RE: Ford Puma: Catch It While You Can
Discussion
I had a Silver one just like the ad when they first came out, part-ex in a few years later circa 2003, always remembered it, then last year I had a day off work and just happened to be on the M25 and what pulls in front of me was my old Puma I hadn't seen it for 13 years and it still had the same dark smoked side repeater on that I put on.
Chris71 said:
yonex said:
I never got the Puma, I thought the engine in the one I drove was pretty ropey and I don't recognise the traits described about it being 'zingy' at all. A poor relation to the DC2 is how I'd sum up the Puma.
I must admit, I was slightly underwhelmed the only time I drove one, but isn't a decent DC2 three or four times the price? I can see this being a good smiles-per-pound proposition.MrMoonyMan said:
Very much spurred on by PistonHeads I bought my girlfriend one of these to run through winter a few months ago.
Turned out to be a great decision so far: cost buttons to buy, does over 30mpg round town and is enormous fun to drive!
Ford really did get the handling/ chassis feel right with this one. And the Yamaha engine is lovely too.
On top of that its doors close with a lovely heavy 'thunk' and all the electrics and air con work well. In fact, if it carries on behaving it'll get put into storage over summer and brought out again next winter.
Downsides: One wheel bearing failed fairly spectacularly, but was fixed for usual Ford prices.. Ie. Mega cheap!
Seats, they're not great for me for a long distance and in the same vein motorways are not its thing.
Also, the headlights. I really like the look of them but even having been polished and with new bulbs they're rubbish.
Overall though - super little car. Definite future classic. Crazy value for money.
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/btCJ8Jlv.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/0WcbAsjR" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/0WcbAsjR.jpg)
What size/offset are the wheels? I'm wondering if they hastened the demise of the wheel bearing?Turned out to be a great decision so far: cost buttons to buy, does over 30mpg round town and is enormous fun to drive!
Ford really did get the handling/ chassis feel right with this one. And the Yamaha engine is lovely too.
On top of that its doors close with a lovely heavy 'thunk' and all the electrics and air con work well. In fact, if it carries on behaving it'll get put into storage over summer and brought out again next winter.
Downsides: One wheel bearing failed fairly spectacularly, but was fixed for usual Ford prices.. Ie. Mega cheap!
Seats, they're not great for me for a long distance and in the same vein motorways are not its thing.
Also, the headlights. I really like the look of them but even having been polished and with new bulbs they're rubbish.
Overall though - super little car. Definite future classic. Crazy value for money.
GTEYE said:
Great drive that it was, this sold it to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2OV7Zz4VsM
Just a shame about the rust!
Tiff Niddell driving one around a race track while giggling like a child, with Clarkson hanging on for grim death in the passenger seat and Quentin Wilson bouncing about in the back threatening to be sick is the clip that did it for me...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2OV7Zz4VsM
Just a shame about the rust!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3QuH7z1Z1o
yonex said:
I never got the Puma, I thought the engine in the one I drove was pretty ropey and I don't recognise the traits described about it being 'zingy' at all. A poor relation to the DC2 is how I'd sum up the Puma.
I never got the DC2, I think it's a poor relation to another performance car costing alot more than it. Some odd posts on this topic.
Olivera said:
I agree, great car to drive.
However yours still has a critical flaw inherent to all Pumas - the most ludicrous rear ride height and arch gap ever committed to a production car! Offensive to the eyes.
I think this is brilliant and sums up the entire car. Ford were aware it wasn't ideal from an aesthetic viewpoint, but it didn't drive as well lowered. The compromise was to offer "official" lowering springs, but as a dealer fit option. From the factory they handled right rather then looked right. However yours still has a critical flaw inherent to all Pumas - the most ludicrous rear ride height and arch gap ever committed to a production car! Offensive to the eyes.
Well, obviously I'm going to be biased here...
Bought mine in 2012 at 77000 miles. I bought it knowing the rear archs needed attention - only on the repair of these did I find out that the inne arches had rusted too, so... a few "cough" pounds later mine has been sorted - hopefully for a long, long time. The issue with the rear arches is that they weren't properly sealed by the factory, so water is directed by the inner wheel arch linings straight onto a lovely water-retentioning seam, where it then sits... and duly rots the metal.
