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View Full Version : New to NECO What Should My 1st Upgrade Be???


crusincool
07-28-2004, 04:12 PM
Hello im Craig from Ohio. I just picked up my Mercury Cougar the other day. The car was bought Brand New in 2001 by my step dad. He paid around 23,000 + for it. I am buyin it from him now for $11,000 its a 2001 Mercury Cougar ZN Package with V6. Its the yellow color. The car is sharp and sticks out. Everything is stock as of now. I do love the 6 disc changer that came with it. The only thing wrong with this car is that about 4 months ago i ran at it playing around like i was gonna jump on it and i put my hand on the fender and put a dent in the car. It has sent been popped out some but still there about the size of a fist. The good thing is its not creased. I hear i can get this fixed for around 100-200 bucks. That is my first fix to get done.
The car has brand new tires all the way around. I have to check the tires to see what kind but he paid around 800 im im correct on this maybe alittle less. The car has a nice hood scoop and everything in it works greatly. It also has a top of the line electric car starter he put in it about a year or two ago. Not sure on date he paid for that around 300 + and it works up to 900 feet and goes through walls. Nice little feature.
The car only had 48,247 miles on it. Very low miles for a 2001. On a tank of gas id say i get about 485 miles to a full tank of gas. Not to bad. The rims on this car i dont believe are stock cougar rims that come on these cars i think they were a upgrade he had done. I could be wrong but there the kind you can see through and there very cool. It also has the sunroof moonroof feature.

I will have pictures soon. :)

What i want to do is maybe keep the stock radio, and add a set of 2 12"s JL Audio and then replace all the stock speakers in the car to JL and then get a nice Amp or two nice Amps. That will satisfy me greatly on the sound system.

What are some easy cheap upgrades that will make this car sharper.

1. I was thinking about gettin the windows tinted, there tinted from the factory but not sure on the tint. Maybe go with 20 %.
2. I also want to get them yellow tailight covers are them custom painted or do they come painted already? Where can i order a set?
3. Want to get the air breather set up as well.
4. Eventually upgrade to dual exhaust.
5. Get some nice neons and interior work done

The big thing is this i have no body work skills, no motor skills lol and i dont think id want to risk messing any of this up myself. Id have to have all this done by a shop or somebody that can help me.

Id like to start going to a few car shows and maybe ones i get this done up nicely show it off. We in ohio have alot of cruise spots and places to meet and hang out and that is something id like to be apart of.

Of course i want it to be a nice ride as well as good on gas and awesome in the looks department.

That nice chick picker upper lol.

Another thing what exactly is the strutt braces good for??? Do you really need them? The package i have suppose to have a heavy duty suspension on the car already. Just wondering i dont want to have to replace the strutts down the road all cause i didnt add these braces.

Any help would be great.

Sorry so long

monogodo
07-28-2004, 04:25 PM
Welcome to NECO.

Be sure to check out the Ohio NECO chapter. I'm sure there are lots of people there who could help you out with local shops & stuff.

As for parts, check out customcougars.com, remixtuning.com, or do a search of the forums (both current and Archived posts) for the part(s) you're looking for and you should come up with lots of information.

Enjoy the forums, and get those pics up.

PhatCatWI
07-28-2004, 04:37 PM
welcome..... but if you are looking at adding speakers/amps/subs a new deck would greatly increase the sounnd of your stereo.

crusincool
07-28-2004, 07:40 PM
thanks so much for the info.

Also the cougar i have does have something custom done to it. My step dad had small black stripes put on it on each side of the car i never really paid much attention to that i thought it came that way but they did not. It really makes the car sharp. The cool thing in my area there is only 1 of these ZN cars and i own it. The closest one to me that my parents or i have seen is in findlay ohio and they copied my step dad after he went up there and looked at cars and brought that up the same people were there with theres and went out and got them black stripes :( otherwise ive neve seen another one in my area.

As for pictures hopefully have them up this weekend.

Yes i know that adding a new car radio would add to the system. But im not really looking for that. I love the stock stereo 6 disc changer and i want to keep that. Plus when people look at my car they will see the stock stereo and not realize that i have a speaker box in the trunk. Im thinking 2 12's and a decent amp and im HAPPY. The system will be loud and people will be able to hear it. Plus ill enjoy it. At this time im keeping stock speakers in the car but sooner or later ill upgrade when i get more money. Next year spring is when i plan to have most of my upgrades done and go all over with this car to show it off. This year is more to enjoy it. I dont need a real expensive set up to be happy. Also a by replacing the stock stereo it really only helps your highs. The Amp and Subs is where my base and loudness will be at. Then the stock speakers and radio will be my highs. It wont sound bad and in due time i will replace the speakers in the car. But i just for some reason love the 6 disc changer it came with.

thanks for the help i guess ill check out the Ohio part of the site some more.

I was hoping to get some answers on here though lol

Malibu
07-28-2004, 07:42 PM
Originally posted by: monogodo
Welcome to NECO.

Be sure to check out the Ohio NECO chapter. I'm sure there are lots of people there who could help you out with local shops & stuff.

