LOW MILES 25th ANNIV. LOADED UP AND READY TO CRUISE

This is nice 25th Anniversary Mercury Cougar with LOW MILES! It’s a two owner car where both owners have been “mature”. Its spent its whole life in the Tampa Bay area, and is in ready to drive condition. A recent trade back to me, as I sold it to the most recent owner a few years ago. It was his local car, as he is a semi-retired seasonal resident. Has an IL title, but has not left the area since 2007. Stored during the summer, with most of the use being back and forth to the golf course and out to dinner.

The 25th Anniversary Cougar is a follow up to the 20th Anniversary car and was followed on by the 30th Anniversary model in ’97. Built on the NM-12 platform, it featured the IRS rear as the Thunderbird and the Lincoln Mark Series cars. Some 5,000 of the 25th Anniversary models were offered, with both the 5.0 V8 and the 3.8 V6 engines. The 5.0 cars came with 16 inch rims, the 3.8’s had 15 inch rims, but otherwise were very similar in equipment and features. These were loaded up with most options as standard, and several unique features.

Questions after you’ve looked at the listing? Call me Monday to Saturday 9:30 to 7:00 eastern.

Exterior. Green! All of the 25th Anniversary models are the same color, Tourmaline Green. Has a hint of blue when the sun hits it right and its got a lot of metallic in it. An early 90’s color for sure. Overall, the exterior is in nice condition, reflecting the miles and the care that its gotten over the years. Minor paint flaws, but nothing to detract from the overall presentation of the car. Due to clear coat issues, the front and rear bumpers were refinished in 200, but can find no evidence of any collision damage to the car, reported or otherwise. Having seen cars with more flaws win “preservation” awards at AACA meets, I’m comfortable that all expecting “clean and straight” will be satisfied. All of the glass is good, the lenses are in good condition, and all of the trim is attached to the car like it is supposed to be. All of the 25th Anniversary badging is present and in good condition. This car DOES NOT have the sunroof, which was the only major option for the car..

Overall, I don’t think that you will be disappointed in the exterior presentation of this car. It is after all 25+ model years old.

Its all there in its Tan and Green glory, and its in the kind of condition one hopes for, but rarely sees. Nice and clean, the carpet is in very good condition and has the original 25th Anniversary logo floormats in useable condition, showing a little wear on the driver’s mat, otherwise quite nice. The Ultrasuede and leather upholstery is in decent shape with a couple of minor wear points, but more than presentable for just about any vintage car. . Clean headliner, clean parcel shelf, clean glovebox. Minor flaws to driver’s door panel trim, all of the soft materials and the other three panels in very good condition. Working power locks, power windows and cruise, and all of the rest of the controls are clean and functional. Power seat works both up and down and back and forth. Aftermarket CD player installed with an adapter kit that did NOT require a harness cut, and the Original radio is included. Minor dash crack covered by custom made dash cover. The dashes themselves were not available for a number of years, but now can be had.

Drivetrain. This is a 3.8 car, so its no muscle car, it’s a cruiser for sure. A nice cruiser at that. Starts right up, idles smooth, shifts well, stops decently, runs cool with good oil pressure. All of the controls work, tracks straight with a recent alignment and pretty much does all of the things that its supposed to do in quiet and comfort. All of the gauges work as they should, and it’s a 20+ mpg car on the highway. Got it up to 75mph, and it was steady. A/C has been converted to R134 in the past and is functioning well.

Its gotten a good bit of preventative service and repair and is in turn the key and go condition.

• New front sway bar links

• New front upper control arms with ball joints

• New Alternator

• New rear shocks

• Oil and Filter

• New inner and outer tie rod ends on the driver’s side

• Less than 100 miles ago, new rear brake shoes, hardware, hoses, wheel cylinders, and handbrake cables.

In the last several thousand miles, its gotten lower control arms and ball joints, front brake pads and rotors, rear sway bar links, and regular service and a driver’s side window motor and regulator .

The underside is nice and clean, with no rust, and the original exhaust system. No visible oil, coolant, or other fluid leaks, and all of the covers and components where they belong. Consistent with the rest of the car.

Please note that while the miles appear to be correct, the car will be sold with a “miles exempt” title as it was exempted when it last registered, as even though the car did not leave FL, its currently titled in IL, as it is the homestead state of the last owner. Done because the insurance was about 1/3rd the price of here. Because of that I can’t legally represent the car to be “actual miles”. Know its close, based on the condition of the wear items and what is original to the car, such as the pedal pads, the original exhaust system still in good condition, and the fact that is was actual miles when we first sold it. Back in 2007.

