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After 12 years of reliable operation, my Cougar finally found itself in a completely immovable state. Only 15 minutes after informing my carpool I planned to drive the Cougar through the winter, all transmission shifter operation ceased. A firm believer in the personality of inanimate objects, I'm convinced the Cougar simply did not want to drive in the snow. A quick check of the cables under the shifter and visual confirmation of movement on the top of the transmission was all I needed to call the tow truck while TomTom stood watch as rape guard. Three days later, with a $900 estimate I told the dealership where to shove it and towed it home with the obligatory bumper destruction that always accompanies my tow-dolly adventures. Further inspection revealed the problem to be inside the transmission, which means the Cougar gets its usual winter slumber as I wait for warmer weather to properly fix it.