What Have You Done to Your Cougar Today?

Today i checked when the MOT was due on the wifes mini, as we bought it in sept/oct i thought it must be near :eek: IT WAS DUE IN MAY. So after she kicked my a*** around the house i decided to get out of the way outside - the steering on the cougar was all over the place with way too much play in the wheel so i changed the front arb bushes (what a nightmare) and replaced both front aluminium droplinks (only been on the car a couple of weeks )for steel ones.
Took it out for a test drive and steering is now nice and tight.(y)
Managed to get the mini in for an MOT and it passed so back in the good books again but £50 poorer :cry:
 
mmikey82 said:
Today i checked when the MOT was due on the wifes mini, as we bought it in sept/oct i thought it must be near :eek: IT WAS DUE IN MAY. So after she kicked my a*** around the house i decided to get out of the way outside - the steering on the cougar was all over the place with way too much play in the wheel so i changed the front arb bushes (what a nightmare) and replaced both front aluminium droplinks (only been on the car a couple of weeks )for steel ones.
Took it out for a test drive and steering is now nice and tight.(y)
Managed to get the mini in for an MOT and it passed so back in the good books again but £50 poorer :cry:
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Oops!! Lol, surprised it didn't get picked up by ANPR camera's around. Think you were lucky.
 
Pid_16V said:
...and so it continues..

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Sent from my E2303 using Tapatalk
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I like to think that I know my car quite well. She's sometimes difficult to judge with the collossal overhangs fore and aft, but we get along just fine, even if sometimes I'm a bit more cautious than necessary. I even drive her onto the ramps for my MOT and tyre guys, over a pit.

But.

I absolutely cannot cope with those ramps. I had a set and gave them away because driving onto them was like juggling knives. I had visions of over-cooking it and having the car tip over the back and the front of them hitting my sills.

Anyway, Tiger got a full valet today. Top tip: Go just after it's been raining and the sun has come out. There will be few customers there, and you get far better service because they're not being rushed. Sure you might have to wipe down a panel or two once you get home - though the roads will be drying - but that's 5 minutes with a cloth and some detailer.
 
The landing on those ramps ought to be longer ideally but, the secret to climbing them is steady clutch and keep it moving untill you feel the flat. It's partly clutch control, confidence and experience. I have hit the back a few times but when you do, just hit neutral and the car will roll forwards. They're no use at all at the front though (n)
 
Relliott6879 said:
I think I'd need a "Keep coming, keep coming, STOP!" observer outside the car.
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lol, i tried that Rich but they either "STOP" too early and you roll back down having to start again, or they leave it too late and you're anticipating the command which makes you hesitate, no good. I just reverse up the little hill while leaning out the door and checking the rear wheels :)
 
Mako said:
I like to think that I know my car quite well. She's sometimes difficult to judge with the collossal overhangs fore and aft, but we get along just fine, even if sometimes I'm a bit more cautious than necessary. I even drive her onto the ramps for my MOT and tyre guys, over a pit.

But.

I absolutely cannot cope with those ramps. I had a set and gave them away because driving onto them was like juggling knives. I had visions of over-cooking it and having the car tip over the back and the front of them hitting my sills.

Anyway, Tiger got a full valet today. Top tip: Go just after it's been raining and the sun has come out. There will be few customers there, and you get far better service because they're not being rushed. Sure you might have to wipe down a panel or two once you get home - though the roads will be drying - but that's 5 minutes with a cloth and some detailer.
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ive stopped trying to use my ramps as everytime melina gets half way up them they shoot out the back at high speed and dump her back on the ground....they scare the s**t outta me....yet some are good and dont move...
i had an old set that i put the scorpio on once and she fell through the middle of them...ejays a heavy bu**er.
 
Pid_16V said:
lol, i tried that Rich but they either "STOP" too early and you roll back down having to start again, or they leave it too late and you're anticipating the command which makes you hesitate, no good. I just reverse up the little hill while leaning out the door and checking the rear wheels :)
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I know that feeling. Last time had mine on ramps was on my driveway which in itself is slightly up hill with a 30% gradient. Now trying to reverse up onto the ramps is damned difficult, especially as my ramps have sides and my tyres only just fit with a squeeze. Also my ramps have a bump stop at the rear, so you can't really over cook it...although anything is possible. Like you say, no good for the front, it's way too low, although thinking about making a little wooden ramp to fix the the metal ramps to get the front off the ground. Like you say though Al, it's all about clutch control and nerves of steel lol!!!
 
Tiger's clutch is very nicely graduated (and I assume no different from any other Cougar/Mondeo - I've driven a few including Mako and Goblin and they're all much the same) so that probably wouldn't be a problem.

Can't say the same for Jinxy, or T's current Octavia; there is absolutely no finesse to them at all. They're on/off. I've managed to stall the Octavia at least four times in the last month (and T has done it twice). Hilariously, the stop-start system saves you; as soon as the car stalls, it restarts itself! (y)
 
shirtyzeus said:
ive stopped trying to use my ramps as everytime melina gets half way up them they shoot out the back at high speed and dump her back on the ground....they scare the s**t outta me....yet some are good and dont move...
i had an old set that i put the scorpio on once and she fell through the middle of them...ejays a heavy bu**er.
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Drill a couple of holes in the back rail and put a sharpened bolt through so it digs into the ground. Your ramps won't slip as you climb.
 
Not today, but Saturday, I pulled the cover off my Kitty, connected up the battery and started her up. First time for a while, she fired up first time (y)
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Currently SORN so I ran it up and down the short drive at the farm where she is parked up, let the engine properly warm up, before parking her up and covering her over again :(
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Waiting for my mechanic to come back off holiday and change a rear caliper, before MOT.
 
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