Here, here.
Maybe not the popular answer, but the practical one.
I didn't buy a Cougar to make money. I bought one because I liked the idea of it. I wasn't wrong.
Will the Cougar ever be worth anything?
- Thread starter spjmorris
- Start date
Maybe not the popular answer, but the practical one.
I didn't buy a Cougar to make money. I bought one because I liked the idea of it. I wasn't wrong.
In answer to the original question...."Who cares?"
This subject happens to appear every few months, and every few months I think the same thing. Some bought them new, I got in at the half price stage and most owners now have bought them at lucky bag prices, you get a lot for your money but only if it's in good condition, a lot have bought them and had their fingers burned when expensive parts are needed. It takes a lot of dedication and money to keep an old car going, as much as I like my car sometimes, most people will run them into the ground and scrap them, then move on to the next banger.
As long as you're happy with your car, who cares if some stuck up ponce decides to grant it 'classic status'? And wtf do they know about it anyway?
This subject happens to appear every few months, and every few months I think the same thing. Some bought them new, I got in at the half price stage and most owners now have bought them at lucky bag prices, you get a lot for your money but only if it's in good condition, a lot have bought them and had their fingers burned when expensive parts are needed. It takes a lot of dedication and money to keep an old car going, as much as I like my car sometimes, most people will run them into the ground and scrap them, then move on to the next banger.
As long as you're happy with your car, who cares if some stuck up ponce decides to grant it 'classic status'? And wtf do they know about it anyway?
Well as a new onwer (as of next week) my tuppence worth is; i hope the Cougar will be a classic one day, in the same vein as the early facelift Capri, as these are now fetching silly money in restored condition and they were produced in higher volumn than the Cougar.
Only time will tell of course, heres hopeing then as i'm paying next to nothing for a 39k 3 owner car i'll have quite by accident
Only time will tell of course, heres hopeing then as i'm paying next to nothing for a 39k 3 owner car i'll have quite by accident
I have to disagree with you, but only in one small way; the Cougar was hugely attractive to people who never had to pay the original list price.
And I don't mean the second-hand market here. Barclays, (for example), offered them as a company car back when having four doors was not a requirement of the lease scheme*. Among the management types without kids, they were actually very popular, as were the Alfa GTV and the Rover Coupe.
*Presumably after 2001 they expected branch managers to double up as taxi drivers to supplement their income.
I have been to the classic car show and do wonder why some of the cars are there, mgzr's/rover 200's and coupes, even the Puma (another car that was popular but ford knocked on the head?) I did enquire how you got into the show as a exhibitor and was told to just write to the organizers???
I did say my idea was just an idea though, its been a few years now since I bought it and after a while you think of change but you just cant let the old girl go, its took something like my current predicament to make me decide its now time.
From what I've seen classics take a lot of time and money to maintain, aint all that practical and aren't liked 100% by the masses....kinda sounds like the Cougar lol when you put it in that context.
I like the Ferrari 308 GT4 dino, doesn't mean I'm gonna go out tomorrow and buy one, just the thought counts (a classic Ferrari that is unloved by the die-hards but actualy was one of their biggest sellers)
I did say my idea was just an idea though, its been a few years now since I bought it and after a while you think of change but you just cant let the old girl go, its took something like my current predicament to make me decide its now time.
From what I've seen classics take a lot of time and money to maintain, aint all that practical and aren't liked 100% by the masses....kinda sounds like the Cougar lol when you put it in that context.
I like the Ferrari 308 GT4 dino, doesn't mean I'm gonna go out tomorrow and buy one, just the thought counts (a classic Ferrari that is unloved by the die-hards but actualy was one of their biggest sellers)
The Ferrari 308 GT4 is a good example of an unloved "classic" actually. Values are still reasonable because it has a Ferrari badge on the front, but prices are 2/3 or less the next cheapest Ferraris going. That's basically because when you think "Ferrari" a 308 GT4 just isn't the shape the pops into your head. Similarly, I doubt there will be many 30 year old Porsche Cayennes running around, although it's entirely normal to see 1980s 911s on the roads.
A Ferrari 308 GTB, 328 GTS, 355, 550 etc all epitomise what you expect to see when someone says Ferrari. That's what you want to own when you say you want a Ferrari - it's what Ferraris are all about. There's not much actually wrong with the GT4 but it looks a bit goofy and nobody really wants them because they want a 'proper' Ferrari, hence the prices of the GT4s.
Ford is famous for Capris, Mustangs, GT40s, some RS badged cars which are either old-school or riding old-school fame, some XR badged cars people generally aren't too interested in these days but there's still a following, and of course the Cosworth badged ones. Hands up who outside this club is even aware of the Ford Cougar? Id' bet "Cougar" isn't the first thing that pops into many peoples' minds after hearing the word "Ford".
