Hello everyone ive been sitting around thinking about other cars. im not sure if i want another one, but i dont want to put money into the svt if i wont be keeping. thats obvious. but... ive bought a 3l from a guy in so cal that has yet to be shipped, to sum it up. before i pay to get here and pay to have it installed, i wanted everyones opinions on the 2 main cars ive been eyeing, and am open to suggestions. i dont know if this is the right forum, so mods please move if deemed innapropriate. i only want to spend about 14k on a used vehicle, and im liking the rsx s's for style and the wrx's for power, plus drivetrain. giving i were to get either one, how would a 3l with svt cams and lim+uim, moderate street dd tune, full exhaust including headers do against these cars? i know it would take the rsx straight but what about cornering? and how about the ugly wrx, would it still beat the 3l with mods listed straight? how about handeling? ive read up a lot on these cars, but i wanted fellow ceg'ers opinions too. the thing is i wish the wrx looked nicer, my wife hates them. but out of all the cars ive owned, theyve always been FWD NA, where as the wrx is AWD and turboed, which is cool because ive always wanted these features. but quality is a big factor too, i dont want a car like the srt-4's that are hella fast and thats it. i care about quality interiors that dont warp, rattle or buzz. not to concerned about stereos, they are easy to upgrade, and just overall reliabilty. i know the wrx has more that can go wrong, and it doesnt get as good of gas mileage as the s, (which is also key), but it can be made faster pretty easily. so overall, im sorry for the long post, and i really wasnt sure where to post this, i figured drag since i was talking about the cars quickness, and everyones unbiased opinion is welcome and appreciated! thanks, chris.
-
Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.
You can register to join the community.
3L svt vs...
- Thread starter chrisl311
- Start date
96BlackSE
CEG'er
RSX type S's are real nice cars... A friend of mine used to have one with some mods and I drove it a couple of times and the feel of it is real nice, the chassis feels really nice too and response from steering is amazing...
It ran 14 flat with exhaust intake and a mugen ecu I beleive... I usually don't like honda's but I really loved his car
WRX's are nice too but I see them more like winter cars :tongue:
It ran 14 flat with exhaust intake and a mugen ecu I beleive... I usually don't like honda's but I really loved his car
WRX's are nice too but I see them more like winter cars :tongue:
I had a wrx....too boy racer for me. I loved it when I bought it, but got bored quickly. I like the SVT because everyone asks what it is and they like it. It's different.
I also have a Maxima that can be had for about that much....
I am a sport sedan kind of guy though.
I also have a Maxima that can be had for about that much....
I am a sport sedan kind of guy though.
kristiyano
CEG'er
It is amazing how an RSX s can pull out a 14 second run with such a few mods and a tour has to go trough major work to get there. The best I've seen an RSX s run was 14.4 and it was stock, so the 14 sec run does not surprise me. Come to think about it... I want one of those now. 
JoeM
Veteran CEG'er
A SVT tour, with a stock 3l and a Mild tune (no headers, no exhaust, no CAI, Nothing but the tune it self) Will run a Mildy low 14....
14.2... Possibly better.
Port, Polish the UIM, LIM. Port the TB, 24# injectors, a great tune and you'll see lmid 13's from it.
The Above should not cost you much more than maybe 600. 1200 if you add Headers.
I dont know about you. But Ive only got 5k in to my 3l CSVT (Including Car Purchase, 3l purchase and install)
if I were to spend another 1200 or so. And Run Low-Mid 13's... Id be doing it for under 7k....
Thats half of what your thinking of spending....
14.2... Possibly better.
Port, Polish the UIM, LIM. Port the TB, 24# injectors, a great tune and you'll see lmid 13's from it.
The Above should not cost you much more than maybe 600. 1200 if you add Headers.
I dont know about you. But Ive only got 5k in to my 3l CSVT (Including Car Purchase, 3l purchase and install)
if I were to spend another 1200 or so. And Run Low-Mid 13's... Id be doing it for under 7k....
Thats half of what your thinking of spending....
ContourGuy9817
Hard-core CEG'er
my cougar is an aboslute pleasure to drive. a 3.0 would make me supremely happy with my ovarall driveability. i can get in turn the key, enjoy a great drive, and have reliability.
warmonger
Hard-core CEG'er
It is amazing how an RSX s can pull out a 14 second run with such a few mods and a tour has to go trough major work to get there. The best I've seen an RSX s run was 14.4 and it was stock, so the 14 sec run does not surprise me. Come to think about it... I want one of those now.
It's mainly because they weigh so much less that little increases in power really show well. Contour SVT is heavy.
thats cool everyone... to joe m, it would have headers, y pipe, no cat and full exhaust. would this still be in 14's? if so, and the s can get in the 14's close to the 3l, im out. the s is so much more refined, and in a hell of a lot better condition. does anyone know the stats of the wrx of the top of their head? i know what magazines reported, but we all know that can be very different in the real world... thanks again!
Blue Goose
CEG'er
If your concerned about reliability the stay as far away from Subaru as you can. We have had 2 over the years and they were nothing but a piece of junk. There was always something wrong with that stupid car no matter how much work and money was put into it. It didn't have that high of miles on it either. If your looking for something fun and reliable for a couple years then it should be ok there as long as you get rid of it before stuff starts to go bad. but if you want a car that will last you a while then don't get a Subaru, cause in our expirience they are a money pit and are terribly unreliable.
