When I was looking for cars for today, I found these two that didn’t really go together. Try as I might, I couldn’t come up with anything that really went with either one, at least that I felt like writing about, so screw it – they’re facing off against each other. They’re about the same age and price, at least, so that’s something.
Let yesterday’s Showdown be a lesson to anyone trying to sell a car: Presentation matters. Especially if you’re asking top dollar for a car. I don’t think that Buick wagon was as scruffy as the photos made it out to be, but it did not make a good impression. The uber-clean and well-photographed Chrysler LeBaron absolutely trounced it. If the Buick’s seller had taken an hour or two to wash, vacuum, and carefully photograph it, it might have been a closer contest.
I choose the LeBaron anyway, which I’m sure will come as no surprise to regular readers. I really like that body style, and maroon is a good color for it. The basic 2.5 and automatic combo is a bit of a letdown, but it’ll get the job done, and I know that engine well enough to trust it. That’s a good price for that car, too.
So, a bit of an odd couple for today, then. We’ve got a formerly-nice Lexus sedan that has lived a hard life, and an orphaned Ford product that has barely lived at all. Which one is more deserving of your three grand or thereabouts? Read on and decide.
2000 Mercury Cougar – $3,200
Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter DOHC V6, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: San Mateo, CA
Odometer reading: 74,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The Mercury Cougar nameplate bounced around between Ford products for most of its existence: it was at various times a Mustang, a Torino, and a Thunderbird. But this final Cougar had no Ford equivalent; instead, it was one of Ford’s cast-offs. This car was meant to be the third-generation Ford Probe, but the Probe was discontinued before it was launched. The development work was already done, so Ford slapped a Mercury Cougar badge on it and sent it out anyway. Unlike earlier versions of the Probe, which were Mazda-based, this one is based on the European Ford Mondeo, sold here as the Contour and Mercury Mystique.
Two different engines and two different transmissions were offered, and this car has the best combo: a 2.5-liter Duratec V6 paired with a five-speed manual. It’s front-wheel-drive, but so were all its competitors at the time. And honestly, if you’re still shunning FWD cars in this day and age, you’re going to find your pickings slim indeed. This car has just 74,000 miles on its odometer, and the seller says it runs and drives “excellent.”
The interior looks great; honestly, I didn’t think these cars were this nice inside. It’s a classic example of Ford’s “New Edge” styling, with grand sweeping curves and almost no straight lines. Whether you’re a fan or not, you have to admit it’s better than a giant screen glued to the dash. I do think I see a modern touchscreen stereo, but if that annoys you, you can always change it.
The New Edge theme continues outside, and I have always thought the Cougar pulled it off better than some other examples. It’s not an exciting color, but that’s all right. It’s clean and shiny, and it shouldn’t have any rust to worry about. The aftermarket wheels are a matter of taste; I would usually rather see stock wheels on a car, just for proper fitment, but these don’t look bad, and I think they’re the stock size.
2001 Lexus IS 300 – $2,850
Engine/drivetrain: 33.0-liter DOHC inline-6, five-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Lake Stevens, WA
Odometer reading: 228,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well, with a couple warning lights
Lexus sedans were a hit in the US from the start, and quickly gained a reputation for excellent quality and reliability, but they weren’t generally seen as a whole lot of fun. With the IS, Lexus aimed to change that perception and set its sights squarely on the BMW 3 Series. This car has an inline six driving the rear wheels, and it’s tuned more for handling than for ride comfort. Those attributes didn’t steal that many buyers away from BMW, but they did make the IS popular among a certain type of secondhand buyer. A lot of them were lowered, equipped with loud intakes and exhausts, and beaten within inches of their lives. This car seems to have led such an existence, but its current seller has been trying to bring it back to some level of respectability.
