Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General avg CEGER yearly cost keeping your tour running

wellI do have some more spending to do it seems

the next bit of money to be spent will be installing the radiator shield and the belts shield. I am thinking that my alternater went in under a year because it got wet one to many times.

I will have my steering system serviced having the fluid changed and components checked for looseness

Hopefully this will be the year when I replace my struts and springs and since the labor is the same whether I install a bat kit at 600 or a spax kit at 775 I think the extra 175 for adjustability may be worth it bedsides I may go with the eibach springs and might need the rear strut setting higher that on the front to prevent the rear end from diving down upon takeoff from stand still.

several thousand I am predicting for spending this year on the tour.

i've had my stique since '02 and can't say that i put almost any money into it... just lucky i guess...except for the theft

I'd say close to $2,000 a year. That includes, gas, oil changes, parts & repairs, state/city registration, and insurance.

I've spent maybe 50 dollars on my SVT since last July when i got her two tail light bulbs, a bottle of coolant, new foglight bulbs and windshield washer fluid... Now my SE on the other hand i'd say 2000 or a little less, a couple water pumps, new waterpump housing, parking brake cable, thermostat, dexcool/water wetter, air filter, spark plugs, wires, battery, 4 new 02 sensors, new IAC, misc hoses, tranny flush with mobil 1/cocktail, new pre cat, UIM/LIM cleaning, throttle body cleaned, new rubber (yokohamas)... damn no wonder it's faster than my SVT... i've yet to do any maintainence on my SVT execept for mobil 1/cocktail in the tranny and oil changes plus it needs a new IMRC

So far this year, here's what it has cost to keep my 2 Contours running:

96SE = $0.089/mile ($85; nothing but gas so far this year)
98SE = $0.376/mile ($302; bulbs, K&N, CD/MP3 Player and gas)

Yes, I keep track of every vehicle-related purchase.

If it wasn't for modifications, the maintenance costs would actually be pretty small. I tend to do a lot of preventative maintenance and upgrades -- those add up fast. Last year I spent over $2100 on the 98SE (MSDS headers, SVT springs, SVT struts, Mondeo pads/rotors, etc.). I spent less than $900 on my 96SE, but the majority of that was gas, oil and vehicle registration.

I don't mind the maintenance/upgrade costs. I figure a new vehicle would cost me $300/month, so I'm coming out ahead!

My Contour cost $0.30/mile over 65,000 miles/3 years.

so about $6500 year.

That included gas, insurance, i set of brakes/rotors, 2 sets of tires, oil changes, etc.

I was reimbursed by my company at $0.38 mile for 50k miles over the same time. A total of $19,000/3 years= $6,333.00 year.

I also received 3500 from the insurance company and sold the car for $225.

So $19,500 cost
$22,725 back

I made $3,200.00 after 3 years of ownership.

What makes this work for me is that the Contour is economical to own compared to other similar size/performance cars. It hellped that I had 25 miles to the gallon average with the automatic trans and V6 with a high of 34 and a low of 15.

It's a good car.

My pickup is suffering a little because my average so far is 20MPG, but that may be offset somewhat as the irs reimbursement rate I get is now $0.455 a mile.

I think I spent somewhere nearing 400 bucks in 8 months of owning my tour.

but I blew out a tire when I slid on gravel then up a rock embankment and made a nasty bald spot on the rear. . Tours are not ment to fly! I seriously do not recommend attempting this one... That was 275 for new tires...
but they were pretty much done when it happened so I just had to get them earlier

Had to clean EGR valve out that was around 10 bucks...

Needed new wiper blades 20 bucks

blinker bulb and fog light bulb 10 bucks

cleaning supples and car wash was probably nearer to 40 bucks

Oil changes, and bottle of fuel cleaner was around 35

Thats about it for me :-)

Edit update:

Forgot I replace the OEM battery but can't complain on that one for 7 year old battery that was $65. so I am over 400