Go for the cougar Matt!

I am probably gonna need a Probe replacement soon as mine is getting rather long in the tooth (Otherday noth lower door panels fell off the door when I opened it and rear hatch is rusting through along back underside)

The Cougar is a viable option and having daily driven a Probe for 5 years I have no reservations getting another Prone or better yet a Cougar.

BTW a old Mustang mag took a Contour SVT and dropped a Windstar 3.0L V6 shortblock under the SVT's heads for about a 30 cubic inch increase and about 40hp. IIRC the Cougar and Contour both use the same engine.

For last year of Cougar Mercury had intended to do a limited edition supercharged V6 Cougar Eliminator package but it seems it was black flagged by Ford uppers since it would have been as fast as a Mustang and the Mustang Division fiercely opposes anything that rivals the Mustangs performance.

could be possible with the cougars Duratec, I don't know.. but that's not what Matt is interested in methinks.. It's the Ford Cougar over here btw.. Mercury for you fella's across the pond :)

aww that blows, a new Eliminator woulda been sweet, the original Eliminator was available with the same engines as the Mustang and nobody cared

I've never had a lot of money to spend on cars, but I sart from the top and work down to squeeze in as much as I can. I start with Economy (40-minute drive to school every day), then throw in looks/power, then luxury. Cars are really only as safe as the driver so I prefer safe driving habbits to a reinforced seatbelt or what have you.

I'm currently drivin a Saab 900 Turbo 16 Valve. It's a 4cyl. 5 speed Manual. It has wonderful economy and once I get the turbo workin up to par, it'll have power as well (enough for me anyway). On top of the former, it aint to bad lookin either, for somethin out of Europe.

I have thoroughly disagree with you there.

Its pathetically stupid to think that the driver dictates how safe they are their passengers are going to be. The tool that's drunk, or the fool that's sleepy behind the wheel will decide that for you.

indeed, most of the times it's not even your own fault.. There are more idiots on the road then you might think..

yeah, its either a kid that still hasnt learned to drive right, or a drunk
sleepers sometimes, but they usualy just run off the road by themselves

Fate's a dangerous game, but I've seen oversafe vehicles destroyed all to many times to be bothered by safety enough to make me worry. As long as it has a functioning seat-belt and a fair set of breaks, there's nothing you can do, but drive well and hope for the best. Air-bags are a nice thing to have, but even they won't save you if you get in a head on collision and youe engine goes through your cab. We can only ensure safety to such a point where it doesn't matter any more. My best example is that of George Lucas's crash in his Fiat. When the moment's up, it's all up to fate.

I should've died or at least been seriously injured when I totaled my Honda.


Edit:
lol I know of the number.. I live in Phoenix Arizona.. I know people from around the country and around the world and most of them who've driven here have stated that this is the worst place int he world to drive.

Oversafe vehicles? Dear god.

Let me highlight the function and importance of modern-day safety features:

• ABS: Prevents locking up of the wheels under heavy braking, consequently allowing the car to be controllably manourvered under evasive action. Can prevent a crash in the first place.
• EBD: Loads braking most effectively through all wheels - reduces stopping distance. Can prevent a crash in the first place.
• TC: Controls power-down situations. Can prevent a crash in the first place.
• ESP: Provides individual braking to each wheel to correct under/oversteer. Keeps the driver in control. Can prevent a crash in the first place.

Then you have airbags, controlled crumple zones and no-intrusion areas.

Here we have EuroNCAP tests. Cars are sent into a wall at 64km/h, or 40 mph.

Brilliance BS6, 1 star:
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.au...iancecrash.jpg
Renault Laguna II, 5 stars:
http://irishcar.com/ICOimages/encaprenlagun.jpg


Jiangling Landwind, no stars:
http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/5883/landwindan4.jpg
http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/4...ndwind1lo3.jpg

Volkswagen Touareg, 5 stars:
http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/6681/touxo0.jpg

http://landwind.bootnetworks.com/chi...g-crash-03.jpg



All your driving skills are not going to save you in a shitty little unsafe car. You can see what happens in an "oversafe" car. I know which one I'd like to be in.

Please, don't give me any more of your idiocy.

And neither of the 5-star cars have engines intruding the cabin.