Rear seats are... er, small, and not good for adults - but mine get rarely used anyway, so that's not an issue for me. The boot does pour in water if you are not careful - owning a Puma in rainy Manchester means I'm quite often found in the middle of a rainstorm gently opening the boot a millimetre at a time to keep the boot and back seats dry. Also, it does like to use up front tyres, too. Complaints about poor braking is easily resolved. Indeed, I believe that only the early Pumas suffered from this - later ones have bigger front discs and I've never had any issues in stopping quickly in mine.
In summary, I've loved my ownership for the last 4+ years, and have no plans to let mine go anytime soon - I wouldn't know what to replace it with. Regular servicing and upkeep at Ford means it has continued to run perfectly, now at nearly 120,000 miles.
To me, the Puma still looks pretty unique and you can't really mistake one for anything else. People do query the ride height, and many owners have lowered theirs. Mine is still as it left the factory, though - having a man like the legendary Richard Parry-Jones sort out the handling during the cars development means I'd trust his judgement over mine, anyway.
One more thing - there's a very good fan-base for these cars - Project Puma is especially full of great advice from some genuine Puma petrolheads. All in all, a brilliant design, a fantastic and fun car to drive with small running costs. A future classic? It is one already to me.
Bought mine in 2012 at 77000 miles. I bought it knowing the rear archs needed attention - only on the repair of these did I find out that the inne arches had rusted too, so... a few "cough" pounds later mine has been sorted - hopefully for a long, long time. The issue with the rear arches is that they weren't properly sealed by the factory, so water is directed by the inner wheel arch linings straight onto a lovely water-retentioning seam, where it then sits... and duly rots the metal.
Rear seats are... er, small, and not good for adults - but mine get rarely used anyway, so that's not an issue for me. The boot does pour in water if you are not careful - owning a Puma in rainy Manchester means I'm quite often found in the middle of a rainstorm gently opening the boot a millimetre at a time to keep the boot and back seats dry. Also, it does like to use up front tyres, too. Complaints about poor braking is easily resolved. Indeed, I believe that only the early Pumas suffered from this - later ones have bigger front discs and I've never had any issues in stopping quickly in mine.
In summary, I've loved my ownership for the last 4+ years, and have no plans to let mine go anytime soon - I wouldn't know what to replace it with. Regular servicing and upkeep at Ford means it has continued to run perfectly, now at nearly 120,000 miles.
To me, the Puma still looks pretty unique and you can't really mistake one for anything else. People do query the ride height, and many owners have lowered theirs. Mine is still as it left the factory, though - having a man like the legendary Richard Parry-Jones sort out the handling during the cars development means I'd trust his judgement over mine, anyway.
One more thing - there's a very good fan-base for these cars - Project Puma is especially full of great advice from some genuine Puma petrolheads. All in all, a brilliant design, a fantastic and fun car to drive with small running costs. A future classic? It is one already to me.
p4cks said:
DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.
Not in a month of Sundays. They'll have all rusted away long before they'd have ever appreciated in value.
Any that are in the typical classifieds and of the status where you could drive them as a runaround are not going to appreciate any time soon.
The ultra low miles 1.7s that have been put away and maintained fastidiously are probably worth a few £,£££ already, but not your typical run of the mill stuff
hora said:
I never got the DC2, I think it's a poor relation to another performance car costing alot more than it.
Some odd posts on this topic.
Actually, when I bought my DC2 you could pay within a few grand for a Puma, let alone the racing. Both coupes, different manufacturers. Sorry you don't like the comparison.Some odd posts on this topic.
Squirrelofwoe said:
And the rest! 
from someone who sold their DC2 at 5 times the price of a Puma back in 2012 when DC2 prices were near enough the lowest they had ever been - I've never timed car sales well
Out of interest what is the going rate for a good DC2 these days?from someone who sold their DC2 at 5 times the price of a Puma back in 2012 when DC2 prices were near enough the lowest they had ever been - I've never timed car sales well
I don't often see many decent ones for sale.
s m said:
MrMoonyMan said:
Very much spurred on by PistonHeads I bought my girlfriend one of these to run through winter a few months ago.