As for parts, check out customcougars.com, remixtuning.com, or do a search of the forums (both current and Archived posts) for the part(s) you're looking for and you should come up with lots of information.

Enjoy the forums, and get those pics up.


Don't forget us either...http://www.gforceauto.com

Welcome to the boards!!!:wave:

Clutch
08-01-2004, 04:00 PM
Your wheels are probably stock for the ZN, the ZN's have special wheels. I have seen alot of ZN's around me with black stripes...i know it sucks to have cars look like yours but.......at least it's a zn. Do you have an automatic or a manual??? Also you said you want to install an air breather...do you mean intake or something else. Welcome, hope we can help you understand.

crusincool
08-01-2004, 05:40 PM
my zn has 17 inch rims. i believe the stock cougar rims are 15" mine are 17. also i doubt many of these 2001 zn cougars have this stripe done on them around. trust me when i get pictures youll see what i mean.

its not some big black stripe down the car or anything. its small pinstripes above the doors down the side of the car. makes the car look very sharp.

my car is a automatic

also i guess when i say air breather im meaning intake

thanks for your help

craig

Zalec
08-05-2004, 04:22 PM
supercharger.

crusincool
08-05-2004, 05:05 PM
i dont think that is where im wanting to go with my car. im not into the speed id rather have looks.

sorry

the first mod is my little dent gettin taken out tommorow for 75-80 bucks not to bad i guess. then the next mod tailight covers then headlight covers matching paint on my car then tinted windows then a system

then who knows from there.

thanks for the help

HellCat99
08-06-2004, 06:11 AM
i wud just buy new fenders... customcougars.com is relativly cheap...then comes the rest... if moneys tight (i know mine is) then just do smaller upgrades like lighting and small dress-up pieces... then save up for the big stuff

Zalec
08-06-2004, 02:41 PM
Originally posted by: crusincool
i dont think that is where im wanting to go with my car. im not into the speed id rather have looks.

sorry



chicks dig fast cars man...

DeathMetal
08-13-2004, 06:19 PM
Seeing that he has an automatic (like me), I think he is going in the right direction.

Clutch
08-14-2004, 11:06 PM
Yeah, Zn's have 17s

CouGuRR
08-19-2004, 05:20 AM
get some nice sidemarkers, after you isntall those you should be able to do anything and everything to your cougar.. maybe even floor mats alone, if you get someone to help you.

h8beingbored
08-19-2004, 05:22 AM
Originally posted by: CouGuRR
maybe even floor mats alone, if you get someone to help you.

HAHAHAHA :rofl: silly newbie . . . trix are for kids :banana:

zeteccoolgar858
08-21-2004, 09:09 PM
Sup y'all! I'm a newbie here but not to the Cougar, I bought my Cougar back in 1998 in late September. The first mod I made on my car was a custom cat back with 3 inch piping and a Stainless steel Magnaflow exhaust. I race a lot, so I am representin' the Couagr to the fullest, it don't matter light to light or illegal street racing or at the drag strip....pull up next to me and my cat will not back down. g2g L8r.

Wild Country
08-24-2004, 05:51 AM
Originally posted by: monogodo
Welcome to NECO.

Be sure to check out the Ohio NECO chapter. I'm sure there are lots of people there who could help you out with local shops & stuff.

As for parts, check out customcougars.com, remixtuning.com, or do a search of the forums (both current and Archived posts) for the part(s) you're looking for and you should come up with lots of information.

Enjoy the forums, and get those pics up.

CustomCougars is an awesome site... you can grab a lot of stuff from there for decent prices.

Fokas
09-29-2004, 07:05 PM
WHAAAT!? you get 485 miles to a full tank of gas? is that a typo, cuz i only get like 200-220

Zalec
10-02-2004, 02:26 AM
Originally posted by: Fokas
WHAAAT!? you get 485 miles to a full tank of gas? is that a typo, cuz i only get like 200-220

yea but how do u drive? do you have a heavy foot....always on the gas? have you changed your fuel filter? cleaned your injectors?

i was getting low 300 in mine.

Fokas
10-02-2004, 06:53 PM
well i was getting around 200 miles to a tank before i got my intake this weekend... i got like 150 miles to the last tank i got cuz i loved the sound of the intake when i floored it :) and my car has like 10k miles on it so i dont see why i would have to replace anything or clean anything besides the oil filter when i do an oil change.

mlotus56
10-05-2004, 01:38 PM
Yeah, I get low 300's (~320) as well: about 20.5 mpg due to short shifting. When I bought my car, it was getting about 19.4 mpg, which was about 280 or so miles a tank. I also let my car drift down hills and stuff so it's not really using much gas when there is no need for it. This is off topic, but that's not bad for my car is it?

N-E-ways, my suggestion is to start with small upgrades such as clear or smoked sidemarkers, tinted windows, or maybe even a system (yeah, that's not really small, but it lets you check out all the options for performance to make a better decision.

GForceAuto
10-06-2004, 04:21 AM
Looks w/no power to back it up = :thumbsdn:

Looks w/power = :thumbsup:

Stock Sleeper w/Lots of power = :banana:

Just my $.02

--Adam


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