[Closed] Ford Puma

bol- I drive round in a estate currently. Its like a single man driving round in a van most of the time. Only a handful of times have I had one rear seat popped up .

The best thing to do is get what you want and get the Mrs her own car. I have a TT and twins.

My wife has a sensible car 😆

If you are gonna look at things like the ST170, then you should defnitely look at the Corolla T-Sport. Mate of mine has one and it's a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Fairly standard looking Corolla exterior - Check.
Fairly non-standard (for Corolla) 198bhp rev-your-nuts-off engine - Check.

Not sure it handles like an ST170 though.

As for the Puma I test drove one and was sorely tempted to buy one, it was a great car to drive...in the end I did't get it.
Also looked at the Racing Puma but couldn't justify the fuel cost with 100 miles/day commute back then.....

Not sure I'd consider one with an up and coming family though.

I will really annoy some people now, I have sent three Pumas off to be crushed under the scrappage scheme!!!!

Pumas are a great little car but you won't much into one!

I would love a hot hatch again but now need an estate and can't afford a Suburua 4x4 instead a mondeo diesel estate... 😳

Enjoy the Puma if you get one Hora.

mastiles_fanylion the missus doesnt drive. So it negates the need for a car that will carry the baby around most of the time.

She has tried numerous times.

So- it would be for occassional baby transportation. We could always keep the Peugeot 306 thats sat on our drive for baby-transportation (the car we acquired for her driving lessons).

I adored my Puma. Sold it after being made redundant, and couldn't afford to run it any more. Absolutely loved it to bits, sounds fantastic when you rev the nuts off it, great handling on twisty A/B roads, and the looks haven't dated. Just look at the latest Fiesta Zetec, very similar shape. If I had the money available I'd buy another like a shot. EVO Magazine rated it as the best value fun car available, and I still remember Clarkson and co screaming in the back when Tiff took one opposite locking around their test circuit. There were 1.6 engined rally versions around with the FRP arches fitted.

I agree that parenthood doesn't have to mean a boring car, within 6 months of JonathanM Jr arriving I'd bought a 2001 Saxo VTS from new, and managed fine with that for 3 years. Cars have got bigger/more sensible as son has grown and needs more legroom.

CountZero oh yes! I remember their look of TERROR!!! 😆

Cracking little car, a real future classic.

"it would be illegal to fit a tow bar to a car not homologated for it"

No it wouldn't. It would be illegal to tow with it but if you had one fitted for a tow bar mounted bike rack there would not be any issues. I have a fabia vrs which was not homologated for towing like the normal fabia, there are plenty of them about with tow bars fitted for bike racks.

a real future classic.

Totally agree.

I've always said its uses its small dimensions really well

Go for a old shape Focus 170ST Estate. This will out handle and outgun most cars and still be practical and above all carry plenty of bikes on the roof! They are quite rare and a lot cheaper to run than say a scooby estate.

We've had a couple. I enjoyed driving them, but at the age they're at now they are starting to suffer from the usual crud Ford build quality & reliability issues (rust & suspension bushes being the main ones for MOTs, IME).
They can start burning oil due to the fancy cylinder lining/coating which if the engines aren't looked after can wear away & there's no coming back from that.

I'd have another one if I could find a nice example for a good price.

[url= http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-FORD-RACING-PUMA-1-7-16V-BLUE_W0QQitemZ250572103637QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item3a5742dfd5#ht_500wt_1182 ]Get the Racing one, any that are still going today should be good, maybe [/url] 😕

And don't bother with the focus ST, its a sheep in sheeps clothing. I mean a standard 2.0 diesel focus will have nearly the same power, more torque and double the mpg

Just to add - I've had my 1.7 puma since 2001 and got a baby coming in June.

I think it's such a great car that I want to keep it - also reckon it's value to others is far too low so not worth selling it - maybe the group 12 insurance doesn't help that? I used to drive it hard at times and found it handled OK if the back broke away but now I'm more sensible. Never had a problem with it though it's only done 67k.

I think we need two cars really so will keep mine and get something a bit more practical for the other car. Trouble is wife can't drive yet so would rather not have two cars until she can so have looked to see if the Puma would work and a few searches suggest possible options for car seats. Would have to get something for proper trips I'm sure.

Hora, out little lad is nearly 5 months old now and its definitely not a case of 'when will I be carrying the baby, the pushchair and bike at the same time', its a case of how much baby related junk you need to carry on a day out! We've got a mk5 Polo GTi for bimbling about in and the boot is just big enough for the buggy and a few shopping bags etc - perfect. But we've got a Mondeo ST TDCi for my commute and 'going places' etc and we regularly fill its cavernous boot with buggy, changing bag, covers for the buggy and if we've overnighting, travel cot etc.

Honestly, you need to be looking at stuff bigger than a Puma otherwise you'll regret it.

I mean a standard 2.0 diesel focus will have nearly the same power, more torque and double the mpg

Fair enough, an ST isn't rocket-like, but I don't believe that a standard Focus diesel is close to being comparable.

Pure conjecture M_F 😉

When checking the figures on the ST170 I did think 'its not really 'that' quick and I had a look at the TDCI engine.