Its got a spare which looks good and the trunk area is nice. Has all of the tools. A full set of books. Wheels in good shape with just minor flaws. Tires are General in the OE size (205/70x15) that look to be about 50%. They look small for the car, but things have changed over the years.

Clean, title history. I’ll be putting a few more miles on it over the next week just to make sure I have not missed anything it needs to be the best it can be so we’ve added a few miles to the listing.

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions that I get on my listings:

What’s the worst thing about this car?

Nothing known that has not been described or pictured in the listing that I am aware of. If I were to use it on a regular basis, I’d fit a more “current” tire configuration. The wheels are 7 inches wide, so a more modern tire is a pretty easy and straightforward upgrade.

What’s the best part of the car?

It’s a real “period piece”, and with the miles it shows, it drives like they did back in the day. Kind of a “cool” ride.

Could I drive this car back home

Can’t see why not. Again, I’d fit a different tire set for a long ride.

The reserve, which WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED, is not unreasonable given the condition of this car, and is in line with the current market; it’s a used car, not an investment in automotive art. Please take an opportunity to look at the photos, ask any questions that you might have, and then feel free to press that bid button………

A Few words about condition, business philosophy, and why I’ve listed on E-Bay since 2001.

I try to accurately describe the listed vehicle to the best of my ability, but like you I am human, and assure you that I will not hide any known defects that materially impact the vehicle. I want you to feel “comfy” pressing the bid button! I don’t offer anything that I would not and have not driven myself, but please understand that all vehicles are complex machines and what works perfect right now may not the next time. Just like a new pet from the shelter, its first act as new member of the family might be to “mark its spot”. If you have doubts, feel free to ask questions PLEASE ask for the inspection report!!

What I try to bring to the table as competitive advantages are three fold:

1. Knowledge of the brands of vehicles I choose to offer.

2. Ability to find skilled crafts people in the trade who do good work at a fair price. For the things I’m not real good at, I’ve used just about all of the same suppliers for at least 15 years. I don’t try to bust ‘em for a really low price, but reward their fine work by loyalty.

3. Lower overhead. I’m not in the local retail market, so no fancy showroom in a high cost location.

I’ll be glad to share any additional information that I have about any item listed, and about the marque in general, but please understand that its up to you to determine if the car listed in this auction is the right one for you. Please don’t assume….it’s a good way to be disappointed…the only ‘stupid’ questions are the ones not asked, and after the auction is over is not the time to determine whether or not y’all want the listed vehicle!

Spending every last dime you have on a used car with an expectation that it will give you faithful service with no additional expenses for the next 10 years probably is not a real good idea, so use your head, spend within your means, and leave a little in reserve for a ‘rainy day’.

I try very hard to use objective terms in the listings, and where possible, can provide quantitative data on things that can be measured without taking the car apart, so if you have questions on things like tread depth, compression readings, voltages and the like, feel free to ask and if its possible to provide the data I will. However, please keep in mind that terms like Excellent, Mint, Good, etc. are subjective terms that vary from situation to situation, and from individual to individual, so if in doubt please refer to the photos AND feel free to ask detailed questions.

Remember that this is a USED CAR!!!!. While I try my best to make sure each unit has been carefully described, you should be aware that they are not in "as new" condition, except where the addition of new parts has been indicated. There can be undiscovered flaws, but each car has been gone through using a two page checklist, a daily use evaluation (that means I’ve actually driven it, in traffic, just like an owner might use it, and an overall visual inspection. Cars with built in diagnostics such as OBDII are also read, and identified flaws corrected. We don’t just shut the light off, we find out why the light came on in the first place so. Each car has been given a check of all safety systems, all operational controls are functional, and any needed repairs or replacements are performed unless otherwise indicated. Unless otherwise indicated, these cars are being “AS IS”, WITH NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. To make things really clear, if its not as described, I’ll bust my butt to make it right before it goes out the door, but if you blow a hose while doing 90 mph 6,000 miles down the road and warp the head ‘cause you decide to make it to the next exit 26 miles south and expect me the pick up the tab, please don’t bother to bid…neither one of us will be happy…. (true story)

While I do my best to offer the best cars that I can, I am not able to predict the future (If I could, I could see a job at the Federal Reserve...), hence the "no warranty" provision of the transaction.