One thing that made the IS 300 such a darling of the tuner crowd is its engine, Toyota’s 2JZ inline six, shared with the Supra. It’s an already powerful engine that takes modifications well and is capable of making ridiculous horsepower in the right hands. But it’s also a Toyota engine, which means that if you just keep it stock and treat it nicely, it will keep happily spinning indefinitely. This one has no modifications besides a “cold air” intake and an aftermarket exhaust, meaning it’s probably just louder than stock, not really faster. It runs and drives well, but it currently has a check-engine light for an oxygen sensor. In addition, the ABS and traction control lights are on, which probably means a rear wheel sensor has failed or is disconnected. I believe both systems use the same sensors. The car had previously been lowered, but the seller raised it back up to stock ride height, and I have a suspicion that a wire may have been severed during that process.
There are no photos of the interior in the ad, which worries me a little. All we get is this view of the center stack showing the aftermarket Kenwood stereo. This car was most recently driven by a high-school kid, and I know how they treat their cars – after all, I was one once. I hope this isn’t the case, but I fear the interior is in sorry shape, hence no photos. At least the air conditioner works.
The fact that this car was even offered in screaming yellow shows Lexus’s intentions with it. The fact that it is no longer all yellow shows that some previous owners’ intentions were not honorable. Both bumpers and one front fender have been replaced, but not painted to match. There is also some minor damage to the trunk lid and the driver’s door. A new used trunk lid is included, but it’s blue.
With one of these cars, you’re looking at what it is, exactly as it sits: a sports coupe with a somewhat spotty reliability record that’s in really nice condition at the moment. With the other, you’re looking at potential: it was once a nice sports sedan and it could be again with a little love, or it could be the basis for a much wilder build. It all depends what you’re in the mood for.
I always felt that Cougar never got the attention it deserved. We had some really neat designs back around 1999-2000. The Lexus is included in that statement, but not this clapped out POS.
Call me Finch, because I am after that Cougar.
Even if the Lexus was in better shape, my vote would be the same; I’m obligated. $3200 was what my Cougar was listed for when I bought it. They’d make a nice pair sitting in my driveway.
Easiest choice ever: a nice looking coupé in a great shape, a hard-beaten sedan. None of the Lexus reliability was left inside. None.
The Lexus in that shape might be worth putting money into saving if it was either manual or a SportCross but being that it’s neither, I’ll defer to rule one of cheap beaters – Condition is King so the Cougar wins.
I had Contour SVT back in the day and really enjoyed it. It was an excellent driving car and the compact-ish size was perfect for me at the time. Yes, reliability was… uh, marginal, shall we say, but not horrendous. I’ve certainly had worse.
The Cougar has the same platform and basic engine but down about 30hp and doesn’t have all the SVT suspension upgrades, but still should be an entertaining car to bomb around in on the weekend, especially with the stick. I’ve driven the regular Contour SE with this same drivetrain and it was a solid driver. I almost bought that but then decided to hold out for the upcoming (at the time) SVT. In good condition with low miles it’s an easy pick.
This Lexus on the other hand. That poor, poor car has seen things, not good things like oil changes mind you, but many other things both horrible and frightening to a mechanic’s eyes. Even the HVAC controls somehow look abused. Also, I can smell the vape and weed from here.
I am surprised the “Trac OFF” button has any lettering left at all.
My guess would be that the ABS and Traction Control warning lights on the dash are because the rear ABS sensors were cut to permanently disable the system so the button is now just for show.
A friend of mine got a Cougar for his first car with the same engine and drivetrain, it was fun to drive if you didn’t take yourself too seriously. Another friend recently sold his IS300 which was also fun to drive and very well built, but that’s not what we are looking at here. The biggest problem with the Mercury is other people who want to poo-poo your fun because the car doesn’t match their definition of performance, and now-a-days I have no time for that. For the same price, no contest; make it the Mercury.
Mid 20s me wanted that Cougar when it came out. Early 50s me still does. Easy choice, no brainer here.
