After 26 years I had to say goodbye to a friend

[intravino]

Hey Guys,


After owning my 1996 Mystique GS Zetec MTX for 26 years, I had to send her to the scrap yard in late August.

I got her new in April 96 for $ 15K, I put thousands to keep on her on road, Major money was the head gasket once, clutch and rack/pinion.

It was rusted on the rocker panels, fenders and over the windshield (fault of the idiot at the dealer that changed the windshield). The driver side doors were rusted also because of an accident and the insurance refused new door. The used ones rusted after 3 years. I was going thru ball joints every year in the last six years.


The good (what was still going good):

Engine, still amazing compression.
MTX, good in the spring, summer and fall, terrible in the winter; probably forks were going.
Power Steering pump, never changed.
Macphersons, never changed, just the springs.
Computer, never changed.
Injectors never changed.
Gas tank and gas pump never changed.



The bad:

Clutch line was leaking, not the master nor slave.
Brakes line were completely gone, I fixed 3 times one line in 3 months and always broke in two weeks after.
Power Steering low pressure line was leaking like no tomorrow.
Main crankshaft seal leak.
Air bags light always on, clock spring probably.
MTX shifting in the winter months.
Gas filler neck rusted, started last winter.


Mileage 300 000 Km.





See you later !!!!


Thanks to the members and former members for keeping this girl on the road.


I never found a forum like this one with so much information and members trying to help you.


I always said to my friends that some members knew the contour/mystique more then the designers/engineers of Ford.



Contour.org is the best !!!




Regards,




Intravino

 

[CLASSVT]

I agree it's a great forum, although a bit quiet these days. Maybe you should find a clean SE or SVT to keep the memory alive.

 

[Detailpro116]

Always loved the early Mystiques! My whole Contour journey started with a 98 Mystique Sport Zetec back in 2004.

That’s absolutely fantastic that you stuck with it for all those years! RIP Mystique. Clearly served you well and deserves a proper send off.

 

[PDXSVT]

And it's gone scrapped? A Mystique 5 spd zetec may have had some parts of interest, even in Montreal. I'm swapping a low mile zetec into my 95 Contour after a blown head gasket.

 

[intravino]

And it's gone scrapped? A Mystique 5 spd zetec may have had some parts of interest, even in Montreal. I'm swapping a low mile zetec into my 95 Contour after a blown head gasket.

I asked around for the whole summer and I got inquires for the V6 only.

I agree it's a great forum, although a bit quiet these days. Maybe you should find a clean SE or SVT to keep the memory alive.

Last time I saw in my area a Contour or Mystique (even more rare) was 12 months ago. I never see any on the road now, too bad.

Always loved the early Mystiques! My whole Contour journey started with a 98 Mystique Sport Zetec back in 2004.

That’s absolutely fantastic that you stuck with it for all those years! RIP Mystique. Clearly served you well and deserves a proper send off.

Since I got my new Focus in 2009, I used the Mystique as the winter car. I found the Mystique better in snow then the Focus. We get less snow then even in 1996 here. Too bad, I had to get rid of it, the lines under were all rusted. My timing belt was due and the front end need major replacement. Ever two years I need to replace ball joints and links. I guess it was old or the jobber parts were junk.

 

[silent]

Junk jobber parts for sure. I just replaced the bearings on all 4 wheels and 5k easy miles later the fronts look like they have 100k on them. I was so disgusted. Ended up finding a 99 contour at the upull it yard with 42k original. Made me sick. I would have liked that one instead of what I drive. I stripped what I could of the front suspension and just moved it over to mine. It was surface rusted pretty bad so I put waste oil in a Harbor Freight bug sprayer and hosed it down. That'll keep the rust at bay for a time.

I replaced one of my rack and pinion boots with a Moog boot and within a few years it was torn to shreads. The originals were kind of a thin rugged plastic. I snagged both from the upullit contour so I'll have a source of parts for awhile yet. I'd really like to take measurements and make a jig for locating the front and back strut mounts in relation to the subframe. Then I could just make my own frame, bolt the contour parts to it and put whatever body I want on the frame. I'd have me a regular ol' farm beater I could configure any ol' way I'd want to.