The Digital Slacker
Hard-core CEG'er
I think the RSX is what you want.
Our turbo subaru is coming up close on 20 years old with over 200k miles and basially no problems.
Our turbo subaru is coming up close on 20 years old with over 200k miles and basially no problems.
kristiyano
CEG'er
If you can make my car run in the 14s I will gladly pay you 600 bucks
I never thought that the 3l conversion costs like 600. Isnt the 3l block itself something like 500?
I bought my long bloack with two thousand miles on it fo 250 or 350 (I don't remember now) shipped...I could have dropped it in like that, but I didnt.
I had forged pistons, new bearings, everything machined and a lot of head wok done.
BUt you can get the motors for good prices.
I had forged pistons, new bearings, everything machined and a lot of head wok done.
BUt you can get the motors for good prices.
JoeM
Veteran CEG'er
chris, if your doing full exhaust, i highly suggest porting the heads and intake's.
save 3k to put into mods on the car, and youll be in the 13's for sure.
The biggest thing besides headers on the 3l, is a tune.
Between full exhaust and tune, you should be touching high 13's. (Mid with a really good driver).
Keep in mind you already own the Car...
As for who said the SVTC weas heavy...
The curbweight is only 3100 LBS.
A fox body is 3300-3500LBS
a new style mustang is approaching 4000 LBS.
Tell me its heavy.....
JoeM
Veteran CEG'er
If you can make my car run in the 14s I will gladly pay you 600 bucks
I never thought that the 3l conversion costs like 600. Isnt the 3l block itself something like 500?
I was talking the actual machine work.
This is assuming you can get a 3l and swap it yourself.
I think the easiest route would be to spend the 2k-3k on a prepped one from www.3lduratec.com. They go through so much stuff to make the swap easy... Piece of mind is worth more to me than saving a little money..
They do all the hard work. you just put it in.
Worst case... say you spend 5k on Motor, Porting/polishing Headers+ Full Exhaust and tune.
Your in low 13's range with that.
It's heavy.. there you go.
Curb weight of ONE SVT was 3100lbs. MANY MANY MANY MORE are closer to 3250 or so. You compare the weight of a mid 90's STEEL car, and a HUGE freakin' "muscle" car to a MIDSIZE (being the key word) sedan.
Compare it to OTHER midsize sedans with relative INTERIOR dimensions, and see how "light" it isn't. For the room you've got to work/sit in, and the power you have, it is HEAVY. period.. plane and simple..
Curb weight of ONE SVT was 3100lbs. MANY MANY MANY MORE are closer to 3250 or so. You compare the weight of a mid 90's STEEL car, and a HUGE freakin' "muscle" car to a MIDSIZE (being the key word) sedan.
Compare it to OTHER midsize sedans with relative INTERIOR dimensions, and see how "light" it isn't. For the room you've got to work/sit in, and the power you have, it is HEAVY. period.. plane and simple..
Pole120
Addicted CEG'er
If you can make my car run in the 14s I will gladly pay you 600 bucks
I'll make your car run 14's.....
~Josh
Last edited:
Kremithefrog
Hard-core CEG'er
I've beat rsx's in autox in my escort. A contour can be made to handle about the same as my escort. I tied a 300whp wrx and beat a bunch of other cars in my atx 4cyl contour in autox once (short course, stayed in first). On a local twisty road, two wrx's (including that 300whp one and another modded one) were left trying to keep up with my taillights in the svt.
So basically, as far as getting a basicly (not too expensive/good handling but not best) good handling car, a contour is fine for that.
As far as drag racing, rsx or wrx would be a lot better.
Biggest positive point of a contour is they're cheap! Spend $10-$15k on a decent wrx or rsx. Or spend $2k-$5k on a good svt. Can use all that leftover money for mods. Insurance is also cheaper. Plus it looks better than rsx's and many wrx's.
So basically, as far as getting a basicly (not too expensive/good handling but not best) good handling car, a contour is fine for that.
As far as drag racing, rsx or wrx would be a lot better.
Biggest positive point of a contour is they're cheap! Spend $10-$15k on a decent wrx or rsx. Or spend $2k-$5k on a good svt. Can use all that leftover money for mods. Insurance is also cheaper. Plus it looks better than rsx's and many wrx's.
Kremithefrog
Hard-core CEG'er
That's wierd. Most subies are very reliable. My friends' are reliable except stuff they abuse (brakes,clutch,gears,etc.). My mom had a legacy years ago that was probably the most reliable car she ever had but got rid of it just because she feared if something did break she would not be able to get it worked on in town (no suby dealer in albany and at the time, no shop would touch it for a reasonable price). Seen other old subies that just keep going and going.
Blue Goose
CEG'er
We may have just have had a couple bad cars then. I have heard mixed reports on reliability with them from other people so I guess its like most cars, where there are some out there that keep going and others that just fall apart. We just happened to be unlucky I guess but I'm still scared to even touch another Subaru again.
elraido
I kant speel
Fiance is up to 175K miles on her 96 imprezza outback. Nothing major has gone wrong on it...just needs typical work done for that many miles. Had a wheel bearing replaced and it burns a little oil but that is it. Most days you can't even tell if it is running or not when you are at a stop.