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SVT compared to non-SVT

L

Lou3

CEG'er
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
Messages
158
What's the performance difference between an SVT and a non-SVT 2.5L or 3.0L? I'm thinking about trading in my Zetec for an SVT in the next few months, but I'd hate to pass up a good deal on a non-SVT 2.5L or 3.0L if the difference is minimal. If the difference is significant, what conversions need to be done to bring the non-SVT up to speed?
 
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Clearing a little confusion you might have... no Contour (SVT or not) had a 3.0L in it.

If it has one, someone swapped the engine... none were put in by the factory.
 
The results were, as posted above in the death-beaten threads, noticeable but not incredible.

They were both even through the top of first, by the middle of second there was a half to 1 car length difference, and by the middle of 3rd it was 1-1.75 or 2 lengths and gaining rapidly.
 
I think the SE I bought provides just as much fun as the SVT and the money I saved a year ago got put to good use for school. The biggest difference for me is the looks (which I'm taking care of) and not being able to say "It's an SVT." I'm pretty sure it's going to suck to have to explain the body kit and whatnot. "That's how the car comes...but thats not how my car came" :crazy:
 
While the preformance difference isn't huge, for the extra money for an SVT you get the nicer looking body kit also. You won't save money buying an SE and getting the svt bodykit, since there are so many cheap svt's out there these days.
 
as it has been said before off the line the SE and the SVT will be about even, more so if the SE has been modded .... the biggest difference is at the top end where the SVT can breath and pull to red line the SE and its concervative cams start dropping power areound 5k rpm stock and its pushed alittle higher with mods ...


since my SE is fully loaded, I have leather and sunroof it isn't that far off from the SVT .... but like hotdimmes I have taken care of the difference in looks ....
 
I also look at it as the probability of someone abusing the car is greater with an SVT than with your run of the mill 2.5L mtx.
 
hotdimmes said:
I also look at it as the probability of someone abusing the car is greater with an SVT than with your run of the mill 2.5L mtx.
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Why? Really I don't see how it being a SVT or SE would matter, but to me it would be the opposite if anything.
Until the past couple years, SVTs costs atleast $2k more than a comparable SE. A car that cost more usually will see less abuse. Also, give a brat kid a SVT or a SE, and they may care a bit more for the SVT. Though I can see the point that a SVT may be raced more or whatnot, I don't think that would hold true for contours.

In any case, just buy a well cared for car whether it be a SVT or SE, that'll take care of the being abused thing.
 
Kremithefrog said:
Why? Really I don't see how it being a SVT or SE would matter, but to me it would be the opposite if anything.
Until the past couple years, SVTs costs atleast $2k more than a comparable SE. A car that cost more usually will see less abuse. Also, give a brat kid a SVT or a SE, and they may care a bit more for the SVT. Though I can see the point that a SVT may be raced more or whatnot, I don't think that would hold true for contours.
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I think this may be true of many original SVT owners, but there probably aren't many around these days. No offense to anyone here, and this is by no means a blanket statement, but there are a lot of SVT's being sold by 18-25 year old males which isn't a good demographic to buy a performance model car from, statistically speaking. I'm pretty sure SVT insurance rates have gone up over the last couple of years to reflect this. I shopped all summer for a SVT, and there was a big difference between 5-8 year owners and 0-2 year owners in terms of age, apparent maturity and income.

More and more, SVT's seem to be owned by people whom can't afford standard repairs on a timely basis.
 
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Desiato said:
There probably aren't many of those original purchasers driving SVT's these days. There are a lot of SVT's being sold by 18-25 year old males which isn't a good demographic to buy a performance car from, statistically speaking. I'm pretty sure SVT insurance rates have gone up over the last couple of years to reflect this.
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There's plenty of SVTs available from older people. But anyways, the same thing can be said for SEs EXCEPT they've historically been cheaper, meaning they've had more time to be ragged on. Like I said though, just buy a car that has been taken care of and it doesn't matter if SVTs or SEs get ragged on more.
SVT insurance rates are very low (atleast mine is) so I don't think it's gone up at all. I'm pretty sure it's gone down just like any other car that is getting older/value diminishing.
 
I just meant that if someone has the interest to buy a performance oriented vehicle(svt), they probably have the interest to open her up more often than just someone who wanted a 5speed vehicle with decent power(SE).

Don't get me wrong, if I could have had an SVT initially, I would certainly have picked one up. I still however ended up with the v6 and mtx and that money saved helped me out alot at that time.

I also look at it this way. Besides looks, the things that are sweet about the SVT,like engine and suspension, end up being swapped for aftermarket or 3L anyway. I may started off lower in the performance area, but I still have access to the same modifications that svt owners are doing to get me to very similar performance levels.
 
Opening it up ain't ragging on it. I take my car to redline quite often, doesn't mean I'm ragging on it. Helps keep that intake manifold clean anyways. :)
I don't know when you bought your car, but now, you can get a SVT for next to nothing.
Yes some of the things are commonly swapped, but what about the larger radiator, white face gauges, ground effects, simple fact that it is a rarer model, etc. Even some of the engine stuff is reused when going to a 3L.
At one point, going with a SE was probably the best option for many. Now, it's worth the extra $50 for a SVT. I imagine I paid less for my SVT than you did for your SE.
 
an SVT has a sort of prestige (sp?) that goes along with it...way more literature out there about the SVT...plus its a certified limited production car...that to me is worth it, can you take an SE and make it look like an SVT? of course, look at brapple's car, that thing is friggin sweet and thats an SE
 
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