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SVT's... are they reliable at all for DD? Just curious...

Chrisf695

New CEG'er
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
28
Location
Novi, MI
Looking to buy one in mint condition and low miles... but kinda scared it will be a money pit...

thanks.
 
when I had mine it was a great DD. I hope to find another to serve as DD again. In my opinion, they are great cars. YMMV. There are some known issues, but nothing major IMHO. Read up and see what they are, and see if you can live with them.
 
I don't know if I bought an example that's been modified too much, or if the cream puff I thought I was buying turned out to be a dud. I have a '99 with 91K miles on it when I bought it. I've managed 5K since April and IN MY OPINION, it's not very reliable for DD duties. Then again, I'm coming from two Toyotas and a Mazda so my view of reliability may be skewed a bit.

I've fixed or replaced:
-Spark plugs (fouled)
-UIM/LIM gaskets (vacuum leak and hadn't been done yet)
-Cleaning of UIM/Throttle body (caked in carbon, causing check engine lights galore)
-Alternator and battery (would come out to a dead car at random several times)
-Tires (consumable, this happens)
-EGR valve (only to find out that it still didn't fix my check engine light)
-Sunroof gears are stripped
-Dash warp is unbelievable
-AC compressor (clutch wouldn't kick unless I bumped it with a stick, and yes I had done the bypass mod and the system was full of refrigerant)
I still have hesitation and bucking at WOT beyond second gear, and the fuel mileage is crap compared to what I'm used to. It's gruntier than my old Celica GTS but I can't eclipse 23 MPG to save my life. I was regularly pulling down 30-32 MPG in my Celica when not caning it to 8200 RPM.

Loved this car way back in the early 2000s when my dad had a V6 Sport and I was trying for forever to get a CSVT. Finally had the funds, and it's just not the car I remember it being. ALL OF THAT SAID, on the days that it works without fuss, it is a great ride. It sounds phenomenal (like a mini Aston Martin to me) and mine in particular in T-Red over Chrome is quite a looker. But as far as daily duties, I'm already looking to get out of it for something a little more reliable, comfortable and more fuel efficient.

That may not sit well since this a board for these cars and their fans in particular, but I think I'm in a situation where fond memories just aren't rekindled exactly like I thought they'd be. Your mileage may vary.
 
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Any car this old with low miles or even 100k miles will need work. Be ready to fix some things, nothing is perfect at this age.
 
Never had any major issues with the 4 contours I had. Drove my 95 SE from around 130K to 220K miles with only needing to replace the cat converters (hit a deer with it even and it still drove great). My 98 SVT, didn't do anything to it besides oil changes. My 99 3.0L, clutch went out but that was because it was a SPEC. My 99 red one, I didn't drive enough to really experience anything. Just like every other vehicle, it just depends on the particular car. SAV is saying how great his Toyotas were, and my father in law had nothing but trouble with his Tundra.
 
Just like every other vehicle, it just depends on the particular car. SAV is saying how great his Toyotas were, and my father in law had nothing but trouble with his Tundra.

Easy there, chief. I know these cars. I've only had this one since April. It may turn out yet to be reliable after this onslaught of problems, but I put over 200K combined on my Yaris and Celica with a cracked sunroof drain being the only problem I've had outside of regular maintenance. And that was on the Celica, which was an entire single year newer than the CSVT I have now.

Every car can have problems, you're right. But I'm just calling a spade a spade.
 
Bought my SVT off the showroom floor November of 97
The water pump blew up twice, the front motor mount gone @ 80 thousand (both considered normal for this car)
Front suspension became noisy, shifter and clutch became stiff and
Engine spun a rod @ 104,000

I drove a 5.0L 92 Mustang from 65 to 230,000 miles ( 1996 to 2013) with very few issues
and my purchased brand new summer of 87 2.3L LX Mustang to its current 380,000 miles.
Both of these vehicles are ten times easier to work on than a 'tour and the parts are
widely available & dirt cheap.
If you want an affordable DD a Contour isn't your best choice even if you do all your own wrenching.
 
That one does look to be in pretty good shape. I'd at least poke at it with a stick and see how it rides. If you budget for a car that is at best 15 years old, then you should be alright but like was said, expect to run into one or two minor issues at least.

On the price of that one, I paid $200 less than that but mine has several non-stock modifications (lowered, exhaust, intake, headers, etc) so you can look at it either way: A) You're paying for a premium non-molested example if it checks out, or B) You talk him down a few hundred because it's stock and 15 years old.

Best of luck either way.
 
This is the kind of info Ive been after... I think I just need to start looking at newer cars. Might be considering SVT focus's then... like a 03 04. There is a csvt near me that looks really promising but hes asking way too much in my opinion.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/4644902357.html


Someone was just asking about this exact car in another thread. Looks like he might have got the seller down to $3k on it, but still didn't decide if he wanted it or not.
 
Just talked to him on the phone...

Needs new front rotors, E brake doesnt work, and o2 sensor needs to be replaced. Lowest hes going is 3600.00. Sounded like a young kid. I can swing by tonight and view it he said with his father... they have owned the car for 11 months. Seems kinda weird.
 
Easy there, chief. I know these cars. I've only had this one since April. It may turn out yet to be reliable after this onslaught of problems, but I put over 200K combined on my Yaris and Celica with a cracked sunroof drain being the only problem I've had outside of regular maintenance. And that was on the Celica, which was an entire single year newer than the CSVT I have now.

Every car can have problems, you're right. But I'm just calling a spade a spade.

His truck: Alternator, wiring, tail gate lever, lower control arm went out on him while driving..whole wheel turned sideways at 60 mph, leather on the steering wheel is basically gone, replaced all the 02 sensors but still has a CEL for 02 sensors, exhaust leak, rusted frame recalled. That is all with him only at 144K miles on it and it only being an 02. I know there are a few other things that have gone on it as well.
 
His truck: Alternator, wiring, tail gate lever, lower control arm went out on him while driving..whole wheel turned sideways at 60 mph, leather on the steering wheel is basically gone, replaced all the 02 sensors but still has a CEL for 02 sensors, exhaust leak, rusted frame recalled. That is all with him only at 144K miles on it and it only being an 02. I know there are a few other things that have gone on it as well.

That sucks and I'm sorry to hear he's been through that. The Tundra of that time period was known to have a few issues, especially in light of the mantle the domestics had built to that point.

But this thread is about CSVTs. I was simply using my old cars as a frame of reference for my reliability expectations and to answer the OPs question. Since he isn't buying a 2002 Tundra...
 
Rebuilt title concerns me most. If a clean one is only a grand more, I'd stretch and get one that I know isn't (or is much less likely to be) piecemealed together.
 
My SVT has been incredibly reliable for its age. It's a 99 and rolled 223K miles yesterday. It is bone stock right down to the paper filter. With that said, I have had to replace things but they are things that I would consider normal maintenance. The only things that I've had to replace that kept me off the road was the fuel pump at 100K miles and the alternator at 200K miles. Other than that, its been maintenance things like new upper and lower intake gaskets, new valve cover gaskets, new blower motor for HVAC, etc. I do have to replace an O2 sensor as I'm throwing a code for that at the moment. The suspension on my car is really tired. It clunks in the rear end and doesn't handle like it did when was brand new, but I can live with that.
 
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