• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Attn. ALL SVTC and Duratec owners

AliasJerk

Addicted CEG'er
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,525
This is a reliability thread.

I want to know how you drive, how many miles, and what parts you had to replace at what mileage.

It seems like we need a good thread like this, I would like to see like if there is an average amount of time on the wear of certain parts and such.

Thanks in advance.
 
80k miles

drive it like you'd drive a pornstar if said pornstar were a vehicle

water pump is fine
alternator went @ 75k
crank seal may be leaking @ around 70k
battery went @ 76k (alternator related?!)
everything else didnt have a chance to wear before I upgraded it all

Oh
65k mile contour driven like 80k mile car
starter went at 65k
replaced entire car after old man drove through my engine bay
 
98.5 SVT nearing 130k miles and I drive it pretty hard

I've driven it about 5k-6k miles since I've owned it and had to replace a shift cable end, a cam shaft position sensor, IAC valve, an O2 sensor, and one of those spring things on the front calipers. I've also done some preventative maintenance/upgrade things such as end links and bushings.

Ray replaced stuff before me of course, including water pump (pm), alternator, and other stuff.
 
Two cars

99SE

bought with 106K
totaled with 150K

Performance specs in sig.

Saw readline at least 5 times a week, orignal clutch still good at time of accident

Car never once left me stranded

Replaced DPFE sensor at time of purchase, did regular mainanance including intake re-build throughout ownership, no major problems, great car, greatly missed.



99SVT

Bought with 99k, completly stripped and re-built in three months, replaced front crank seal due to leak, P\S pump, clutch due to slipping, and added headers because of bad cats.

I've put 15k miles on it since i finished it in late March and i have had no probles with the car what so ever.

Performance specs in sig.

Also see readline 5 times a week at least (i build em well and drive em hard)

~Josh
 
Just shy of 70,000 miles now. All I have replaced is the crankshaft position sensor (@ 50,000 miles maybe?), fluids, and brakes. Oh, my rear swaybar bracket just broke recently if that matters.

Knock on wood.

Forgot driving style: grandpa to road racer. Sometimes Im just in the mood to go slow. Sometimes Im in the mood to rip up to 7200 rpm. Most of the time Im somewhere in between.
 
Last edited:
86k. I dont rag on it all that much, but I do from time to time.

Ive put 26k on it and haven't had a SINGLE problem (except my charge light comes on at the upper revs and I haven't figured out why yet).


I NEED this car to make it to at least 125k.
 
2000 SVT. - 90k miles
37k miles, I had the tranny rebuilt for the first time, due to grinding. Replaced clutch, as it was showing a lot of wear.
52k miles, replaced the blown 2.5L with a 3L, and rebuilt the tranny for the 2nd time, due to grinding.
53k miles, replaced the grenaded "Grizzly OEM" clutch w/ a SPEC stage 1.
87k miles, replaced all of the valve cover, LIM & UIM gaskets, as they were starting to leak a little.

Mark
 
Day of purchase 48,541
48k New cabin filter replaced. Black as black
53k Wheel bearing went bad
53k Tie rod was replaced front driver
54k 3rd gear synchro went bad. Rebuilt the trans
57k Camshaft sensor went bad
57k Backend sag spring/shocks replaced all around.
60k Accumulator/lines for air condition was replaced.
63k Driver side ball joint and control arm replaced.
current miles 63012.

Yes i am super anal about my car. I replace everything and anything that might be broke. Can you say compulsive disorder.!!!
 
98K miles now. Regular daily driver (estimated miles for 2006 is 17k miles).

20K miles O2 sensor (warranty)
20K miles rear brakes
24K miles O2 sensor (warranty)
30K ATFluid Drain and Refill
35K miles alternator, belt, tensioner, battery cable, splash shield (warranty)
38K miles headlamp switch (eventually paid by recall)
40K miles battery
43K miles two front tires (slow leak due to nail in one)
44K miles rear license lights
45K miles all brakes
49K miles rear license lights
56K miles rear license lights
58K miles all brakes
60K miles VSS with ATFluid flush, spark plugs, UIM rebuild, EGR passages cleaning
60K miles PCV valve (warranty)
63K miles the other two original tires, alignment, engine flush
64K miles 4 O2 sensors
75K miles Moose fix
80K miles three instrument dash panel lamps and clock lamp
81K miles mileliminators i.e., both precats were "inefficient".
83K miles headlamp switch connector (recall)
85K miles two front tires
86K miles LH bearing, RH lower ball joint, alignment
89K miles Low beam halogen bulbs

Regular air, passenger compartment, fuel and oil filters; oil, coolant, power steering and brake fluid changes.
 
Last edited:
I bought my Mystique LS Duratec with 78,900 miles, with overheating problem and some spots of surface rust, dirty leather interior.

Replaced:

Waterpump, and thermostat, coolant-solved overheating

Eng oil,ATF with Mobil 1, spark plugs minor preventative maintenance

A/C compressor, it leaked from the case O-ring:mad:, had no problem when I first got car..

O2 sensor Bank 1 rear upper, slow response P1151, CEL, sulfur exhaust smell solved!

Fuel cap, almost jammed shut, new cap solved

Rt rear brake drum, did not help occasional scuff sound.

Refurbished:

Cleaned interior with Lexol 3 times, softened it up and got back to right color:rolleyes:

Paint work, minor

Trunk leak through taillight

Clock bulb

Needs the radio hole filled:help:

Car runs excellent, cost was really low so far.
Basically: Problems I knew about, then new problems with normal use, now ongoing minor problems, as with any car I have ever had! I only used the car about 3000 miles so far..
 
Original '99 SVT owner.

Almost 7yrs of ownership.

