Get Native
New member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2014
- Messages
- 37
Hi everyone, first post
So 6 months ago by random chance, i bought a Ford Puma. I scrapped My Mk1 Clio as it was beyond saving, and with a £400 budget i set out to gumtree and the local paper to find a new car.
Choices were fairly limited included a mk1 seat ibiza, 1999 vauxhall vectra, 1998 civic 1.4 saloon, and a 1.7 1998 Ford Puma with 126,000 miles on the clock, when I took it for a test drive I knew I had struck gold, it pulled like a dream (well compared to what ive been used to) apart from when the glove box fell off!
It was slightly dodgy, don't get me wrong, there is a huge scratch down the drivers side, all the lights are dulled and misty (rear lights have lots of condensation) stank of smoke, ash everywhere, central locking not working,only one key, no wheel nut key, and a tiny bit of rust on the wheel arches (someone has bodged repaired this), front bumper looks knackered, clearly a car park crash at some point - there is no chassis damage and the sills are in good nick.
So that was that, without really realizing what i had bought, i owned a ford puma, a sports car?, for me this was a chance purchase, i didn't set out to buy one, i needed a cheap car, and this is what fortune gave me.
So my mechanic inspects the car, we dig through all the paperwork and found the cambelt was changed at 90,000 miles, 6 years servicing at ford garages from new, 3 owners, and complety stock, untouched and unmodified. As there were 3 months till the MOT i decided to run the car and see if it blew up before spending any more money, but with a minor MOT failure, i decided to spend £300 on a full service, fluid change, new wipers, single new shock replacement due to a cracked coil, spark plugs, ht leads, air box, air filter, oil filter etc, i have little mechanical skills and no tools sadly, but would love to not spend tons in the garage in future.
Since, i have stripped the rear interior, 'mainly for space for my surfboard' hm hm cough cough... and fitted a sports back box with a lovely grumble, bumped into curb so tracking is slighty off, oh yeh and there is no engine temperature warning as the dial is broken!
But overall, apart from Oil top ups (nickasil arghh) ive spent £700. I really love the car and think shes worth saving, they dont make em like they used to, and i think that definitely the Puma is a future ford classic.
So my main question is this, at 110 to 120mph (private road) the rpm range sits at 5000 - 6000, is this bad for the engine at this age and mileage? ive never taken her past 120, but i am worried im killing her seeing as shes quite old now, im dreaming of turbocharging her but I know the serious dedication and cost it can take to perfect a mod like that, what do you guys think? What are the most important things about keeping her on the road, and is it worth it?
Thanks,
Get Native
So 6 months ago by random chance, i bought a Ford Puma. I scrapped My Mk1 Clio as it was beyond saving, and with a £400 budget i set out to gumtree and the local paper to find a new car.
Choices were fairly limited included a mk1 seat ibiza, 1999 vauxhall vectra, 1998 civic 1.4 saloon, and a 1.7 1998 Ford Puma with 126,000 miles on the clock, when I took it for a test drive I knew I had struck gold, it pulled like a dream (well compared to what ive been used to) apart from when the glove box fell off!
It was slightly dodgy, don't get me wrong, there is a huge scratch down the drivers side, all the lights are dulled and misty (rear lights have lots of condensation) stank of smoke, ash everywhere, central locking not working,only one key, no wheel nut key, and a tiny bit of rust on the wheel arches (someone has bodged repaired this), front bumper looks knackered, clearly a car park crash at some point - there is no chassis damage and the sills are in good nick.
So that was that, without really realizing what i had bought, i owned a ford puma, a sports car?, for me this was a chance purchase, i didn't set out to buy one, i needed a cheap car, and this is what fortune gave me.
So my mechanic inspects the car, we dig through all the paperwork and found the cambelt was changed at 90,000 miles, 6 years servicing at ford garages from new, 3 owners, and complety stock, untouched and unmodified. As there were 3 months till the MOT i decided to run the car and see if it blew up before spending any more money, but with a minor MOT failure, i decided to spend £300 on a full service, fluid change, new wipers, single new shock replacement due to a cracked coil, spark plugs, ht leads, air box, air filter, oil filter etc, i have little mechanical skills and no tools sadly, but would love to not spend tons in the garage in future.
Since, i have stripped the rear interior, 'mainly for space for my surfboard' hm hm cough cough... and fitted a sports back box with a lovely grumble, bumped into curb so tracking is slighty off, oh yeh and there is no engine temperature warning as the dial is broken!
But overall, apart from Oil top ups (nickasil arghh) ive spent £700. I really love the car and think shes worth saving, they dont make em like they used to, and i think that definitely the Puma is a future ford classic.
So my main question is this, at 110 to 120mph (private road) the rpm range sits at 5000 - 6000, is this bad for the engine at this age and mileage? ive never taken her past 120, but i am worried im killing her seeing as shes quite old now, im dreaming of turbocharging her but I know the serious dedication and cost it can take to perfect a mod like that, what do you guys think? What are the most important things about keeping her on the road, and is it worth it?
Thanks,
Get Native