RE: PH fleet update: Ford Puma
Friday 2nd December 2011
The Puma on its way back from France. There's a ferry out there somewhere...With a temporary absence of fancy motors in which to swan around, I've been piling on the miles in my little Ford Puma of late. But it has stood up to the task manfully.
Fog conveniently hides rusty arches...And the trips haven't been limited to my 40-mile daily commute, either. In the past month the Ford has been to Cornwall and back, to Gloucestershire for BTaP, and even indulged in a spot of channel-hopping on a day trip to Lille (which yielded nothing more than a Christmas bauble - but that's another story entirely).
... now protected by both grease...The plus side, of course, is that you're keen to take the first opportunity to dive off the motorway to enjoy the crisp gearchange, zingy engine and genuinely (no, honestly) sublime chassis balance. No, it's not the world's best overtaker, but find a decent, well-sighted, lightly trafficked B-road and you can make pretty rapid progress. Only the weak brakes and, in the case of AX51 GGA, suspension bushes that are clearly in need of replacement, hold one back from really going for it.
...and sprayOne issue I have already attacked, however, is the rust I mentioned in my previous report. On the advice of PHer PaulMoor I looked into getting hold of a corrosion-blocking substance called ACF50. Turns out this stuff comes in both spray can and tub-of-grease forms so, in a belt-and-braces kind of way, I thought I'd get both.
PH fleet update: Ford Puma
Continental jaunts and corrosion block for Riggers's Puma
The Puma on its way back from France. There's a ferry out there somewhere...
Fog conveniently hides rusty arches...
During that time it has cemented its reputation, chez Riggers, as a car that you wouldn't willingly choose for a motorway jaunt, as its already-buzzy (but willing) 1.7-litre engine isn't exactly tall-geared and that, combined with a roof shape that seems to amplify engine and road noise, makes it rather a wearing multi-lane companion.
... now protected by both grease...
But the looming spectre of the Holiday Season and (more to the point) its associated expenses means I'm going to have to soldier on until 2012 before tackling the Puma's suspension issues.
...and spray
Now, if I were of a more scientific, methodical bent I would have slapped the grease under one arch, the spray under the other, and measured the (hopefully) slowed progress of the dreaded metal rot. But I've not done that - I've put both under both arches, mostly because I'm keen to offer AX51 GGA the maximum winter protection. As for whether it actually works or not, it's too early to say - I'll let you know on the other side of the winter. The good news is that the corrosion behind the arches isn't actually as bad as I'd initially feared, so a new set of wings shouldn't be necessary just yet.
Previous report:
PH fleet update: Ford Puma
Riggers is finding it tough to trust with his new Puma
Ps - if you want to try out ACF50 Corrosion Block for yourself you can get it at corrosionblock.co.uk
 Puma tasked with a continental trip... |
 ...to buy a bauble from here |
Discussion
cayman-black said:
Riggers, any thing to watch for as I am looking for a nice straight car for my daughter. Thanks.
There's a great thread here that'll pretty much cover everything,But essentially watch for:
Brakes: front calipers wear quickly
Suspension: at the front, particularly the bushes
Rust on the rear arches
Cambelts changed at 60k miles or five-year intervals
Erm... the clutches can be a bit flaky
Oh, and make sure (for the 1.7s) that the proper oil is being used (5w 30, IIRC)
Apart from that it's all good - happy hunting and let us know how you get on
Helped buy a mate a puma a few weeks ago as a cheap runaround to do him for a while.
1.7 silver T reg with 108k on it, rust just starting on the back and the flower petal alloys. Has air con, heated windscreen and a 6006 cd player.
All for £690.
Got a shot of it last week and its a wonderful thing! Such a smooth gearchange, revvy engine and wonderful steering feel.
It needs the tracking done and some better tyres on it but it's such a great car we have desided to keep it and turn it into a cheap track car when it's done with the daily drive duties.
1.7 silver T reg with 108k on it, rust just starting on the back and the flower petal alloys. Has air con, heated windscreen and a 6006 cd player.
All for £690.
Got a shot of it last week and its a wonderful thing! Such a smooth gearchange, revvy engine and wonderful steering feel.
It needs the tracking done and some better tyres on it but it's such a great car we have desided to keep it and turn it into a cheap track car when it's done with the daily drive duties.
Sold mine a year ago. Still miss it. If you want to stop the rear arches going rusty you need to take the trim out in the back and spray from inside. The rust forms in the inner arch where there is no rustproofing just some sound deadening material that seems to absorb condensation and hold it next to the seam. It's an easy job just a few clips and fasteners.
I had an O2 plate 1.7..cracking little car! I did change the shocks and springs for a full GMAX kit (surprisingly good!), a Blue Flame stainless cat back exhaust, some EBC dilled/groved front discs with pads to suit, some decent headlight bulbs and synthetic brake fluid.... It stopped much better, handled much nicer and restored a little more faith in Fords!!!
