Did 2000 SE's come stock with 14" wheels?

[tomewolfe]

I'm the new owner of a 2000 SE V6 with very low miles but lots of maintenance issues. The car has 14" wheels and tires, just 3 wheel covers. Is that normal for a stock SE V6 or did someone perhaps change out the wheels at some time?
I like the looks of a lot of the stock Contour 15 and 16 inch rims and plan to reward myself with some once I take care of some more pressing mechanical issues, ie: fuel pump, ball joints, struts, CV boot and at least a temporary solution to the curling-wave dash. Right now I'm trying contact cement and 3 days of wedge pressure on the dash but I'm not too hopeful that is the final solution. I may invest in a right-angle drill and try to install aluminum clamping plates over the seam between the air vent and the curling dash. Sooner or later I hope to find a pre-2K dash and swap them out since that seems to be the best solution.
Thanks for any info on the wheels, the 14"ers on it now seem extra small!

 

[striker2]

i dont know if the 14" wheels were available in 2000 or not. i know some pre98 models came with them though.

as for the dash, if you go to swap it out you will need a pre98 dash as all the 98+ dash panels are prone to warping.

 

[hylix]

as for the dash, if you go to swap it out you will need a pre98 dash as all the 98+ dash panels are prone to warping.

Not entirely true, some early 98's had the pre98 style dash, but with 98+ style cluster/radio trim bezels.

These are the ones you want to get as some of the screw holes do not line up when using pre98 dash and 98+ trim. Also the pasenger side air vent was replaced by a 98+ style Oval, so the early 98 oval vent will swap into a pre98 dash that has the er.... square-ish type vent. I have pictures of the differences if anyone is interested.

 

[tomewolfe]

The pre-98 dashes look nicer...

The pre-98 dashes look nicer...

than my 2000. I gotta wonder from my car if Ford was making them as inexpensively as possible that last year with whatever parts were left.
The 98's I looked at over the weekend had fabric on the door panels vs. my all-plastic and I liked the metal cover over the defroster outlet on the dash vs. my all-plastic.
I'll start looking for some dress-up parts IF I get the mechanicals right soon enough. I'm a slow worker.

 

[silver rocket]

Yea i have the same problem with the dash. But my wheels are 15" i think they only came in 15-16" cause i still all the paper work from when the other owner sold me the car he had EVERY thing you could imagine in that glove box. as much as i wish that they would be 17" they just don't magically appear:crazy:. Right know i am using the most expensive (so says the internet site they have) security system in its box to hold my dash down. So at least i know that my dash is secure:crazy:. But when it comes to be winter time i might have to cut but furthest part of the dash cause my defroster sucks like a hoover.

 

[Nezerconezer]

My 99 Mystique came with 14inch steelies. And I know that they came standard on contours as well.