First 650 miles of fun in an SVT

[unpolire]

Well, after my first 650 miles of driving a 1999 black/blue SVT, I have some observations. First, I am in Southern California, and in the past few weeks have spotted one 1998 red SVT parked (high miles, for sale), and one 1998 silver frost SVT on the road (in Van Nuys, missing his rocker jacking point covers). With the drop in gas prices, I've filled up with Shell V-Power (91 octane), twice, for $1.99 a gallon, so I can afford to work the SVT's engine as it should be driven! This car has to be the best performance bargain on the used market. Driving-wise, it equates well with my BMW 540i 6-speed (the "Beast"), a car that makes daily driving a supercar experience. While the SVT is not as brutally fast as my AMG C43, due to a huge horsepower deficit, it makes all of the right sounds and moves in trying. In very heavy rain recently on the way to courtside seats at an NBA basketball game, I chose the SVT over far more powerful RWD cars, and it proved to be the right choice, with minimal aquaplaning at speed on partially-flooded freeways. The valets did not seem to even mind parking and driving the SVT, despite the Bentleys, Porsches, and M-Bs surrounding it. After the game, it was the only car that you could actually hear being driven out of the garage, despite a Bursch-exhausted Cayman alongside! Overall, this is a really fun and practical car with usable performance and utility. I can't believe it's a Ford! I have two Ford trucks, but have not owned a Ford car since my first, one of the first 500 Mustang Fastbacks off the line in 1965! A worthy and suitable successor.

 

[BAD SVT]

welcome to the club. however, as much as we all appreciated ur comments, i can't help but think that all u were trying to accomplish was a showy display of how u live. was kinda funny actually. lemmie explain....
1) "my bmw 540i 6speed"
2) "my AMG C43"
3) "on the way to courtside seats @ an NBA game"
4) "the valets didnt seem to mind..."
5) "i have two ford trucks"
6) "my first, one of the first 500 Mustang Fastbacks off the line in 1965"

feel my drift? dont get me wrong. its really cool n all. and i envy u obviously. i just thought the comment was more on the other stuff than the svt contour. sorta on the lines of...'a whole lotta cream but little coffee'. then again, i could be way off. anyways. enjoy ur svt.

 

[Y2KSVT]

welcome to the club. however, as much as we all appreciated ur comments, i can't help but think that all u were trying to accomplish was a showy display of how u live. was kinda funny actually. lemmie explain....
1) "my bmw 540i 6speed"
2) "my AMG C43"
3) "on the way to courtside seats @ an NBA game"
4) "the valets didnt seem to mind..."
5) "i have two ford trucks"
6) "my first, one of the first 500 Mustang Fastbacks off the line in 1965"

feel my drift? dont get me wrong. its really cool n all. and i envy u obviously. i just thought the comment was more on the other stuff than the svt contour. sorta on the lines of...'a whole lotta cream but little coffee'. then again, i could be way off. anyways. enjoy ur svt.

x2. I actually forgot that this post was about the SVT after all of the other rambling about living the high life in Southern California. Maybe Jack Nicholson joined CEG?

Mark

 

[Silver Bullet]

x2. I actually forgot that this post was about the SVT after all of the other rambling about living the high life in Southern California. Maybe Jack Nicholson joined CEG?

Mark

Not Nicholson, he said only NBA game. If it was the Lakers he would have dropped that name also. So must have been the Clippers.

Anyway welcome aboard Unpolire. Don't take all this ribbing the wrong way. Everybody welcome here. And I happen to agree with your original point also. I opt to drive my CSVT over much more powerful cars. But for me it's probably more of a 5 speed thing over an automatic.

 

[KyleQ]

Glad to hear that you like it - I love damn near every aspect of my car.

 

[ancientsanskrit]

I definitely did NOT read this post as the others have. Rather, I see it as a well-to-do individual complimenting our platform. If anything it's quite humbling.

To the OP: Perhaps, you can sell your other cars and get like 50 Contours (one for each week)! :crazy:

 

[unpolire]

Not what I meant, guys...

