Life after a Puma

I like to think that the number of cars I’ve owned in twelve years of driving is pretty average – a total of nine: one Austin Metro, one MK3 Fiesta, five Escorts – including two MK5 XR3i, and I’m new on my second Puma.

Now I know Fords, and I know their reputation, they don’t get called ‘Fix Or Repair Daily’ for no reason. This is never truer than with older Fords. Even the yougest Pumas are now nine years old, and don’t forget that Ford stopped production in 2001, so that even ones that are registered on ’02 and ’52 plates were still made in 2001 at the latest. The oldest ones are thirteen years old, and more than a few, at both ends of the spectrum, are showing and feeling their age.

Cosmetically, Puma’s suffer from the common Ford problem of rust, particularly on the rear arches due to how the metal curves up on the inside of the arch and traps water.

Mechanically, they suffer the same problems as any old car, parts wear out, and start becoming temperamental. Some will go for thousands of miles on barely a sniff of oil and no problems, others will use up their oil and be in and out of garages every month.

Despite of any problems, there are more than a few Puma owners who struggle to decide what to buy as their next car. There are very few machines on the market that offer the same levels of practicality combined with performance and fuel economy. 2+2 seating – although rear passengers might need to duck a little – 123 bhp and a top speed of 125 mph, all for between 35 – 45 mpg, depending on your driving style, and a low purchase price.

So where do you go from there? It’s a tough one.

For performance and fuel economy, some look towards something like the Mazda MX5 or a Lotus Elise or Exige. But you lose out on the practicality of having rear seats and decent sized boot, and if you’re anything over five and a half feet tall, you’re seriously going to struggle on a day to day basis.

If, like me, you want to stick with the blue oval, there’s models such as the Fiesta ST or Zetec S, Focus ST170, ASBO ST, MK1 Focus RS, or the MK2 Focus RS. Anything with less performance will feel like a step backwards, and none of them quite have the look or the feel of the Puma.

Others I know of have gone Japanese, to the Toyota Celica or MR2, yet others have stayed with coupés, such as the Hyundai coupé.

Always though, it feels like there is a compromise or a sacrifice on whatever choice is made.

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