That Cougar is in nice shape. Low mile and garaged (judging by the clear headlights).
That’s my pick for today.
Too bad the Lexus wasn’t in better shape, becuase I’d love to drive a 33 liter engine for the fist time.
If the Lexus were in as good a condition as the Cougar, this would have been a really easy choice. As is, it is still a really easy choice in the direction of the Mercury.
Literally no contest today.
There is a theme here:
Undesirable (relatively), but clean and good condition
versus:
Desirable, but thrashed and rough.
Sadly, that Lexus is too far gone. It might be good for drivetrain bits, but getting the bodywork into anything resembling good shape will likely cost far more than just finding a better condition IS.
Aside from the already well-stated reasons, what’s not to love about another Ford division having a stand-alone product instead a simply badge-engineered Ford one as was hugely common at the time? Like Lincoln’s later 3 liter twin turbo V6, cool that there was at least a little uniqueness.
That Lexus will be bouncing sideways off a curb in a takeover video before summer is over.
That Lexus definitely needs to be the next Autopian vehicle. How many do we need to sign up to get Tracy to live in it?
I really liked the Cougars when they came out, and that got my vote today; despite having enough time in a Contour to know better. This one is in far better shape than that heap was.
It belonged to my now Ex-Wife when we started dating, and I was enlisted to help fix a dodgy window switch on the driver’s door panel. Upon removal of said panel we found a pile of soggy porno mags buried inside the door, likely from someone disposing of evidence on the assembly line.
I picked a Mercury over a Lexus today. Wow.
Then again, the Merc is a manual and MUCH nicer shape.
“Engine/drivetrain: 33.0-liter DOHC inline-6, five-speed automatic, RWD”
Damn they fit a 33 liter engine into that little Lexus how? /s
Jokes aside besides the gaudy wheels that cougar looks to be really good shape and well taken care of vs the best to hell Lexus.
One Corvette C8’s 5.5L V8 per cylinder
It was a typo. Supposed to say “33.0 DeciLiters”.
Faux internet money – picking the Lexus.
I could do anything with it. Drive it into the ground. Learn to drift and not care. Take it to the track. Rob a bank in Detroit and blend into the sea of mismatched bodypanel vehicles. Park on any street and not worry about a door ding, and peel out like I had a G35.
I remember when that Cougar came out in the 90’s – one was on display at the new Metreon in SF in this same color.
It was a disappointing design – Didn’t seem very Cougar at all.
I wonder if it’s the same car?
But the Cougar is nowhere near as bad as that beat to shi* yellow thing.
So Cougar it is.
Tough choice. I picked the Cougar. Mechanically, it should be fine as far as parts go, but if any trim, glass, or body panels get damaged, well, good freakin’ luck.
Still, it’s a better choice than that Lexus that’s been beaten within an inch of its life.
33 liter engine!!!
Seeing a MAN D3872 (a 30 liter marine engine) is about the size of that Lexus damn I wonder how they fit such a big engine into that Lexus’ engine bay
Those always said “Capri” more than “Cougar” to me, but a clean, low-mileage, 5-speed, V6 says “buy me” regardless of its dodgy reputation for reliability.
I don’t drift. If I did, that IS is prime Missile material, since it appears that’s already happened to it. And, while I don’t need another 2-door coupe, the MondeoCougar was one I did always like the looks of. And it’s stick, too. I’ll go with that. Whoever buys the IS can lower it again, rip off the bumpers, replace them with bash bars, LS swap it, and dent the doors of their friends’ S-Chassis.
Why on earth would you LS swap it? It already comes with the same engine as the Supra so just replace the rods and pistons and shoot for 1000hp with a Cummins turbo.
Drift bruh tropes. But you could do that, yes.
“Which One Speaks To You? 2000 Mercury Cougar vs 2001 Lexus IS 300”
That yellow thing is speaking to me loudly.
RUN AWAY!!!
Got it in one! No further comments needed.