar go after owning it from new. It's a start to a new era and I wish both of you all the best for the future.
 
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