Repairs:
End Links 55K miles
Shift Tower 30K miles (under warranty)
Dash Warp 35K miles (under warranty)
Rear Window Seal replacement 35K miles (under warranty)

Maintenance:
Oil Changes ever 3-4K miles
Flushed radiator at 20K miles, put in DexCool
Rear Brake Pads 58K miles
Front Brake Pads 45K miles
Tires every 30K miles
Battery 55K miles

It's my daily driver. The first 2-3yrs I beat on it hard. After that, I rarely took it past 5000rpm.

I've more than gotten my money out of this car. My cost of ownership has been incredibly low!
 
Driving style: up to redline 5 or 6 times a day.
Purchased a year ago at 75k, now at 95K miles, had to replace clutch at 91k, not because it was worn out, disc center section came apart. Also replaced defective front brake pad at 95k. Replaced plugs and plug wires at 88k. Just replaced worn out tires today with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A.
 
98 SVT
Bought with 105k on the car and 76k on a different 98 motor
1st owner spun a bearing on the original motor at around 95k
2nd owner replaced the motor with one out of a 98 parts car and added headers and metal impellar wp and a ton of non-engine related mods.
I've driven the car for about 6k and no problems except a slipping clutch and vacuum leak somewhere in the upper intake, which the upper and lower are slated for a re-build this winter along with a Spec-1 clutch.
The first owner, from talking to him, sounds like he drove it hard every once in a while, even though he is an older gentleman.
2nd owner i'm sure drove the car hard
I drive the car anywhere from grandpa to race car driver. Sometimes i'm not in the mood to unleash the beast in this car and sometimes i am! LOL

EDIT: Also had to have the passenger side wheel bearing and front swaybar bracket replaced after i bought the car.
 
Last edited:
98 SVT:

Bought it three and half years ago with approx. 79,000 on the clock.
We've changed an 02 Sensor due to a code at 85,000 miles.

The rest has been preventive:
Regular oil and filter changes with Mobil 1
Power steering & brake fluid change
Flushed the coolant system
Air & fuel filter change
UIM/LIM rebuild
Replaced the water pump
Replaced the belt and tensioner
Changed a tie rod end when we lowered the car, strut mounts where changed also
Plugs and wires

Updated: (again, this was preventive. There were no issues and the clutch was still fine. The clutch was changed because the trans was out)
Quiafe/bearings/seals
SVT clutch and Fidanza Lightened Flywheel
Alternator - only because we had the trans out and it was so simple to change

96,xxx miles as of today.
Some days I drive it like I stole it and some days I don't.
 
Last edited:
got the car with 56k in June 2003 and it now has 86k

driven fairly normally, ie shifting between 3 to 5 k normally, redline it often enough, sometimes I just cruise other time I dig in and push the car

I don't feel that I beat on the car but I am by no means easy on it either

  1. replaced the dpfe sensor, and parking brake cable, and rear brakes when I got the car
  2. one O2 sensor - rear bank
  3. passanger front wheel bearing
  4. alternator - the case was cracked, but it worked fine
  5. front control arms
  6. changed the mtx fluid once or twice
  7. installed mil eliminators - had a P0420 and a P0430 every so often, have headers to install
  8. needed tires when we got it so I got snow tires on the stock wheels and the FSVT wheels in the spring
  9. was going to do the intake cleaning but ended up replacing with SVT parts
  10. normal oil changes
  11. front brakes shortly after I got the car and again because I upgraded to SVT front brakes
  12. rear brakes twice, when I got the car and once again
since it is an SE I added complete SVT intake and exhaust
 
1995 Merc Mystique v6 ATX 84500 miles

Replaced WP at 59K due to it blowing
Otherwise normal wear and tear
Sees redline about 1-2x per/week

1998.5 3L svt 82148 as of 3 mins ago
You would have to ask Ryan about what was done...to much to list...basically everything in the engine is brand new cept the PS pump and alt...
Sees redline everyday on one road by my house...you just cant help it. The brake fluid needs to be flushed since it is still the orig :S
 
Last edited:
2000 SVT Purchased - 13 miles :D
Driven pretty aggressively most of the time.

~30k DPFE sensor
~35k Front Wheel bearing under warranty (was being picky, it wasn't really done yet)
~60k Remove fuel pump and clean pickup
~90k Remove fuel pump and clean pickup
~95k Wheel bearing (same one, Thx to Stazi on this one)

Did front brakes somewhere along the way, don't remember mileage, but still have yet to do the rear brakes.
Also put a new set of BFG KDW's on at some point, and a new set of Michelin Pilots around 85k

Car is currently disassembled undergoing a major overhaul at ~100k
 
Last edited:
1998 Contour SE MTX bought new

56,000 miles.
Rarely sees redline.
Driven grandpa style most of the time, with occasional spirited driving, usually when I'm in a foul mood.
Only 1 CEL in its life, 2 months ago. Slow 02 sensor. Added cleaner to the gas for a couple of tanks and it cleared up, no replacement.
Original water pump.

Only part replaced to date (besides tires and filters), one battery.
 
2000 SVT
bought 78000 miles
replace wp right away(under warranty)
88k Replaced altenator/battery
sunroof motor stopped working 83k
everything else has been maintenance
car has never left me stranded(almost altenator died, thank god for push start)
90k total on it now:)
 
'98 Mercury Mystique
Auto =(
just shy of 90K miles
interior is flawless
I'm pretty nice to it.. open it up every once an a while

My only compliants ATX, CEL (i hate that light) and the prevoious owner thought it was a ricer... and put a nasty muffler and nasty wheels.. idiot.

no compalins yet.. almost had it 4 months
 
Last edited:
Back
Top