Turned out to be a great decision so far: cost buttons to buy, does over 30mpg round town and is enormous fun to drive!
Ford really did get the handling/ chassis feel right with this one. And the Yamaha engine is lovely too.
On top of that its doors close with a lovely heavy 'thunk' and all the electrics and air con work well. In fact, if it carries on behaving it'll get put into storage over summer and brought out again next winter.
Downsides: One wheel bearing failed fairly spectacularly, but was fixed for usual Ford prices.. Ie. Mega cheap!
Seats, they're not great for me for a long distance and in the same vein motorways are not its thing.
Also, the headlights. I really like the look of them but even having been polished and with new bulbs they're rubbish.
Overall though - super little car. Definite future classic. Crazy value for money.
What size/offset are the wheels? I'm wondering if they hastened the demise of the wheel bearing?Turned out to be a great decision so far: cost buttons to buy, does over 30mpg round town and is enormous fun to drive!
Ford really did get the handling/ chassis feel right with this one. And the Yamaha engine is lovely too.
On top of that its doors close with a lovely heavy 'thunk' and all the electrics and air con work well. In fact, if it carries on behaving it'll get put into storage over summer and brought out again next winter.
Downsides: One wheel bearing failed fairly spectacularly, but was fixed for usual Ford prices.. Ie. Mega cheap!
Seats, they're not great for me for a long distance and in the same vein motorways are not its thing.
Also, the headlights. I really like the look of them but even having been polished and with new bulbs they're rubbish.
Overall though - super little car. Definite future classic. Crazy value for money.
But the wheel bearing is £13 and the wheels look pretty and set it off from other ones.. so they can stay!
Olivera said:
I agree, great car to drive.
However yours still has a critical flaw inherent to all Pumas - the most ludicrous rear ride height and arch gap ever committed to a production car! Offensive to the eyes.
Haha.. true! Missus has daft speed bumps at her work which stops any ideas about lowering sadly. Plus the standard set up works so well I wouldn't wish to spoil it. However yours still has a critical flaw inherent to all Pumas - the most ludicrous rear ride height and arch gap ever committed to a production car! Offensive to the eyes.
Oh - and re the DC2 - I'm a big fan too and plan to get one for her in place of this at some point. Massively different price points and ability. But if you appreciate one I'm sure you appreciate the other.
yonex said:
Actually, when I bought my DC2 you could pay within a few grand for a Puma, let alone the racing. Both coupes, different manufacturers. Sorry you don't like the comparison.
The DC2 is without doubt the superior car in most respects, but tidy DC2s fetch probably 4-5 times more than a Puma these days.Treated MRS MARKY to one last year (thunder version), she loves it.
No good for my 17st 6ft+ lump but it sure is a sporty little thing that goes round bends on rails.
Blead the brakes a couple of times but they still feel spongy.
Zero rust on the arches or anywhere else that I can see underneath.
Was offered double what I paid for it at a show last year.
Future classic its a keeper.
No good for my 17st 6ft+ lump but it sure is a sporty little thing that goes round bends on rails.
Blead the brakes a couple of times but they still feel spongy.
Zero rust on the arches or anywhere else that I can see underneath.
Was offered double what I paid for it at a show last year.
Future classic its a keeper.
I had a puma thunder a few years back, they are good little cars for the price. The stand out for me was the handling and gear change, really very good for what it was. The engine in mine certainly wasn't as good as some describe, it seemed ok, happy to be revved, but it wasn't as good as some on here make out despite its Yamaha underpinnings. As I've said before, I preferred the engine in the Corsa C 1.8, it just felt keener, sounded better and more enjoyable to use (Shame about the rest of it!). As for comparisons with the DC2, totally different cars. The DC2 would utterly demolish the puma but it's a totally different sort of car. Probably feels more like a FWD mx5 than a DC2 competitor.
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