SOTW Special: Ford Puma
The Riggers shed (328i) is dead, long live the Riggers shed (Puma)...
Riggers blocks out rust-prone areas...
Of course, as a car of dubious mileage, patchy history and crumbling bodywork (in places), it was unlikely to last all that long, but it still saddened me to have to wave it off as it trundled away on the salvage merchant's low-loader.
That is, of course, the game you play with shedding. Your bargain-basement purchase might last you for years, or it might go pop, as mine did. And you can't get sentimental with a Shed and start lavishing time and money on it, because that way lies penurious ruin (see Garlick's PH fleet updates for details - though none of his cars are technically sheds...pricewise).
But there is always a silver lining to such things, and in this particular case it means getting to go and buy a new car. A process I love. Endlessly browsing the classifieds, vowing to go and see several cars, promising yourself that you'll carefully and dispassionately assess every one... and then falling in love with the first one you actually go and see, and sticking some money down. Sadly, a lack of funds means that the Riggers household must stick strictly to a one-shed rule, and so I don't get to do this all that often, which is a shame.
As the 3-series sat mouldering on our driveway, a parade of Pumas danced across the PH office laptops (generally when I should have been doing something more productive), but none was right. Too leggy, too dented, too expensive, too far away or - most often - too rusty.
But eventually the search homed in on the car you see here. A Goldilocks Puma. Not too pricy, not too high mileage, not too far away and - crucially - with service history and evidence of a cambelt and head gasket change in its recent past.
As a 'Thunder' edition it's also one of the last Pumas built (1000 came in Silver, another 1000 in grey) and gets a load of extra kit including leather, a heated windscreen, special alloys (everybody say 'ooh') and traction control (everybody say 'aah'). We were sold.
In doing so we technically bent the rules of SOTW somewhat, because the chap had it advertised for £1150, but we did shake on £1000, so we do still squeak into legitimate shed territory.
Advert is reproduced below
2001 FORD PUMA THUNDER SILVER
£1150
2001 Ford Puma 1.7i Thunder, MOT June 2012, Tax August 2011, Air Con, Full Leather Interior, Alloy Wheels, ABS, Traction Control, Heated Front Windscreen, Electric Windows, Electric Mirrors, Remote Central Locking, CD PLayer with MP3 Connection, 2 New Front Tyres, Recent Cam Belt Change, Head Gasket & Thermostat. All old MOT's & Part Service History, Drives Well and Bodywork in Good Condition. Reluctant Sale.
 Out with the old (sniff, etc...) ... |
 ...and in with the new. Mmm... shiny new things... |
)
An early one with fsh, 2 owners, 68k and a brand new clutch for just over £1k.
I love it, its a real bargain of a fun car, mine being an early one, a 98, does without the leather and a few trinkets and I got one without AC, one less thing to go wrong imo.
The way you can carry speed in the corners is fantastic and so far in mixed driving I am getting 35mpg.
I plan to poly bush mine and do the rear track modification, and uprate the front brakes to the late model spec, but apart from that, I am keeping it as it is. Also need to sort an oil weep, but as its tiny, I an not too bothered.
Already done a service, cambelt and water pump due for next weekend. Cheap parts, plenty of spares, and I am lucky mine has mint rear arches and sills, so its just a case of mainitaing the bodywork I hope..
only niggles are a drivers seat a bit to high for my liking, lack of storage space in the cabin and rubbish headlights.
There that should stop that one being banded out in the rest of the thread.
Didn't realise there were any left all the local ones to me went into dealers under the scrapage scheme - I guess that one was just a smidge to new and so has been saved so to speak.
Nice little "drivers" although I did find all round vision a bit restricted
And it make a change from a great big barge
The Thunder edition wheels arent as nice as the fan blade/turbine style ones are they really? There were a bit of a 'feature' of the Puma.
Only last night I was in my local Motorfactors and there was a very nice Red one, zero rust, lovely condition. Thought it looked great.
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