TBH you could remap the TDCI engine up circa 40bhp etc but it doesnt have the same suspension, brakes etc etc.

Edit - wrong figures LOL (new ST is different...)

Thats not the ST170 figures there M_F as it has 170bhp not 222bhp. 😉

Yeah - which is why I edited. He might be right! I can't find other figures easily and have to get on 🙂

The ST170 specs are:
0-60 7.9s
BHP 170
Torque 196Nm
Max speed 134
MPG 31

They don't do a 2.0 diesel in that shape (at least according to parkers) and the 1.8 TDCi specs are:
0-60 10.3
BHP 115
Torque 250Nm
Max speed 122
MPG 49

They did an ST170-shape dizzle Sport. Meant to be an excellent car.

just be done with it and get one like this.....

[img] [/img]

dave_rudabar - Member

We've had a couple. I enjoyed driving them, but at the age they're at now they are starting to suffer from the usual crud Ford build quality & reliability issues (rust & suspension bushes being the main ones for MOTs, IME).
They can start burning oil due to the fancy cylinder lining/coating which if the engines aren't looked after can wear away & there's no coming back from that.

You are stirring the cynic within. Thats my fear (on the cylinder lining). I've read in a few places about the need for 5k oil changes with specific oil- however when a car gets to sub-2k who is going to service their car THAT often?!

I look at the likes of most secondhand Estates, 'that' Citreon above and TBH ..I'd rather catch a bus.

You poor vain fool.. 🙂

molgrips. Ive owned some questionable motors in my time. With hindsight I would rather have caught a bus than own or drive anything like them again.

If its going to be a Passat -it will have to be remapped and be a special edition (Highline etc).

An 'Estate' with a twist.

I do see where you are coming from though

It's only a car, mate. Seriously. Life is better when you don't care 🙂

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1504064.htm

That is a nice engine 🙂

All the Fiestas, Kas and Pumas have great handling. They will oversteer if the back tyres are mismatched or you are really stupid (top tip - left foot braking and saying "watch this" at 60mph is not recommended). They are stupidly neutral handling most of the time, and the steering feel is immense.

Big issues I would watch for are rust & interior wear and tear on any Ford of that age. They get very tired very quickly.

That said, I'd be inclined to go look at the Honda CTR or VTI, or a 3 series.

Disagree! Our Office Managers Ka wheelspins anywhere near damp tarmac and it does try to swap ends to readily (apparently).

ALso had one loved it - if you buy one take it down/up to Puma Speed in Wakefield and get a miltek exhaust fitted....fantastic....they provide loads of options to tweak the standard car to what you'd like/afford...have seen a few pumas with bike racks on the top. By folding the rear seat you can get one in the back.

If you can find one by a Racing Puma...Puma Speed occasionally sold cars as well

Disagree! Our Office Managers Ka wheelspins anywhere near damp tarmac and it does try to swap ends to readily (apparently).

Disagree! Our Office Managers Ka wheelspins anywhere near damp tarmac and it does try to swap ends to readily (apparently).

There's something wrong with it then. They can munch TCA bushes in 10k, the tracking needs to be right and the tyres need to match on the axles. If it's still driving oddly then something's bent or the dampers need swapping. All 3 cars (Fiesta, Puma & Ka) are based on the same chassis, and have similar foibles.

You do realise that once you have the baby, your wife(?) and the baby will need to be driven lots of places? It'll be er, different to what it is now?
I had to change my (old style) Audi Coupe, for a Ford Focus 🙁 cos 2 doors are a pain in the arse when putting a child seat in the back.

Good luck anyway!

tron, its a 2001-plate. That possibly explains it. She doesnt let me borrow it anymore 🙄

My wife had a Ka for several years and it was a lark to drive so as has been said above, there must be something wrong with it.

mastiles_fanylion stop trying to tempt me... I love small cars!

Me too - have always had little 'uns from Mini 1275GTs to Fiesta XR2s to Nova SRs to Clio RSis to Pumas. The biggest cars I have owned are Escorts and (dis)Astras. Current one (TT) is still very small but perhaps a tad bigger than a Puma.

Aye. I have a track record of small car ownership.. I even took an Aygo down through Belguim to South Germany one winter 😀

When the TT (on a lease) goes back we will be getting a family bus and I will eye up a weekend toy like an Elise or maybe a Westfield as my father-in-law races them and will be able to point me at a very good one 8)

1.7 puma is great had one a while back a alot of fun like a go-kart.

better than the 225 TT, MGTF, Porsche 944 Ive had since.

Current Boxster S however trumps it! Although now we need the diesel for day to day dutys and carting bikes.

You wont go wrong with a Puma will have a grin every time you drive it, just ignore 'hairdresser comments', and it almost seats 4 adults (ish)

Hairdresser car?

Dear Sir! Things have moved on since the days small and cheeky cars were the preserve of the Hairdresser gag. Remember the mk1 MR2? That didnt deserve being called a hairdressers car...

Moving onto the noughties...you want gay? I sat inside a Fiat500 and I found my lips pursing, the thought of soft furnishings in mauve passed my mind and I also checked my eyebrows in the mirror.

The Fiat500 redfines gay and snippery...