Not what I meant, guys...

I was only conveying just how much credit I'm giving to the SVT for creating a car that can practically hold its own with cars far more powerful and expensive. I actually remember renting a new Contour from Hertz once and, surprised by how well it ran on the highway, popping the hood only to discover a 4 cyl.! Drove like a 6! The SVT engine simply makes the car. It is far more Italian in character than any other domestic car. I'm a car collector, with over 40 cars, so, trust me, I'm not bragging. I'm simply saying that for a guy who gets to drive, for fun, a different car every day, the SVT Contour is a most surprising find. I'm not the gold chain type, just a serious enthusiast having a good time. Why wait until retirement? My son wanted me to drive a German luxury car to the game. The fact that I felt comfortable enough to take the SVT into an entirely different social setting, says a lot for the car. It's a blast to drive, under any circumstances! That's all I was trying to say.

 

[biminiLX]

People can be hard on new guys here so take that with the grain of salt.
I totally understand what you're saying on the car---these SVTs are impressive little cars and a great performance bargain.
I was lucky to find mine from a car collector also.
Glad to see you enjoy it, now lets see some pics.
-J

 

[BAD SVT]

I was only conveying just how much credit I'm giving to the SVT for creating a car that can practically hold its own with cars far more powerful and expensive. I actually remember renting a new Contour from Hertz once and, surprised by how well it ran on the highway, popping the hood only to discover a 4 cyl.! Drove like a 6! The SVT engine simply makes the car. It is far more Italian in character than any other domestic car. I'm a car collector, with over 40 cars, so, trust me, I'm not bragging. I'm simply saying that for a guy who gets to drive, for fun, a different car every day, the SVT Contour is a most surprising find. I'm not the gold chain type, just a serious enthusiast having a good time. Why wait until retirement? My son wanted me to drive a German luxury car to the game. The fact that I felt comfortable enough to take the SVT into an entirely different social setting, says a lot for the car. It's a blast to drive, under any circumstances! That's all I was trying to say.

its all good. its a newb welcome. no hard feelings. as u continue driving ur svt, u'll find that this car is arguably the most underated and overlooked car of its time. thats why we luv it.

 

[CSVT1214]

Another SVT and 540i 6-speed owner!

 

[unpolire]

I am not alone...

I am not alone...

So, you know what I'm talking about! We can have "big" cars and "little" cars and still enjoy both. The cost of a man's toys don't matter: they all use gas and have to be insured! Just put on your gloves and let out the clutch!

Another SVT and 540i 6-speed owner!

 

[CSVT1214]

So, you know what I'm talking about! We can have "big" cars and "little" cars and still enjoy both. The cost of a man's toys don't matter: they all use gas and have to be insured! Just put on your gloves and let out the clutch!

Absolutely. I get enjoyment out of both, just in different ways. I get to enjoy the BMW as the daily driver, and the SVT as the weekend toy. It doesn't make sense to most people, but they aren't car enthusiasts, so it's understandable. :crazy:

 

[rouar]

It doesn't make sense to most people, but they aren't car enthusiasts, so it's understandable. :crazy:

Weird looks are expected when I say the turbocharged car is the winter beater and the 10-year-old Ford sedan is for weekends.

 

[LauraSVT]

Weird looks are expected when I say the turbocharged car is the winter beater and the 10-year-old Ford sedan is for weekends.

I've been driving my '88 Town Car more than my SVT. I take the boat into the city every day. It's keeping the miles off the SVT, so that's good. I take her for a rip every now and again, and it's always fun. I don't know if I'm going to have to put some ballast in the trunk of the T-Car for winter, though. We use two 40-pound bags of pellet stove fuel in my girl's Cougar, and we just put those in the other day in preparation for winter. Works great in that car. The Cougar weighs some 3,000 pounds, the boat some 4,400, so snow bite should be pretty good.

 

[Frank T]

Welcome aboard......These cars are way under rated.... Yet, out here in import capital of the nation, they hold their own....Its nice driving a car that you rarely see daily, let alone it being domestic.....Once again, welcome......