Honestly no opinion on the Cougar, other than it sounds a bit high for a 12-year-old Ford product, and those (and T-birds of those years) have a reputation for needing $1500 anti-lock brake modules (even at low miles). If I were in your shoes, I'd look at everything in the price range, and try to avoid payments if you can. I always buy from private sellers, and never from a dealer. You might get a so-called warranty from the dealer on a used car, but I think it's easier to get the car for 20% less from a private party, and get it fixed at your cost and at your convenience, by a shop you pick, IF & when anything goes wrong with it. If it's a big problem, you might still have some factory warranty transferrable from a private party. Just saying.
Case in point: My latest buy; an '05 Tacoma Prerunner crew cab, loaded, which sells at Toyota used lots for about $19K, I got from a private seller for $13K with 105K miles and the airbag warning light on, and some damage in the back seat upholstry. I had the air bag light diagnosed and fixed the problem for $300, and I bought a new back seat off Craigslist from a smashed truck for $150. Now I have a nice $19K truck for $13,450. My wife got her 2-month-old Lexus RX350 with under 1000 miles on it from a repo agent for $10K under wholesale bluebook, and it still had full warranty, and clean title, and all. All I had to do was polish out a few scratches, wax it and vacuum it out, and it was good as new from the Lexus dealer!
When you buy vehicles, all it takes is some smart thinking, and you'll do fine!!!!
Charles
Pacer and Gremlin are righteous too
Don't laugh... They're starting to turn up at car shows and auctions, and going to collectors for big $$$.
DISCLAIMER: I don't want one!
Charles