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Max passenger weight for 98 V6 Contour GL

J

joe

CEG'er
Joined
May 31, 2000
Messages
64
Location
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Quick Q. I have to pick up some rather large people at the airport and I don't want to rent a minivan. their weights are 375 325 325 and I'm 205.

They're nipping in for the day, so they only have carryon....

Can the Old gal take it?
 
yes it can

edit: I drove home yesterday with 800 lbs of field stone in my trunk. That is weight concentrated on the rear and it was just fine, you will have one of the large passengers in the front seat. Just drive slow over bumps
 
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new all seasons last year. new front coils installed per recall in 2003 or 4. smooth roads for the most part... I'd get rid of my Tour, but it is so damned reliable...10 bloody years and the worst thing was a crackedc alternator housing...
 
Personally I wouldnt risk it. Thats a lot of weight in the rear. You figure its another 70lbs +/- with carry ons, 20lbs or so for each one. And depending on the airport I can see there being some sort of construction and one good dip there or on the highway wouldnt be very fun. Just my .02
 
I have carried 1000+ lbs of people plus luggage for a weekend 420 miles round trip. Horrible gas mileage :)

That was when I still had stock suspension. No way would it carry that much now. Depending on the distance you should be ok.
 
Check your door jamb sticker... should be two weights listed.

The curb weight is what the car weighs by itself (I think at 1/2 tank of gas).

The GVWR (Gross [total] Vehicle Weight Rating) is what the car will weigh if fully loaded. I don't think that includes a trailer, but may include the tounge weight of the trailer.

Take the GVWR minus the curb weight, and you've got the max load capacity of the car.

I remember my old 81 Coupe Deville had a 4200lb curb weight and something like 6500lb GVWR. So it could carry a total of 6500-4200=2300lbs. Being 6 passenger, I suppose you can carry 6 people weighing about 350lbs.

Of course, that's a 'big body' body on frame 6pax car designed to carry fat americans. Your Contour's results may vary!

I've heard (so this is hearsay, take it for what you like) that manufacturers allot like 200 or 250lbs evenly distributed in the trunk without causing issues. So I wouldn't recommend putting 800lbs in the trunk of a new car or one you don't own. Probly ok in a 10 year old car.
 
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you'll be fine...though i have to say this is the first time i've ever heard this question asked, and i have to say it's rather funny!
 
Definitely some widebodies involved in this trip. Going to be tight in there, but I think the car should handle it.
 
:eek: Did I just actually read this thread? Post of the year? (Coming from not the smallest guy in the world LOL)
 
That is funny :laugh: - I don't think they can physically fit in the back seat. Me being 5'10" @ 190lbs and average build would call it a tight fit.... :shrug: Any wider, taller, or "beefy'er", I would say no freakin way physically could someone fit back there. The car can handle the weight but they will not fit back there!

Someone needs to post a pic with someone built like "barge" sitting in the back seat. (I am not saying your fat Barge, you are just beefy :))
 
All I have to say is that my SE did not recover fully from having 1000 pounds of crap in it. The suspension never road at the same height again. And I replaced all of it afterwards. :laugh:

Freshman year college, moved EVERYTHING out at once, including microwave, 21" CRT monitor, 20" tv, tower computer, printer, all cloths from winter through summer inlcuding jackets, jeans, etc. Remaing soda and food, game console, games, stereo equipment, and 2 semesters wroth of books and papers. The car was literally packed in the trunk so hard I moved stuff to make room for the hinges, The back was stacked to the roof, and I had stuff on the front seat and front floor. Car handled so tight it was funny as hell! But the suspension never returned to that classic off road Contour Stock suspension look. :laugh:
 
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