interesting reading xs650 thank you for the link
2000 Mercury Cougar, What to Look Out For?
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Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: sciphi
My friend just got a 2000 Mercury Cougar V6, mileage not disclosed to me. He's already asked my help to work on it. Both of us are mechanically inclined. He wants a reliable daily driver, nothing special or wild.
He wants to do the struts all around. I'm also trying to sell him on new plugs/wires, transmission oil, PCV valve, and a new drive belt.
What are other issues with the Contour platform and the Duratec 2.5l V6 I should know about before getting my hands dirty?
Have your dealer run a recall on your car. There was an issue with the fuel pump that affected some years and models. IMO, not a terribly bad car, but that fuel pump replacement is a two man job with the car on the hoist. If your car is under the recall, it can save you a few hundred bucks.
The fuel pump can be removed without removing the tank if you remove the back seat and take some tin snips to the floor pan.
If it has a sun roof, don't open it when the sun has been beating down on it. If the track breaks you have to replace the whole expensive mech.
If the power door latch fails your hosed! The latch and actuator are one assembly and if it fails in the locked position... well if it does get back to me and I'll tell you how to get it out... not fun.
Under the hood is ten pounds of Pooh in a five pound bag, so it's not easy to work on. Other than that, they're not bad cars.
Originally Posted By: sciphi
My friend just got a 2000 Mercury Cougar V6, mileage not disclosed to me. He's already asked my help to work on it. Both of us are mechanically inclined. He wants a reliable daily driver, nothing special or wild.
He wants to do the struts all around. I'm also trying to sell him on new plugs/wires, transmission oil, PCV valve, and a new drive belt.
What are other issues with the Contour platform and the Duratec 2.5l V6 I should know about before getting my hands dirty?
Have your dealer run a recall on your car. There was an issue with the fuel pump that affected some years and models. IMO, not a terribly bad car, but that fuel pump replacement is a two man job with the car on the hoist. If your car is under the recall, it can save you a few hundred bucks.
The fuel pump can be removed without removing the tank if you remove the back seat and take some tin snips to the floor pan.
If it has a sun roof, don't open it when the sun has been beating down on it. If the track breaks you have to replace the whole expensive mech.
If the power door latch fails your hosed! The latch and actuator are one assembly and if it fails in the locked position... well if it does get back to me and I'll tell you how to get it out... not fun.
Under the hood is ten pounds of Pooh in a five pound bag, so it's not easy to work on. Other than that, they're not bad cars.
Any way to lube the tracks for the sunroof (if it has one), or fahgeddaboudit?
Its not the motor or tracks that need lubrication. The problem is Ford used a cheap plastic gear that loves to strip out when it gets hot. It wouldnt be as big a deal if they included a hand crank to close it but you're stuck with it open until you can take it apart.
If it is anything like the 1999 Ford Contour.....run LIKE hE!!
That bad ?
At least the one i had. It was a true Fix Or Repair Daily....Time does not allow all of the problems I had with that car from engine to tranny to A/C to fit and finish including the paint and the Radio.... A true peice of junk....Got rid of it in less than a year and one half...
You got to be kidding right....Those are rated so low in any used car book...Even some Chrysler models are rated better then those were....
A friend's dad has/had a Contour SVT. Very nice little car.
I'll see the Cougar this weekend. With my running shoes in one hand and tool box in the trunk of my car.
I'll see the Cougar this weekend. With my running shoes in one hand and tool box in the trunk of my car.
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
You got to be kidding right....Those are rated so low in any used car book...Even some Chrysler models are rated better then those were....
Kidding about what? I said there were issues with the mexican made Contours and that really hurt their reliability ratings. The cars made in the states had way way less problems.
You got to be kidding right....Those are rated so low in any used car book...Even some Chrysler models are rated better then those were....
Kidding about what? I said there were issues with the mexican made Contours and that really hurt their reliability ratings. The cars made in the states had way way less problems.
When was the contour made in the states???
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
When was the contour made in the states???
There were always models built here but the bulk of Contours were made in Mexico. Almost all of the Mercury Mystique models were made here and most of the Cougar models were made here.
When was the contour made in the states???
There were always models built here but the bulk of Contours were made in Mexico. Almost all of the Mercury Mystique models were made here and most of the Cougar models were made here.
The mercury Mystique was a contour with a different front and back...I looked back and cannot find were any ford contours were made in the usa...
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
The mercury Mystique was a contour with a different front and back...I looked back and cannot find were any ford contours were made in the usa...
Not sure where you looked but every single SVT model was built in Missouri as were thousands of the regular Contour and Contour Sport models right beside the Mystiques.
The mercury Mystique was a contour with a different front and back...I looked back and cannot find were any ford contours were made in the usa...
Not sure where you looked but every single SVT model was built in Missouri as were thousands of the regular Contour and Contour Sport models right beside the Mystiques.
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
When was the contour made in the states???
Starting from 1994 till it was discontinued. It was assembled in the Kansas City Assembly Plant. Ford even put a sticker announcing that fact on the right lower side of the windshield on the ones made there.
Quote:
I looked back and cannot find were any ford contours were made in the usa...
You didn't look very hard.
When was the contour made in the states???
Starting from 1994 till it was discontinued. It was assembled in the Kansas City Assembly Plant. Ford even put a sticker announcing that fact on the right lower side of the windshield on the ones made there.
Quote:
I looked back and cannot find were any ford contours were made in the usa...
You didn't look very hard.
The one I had was from Mex....a 1998
That doesn't mean they were all made there, does it?
My dad's 1998 was built at the Kansas City plant, I specifically remember the sticker. That might explain why it relatively trouble free until it was wrecked.
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