You are welcome to inspect the cars at any time during normal business hours and the reserve price, if any, will be LESS than the local offer price for the car. I built my first VW motor when I was 14, and that's more years ago than I'd like to admit, and approach each car as if it was going to be my own or a family member’s.

In my prior career I was a corporate "weenie" with the same firm for 25 years and when it came time to do something different, I turned my hobby into a business. That “hobby” turned in to a full time, 6 day a week business for over 17 years. Although we may never meet face to face, I want to earn your trust, and hopefully your repeat business and your recommendation. I’m not some “ex new car dealer whose wife threw him out of the house”, “an official liquidation center for vehicle disposal”, or a “new car trade in wholesaler” who never even drives what they are selling, but a car nut and now small business person who believes that it is possible to buy a car from an ethical source who is familiar with the car. I stick with marques I’m familiar with, so as to minimize potential problems, and source the cars from reliable sources. As a matter of policy, if I don’t have the title AND a history for the car, you won’t see it on e-bay!!

Life’s too short to lie, and while one person’s trash …… I’ll try hard to call ‘em as I see ‘em.

One of the things that drives me nuts is the following.. Folks buy a car based solely on price, and then take it to a NEW CAR dealer or fancy emporium, pay OVER retail price for parts (IN ONE CASE MORE THAN 4 TIMES THE GOING PRICE!!!!), DOUBLE the going local rate for labor by a quality independent shop and them come back to me feeling that they have been ripped off. New car stores exist to sell and service NEW CARS. If you feel the need to have the “new car” experience, its there for you. Like the “free coffee”, solid mahogany doors to the rest rooms and the fancy carpet in the waiting room are “no charge”??? Just hope you find the one person in the place who actually cares.

The Fine Print and other info worth reading:

Car is offered FOB Tampa Bay FL. Car is 20 minutes from Tampa Airport and beautiful Gulf Beaches . Winning bidder will get an e-mail with a request for information, followed by an express package with transaction detail and supporting documentation. Balance due within 7 business days via either certified funds, cash on local pick up or wire transfer with proper vetting with the financial institutions on both ends of the transaction. Seller can hold for 21 days at no additional charge while buyer makes shipping/travel arrangements. Canadian customers, please note that I am experienced in working with the regulations and requirements.

Please bid with the understanding that the winning bidder has entered into a binding contract to buy the car. Due to the large increase in deadbeat auction winners, by bidding, you have agreed that if you fail to complete the transaction except for those unusual events, you will compensate the seller for the full incurred cost of re-listing the item, plus a service fee equal to 15% of the bid, payable upon demand.

I will gladly answer any and all questions via e-mail and you can also reach me at 727-455-8491 from 9:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. eastern time except Sunday.. Please be aware that I am a solo operation, and it will sometimes take a little while to phone folks back, but I do check e-mail at least twice a day, ‘cept Sunday. I don’t use an answering service, I don’t have anyone who “takes care of stuff” for me, and I don’t use a third party listing service. Hate to do it, but because of some less than “stand up” folks on e-bay, I’ve been forced to go to “private auctions” on autos.

Florida deliveries are subject to local sales tax and $249 title/transaction fee in addition to winning auction bid and any applicable registration fees imposed by the STATE of FLORIDA. Shipped vehicles are not subject to FL sales tax, but are subject to a $149 transaction fee to cover the costs of moving the documents back and forth and to offset the costs of providing insurance coverage for the vehicles while awaiting shipment. Out of state buyers who require a non-permanent tag to drive the car home must be charged sales tax under FL law. ALL SALES SUBJECT TO THE FLORIDA STATUES AND BUYER AGREES TO STATE OF FL JURISDICTION. ALL LISTINGS CAN BE LEGALLY REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF FL AND CONFORM TO APPROPRIATE FL REQUIREMENTS. By bidding, you agree that these terms will apply to the transaction.

If you’d like to come visit, please call for an appointment and directions to our facility. A local buyer can end the auction early by exceeding the reserve providing the reserve has not been met. After the reserve has been met, the auction will not be ended early for a local purchaser. The car is displayed locally but not advertised in any other forum while on E-Bay. Out of state buyers, please contact me for shipping costs to your location at least 24 hours prior to auction close so that I can quote an accurate price as it varies a good bit by car and location, which is not included in the auction bid price. Thank you for bidding

On May-01-18 at 13:09:20 PDT, seller added the following information:

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