ACF50 is top stuff. My station motorbike goes through salt snow and ice every winter for last few years and the corrosion is completely halted (rust bubbles on the scooters arch have got no worse and all other fasteners are perfect come spring).
Just keep the washing to a minimum, or reapply after washing.
Just keep the washing to a minimum, or reapply after washing.
I'm currently rocking around in a W reg Puma Millenium. It is various shades of yellow but that doesn't matter when you are inside it throwing down a b-road you know well.
I bought it as a go between car after my 200sx s13 (before that a Forester turbo, and before that a Leon Cupra) and have kept it for 2 years. I honestly believe that you can carry more speed around a tight corner or a roundabout in any weather conditions than any of my previous.
As mentioned previously the brakes are wholly inadequate for emergency stop situations but braking is overrated anyway (if you can avoid it). The amount of times i've had some smug git right up my chuff in has larger, signifcantly more powerful car follow me into a corner that I don't need to brake for, then watch them come out of the corner seconds later after having to slam some serious anchors down at the very last minute. Try it with your next tailgater.
Anyway, the lack of braking (and grip altogether) means that, somewhat comically, the tyres on the back of my 65000mile example are the same ones it left the factory on. Not that paying £40 is a lot for a T1-R in that size.
Having recently been driving a new Scirocco i'd take the Puma out for a fun drive anyday. It took me a while to work it out, but the VW feels like its bullying grip out of the road with its huge tyres whereas the puma relies on balance and rewards you for proper driving.
Word of warning, check who changed the cambelt. Be suspicious if it wasn't a Ford dealer or a specialist as it is easy to get wrong. I think I specialist tool is required. My cambelt didn't snap, it wore away at the fibers of the belt until eventually it slipped. The only warning I got was the oil pressure light flickered twice in the engine's final week. I had to pay £300 for a 50k mile 1.7 replacement.
A question now, does anyone think that at some point well looked after Pumas will start rising in value like the 205/106 gti's have done?
I bought it as a go between car after my 200sx s13 (before that a Forester turbo, and before that a Leon Cupra) and have kept it for 2 years. I honestly believe that you can carry more speed around a tight corner or a roundabout in any weather conditions than any of my previous.
As mentioned previously the brakes are wholly inadequate for emergency stop situations but braking is overrated anyway (if you can avoid it). The amount of times i've had some smug git right up my chuff in has larger, signifcantly more powerful car follow me into a corner that I don't need to brake for, then watch them come out of the corner seconds later after having to slam some serious anchors down at the very last minute. Try it with your next tailgater.
Anyway, the lack of braking (and grip altogether) means that, somewhat comically, the tyres on the back of my 65000mile example are the same ones it left the factory on. Not that paying £40 is a lot for a T1-R in that size.
Having recently been driving a new Scirocco i'd take the Puma out for a fun drive anyday. It took me a while to work it out, but the VW feels like its bullying grip out of the road with its huge tyres whereas the puma relies on balance and rewards you for proper driving.
Word of warning, check who changed the cambelt. Be suspicious if it wasn't a Ford dealer or a specialist as it is easy to get wrong. I think I specialist tool is required. My cambelt didn't snap, it wore away at the fibers of the belt until eventually it slipped. The only warning I got was the oil pressure light flickered twice in the engine's final week. I had to pay £300 for a 50k mile 1.7 replacement.
A question now, does anyone think that at some point well looked after Pumas will start rising in value like the 205/106 gti's have done?
Potto said:
Word of warning, check who changed the cambelt. Be suspicious if it wasn't a Ford dealer or a specialist as it is easy to get wrong. I think I specialist tool is required. My cambelt didn't snap, it wore away at the fibers of the belt until eventually it slipped. The only warning I got was the oil pressure light flickered twice in the engine's final week. I had to pay £300 for a 50k mile 1.7 replacement.
This this this.I went through the service history on hours with a fine toothcomb - proper Gates kit including tensioners. Call from my wife saying that it stalled backing it off the drive and wouldn't restart. Cambelt had slipped and 3 valves bent - on checking the SH again, I could see that it was done on the cheap by a fast fit place
Ended up paying for a top end rebuild at a Puma specialist - Mrs.NCoT's car and she wanted to keep it honest with a known good engine. He said it had clearly been bodged.It's a lot of fun to drive but I wouldn't say they were well built!
Excellent cars, really are more fun than they have any right to be!
Ours has been the most reliable car we have ever owned, with only the heater valve needing replacement. Luckily I noticed it weeping when checking the levels one morning so I was able to replace it before any damage occurring. Ford have a revised part so make sure you get the correct one!
Ours has been the most reliable car we have ever owned, with only the heater valve needing replacement. Luckily I noticed it weeping when checking the levels one morning so I was able to replace it before any damage occurring. Ford have a revised part so make sure you get the correct one!
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