• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Should I "settle" for an SE?

P

PurpleMystique

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
2,602
Location
Greater Des Moines Area
I've been looking for a new car for quite a while, and I just found a '98 SE V6/5 speed with only 72K on it at a local dealer. It's pretty loaded and it looks really nice, but of course they want a little much for it. I'd like to buy from a dealership so I can just trade my car in without having to mess with selling it outright, but that's not really my question.

My main question is whether or not I want to get another non-SVT Contour, since this will be my third Contour. I'm not looking for a car to mod, I just want a nice-looking car to drive around, and maybe occasionally auto-cross with one of my friends (no more than a few times a year). Do you guys think it would be worth it for me to wait until an SVT (or maybe a NE Cougar) pops up nearby or should I pursue this one? I feel like if I keep my car for much longer, I'm going to have to put some money into it to keep it going, and I'd rather invest in something that's going to last me a while. Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas?
 
If you think you can be happy with it, by all means get it. I love my V6/MTX SE. Visually, the SVT body kit would be better, but in my book it isn't a deal maker. Performance wise, both the SVTs I've ever ridden in were forced induction, so I'm not a good judge for comparing SE vs. SVT.

Suspension, and wheels are both relatively cheap fixes if you shop around. So if you do want to upgrade those later, it isn't going to break you. I say go for it. But you should always check the classifieds first, as you might be able to pick up a nice SVT from a private party for what the dealer wants for the SE.
 
I had an SVT last summer and I really liked it. I only sold it because I couldn't see having my LS (I'm the original owner) and the SVT. I sold the SVT because I knew it was worth more.

When I finally replace my LS I'll be shopping for a silver frost CSVT with a good dash.
 
SVTs can be found for relatively cheap, probably less than what you're looking at paying for that SE. You get so much more with a SVT over a SE there isn't a reason not to get one.
 
u get barely anything. all you might get is the badging and 30 hp more and a body kit. my se has leather, traction control. everything an svt would have and more. im happy
 
Hahaha...Might? uhm.. no.. GUARANTEED to get.

Oh, and you are sitting there saying "barely anything" and instantly following with "30 more hp" which is HOW much money per HP in this platform?? anywhere from 25-65 dollors per horse? right!!).

Then following it with "and a body kit" which is HOW much? $700 new, JUST for the back? find it used for $350+, again, just for the back?

So, you're looking at
about $1500 worth of kit,
$300-$600 (depending on how you gain those 30 horses, shy of N2O) worth of performance
non-speed limited (how you gonna do THAT for free on an SE?)
loaded (everything you can name on an SE,
PLUS a sunroof
wider tires
16" rims
oil to water cooler
wider radiator
and perforated leather.

How much would YOU charge someone to install all of that in your SE? "barely anything? I think not. The amount for JUST those addons is probably more than they WANT for the SE at the dealership.

There is absolutely NO reason NOT to get an SVT, unless your only reason is: I can't wait..
 
ok first off i sourced my body kit for under 500 all my interior is svt and was well cheaper. junkyards are your friends. my se im still glad i got it and will be until it dies. and installing the body kit isnt hard at all.
 
Even at your incredibly ludicrous prices (which aren't COMMON, by the way, especially in IOWA, like the OP lives) you spent $500 for the kit, somewhere between 0 and that for the interior, and still haven't gotten close to paying for the performance upgrades, nor the speed limiter, nor the sunroof, nor the gauges, nor the... etc.. etc.. etc..

As I said.

the only excuse is "I can't wait" (which is still not a GREAT excuse...)
 
ok im not going to fight u win. but i was in the same situation. i was looking for an svt and settled for an se becuase i couldnt find an svt in time. but im happy with my choice
 
Hey, man. I don't want to fight. I think you can be completely happy with ANY Contour... (v6, I4, Atx/Mtx, Se, LX, SVT, whatever)

I had a 95LX ATX and I loved it. probably more so than an SVT at the time, because it was my first real car that I bought. I am not knocking the purchase of an SE.. I am saying that now (today's market) you can get an SVT for the price of any SE, practically. If not, the price difference is EASILY negated by the differences in performance and aesthetics.

Those that buy an SE.. great.. Those that buy an SVT.. great.. Those that buy a Zetec.. great!

Enjoy what you buy.. As long as it makes you happy, that's all that matters. Just do it justice, and treat it right, whatever you buy.
 
Thanks for the comments, keep them coming. I don't have any reason to get one immediately, but I just have this feeling that stuff is going to go wrong soon (besides the CEL I have now...stupid EGR).
 
Heck, I'm very happy with my zetec but the fact is you get a lot more with a svt vs. other contours and the price difference is so small that it's stupid, IMHO, not to get a svt. Wait till you find the exact one you want (even if you want a SE or a zetec, get the exact one you want) for the price you want.
 
i baught my s.e. just because it was the only 5 speed car in the lot with a v6. a lot of the mods on my car now are svt parst liek the t.b. with tube and filter box. and struts. plus a large port lim that i have to reinstall now. but my s.e. still throws down to bad it cant pass 112. even my old 1.6 mr2 would hit 120 in 4th with no problem.
 
Well I went from a '95 ATX Zetec to a '96 ATX Duratec, and now I definitely won't settle for less than an MTX Duratec. Like I said before, I'd rather just trade it in at a dealer and not have to worry about selling it to someone and having them ticked at me if a bunch of stuff goes wrong.
 
Who cares if someone gets mad at you, it ain't your fault. Like I told the people that bought my escort, I told them everything I knew that was wrong,etc. and that it runs strong but if it blows up tomorrow, then o well, no gaurantees and no warranty. Anybody buying a 11 year old car should realize the potential for things to break.
 
Absolutely not, i would not drive an SE, but hey thats just me. the svt is an all around better car IMO. and look @ the classifieds they're resale isn't good. you can get soo much car for such a reasonable price! :nonono:
 
A SVT is really what you should get. For nearly every reason everyone else has given. I see no other reason to be an SE except Maybe cheaper insurance, but even that is not a large difference.
 
For the price you can get an SVT nowadays, I'd find it hard to justify a lesser Contour. My gf's parents just bought a '95 for about half what I paid for my SVT (only a week after I bought mine!) but theirs is beaten, 4 years older, has none of the performance or appearance, etc. For my money (which is short since I'm in college) the SVT was simply the best all-around car I could think of, no matter how you look at it...looks, sportiness, practicality, luxury, utility, reliability, exclusivity, everything. These qualities more than make up for the small price difference in trim level IMO. That's why I waited over a year for a good SVT to turn up in my area. Whatever you decide tho, I agree with Ray's suggestion to go with whatever makes you happiest.
 
Most people change any non-svt to a "svt looking" contour..... You will spend more modding your contour to be a SVT than you will to just wait to buy one. I am a SEVT owner and can't wait to own an svt.... It is bitter sweet being judged the "best" - "non-svt" of a show, but I will gladly take it and thank everyone on the way out the door for voting for me :laugh: . Wait for your svt unless your are ok with just a contour. It is all up to you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top