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andrei14

New CEG'er
Joined
Nov 8, 2001
Messages
21
Location
Toronto
Hey there... It's been a while since I've posted in here, but there's a reason to it. My 'tour is sitting in the driveway since january. The alternator died (I figured it must be the brushes, so I'll fix that myself) and that's what pinned her to the ground. The real problem is a slipping clutch and a sipping slave cylinder. not sure if it slips because it's wet, but I think it's that time anyway (215k).
I will need the car this winter (another baby, yay! so wifey needs her car) and
basically I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. I have no idea how much a clutch job is and where to go. Is is worth bringing it back to life? I love the damn car and otherwise it's fine... bit of rust, bit of dirt, patch of oil, but it runs GREAT.

What do you guys think? is there a place you'd recommend? (all I ever did on the car I did it myself...) from the sticky only "Alex Performance Exhaust (416-715-4015)" seems to be an option. I'm trying to avoid dealers for obvious reasons. Thank you guys and sorry for the long post.
 
Considering your car currently is only worth $2000, it might be a better idea to pick up another Contour for $2500 that works and has lower kms on it. I'm thinking about doing this myself.
The work/money you're going to have to put into your car will be enough to make it not worth it, IMHO.
 
I thought of that... I'm just thinking I might be picking up someonelse's problems... at least with this one I know where I'm at...but thanks for the reply, nonetheless.
 
I would normally agree with that logic about others problems however. If your car has sat and not moved since January then there is almost certainly a host of other problems to it. Think brakes lines hoses and other seize issues. I'll defer to the first poster and suggest picking up a lower mileage Contour Preferably the same as the one you have and then spend a few days taking parts and swapping them between the cars to make one good one and one not so good one.

Just my 2 cents.
 
I would also say to just get another one. I got the one I have now last April for ~$2000 and it is still running with minimum expense. Just make sure you test drive it first, and look it over. ;)
 
When I first read this post, I thought it best to get rid of the car and get another one. That was before I realized that we're dealing with 215,000 clicks, not miles. Since the car has only 129,000, you could go either way. Flip a loonie.

A couple questions to help guide you on this decision: Has the car been sitting in snowy or wet conditions? (I imagine so) Do you have notable underbody corrosion? If the alternator and clutch are the only apparent problems, are you prepared to spend $2000 fixing them? (Be prepared for cost overruns).

Since you could pick up a great SVT for about 5 grand (currency is one thing we don't need a conversion for anymore, given the lively performance of the dollar), you might consider that. :cool:
 
laura. it's been sitting thru this last winter, which was not that bad. there's a bit of rust creeping underneath the doors but I can't see anything on the body yet.
But I think I made up my mind... I picked up tonight an alternator rebuild kit (Crappy Tire -$45) and I'll fix that guy this sun. The clutch? I'll stick with it for this winter... it's slipping, yes, but it's still drivable...

oh, and in case you're wondering why... it's because I can't part with this baby yet.... I found a few tours on craigslist (there's one for 2 grand that belongs to a ford mechanic) but I still love my blue tour...
 
If the clutch is already slipping it will not last much longer (maybe a couple weeks of driving). Is it slipping in all gear and all the time or only under hard acceleration.

Trying ot sell it with a slipping clutch can be very difficult. You'll have to take a huge cut to get someone to buy it.

I've picked up a Mystique (V6, ATX), one owner with all the bills since day 1, 131K km in excellent condition (new tires, breaks and alternator) BUT with a bad transmission for only $275.

Just finished swapping the trans with a good one (cost of transmisson, fuild, etc. $540). Pulling the engine and trans, then swapping it and dropping it back in took a long time. With all the littel delays like the Y pipe nuts being rusted and had to cut them off to the trans cooler lines not coming out took ~30 hrs to finish everything.

If changing the clutch needs engine removal, it will cost a lot. So make sure to consider that before selling it.
 
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