A Ferrari 308 GTB, 328 GTS, 355, 550 etc all epitomise what you expect to see when someone says Ferrari. That's what you want to own when you say you want a Ferrari - it's what Ferraris are all about. There's not much actually wrong with the GT4 but it looks a bit goofy and nobody really wants them because they want a 'proper' Ferrari, hence the prices of the GT4s.
Ford is famous for Capris, Mustangs, GT40s, some RS badged cars which are either old-school or riding old-school fame, some XR badged cars people generally aren't too interested in these days but there's still a following, and of course the Cosworth badged ones. Hands up who outside this club is even aware of the Ford Cougar? Id' bet "Cougar" isn't the first thing that pops into many peoples' minds after hearing the word "Ford".
There were no ZRs there in the MG/Rover/Austin hall this year that I saw. The only Mk3 200s were the BRM club. The Coupe and the Mk2 convertible - mint examples - were there because they both just celebrated their 20th birthday. Whether that age or their individual significance makes them classics or not is probably open to debate, granted.
It's a commercial venture, largely supported by product exhibitors and the classic car trade. There were even a couple 62-plate Fords and Vauxhalls there on the official stands, as well as Ferraris and Astons that were only a couple of years old. I don't know whether the organisers sit in judgment of what's classic and what isn't, but it would make no financial sense for them to exclude any group, club or company that applied and which qualified in even the loosest sense. There were even brand-new E-Type Jag copies there as a club.
And as an aside, I actually do think that the Puma is a design classic.
See? That's exactly what I mean, Matt. Would you have complained if you'd seen one there?
I think I was trying to prove a point that not everyone classes a classic as a classic or something like that? I dunno myself now lol
or something like that? I dunno myself now lol
I always thougt a classic was a classic when you see a vehicle and say bugger me i havent seen one of those for a long time.
between 98 and 2001 peugot mg and other car makes were sporting soft tops it was a bit of a fade at the time everyone wanted a soft top, the cougar didnt come into focus and was pushed to one side and very much so here in uk, all i ever saw around me were soft tops even some ford escorts were made into soft tops. the last cougar in the show room at tower park poole was going at £25000 i remember it brand spanking new in green 2.5 v manual. that guy came up to me and gave it the full monty on how it was the best of the best with honours oh yeah... then he said ill drop it to £19000 for quick sale.! im sorry but think about it just for a moment this in 2000 that was a lot of money for that year incredible, so one mistake i think ford out priced themselves in the market and everyone ignored it.
everything is based on marketing. the only way for a car like this to have attention drawn to it is for example ukcougar.com and other similar examples. or as jamie duff said it will fade away and never be heard of again.
uk cougar is a private club to a point as is other clubs its for certain people who have a love or passion,
most people are very throw away and are brain washed into getting the latest car with bells on, fine thats ok new tech better engines fuel friendly some doing over way over 70 mpg , the cougar is not that kind of car is a pose , i took mine into work for 2 nights because i was having the ka welded, everyone at the shop and the customers were actually coming up to me!! and making small talk only to ask ...hey thats a bit sexy was is it? and when i told them ? no your having a laugh thats a ford is it? really they didnt know they thought it was a new model of whatever. thats people what can i say.
everything is based on marketing. the only way for a car like this to have attention drawn to it is for example ukcougar.com and other similar examples. or as jamie duff said it will fade away and never be heard of again.
uk cougar is a private club to a point as is other clubs its for certain people who have a love or passion,
most people are very throw away and are brain washed into getting the latest car with bells on, fine thats ok new tech better engines fuel friendly some doing over way over 70 mpg , the cougar is not that kind of car is a pose , i took mine into work for 2 nights because i was having the ka welded, everyone at the shop and the customers were actually coming up to me!! and making small talk only to ask ...hey thats a bit sexy was is it? and when i told them ? no your having a laugh thats a ford is it? really they didnt know they thought it was a new model of whatever. thats people what can i say.
...and we won an award
http://www.ukcougarforum.com/vb/showthread.php?19881-Tatton-Park-Pictures-2011&highlight=tattonGood on ya Chris.
I think I was trying to prove a point that not everyone classes a classic as a classic
Ah, then we were definitely agreeing, Matt.
I think Justin makes a good point too (below) but I don't think that's the only criteria. I haven't seen a Renault 19 in quite some time, but I'll be damned if I'd call it a classic... though some might disagree, which is kind of the point!
Ah, then we were definitely agreeing, Matt.
I think Justin makes a good point too (below) but I don't think that's the only criteria. I haven't seen a Renault 19 in quite some time, but I'll be damned if I'd call it a classic... though some might disagree, which is kind of the point!
I had a Renault 19 16V Chamade on a J plate 1991. It was nothing but trouble for breaking down ( various reasons ) but I will say this, it was a very quick car for the time ( 0-60 ) 7.9secs official figures but the best part about it was the handling, it handled like it was on rails, quite simply the best handling 4 door saloon car I have ever driven. Is it a classic......... well I think not, but time will tell for sure.